Patents Examined by Eileen P. Morgan
-
Methods of detecting non-conforming substrate processing events during chemical mechanical polishing
Patent number: 12036635Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to chemical mechanical polishing systems (CMP) systems and processes used in the manufacturing of electronic devices. In particular, embodiments herein relate to methods of detecting non-conforming substrate processing events during a polishing process. In one embodiment, a method of processing a substrate on a polishing system includes urging a surface of a silicon carbide substrate against a polishing pad in the presence of a polishing fluid, determining a temperature of the polishing pad using a temperature sensor that is positioned above the platen, monitoring the temperature of the polishing pad, and, if the change in polishing pad temperature reaches a threshold value, initiating a response using a controller of the polishing system.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2021Date of Patent: July 16, 2024Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Jeonghoon Oh, Ashish Bhushan, Jamie Stuart Leighton, John Anthony Garcia, Stephen Thomas Cormier, Nick Joseph Jackson, Manoj Balakumar, Nandkishore Patidar -
Patent number: 12011806Abstract: An impeller for a centrifugal blast wheel machine includes a hub provided at one end of the impeller, with the hub being configured to be coupled to the motor. The impeller further includes a tapered section provided at an opposite end of the hub, with the tapered section defining a media inlet to receive blast media. The impeller further includes a plurality of drop-shaped vanes positioned between the hub and the tapered section. The plurality of drop-shaped vanes is spaced from one another on peripheries of the hub and the tapered section. The plurality of drop-shaped vanes defines a plurality of impeller media outlets constructed and arranged to allow egress of blast media upon rotation of the impeller. Each vane is drop-shaped having a leading side directed toward a direction of rotation of the impeller and a trailing side opposite the leading side.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2020Date of Patent: June 18, 2024Assignee: Wheelabrator Group LimitedInventors: Christoph Baer, Philipp Weissenberger, Stanislav Venclik
-
Patent number: 12011799Abstract: An electric knife sharpener includes an accommodating unit including a base and an upper cover with a V-shaped opening slot, a driving unit fixed on the base and including a motor and an eccentric wheel, a linkage unit including a linkage mechanism and an upper fixing seat with two limiting rods thereof pivotally connected to an upper part of the upper fixing seat, and a grinding unit. The linkage unit has a guide groove located in a pivot end thereof and coupled to two guiding blocks in a through hole of the upper fixing seat. The grinding unit includes two sharpening components. One end of each sharpening component is pivotally connected in a groove of the linkage mechanism, so that the two sharpening components form a cross arrangement and opposite openings are formed between the two sharpening components to cross a sharpening accommodating space.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2021Date of Patent: June 18, 2024Assignee: CUTTWAY PRODUCTS CO., LTD.Inventors: Tzu-Yi Lin, Po-Chun Chuang
-
Patent number: 11969848Abstract: The tool includes a base including a rigid carrier and a flexible collar encircling the rigid carrier; an elastically compressible interface; and a flexible buffer including a central portion that is located in line with the rigid carrier and a peripheral portion that is located transversely therebeyond. This peripheral portion is connected to the carrier exclusively via the interface and via the collar, wherein the collar is configured so that the tool is elastically deformable between a rest position that it adopts in the absence of stress and a reference position in which the transverse end second surface of the flexible buffer is pressed against a reference surface that is spherical and of radius included between 40 mm and 1500 mm.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2017Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Essilor InternationalInventors: Eric Gacoin, Pierre Kress, Jean Stephane, Jonathan Saulny
-
Patent number: 11969851Abstract: The present disclosure provides for a skate sharpening system comprising an operative unit and a base, the operative unit comprising a central body, the central body comprising a skate receiving slot, a skate clamp being positioned adjacent to the skate receiving slot such that a skate can be secured within the skate receiving slot for a sharpening operation, the operative unit further comprising a grinding unit, the grinding unit being configured to translate along a length of the slot such that the grinding unit can conduct the sharpening operation on the skate that is secured within the skate receiving slot, the operative unit being positioned over at least a portion of the base, the base comprising a swarf-receiving cavity, the operative unit and the base being pivotably connected.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2020Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Velasa Sports, Inc.Inventors: Daniel A. Beaudet, Ivan D. Goryachev, Brian Austin, Russell K. Layton, Jr.
