Patents Examined by Andrew Smyth
  • Patent number: 12377292
    Abstract: An irradiating device, configured for irradiating a target, includes a 6-axis arm, an irradiating system positioned at the free end of the 6-axis arm, a manipulating handle, at least one load sensor placed between the manipulating handle and the 6-axis arm, and a control-actuation unit. The irradiating system includes a microwave frequency source and a radiation source supplied by the microwave frequency source. The manipulating handle is fastened to the radiation source. The control-actuation unit is configured to receive information from the load sensor and control the 6-axis arm according to the information received from the load sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: THERYQ
    Inventors: Philippe Liger, Marc Delmas, Emmanuel Brau
  • Patent number: 12374522
    Abstract: A semiconductor metrology tool for analyzing a sample is disclosed. The semiconductor metrology tool includes a particle generation system, a local electrode, a particle capture device, a position detector, and a processor. The particle generation system is configured to remove a particle from a sample. The local electrode is configured to produce an attractive electric field and to direct the removed particle towards an aperture of the local electrode. The particle capture device is configured to produce a repulsive electric field around a region between the sample and the local electrode and to repel the removed particle towards the aperture. The position detector is configured to determine two-dimensional position coordinates of the removed particle and a flight time of the removed particle. The processor is configured to identify the removed particle based on the flight time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Wei Hung, Jang Jung Lee
  • Patent number: 12374521
    Abstract: An ion implantation system including an ion source for generating an ion beam, an end station containing a platen for supporting a substrate to be implanted by the ion beam, and a load lock disposed adjacent the end station and adapted to transfer substrates between an external environment and the end station. The load lock may include a transfer chamber having a hollow interior, a first isolation door affixed to a first side of the transfer chamber and openable to the external environment, a second isolation door affixed to a second side of the transfer chamber and openable to an interior of the end station, and a volume filling cassette disposed within the hollow interior of the transfer chamber and adapted to hold at least one substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Mason Carrell, Jason M. Schaller, Victor Flores Iracheta
  • Patent number: 12364782
    Abstract: A device for sterilizing air from any bacterium, virus, dust or other organic or non-organic body present in the air of a public or private space, using a sterilization chamber having a laser beam filter is provided. A dense network of laser beams which saturate the sterilization chamber is created. The air forced to go through the sterilization chamber causes every small particle, bacterium and virus of any size to impact on the laser beams, pulverizing, destroying and/or neutralizing itself completely by the large beam energy irradiated for a time ranging from 0.5 to 2 seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: KAIRLASER S.R.L.
    Inventors: Francesco Zanata, Serena Zacchigna
  • Patent number: 12358816
    Abstract: A disinfection device including a pipe with a taper, inlet, and outlet; an ultraviolet laser; a beam steering device and a transparent layer. The laser, located at a smaller diameter end of the pipe, projects a laser beam towards a larger diameter end of the pipe. The laser beam projects through and/or off the beam steering device and through the transparent layer at a plurality of angles in a cycle. The beam steering device reflects, refracts and/or deflects the laser beam at angles such that a laser beam profile projects through part or all of an inner profile of any point along the taper in the cycle. The pipe receives a fluid that passes through the pipe. One of the inlet or the outlet is located at the smaller diameter pipe end and the other of the inlet or the outlet is located at the larger diameter pipe end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Inventor: Timothy John Fisher
  • Patent number: 12352779
    Abstract: A scanning probe microscope (50) is provided with a probe (20), a cantilever (2) supporting the probe (20), a scanner (43) on which a sample (S) is placed, a drive unit (4) for changing the distance between the sample (S) and the probe (20), and a displacement measurement unit (3) for measuring the displacement of the cantilever (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Yamasaki, Akinori Kogure
  • Patent number: 12354829
    Abstract: The present invention enables an overlay error between processors to be measured from a pattern image, the SN ratio of which is low. To this end, the present invention forms a secondary electron image 200 from a detection signal of a secondary electron detector 107, forms a reflected electron image 210 from a detection signal of a reflected electron detector 109, creates a SUMLINE profile 701 that is obtained by adding luminance information in the reflected electron image along the longitudinal direction of a line pattern, and calculates an overlay error of a sample by using position information about an upper layer pattern detected from the secondary electron image and position information about a lower layer pattern that is detected by using an estimation line pattern 801 estimated on the basis of the SUMLINE profile from the reflected electron image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Sugie, Kei Sakai
  • Patent number: 12343461
    Abstract: A luminaire is provided. The luminaire comprises a light source for generating a light, an electrical circuitry for driving the light source, and at least one air duct extending from an air inlet to an air outlet. The air ducts comprise walls with a photocatalytic element and are configured such that the air flowing through the at least one air duct can get in contact with the photocatalytic element and participate in a photocatalytic reaction under exposure to the light generated by the light source of the luminaire and/or an external light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: LEDVANCE GMBH
    Inventors: Yang Kevin Wang, Shengguo Yu
  • Patent number: 12337083
