Patents Examined by Joel D Crandall
  • Polishing head for face-up type polishing apparatus, polishing apparatus including the polishing head, and polishing method using the polishing apparatus
    Patent number: 11440161
    Abstract: A polishing liquid is supplied without passing through a rotary joint in a face-up type polishing apparatus. This application discloses a polishing head for the face-up type polishing apparatus used by mounting a polishing pad on a lower surface as one embodiment. The polishing head includes a liquid reservoir portion that receives a liquid and a liquid discharge port that discharges the liquid received by the liquid reservoir portion. The liquid reservoir portion is disposed around a rotation axis of the polishing head. The liquid discharge port is disposed on the lower surface of the polishing head. An annular opening centering on the rotation axis of the polishing head is formed on an upper portion of the polishing head. The liquid reservoir portion is communicated with a space outside the polishing head via the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Kobayashi, Tetsuji Togawa
  • Guards for use with power tools and power tools including such guards
    Patent number: 11440160
    Abstract: Example guards for use with power tools and power tools including such guards. The guards include a collar structured to be removably coupled to a hand-guided electrical tool, a hood coupled to the collar, and a guard ring coupled to the collar via the hood. The guard ring extends entirely around the collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: PAUL MUELLER COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert Aaron Brown, Daniel Chronister, David Moore, William Hewett, Gregg Shirey
  • Glass sheet polishing assembly
    Patent number: 11433501
    Abstract: A glass sheet polishing assembly includes a support assembly having a mounting assembly disposed thereon. The mounting assembly interconnects the glass sheet and the support assembly in an operative position during a polishing procedure. A carriage is movable relative to the support assembly in a first direction relative to the glass sheet. A polishing assembly is movable along a length of the carriage in a second transverse direction. A drive assembly is disposed and structured to define a movable driving relation with the polishing assembly and the carriage to define a continuous path of travel of the polishing assembly over a surface of the glass sheet and to successively move both the carriage and the positioning assembly relative to the support assembly in the first direction and continuously move the polishing assembly along said carriage in the second transverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Inventor: Matthew J. Hatcher
  • Mobile robotic cleaner
    Patent number: 11432698
    Abstract: A control system for a robotic floor cleaning machine configured to perform a cleaning operation along a cleaning path can comprise a controller, and a plurality of sensors. The controller can be configured to control autonomous movement of the robotic floor cleaning machine along the cleaning path and autonomous performance of the cleaning operation. The plurality of sensors can be configured to sense a location of the robotic floor cleaning machine relative to surroundings of the robotic floor cleaning machine. At least two sensors from the plurality of sensors are configured to locate the robotic floor cleaning machine in overlapping areas of the surroundings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Nilfisk A/S
    Inventors: Kipp Knutson, Stuart McDonald, Stephen Klopp, John Black, Dave Wood, Donald Joseph Legatt
  • Apparatus and method for abrading a composite material
    Patent number: 11413719
    Abstract: Abrading apparatus and methods for treating opposing web surfaces of an elongate part include engaging the surfaces with first and second abrasion devices coupled to a frame. A drive assembly advances the frame along the part while the abrasion devices are operated to treat the surfaces. A guard assembly is coupled to the frame and includes first and second guards positioned to block portions of the contact areas of the first and second abrasion devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Richard Allen Miller, II, Narinder Kumar Gautam
  • Grinder particulate control assembly
    Patent number: 11407084
    Abstract: A grinder particulate control assembly for collecting particulate generated while grinding an outside corner surface. The grinder particulate control assembly having an adjustable bonnet capable of being used with grinders and grinding disks of various sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Inventors: John Tuckner, Milo Horak
  • Toothbrush heads comprising a two-component cleaning element and method for producing the same
    Patent number: 11406172
    Abstract: A toothbrush head, including at least one two-component cleaning element and at least one bristle tuft element, is produced by injection molding. To achieve high design flexibility regarding the arrangement of the two-component cleaning elements and regarding the material choice, the two-component cleaning elements are manufactured separately or in an upstream molding step. Then the two-component cleaning elements, together with the bristle tufts, are over-molded with plastic material, to form the brush head or a part thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Stefan Scheurich, Uwe Tretrop, Ulrich Stoerkel
  • Method and system for monitoring polishing pad
    Patent number: 11407082
    Abstract: Method and system for monitoring a polishing pad is provided. The polishing pad includes a bottom layer, a polishing layer disposed on the bottom layer, and a plurality of mark structures disposed on the bottom layer and in the polishing layer to have a top surface coplanar with the polishing layer to indicate consumption level of the polishing layer. The monitoring system includes an acquisition module, a memory module, and a determining module connected to both the acquisition module and the memory module. The determining module, the acquisition module, and the memory module are configured to monitor the consumption level of the polishing layer and to recognize that the polishing pad needs to be replaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignees: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation, Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventor: Chao Shi
  • Processing method for disk-shaped workpiece
    Patent number: 11400563
