Patents Examined by Brendan P Tighe
  • Patent number: 11969878
    Abstract: A robotic system for food preparation has a compact form factor and enables processes for dispensing food ingredients, weighing ingredients, processing ingredients, and storing and transferring ingredients in a tight space, such as within a kitchen cabinet or similar enclosure. The robotic system can also be put to use in larger commercial settings. The robotic system includes one or more gantry subsystems to translate and rotate tools relative to orthogonal axes. An ingredient storage subsystem includes multiple ingredient storage containers, each having a dispenser actuatable by an ingredient dispensing mechanism. A sensor subsystem includes a camera, a temperature sensor, or a weight sensor to detect presence or absence of objects at locations within the robotic apparatus, or to determine weight of ingredients. One or more cooking appliances have lids that can be inverted to receive and weigh dispensed ingredient(s), and transfer the ingredient(s) into the cooking appliance(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: CHEFEE ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventor: Assaf Pashut
  • Patent number: 11948828
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a pin-less substrate transfer apparatus and method for a processing chamber. The processing chamber includes a pedestal. The pedestal includes a pedestal plate. The pedestal plate has a radius, a top surface, and a bottom surface. The pedestal plate further includes a plurality of cut outs on a perimeter of the pedestal plate. Flat edges are disposed on opposite sides of the pedestal plate. Recesses are disposed in the bottom surface below each of the flat edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sultan Malik, Srinivas D. Nemani, Adib M. Khan, Qiwei Liang
  • Patent number: 11935772
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate may include a wet chamber, a dry chamber, a first transfer robot and a shared shutter. The wet chamber may be configured to process the substrate using a chemical. The dry chamber may be adjacent the wet chamber and configured to dry the substrate processed by the wet chamber. The first transfer robot may be configured to transfer the substrate between the wet chamber and the dry chamber. The shared shutter may be between the wet chamber and the dry chamber. A connection opening through which the substrate may be transferred may be formed between the wet chamber and the dry chamber. The shared shutter may be configured to open and close the connection opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seohyun Kim, Younghoo Kim, Sangjine Park, Kuntack Lee, Jihoon Jeong
  • Patent number: 11931839
    Abstract: A transfer machine: includes a frame, a table which is supported on the frame and can rotate with respect to the frame about a main vertical axis, and work holding assemblies mounted on the table. Each work holding assembly has at least one collet assembly for retaining a workpiece being machined. The collet assembly is able to rotate with respect to the table about a vertical workpiece rotation axis. The transfer machine includes at least one actuation motor in order to actuate rotationally the collet assembly and is provided with a driving shaft which can rotate about a respective driving axis. At least one transmission assembly can be activated selectively and is configured to transmit motion from the driving shaft to the collet assembly. At least one actuation motor is integral with the frame of the machine, with the respective driving shaft arranged horizontally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: MIKRON SA AGNO
    Inventors: Luciano Lagger, Luca Giacobazzi
  • Patent number: 11926043
    Abstract: In a robot (1) for gripping and/or holding objects (2), in particular workpieces, tools or carrier parts, the robot comprising: at least one robot arm (3, 4, 5) which is supported on a support frame (19) and is movable in space in at least one translational and/or rotational degree of freedom, a gripping and/or holding device (6), on which the respective object (2) is supported in a positionally oriented manner and/or held in a rotational arrangement, at least one electric motor (9) provided in the gripping and/or holding device (6), by means of which a torque and/or a clamping force is generated which acts on the object (2), and a drive shaft (24) mounted in the robot arm (5), which is coupled in a driving manner to the gripping and/or holding device (6), preferably in such a way that the gripping and/or holding device (6) rotates about its own longitudinal axis (6?), the gripping and/or holding device (6) arranged at the free end of the robot arm (5) should be freely movable in space, so that rotation a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SMW-Autoblok Spannsysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Eckhard Maurer
  • Patent number: 11904480
    Abstract: An automated gas supply system includes a gas cylinder transfer unit configured to transfer a cradle in which one or more gas cylinders storing a gas therein are stored; a gas cylinder inspection unit configured to check properties of the gas stored in the gas cylinder transferred from the gas cylinder transfer unit and check whether the gas leaks from the gas cylinder; a storage queue configured to receive the gas cylinder from the gas cylinder inspection unit by a mobile robot and configured to classify and store the transferred gas cylinders according to the properties of the gas stored in the gas cylinder; and a gas cabinet configured to receive the gas cylinder from the storage queue by the mobile robot and fasten a gas pipe, which is connected to a semiconductor manufacturing process line, to a gas spray nozzle, which is disposed at one side of the received gas cylinder, to supply the gas stored in the gas cylinder to the semiconductor manufacturing process line, wherein the gas cabinet includes a resid