    Abstract: A germicidal device that includes a lamp cap, a grating component, a lamp body, a germicidal component and a fan component, where the grating component is provided with a central hole and several baffles which are provided at intervals to form several light outlets; the germicidal component is provided in the central hole for emitting UV light part of which is emitted via the light outlets; the bottom of the lamp body is provided with the first ventilation hole which connects to the central hole; the fan component is provided corresponding to the first ventilation hole for ventilation of the germicidal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: SHENZHEN GUANKE TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD
    Inventors: Qing Lan, Shoubao Chen, Ligen Liu
  • Patent number: 12329149
    Abstract: Disclosed are apparatuses and methods for irradiating a perfusate. The apparatus includes a tank which defines a first chamber. A separator is located inside the first chamber. The separator defines a second chamber. The first chamber and the second chamber are concentric and have substantially annular cross sections, each having at least one diameter and a substantially common longitudinal axis. A perfusate is introduced into the first chamber by an inlet. A UV radiation-emitting device is disposed inside the second chamber for providing irradiation to the perfusate. Irradiated perfusate is removed from the tank by an outlet. Other apparatuses and systems are described and methods for inactivating micro organisms by performing EVP and irradiating the perfusate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignees: University Health Network, Universidade de Sao Paulo
    Inventors: Vanderlei Salvador Bagnato, Marcelo Cypel, Shafique Keshavjee, Thomas Kenneth Waddell, Marcos Theophilo Galasso
  • Patent number: 12332574
    Abstract: Lithographic patterning method for creating features on a surface of a substrate, including the steps of: applying a resist material to the surface; performing resist processing steps, including at least: selectively exposing the resist material layer to a surface treatment step, wherein the resist material in the exposed locations is chemically modified; and developing the resist material layer to selectively remove the resist material locally. The method further comprises detecting, during or after the resist processing steps, a chemical modification of the resist material for monitoring or evaluating the processing steps. The step of detecting is performed by scanning the surface using a scanning probe microscopy device, and wherein the scanning includes contacting the surface with the probe tip in a probing area. The probing area coincides with at least one location of the exposed locations and non-exposed locations, for detecting the chemical modification. The document further describes a system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO
    Inventors: Diederik Jan Maas, Jacques Cor Johan Van Der Donck, Maarten Hubertus Van Es, Chien-Ching Wu, Klara Maturova, Robert Wilhelm Willekers
  • Patent number: 12327708
    Abstract: A charged particle optical system includes an aberration corrector 209 that corrects aberration of a charged particle beam and has multipoles of a plurality of stages. The aberration corrector generates a plurality of multipole fields in a superimposed manner for each of the multipoles of the plurality of stages in order to correct the aberration of the charged particle beam. In order to reduce the influence of a parasitic field due to distortion of the multipole, for a first multipole field to be generated in a multipole of any stage among the plurality of stages, a value of a predetermined correction voltage or correction current to be applied to a plurality of poles for generating the first multipole field is corrected so as to eliminate movement of an observation image obtained based on electrons detected from a detector 215 by irradiating a sample with the charged particle beam before and after the first multipole field is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Shingo Hayashi, Hideto Dohi, Zhaohui Cheng, Hideyuki Kazumi
  • Patent number: 12295092
    Abstract: The present specification relates to accelerating electrically charged particles. Gas is introduced into a vacuum chamber through at least one nozzle which opens into said vacuum chamber. Focusing an ionizing beam into the gas generates a plasma having a spatial distribution determined by the duration and manner of focusing the ionizing beam's laser pulses. Linearly polarized electromagnetic pulses of a wavelength at least ten times the wavelength of the ionizing beam's laser pulses tear electrons off the plasma, wherein said electromagnetic pulses include at most five optical cycles. The tearing-off of electrons is performed along a straight line defined by the resulting electric field strength of the electromagnetic pulses and simultaneously with the tearing-off of electrons, the positively charged particles of the remaining plasma with a net positive total charge are accelerated through exposure to Coulomb electrostatic forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: PÉCSI TUDOMÁNYEGYETEM
    Inventors: Gábor Almási, János Hebling, László Pálfalvi, Zoltán Tibai
  • Patent number: 12285549
    Abstract: An ultraviolet air sanitizer apparatus for HVAC systems has a frame defining a flow passage therethrough configured such that the frame rear is insertable into a return air inlet of the HVAC system. A sanitizer light is disposed within the flow passage. When activated, the sanitizer light emits germicidal ultraviolet light into the surrounding flow passage. A light baffle is disposed within the flow passage upstream of the sanitizer light and allows air flow but blocks light. An air pressure sensing switch is electrically connected to the sanitizing light and configured to measure air pressure differential across an air filter. When the air pressure differential is a predetermined value or greater, which is indicative of air circulation by the HVAC system, the switch turns on the sanitizer light. When the pressure differential is less than the predetermined value, the switch turns off the sanitizer light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Inventor: Phillip S. Eggers
  • Patent number: 12274802
    Abstract: A disinfection platform for at least partially disinfecting a proximal surface is provided. A disinfection apparatus includes a housing defining an aperture, a UV light source enclosed in the housing configured to project a UV illumination pattern toward a target disinfection area where the disinfection apparatus is disposed above one end and oriented at a downward angle. The illumination pattern output from the disinfection apparatus at least partially defined by louvers and an occlusion nose with reflective fins positioned at the aperture such that the illumination pattern at the target disinfection surface has improved intensity distribution. Multiple sensors cooperate with a control circuit operating the UV light source to provide intelligent and automated control with pattern detection, event based disinfection, and validation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: UV Partners, Inc.