-
Patent number: 11958160Abstract: A method for slicing a workpiece with a wire saw which includes a wire row formed by winding a fixed abrasive grain wire having abrasive grains secured to a surface thereof around multiple grooved rollers, the method including feeding a workpiece to the wire row for slicing while allowing the fixed abrasive grain wire to reciprocatively travel in an axial direction thereof, thereby slicing the workpiece at multiple positions aligned in an axial direction of the workpiece simultaneously. The method includes: supplying a coolant for workpiece slicing onto the wire row when the workpiece is sliced with the fixed abrasive grain wire; and supplying a coolant for workpiece drawing, which differs from and has a higher viscosity than the coolant for workpiece slicing, onto the wire row when the workpiece is drawn out from the wire row after the slicing of the workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2018Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.Inventors: Koji Kitagawa, Shiro Toyoda
-
Patent number: 11958164Abstract: A two part retaining ring is described. A rigid upper portion has an annular recess along its inner diameter. An annular wearable lower portion has an inner diameter, an annular extension defined by the inner diameter and a vertical wall that is perpendicular to a surface of the second portion and opposite to the inner diameter. The annular extension fits into the annular recess of the annular first portion. A bonding material is on the vertical wall of the annular second portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Shaun Van Der Veen, Steven M. Zuniga
-
Patent number: 11951594Abstract: To uniformly bring an abrasive into contact with a workpiece and to achieve desired surface roughness. A polishing tool sliding on a narrow part of the workpiece includes an abrasive retaining layer configured to allow an abrasive to be retained on a surface, and an elastic layer that is stacked on the abrasive retaining layer and is configured to press the abrasive retained in the abrasive retaining layer against the workpiece. The elastic layer is preferably elastically deformable over a sliding stroke of the polishing tool, and a driving unit that causes the polishing tool to slide on the workpiece is preferably connected to the polishing tool.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2018Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPRESSOR CORPORATIONInventor: Kosei Kawahara
-
Patent number: 11938590Abstract: A shot treatment apparatus ejects shot material from a nozzle towards a workpiece, and has the nozzle; a nozzle moving mechanism; and a three-dimensional information obtaining sensor; a pattern storage portion storing a nozzle reference operation pattern when the workpiece is installed at a reference position and a reference pose within the treatment compartment; a model data storage portion storing workpiece three-dimensional model data; a position/pose displacement calculating portion comparing the position and pose information and reference position and pose data when the three-dimensional model data is at the reference position in the reference pose to calculate a displacement in a position and pose of the workpiece from the reference position and pose data; and a nozzle movement control portion correcting the pattern based on the displacement in the position and pose, and controlling the nozzle moving mechanism to move the nozzle based on the corrected pattern.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2020Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: SINTOKOGIO, LTD.Inventors: Michiaki Hirao, Akiyoshi Suyama, Shoji Isobe
-
Patent number: 11938585Abstract: A sander apparatus for use with a drill press having a chuck defining a drill chuck axis. The sander apparatus includes a base assembly and a sander assembly supported by the base assembly, the base assembly locating the sander assembly in a predetermined location relative to the drill press chuck, in which a central pin axis of the sander assembly is aligned with the drill chuck axis. When a portion of an upper shaft of the sander assembly is secured in the chuck, rotation of the chuck about the drill chuck axis causes corresponding rotation of a body element of the sander assembly about the central pin axis. The base assembly supports the sander assembly in the predetermined location thereof as a workpiece is engaged with one or more abrasive elements on the body element while the body element rotates about the central pin axis.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2021Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Stringtech Workstations Inc.Inventor: Michael E. McConville
-
Patent number: 11931856Abstract: Embodiments relate to a polishing pad for use in a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process of semiconductors, a process for preparing the same, and a process for preparing a semiconductor device using the same. In the polishing pad according to the embodiment, the size (or diameter) and distribution of a plurality of pores are adjusted, whereby the polishing performance such as polishing rate and within-wafer non-uniformity can be further enhanced.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2022Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: SK ENPULSE CO., LTD.Inventors: Sunghoon Yun, Hye Young Heo, Jang Won Seo
-
Patent number: 11890719Abstract: In a method of polishing a silicon wafer, a final polishing step includes an upstream polishing step and a subsequent finish polishing step. In the upstream polishing step, as a polishing agent, a first alkaline aqueous solution containing abrasive grains with a density of 1×1014/cm3 or more is first supplied, and the supply is then switched to a supply of a second alkaline aqueous solution containing a water-soluble polymer and abrasive grains with a density of 5×1013/cm3 or less. In the finish polishing step, as a polishing agent, a third alkaline aqueous solution containing a water-soluble polymer and abrasive grains with a density of 5×10?13/cm3 or less is supplied. Thus, the formation of not only PIDs but also scratches with small depth can be suppressed.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2017Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: SUMCO CORPORATIONInventor: Shuhei Matsuda
