Patents Examined by Glenn F Myers
  • Patent number: 11715659
    Abstract: Proposed is an EFEM configured to perform wafer transfer between a wafer storage device and process equipment. More particularly, proposed is an EFEM that prevents harmful gases inside a transfer chamber in which wafer transfer is performed from escaping out of the EFEM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: PICO & TERA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Bum Je Woo
  • Patent number: 11708247
    Abstract: A container spreader for coupling a container with a hoisting installation has a number of assemblies of a guiding plate and a displacing device connected thereto, for displacing the guiding plate between an active position A and an inactive position B. The displacement device has a hydraulic swivel motor provided with an output shaft which is connected to the guide plate via connecting elements. A hydraulic unit is coupled to the swivel motor via coupling device for supplying and discharging hydraulic oil from and to the swivel motor. By applying a hydraulic swivel motor, a final transmission can be omitted and no valves are required for keeping the hydraulic motor at pressure. As a result, an energy-efficient and inexpensive assembly has been obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: VDL CONTAINERSYSTEMEN BV
    Inventor: Olaf Johannes Boerboom
  • Patent number: 11708705
    Abstract: A bollard setting and installation system for efficiently installing a bollard wall without any restrictions relating to proximity to water or flood plains. The bollard setting and installation system generally includes a setting frame which is positioned on a ground surface. A plurality of bollards is positioned on the setting frame in a desired spacing and orientation to form a bollard wall. A vehicle having a vehicle arm connected to a lifting frame is positioned such that the bollards are secured to the lifting frame by clamps in the desired spacing and orientation. The vehicle may then move the lifting frame to position the lower ends of the bollards in an opening in the ground surface. Concrete may be poured to encapsulate the lower ends of the bollards. The lifting frame may then be removed, with the bollard wall being free-standing in the ground surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: TGR Construction, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Fisher, Gregory L. Schafer
  • Patent number: 11708216
    Abstract: The present application relates to a movable buffer, an automated material handling system and a corresponding overhead hoist transfer. The movable buffer includes: an inclined track including a first end and a second end opposite to each other, wherein the second end of the inclined track is higher than the first end of the inclined track; a storage tray connected to the inclined track, wherein the storage tray is provided with a space for accommodating a front opening unified pod, the storage tray is provided with at least one opening; and a transmission mechanism, wherein the upper surface of the transmission mechanism is connected to the lower surface of the overhead buffer, the lower surface of the transmission mechanism is connected to the inclined track, and the transmission mechanism is used for driving the storage tray to slide from the first end of the inclined track to the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Xiaofeng Qin
  • Patent number: 11702303
    Abstract: In one aspect, the disclosure describes an apparatus comprising an auger section having an auger and a drive unit containing a motor for driving the auger. A collector ring housing containing a collector ring is positioned between the auger section and the drive unit. In another aspect, the disclosure describes an apparatus for attachment to a floor grate. The apparatus includes a pivot stand attached to a top surface of the floor grate, the pivot stand defining a vertical pivot axis. A collector ring has a first stationary portion and a second rotatable portion, with the stationary portion attached to the pivot stand. A housing surrounds the collector ring, and the housing and second rotatable portion of the collector ring rotate together about the pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Sudenga Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan G. Hoogestraat
  • Patent number: 11697577
    Abstract: A fixing device that fixes a lower end portion of a suspension belt to a holding portion is provided with a shaft-like portion with an axial direction aligned with a horizontal direction; a fixing portion where the lower end portion of the suspension belt is fixed is provided on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft-like portion; a region of the outer circumferential surface on one side of a virtual vertical surface that runs through an axial center of the shaft-like portion is defined as a first region and a region of the outer circumferential surface on the other side of the virtual vertical surface is defined as a second region; the fixing portion is provided in the first region; and the suspension belt extending from the fixing portion is disposed running through a lowest portion of the outer circumferential surface and running along the second region and upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Abe
  • Patent number: 11682572
    Abstract: A storage device for use with at least one batch furnace for batch treatment of wafers supported in a wafer boat is disclosed. The storage device comprises a cassette storage carousel for storing a plurality of wafer cassettes on rotatable platform stages. A carousel housing bounds a mini-environment chamber in which the platform stages are accommodated. A gas recirculation circuit of the storage device subsequently comprises a gas inlet channel, a gas inlet filter, the mini-environment chamber, a plurality of gas outlet openings in a bottom wall of the carousel housing, a plenum housing bounding a plenum chamber, a plenum chamber outlet, a gas circulation pump connecting the plenum chamber outlet to an inlet end of the gas inlet duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: ASM IP Holdings B.V.