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min Sung Ha, Kwang-Jun Kim, Jong Kyu Kim, Hyun-Joong Kim, Jin Ho So, Chi-Gun An, Ki Moon Lee, Hui Gwan Lee, Beom Soo Hwang
  • Patent number: 11894252
    Abstract: A transfer apparatus including a frame, multiple arms connected to the frame, each arm having an end effector and an independent drive axis for extension and retraction of the respective arm with respect to other ones of the multiple arms, a linear rail defining a degree of freedom for the independent drive axis for extension and retraction of at least one arm, and a common drive axis shared by each arm and configured to pivot the multiple arms about a common pivot axis, wherein at least one of the multiple arms having another drive axis defining an independent degree of freedom with respect to other ones of the multiple arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Brooks Automation US, LLC
    Inventors: Robert T. Caveney, Ulysses Gilchrist, Alexander Krupyshev
  • Patent number: 11894256
    Abstract: A substrate holding mechanism includes: a mounting stage on which a substrate is mounted; a plurality of holding sections each of which includes an upper surface that holds a lower surface of a peripheral section of the substrate and includes a lower surface that pushes down an upper surface of the peripheral section of the substrate mounted on the mounting stage; a protrusion that is provided on the plurality of holding sections and that contacts an end surface of the substrate mounted on the mounting stage to correct a position of the substrate; a lifting and lowering mechanism configured to lift and lower the plurality of holding sections; and a horizontal moving mechanism configured to horizontally move the plurality of holding sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Toshiaki Takahara, Fumito Kagami
  • Patent number: 11891779
    Abstract: A hydraulic excavator is provided which can suppress the fuel consumption amount and improve the work efficiency by reducing the hydraulic pressure loss generated when a plurality of hydraulic actuators different in load are operated simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohei Ogura, Katsuaki Kodaka, Masahiro Kayane, Yoshihiro Shirakawa
  • Patent number: 11866211
    Abstract: A handling device having a holder for gripping web-shaped packaging material, which holder has a curvature in the longitudinal direction of the holder. When the packaging material is gripped by the handling device, a free end section of the packaging material is arched in the transverse direction of the packaging material and projects out from the handling device to be inserted into a processing station of a packaging machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: UHLMANN PAC-SYSTEME GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Yannick Niederbacher, Sebastian Scharpf
  • Patent number: 11858146
    Abstract: A working method of performing work with increase or decrease in weight on an object by a robot system having a robot, a first hand with an assist device, and a second hand without the assist device, includes switching between an assisted work state in which the first hand is coupled to the robot and work is performed with assistance by the assist device and a non-assisted work state in which the second hand is coupled to the robot and work is performed without assistance by the assist device according to a weight of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nahomi Adachi, Hiroaki Shimizu, Masaki Miyasaka, Kazufumi Oya
  • Patent number: 11850745
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are multi-turn drive assemblies, systems and methods of use thereof. The multi-turn drive assemblies enable a robot link member to have a maximum rotation of at least 360 degrees about an axis. The multi-turn drive assemblies can be incorporated into a robot arm for enabling 360 degrees rotation of one or more link members about an axis. The robot arm may be located in a transfer chamber of an electronic device processing system. Also disclosed are methods of controlling the multi-turn drive assemblies and related robots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Jeff Hudgens, Damon K. Cox, Rajkumar Thanu
  • Patent number: 11850623
    Abstract: Disclosed are a substrate treating apparatus and a substrate transporting method. The substrate treating apparatus includes a first transport mechanism. The first transport mechanism includes a hand. A hand includes a base, a suction portion, a first receiver, a second receiver, and a receiver driving unit. The suction portion is attached to the base. The suction portion flows gas along a top face of a substrate, and sucks the substrate upward without contacting the substrate. The first receiver and the second receiver are supported on the base. The first receiver and the second receiver are disposed below the substrate sucked by the suction portion. The first receiver and the second receiver can receive a back face of the substrate. The receiver driving unit moves the second receiver with respect to the base. The receiver driving unit causes the second receiver to access the first receiver and to move away from the first receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Inventors: Yuichi Takayama, Kazuhiko Nakazawa, Hiromichi Kaba, Toshihito Morioka, Takuya Sato, Noriyuki Kikumoto