    Inventors: David W Baarman, Paul Byrne, Luke Platz, Ryan D. Schamper, Colin J. Moore
  • Patent number: 12276644
    Abstract: Provided are methods for detecting or determining the amount of guanidinoacetate (GAA), creatine, and creatinine by mass spectrometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Quest Diagnostics Investments LLC
    Inventor: Thomas C. Lynn
  • Patent number: 12274817
    Abstract: The present application discloses a ceiling-mount air disinfector, i.e., an air disinfection troffer, including: a housing; a first air outlet and a first air inlet respectively near two opposing ends of a side of the housing; a filter covering the first air inlet; a cross flow fan located near the first air outlet, and an air disinfection apparatus disposed in the housing including an ultraviolet disinfection mechanism and an air rectifying chamber, said air rectifying chamber including a plurality of air ducts configured in parallel. In operation, ultraviolet light and air flow are introduced into the air ducts, traveling toward each other along a long side of the air ducts so that maximized air-light interaction time is achieved for the best disinfection efficacy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: BOLB INC.
    Inventors: Jianping Zhang, Huazhong Deng, Ling Zhou, Ying Gao
  • Patent number: 12270573
    Abstract: A fluid purification system for purifying a fluid, such as air, within a fluid flow system, such as a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. The fluid purification system has a housing with a specular interior surface. An aerodynamic ultra-violet light module is retained by a framework within the housing to be surrounded by the specular interior surface. The light module has an aerodynamic intake nose cone adjacent to the first end of the housing and an aerodynamic exhaust tail cone adjacent to the second end of the housing. The nose and tail cones are eye-shaped, taper distally, and cooperate to retain a plurality of ultra-violet bulbs in an eye-shaped array that communicates longitudinally within the housing. The housing can be rectangular in cross section with upper and lower walls and opposed sidewalls. Each wall can have a concave inwardly-facing surface operative to focus ultra-violet light within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Inventors: Donald S. Richardson, Nicholas Richardson
  • Patent number: 12266453
    Abstract: Disclosed is a lid (10) for closing a receptacle (20), the lid comprising: a static portion (18) arranged to substantially match an opening of the receptacle to be closed; a plurality of pivoting arms (11) coupled to the static portion; means (12) for moving the plurality of pivoting arms between a first position wherein the plurality of pivoting arms lie within a perimeter of the static portion and a second position wherein the plurality of pivoting arms lie outside a perimeter of the static portion and engage with a complementary feature of the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: CAPSA SOLUTIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: James Hill, Mark Farrell
  • Patent number: 12263267
    Abstract: A lamellar arrangement for shielding radiation acting on a fluid which flows through an interior of a device, comprises two or more lamellae aligned substantially parallel to one another and respectively defining an intermediate space between them, wherein at least one subset of the lamellae is respectively subdivided into at least three lamella sections comprising a first lamella section, a second lamella section next to the first lamella section and a third lamella section next to the second lamella section. The first lamella section and the second lamella section in this case enclose a first angle between them, and the second lamella section and the third lamella section enclose a second angle between them. The first angle has a magnitude in a range of from 20° to 45° and the second angle has a magnitude in a range of from 20° to 45°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: OSRAM GMBH
    Inventors: Ulrich Hartwig, Markus Stange, Thorsten Klebba, Tobias Gleitsmann, Mathias Bruemmer, Rainer Quandt, Werner Stolzenberg