    Inventor: Adriaan Garssen
  • Patent number: 11679945
    Abstract: A system for loading/unloading solid materials from an open top rail car is described. The system may comprise suitable safety features, structural reinforcement and loading features to permit operation of the system by a single operator in a safe manner. In some examples, the system comprises a crawler excavator reversibly coupled to a sled attachment to permit movement of the crawler excavator along a top surface of an open top rail car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Transloading Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald W Connor, Melvin A Richardson
  • Patent number: 11676841
    Abstract: Some implementations described herein provide a method that includes loading, from a load port and into a first buffer of a multiple-buffer overhead hoist transport (OHT) vehicle, a first transport carrier storing one or more processed wafers. The method includes unloading to the load port, while the first buffer retains the first transport carrier, and from a second buffer of the multiple-buffer OHT vehicle, a second transport carrier storing one or more wafers for processing. In other implementations, the method includes loading, into a first buffer of the multiple-buffer OHT vehicle, a first transport carrier storing one or more wafers for processing, while a semiconductor processing tool, associated with a load port, is processing one or more wafers associated with a second transport carrier. The method includes positioning the multiple-buffer OHT vehicle above the load port while the multiple-buffer OHT vehicle retains the first transport carrier in the first buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chuan Wei Lin, Fu-Hsien Li, Chi-Feng Tung, Hsiang Yin Shen
  • Patent number: 11676842
    Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus includes a transporting space, transport mechanisms, and heat-treating sections. The transport mechanisms are provided in the transporting space. The heat-treating section, transporting space, and heat-treating section are aligned in the stated order in a transverse direction. One heat-treating section includes a plurality of heat-treating units. The heat-treating units are arranged in a longitudinal direction. The other heat-treating section includes a plurality of heat-treating units. These heat-treating units are also arranged in the longitudinal direction. One transport mechanism transports substrates to the heat-treating units. The other transport mechanism also transports substrates to the heat-treating units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventor: Joji Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 11673741
    Abstract: A storage system prevents a large load from being applied to a part of the ceiling. The storage system in which a rack is provided by being suspended from a first position of a ceiling by a first suspending member attached to a grid ceiling, a second overhead track is provided by being suspended from a second position of the grid ceiling by a second suspending member attached to the grid ceiling, and the first position and the second position are set to be apart by at least a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Wada, Kosuke Irino, Yoshiki Yuasa
  • Patent number: 11660239
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic device for controlling an access ramp to a door of a vehicle, the ramp being able to move from a retracted configuration to a deployed configuration. The electronic device includes: a detection module configured to detect, via at least one sensor, at least one element of interest located in an area near the door, each sensor being able to be connected to the detection module; a command module configured to command the passage of the ramp from one configuration to the other configuration as a function of the detection of an element of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: TRANSDEV GROUP INNOVATION
    Inventors: Thomas Darnaud, Nicolas Desmoineaux, Cem Karaoguz
  • Patent number: 11664255
    Abstract: A gripper arrangement adapted for gripping a cleanroom container, such as a FOUP, FOSB or reticle container and a method therefore, includes: a gripper adapted to grip the cleanroom container; a lifting unit comprising a first motor for lifting the gripper; at least one cord connecting the gripper with the lifting unit, wherein the at least one cord is driven by the first motor; a second motor for rotating at least a portion of the gripper with respect to the lifting unit around the vertical axis; wherein the gripper comprises engagement elements and the lifting unit comprises complementary engagement elements adapted to engage with the engagement elements for preventing a rotation around the vertical axis of the gripper with respect to the lifting unit; wherein the gripper comprises an upper gripper element and a lower gripper element; wherein the lower gripper element is adapted for supporting the top flange of the cleanroom container; and the lower gripper element comprises an opening that can be passed ov
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Schiller Automatisierungstechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Nirschl, Karl Kagleder, Thomas Eichlseder, Maximilian Kagleder
  • Patent number: 11664256
    Abstract: The application discloses a placement system for a door of a wafer pod, including a loadport. A docking interface is formed in the loadport, a placement mechanism is arranged on one side surface of the loadport, and includes a swing component, a follower component, and a docking plate. The swing component and the follower component are respectively connected to the docking plate, and the swing component can drive the docking plate to place the docking plate obliquely above the docking interface. By utilizing the space at the top of the loadport, the structural layout of the loadport is more reasonable; and the docking plate is placed nearly horizontally after the door is placed at a designated position, and provides a supporting force to the door, so that dependence on the vacuum suction is decreased, thereby avoiding the influences due to fluctuations of air pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Inventors: Dongfeng Zhang, Weicheng Bao, Wenguang Wang, Xuchen Wang, Ying Ye