  • Patent number: 11830759
    Abstract: Various carrier ring designs and configurations to control an amount of deposition at a wafer's front side and bevel edge are provided. The carrier ring designs can control the amount of deposition at various locations of the wafer while deposition is performed on the wafer's back side, with no deposition desired on the front side of the wafer. These locations include front side, edge, and back side of bevel; and front and back side of the wafer. Edge profiles of the carrier rings are designed to control flow of process gases, flow of front side purge gas, and plasma effects. In some designs, through holes are added to the carrier rings to control gas flows. The edge profiles and added features can reduce or eliminate deposition at the wafer's front side and bevel edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Janicki, Brian Joseph Williams
  • Patent number: 11823939
    Abstract: Methods for aligning a processing chamber using a centering ring and processing chambers having the centering ring are describes. The method includes determining an average central position for the centering ring based on the concentricity of the centering with the support surfaces and adjusting average position of centering ring to a final position based on the average central position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kwok Feng Wong, Rakesh Ramadas, Ashutosh Agarwal
  • Patent number: 11820609
    Abstract: The invention relates to a robot (100) for performing a process of picking rubber blocks arranged in a container toward a target location. The invention also relates to a process of picking rubber blocks arranged in a container, performed by the disclosed robot (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Gwenael Favro, Gregory Marcet, Maxime Tarrit
  • Patent number: 11806868
    Abstract: A boom working device has a boom, mounted on and extending from a boom support, on which an end effector mounting interface is formed. The boom is equipped with two linear output structures, each in engagement with one of two drive wheels of the boom support. With respect to the boom support, the boom is both pivotable around a main axis and also capable of linear movement at right-angles to the main axis. Through harmonised rotary actuation of the drive wheels an operating movement of the boom may be generated, consisting either of a pivoting movement alone or of a linear movement alone or of the pivoting movement with simultaneously superimposed linear movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Festo SE & Co. KG
    Inventor: Markus Aegerter
  • Patent number: 11801598
    Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus including a frame, a drive section connected to the frame and including at least one independently controllable motor, at least two substrate transport arms connected to the frame and comprising arm links arranged for supporting and transporting substrates, and a mechanical motion switch coupled to the at least one independently controllable motor and the at least two substrate transport arms for effecting the extension and retraction of one of the at least two substrate transport arms while the other one of the at least two substrate transport arms remains in a substantially retracted configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Brooks Automation US, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Hofmeister, Alexander G. Krupyshev, Krysztof A. Majczak, Martin Hosek, Jay Krishnasamy
  • Patent number: 11804394
    Abstract: Methods and systems for improving the efficiency of an automated material handling system (AMHS) include providing an apparatus operatively coupled to a load port of a processing apparatus, where the apparatus is configured to remove a first work-in-process from the load port and to move the first work-in-process along a first direction to displace the first work-in-progress from the load port while a second work-in-progress is transferred to the load port from an AMHS vehicle along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, and transferring the first work-in-progress to an AMHS vehicle along the second direction. The methods and systems may be used for loading and unloading wafer storage containers, such as front opening unified pods (FOUPs), in a semiconductor fabrication facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventor: Yen-Fu Shen
  • Patent number: 11784068
    Abstract: A member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes an upper plate that has a wafer placement surface, that contains an electrostatic electrode and an upper auxiliary electrode parallel to each other, and that comprises ceramics; an intermediate plate that is joined to a surface of the upper plate opposite the wafer placement surface with a first metal joining layer interposed therebetween; and a lower plate that is joined to a surface of the intermediate plate opposite a surface joined to the upper plate with a second metal joining layer interposed therebetween and that contains a heater electrode and a lower auxiliary electrode parallel to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takebayashi, Joyo Ito