-
Patent number: 11890712Abstract: A tool, a device, and a method for zonal polishing of optical workpieces, wherein the tool has a preformed cap for forming a polishing surface, and the tool is placed against the workpiece that is to be polished in such a way that the tilt angle of the axis of rotation of the tool to the normal of the contact surface on the workpiece remains at least essentially constant and/or the size of the contact surface remains at least essentially constant.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2017Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: SCHNEIDER GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Gunter Schneider, Stephan Huttenhuis, Andreas Fedoseew, Nadine Geist
-
Patent number: 11883929Abstract: An apparatus capable of efficiently performing a metal surface processing. The abrasive peening apparatus includes a processing tank storing abrasive particles and peening liquid, and including a bottom portion in which a workpiece is immersed in the peening liquid; a dispensing chamber having a plurality of recesses on an upper surface, and disposed in the bottom portion to dispense the peening liquid; a stirring nozzle disposed at a center of the recess directing vertically upward and connected to the dispensing chamber to eject the peening liquid; a peening nozzle immersed inside the processing tank to eject the peening liquid toward the workpiece; and a moving device moving the peening nozzle relative to the workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2021Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: SUGINO MACHINE LIMITEDInventor: Taiki Matsui
-
Patent number: 11878388Abstract: A polishing pad, a polishing apparatus and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor package using the same are provided. In some embodiments, a polishing pad includes a sub-pad portion and a top pad portion over the sub-pad portion. The top pad portion includes a plurality of grooves having a first width and a plurality of openings having a second width different from the first width, and the openings are located in a center zone of the polishing pad.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2018Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kuan-Cheng Wang, Ching-Hua Hsieh, Yi-Yang Lei
-
Patent number: 11865669Abstract: A tire pre-conditioning system includes a first mandrel, a second mandrel spaced apart from the first mandrel, and a controller in communication with the first mandrel and the second mandrel. The first mandrel is fixedly attached to a first shaft and including a first tapered sidewall. The second mandrel is fixedly attached to a second shaft and including a second tapered sidewall. The controller is operable to axially move the first mandrel and the second mandrel toward one another until the first and second tapered sidewalls are opposing respective beads of a tire, and supply pressurized fluid into an internal cavity of the tire to inflate the tire. The inflating causing the beads to move relative to mandrels while contacting the opposing respective tapered sidewalls to burnish the beads of the tire.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2018Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: Android Industries LLCInventors: Barry A. Clark, Donald Graham Straitiff, David Paul Donnay
-
Patent number: 11865670Abstract: The present invention discloses a device for removal of wheel rim burr which comprises a main body, plural positioning wheels, an eccentric wheel disposed on the main body, and at least two brush wheels disposed between two corresponding positioning wheels.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2020Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: Alex Global Technology, Inc.Inventor: Wei-Chin Chen
-
Patent number: 11865666Abstract: An apparatus for performing chemical mechanical polish on a wafer includes a polishing head that includes a retaining ring. The polishing head is configured to hold the wafer in the retaining ring. The retaining ring includes a first ring having a first hardness, and a second ring encircled by the first ring, wherein the second ring has a second hardness smaller than the first hardness.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2022Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Te-Chien Hou, Ching-Hong Jiang, Kuo-Yin Lin, Ming-Shiuan She, Shen-Nan Lee, Teng-Chun Tsai, Yung-Cheng Lu
-
Patent number: 11865663Abstract: A polishing pad or polishing tape with abrasive particles (e.g., diamond, aluminum-oxide, silicon-carbide, etc.) having an average particle size of between approximately 0.5 micrometers (?m) and 5.0 ?m, which are strongly adhered with water-insoluble binders to a flexible and lens-conformable substrate having a cushion so that there is little-to-no shedding or release of the particles from the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2019Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Inventors: George Shuai, Gwo Shin Swei
-
Patent number: 11850695Abstract: A disc changing system for a robotic defect repair system is presented. The system has a first abrasive disc and a second abrasive disc. The first and second abrasive discs are coupled to a liner. The system includes an abrasive disc placement device configured to automatically: remove the first abrasive disc from the liner, transport the first abrasive disc to a robotic tool of the robotic defect repair system, and place the first abrasive disc on a backup pad coupled to the robotic tool. The system also includes an abrasive disc remover configured to automatically remove the first abrasive disc after receiving a removal signal. The system also includes a controller configured to send an instruction to the disc placement device to remove, transport and place the first abrasive disc, instruct the robotic tool to conduct an abrasive operation. The controller is also configured to send the removal signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2020Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Aaron K. Nienaber, Mark W. Orlando, Nathan J. Herbst, Christie L. Vitale, Marc Eberwein, Brett R. Hemes, Jonathan B. Arthur, Thomas J. Strey