  • Patent number: 11658053
    Abstract: One illustrative device disclosed herein includes a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) storage bin, a plurality of pins positioned on a first surface of the FOUP storage bin, wherein the plurality of pins are adapted to engage and register with the FOUP, and a conversion plate. In one illustrative embodiment, the conversion plate includes a plate with a front surface and a back surface, a reticle pod receiving structure on the front surface that at least partially bounds a reticle pod receiving area on the front surface, and a pin engagement structure on the back side that is adapted to engage the plurality of pins on the first surface of the FOUP storage bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES U.S. Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Raga-Barone
  • Patent number: 11658051
    Abstract: A substrate transport system includes a carrier having a housing forming an interior environment having an opening for holding at least one substrate and a door for sealing the opening from an outside atmosphere where when sealed the interior environment is configured to maintain an interior atmosphere therein, the housing including a fluid reservoir exterior to the interior environment and configured to contain a fluid, forming a different atmosphere in the fluid reservoir than the interior atmosphere, to form a fluidic barrier seal that seals the interior environment from an environment exterior to the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Brooks Automation US, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Babbs, Robert T Caveney, Robert C May, Krzysztof A Majczak
  • Patent number: 11641805
    Abstract: A farm implement includes a frame, a container mounted on the frame, an intake housing rotatably connected to a front wall of the container proximate to a discharge opening, a first auger assembly, and a second auger assembly. The first auger assembly is disposed in the container and conveys agricultural material through the discharge opening. The second auger assembly is rotatably connected to an outlet of the intake housing and includes an inlet that receives agricultural material from the intake housing and an outlet that discharges agricultural material. The farm implement further includes a first mounting assembly and a second mounting assembly disposed along the front wall. The second auger assembly is mounted on one of the first and second mounting assemblies at an operating position, without being mounted to the other one of the first and second mounting assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Unverferth Manufacturing Co., Inc
    Inventors: Ronald J. Schlimgen, Michael D. Van Mill
  • Patent number: 11631603
    Abstract: A storage shelf includes second shelf modules each including a second shelf board, a supply nozzle, an MFC configured to adjust a flow rate of the fluid supplied from the supply nozzle, and a third pipe connecting between the MFC and a main pipe connected to a supply source of the fluid, and suspension frames each including additional shelf supporting portions supporting the second shelf modules from below and a pair of suspending portions and a pair of additional suspending portions suspending and supporting the additional shelf supporting portions. The suspension frames are disposed at regular intervals along one direction. Each second shelf module is laid over between additional shelf supporting portions of suspension frames adjacent to each other in the one direction, and a pipe connector being connectable to the main pipe is provided with an end of the third pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuo Tsubaki, Shinji Onishi
  • Patent number: 11623819
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for checking contours of pallets (18) to be put into storage in a rack system, said arrangement comprising: a pallet transfer station (12) which is designed to receive pallets (18) to be put into storage in the rack system; at least one sensor device (16a-16d) which is designed to detect whether a pallet (18) standing on the pallet transfer station (12) and objects supported by the pallet (18) are completely within a predefined contour; and an output unit (24) which is operationally coupled to the sensor unit (16a-16d) and is designed to output the detection result. The invention also relates to a rack system comprising at least one rack row, at least one stacker crane and at least one arrangement for checking contours, the pallet transfer station of which is designed such that pallets can be placed thereon from outside the rack system, which pallets can then be picked up by the stacker crane so as to be put into storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: JUNGHEINRICH AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Susanne Zitzmann, John Erkenbrecher, Ramiro Martinez
  • Patent number: 11623706
    Abstract: Production system for series production of in particular motor vehicles, includes a container storage area storing containers containing components for production, production shelves, remote from container storage area, from which workers remove components from containers. Transport for transporting containers from container storage area to production shelves. Transport has automated guided vehicle (AGV) on which transport shelf is situated and designed so containers are automatically delivered from transport shelf to production shelves in a conveying direction (delivery direction). Handling device situated on AGV, has a base body and a handling unit situated on base body. Handling unit removes containers from transport shelf in conveying direction and delivering containers to production shelf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Identytec GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Thorsten Finke