    Abstract: A processing method for a disk-shaped workpiece includes a holding step of causing a holding table to hold a disk-shaped workpiece, a step of rotating the workpiece and a grinding wheel to grind the workpiece, a step of rotating the workpiece after ground and the polishing pad to polish the workpiece, a step of measuring, after polishing, a thickness of the workpiece at least at two measurement points of a first measurement point of a center of the workpiece and a second measurement point in a proximity of at an outer circumferential edge of the workpiece, a step of recognizing a thickness tendency in a diametrical direction of the workpiece from the measured thicknesses of the workpiece, and a step of changing an inclination relationship between a rotation shaft for rotating the grinding wheel and a rotation shaft of the table on the basis of the recognized thickness tendency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuki Inoue
  • Mobile robotic cleaner
    Patent number: 11399686
    Abstract: A control system for a robotic floor cleaning machine configured to perform a cleaning operation along a cleaning path can comprise a controller, and a plurality of sensors. The controller can be configured to control autonomous movement of the robotic floor cleaning machine along the cleaning path and autonomous performance of the cleaning operation. The plurality of sensors can be configured to sense a location of the robotic floor cleaning machine relative to surroundings of the robotic floor cleaning machine. At least two sensors from the plurality of sensors are configured to locate the robotic floor cleaning machine in overlapping areas of the surroundings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Nilfisk A/S
    Inventors: Kipp Knutson, Stuart McDonald, Stephen Klopp, John Black, Dave Wood, Donald Joseph Legatt
  • Overhead storage device
    Patent number: 11401137
    Abstract: An overhead storage device comprising a cable pulley; a constant torque spring unit attached to the cable pulley and adapted to apply an approximately constant torque to the cable pulley; a cable partially wound around the cable pulley and having an attachment mechanism at one end of the cable; and a locking mechanism; comprising a pawl, a release cord attached the pawl and a ratchet unit; adapted to permit the attachment mechanism and an attached load to be lowered and locked at any desired position within the range of the device. The device is particularly suited for storing items, such as bicycles, golf clubs and yard equipment that are commonly stored in garages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Inventor: Robert Ozarski
  • Polishing pad, process for preparing the same, and process for preparing a semiconductor device using the same
    Patent number: 11400559
    Abstract: The polishing pad according to an embodiment adjusts the content of elements present in the polishing layer, thereby controlling the bonding strength between the polishing pad and the polishing particles and enhancing the bonding strength between the polishing particles and the semiconductor substrate (or wafer), resulting in an increase in the polishing rate. It is possible to enhance not only the mechanical properties of the polishing pad such as hardness, tensile strength, elongation, and modulus, but also the polishing rate for both a tungsten layer or an oxide layer. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently fabricate a semiconductor device of excellent quality using the polishing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: SKC solmics CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eun Sun Joeng, Jong Wook Yun, Sunghoon Yun, Jang Won Seo
  • Multi-jet abrasive head
    Patent number: 11396084
    Abstract: Multi-jet abrasive head for cleaning/removing material surfaces and splitting/cutting materials by a liquid beam enriched with solid abrasive particles with a uniform velocity and density profile allowing the cutting power to be increased with more efficient cutting beam usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Inventors: Jiri Mestanek, Zdenek Riha
  • Chemical-mechanical polishing system with a potentiostat and pulsed-force applied to a workpiece
    Patent number: 11389923
    Abstract: Shortcomings associated with insufficient control of a conventional CMP-process are obviated by providing an CMP-apparatus configured to complement a constant force (to which a workpiece that is being polished is conventionally exposed) with a time-alternating force and/or means for measuring an electrical characteristic of the CMP-process. The time-alternating force is applied with the use of a system component that is electrically isolated from the workpiece and that is disposed in the carrier-chick in which the workpiece is affixed for CMP-process, while the electrical characteristic is measured with the use of a judiciously-configured reservoir in which the used fluid is collected. The use of such CMP-apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: BRUKER NANO, INC.
    Inventors: Vladimir Gulkov, Nikolay Yeremin
  • Offset head-spindle for chemical mechanical polishing
    Patent number: 11389925
    Abstract: A polishing system is provided, including a carrier with an offset distance. The offset distance allows a shifted carrier head to cover more surface area of the polishing surface. The offset distance effectively provides an additional rotation of the carrier head about the axis, which allows for a greater area traversed on the polishing surface, improving chemical mechanical polishing uniformity on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Steven M. Zuniga, Jay Gurusamy, Bum Jick Kim, Danielle Loi
  • Process for automated sanding of a vehicle component surface
    Patent number: 11383344
    Abstract: A process for automated sanding of a vehicle component surface is provided and includes providing a sanding mechanism having a sanding head engaged with a housing, a rotary motor contained within the housing, the rotary motor having a drive shaft rotatable about an axis and extending outwardly therefrom, a radial plate attached to a first end of the drive shaft, and a sanding disk having an abrasive surface releasably attached to the radial plate; attaching the sanding head to a gimbal having a pressure sensor; powering the rotary motor driving rotation of the drive shaft, the radial plate and the sanding disk in at least one of a clockwise or counterclockwise direction; movably applying the sanding disk to the surface at a maintained constant pressure; and achieving a desired finish on the surface prepared to be primed and painted to a class A auto high sheen surface finish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Teijin Automotive Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Probir Kumar Guha, Philippe Bonte, Marc-Philippe Toitgans, Dominique Boyer, Mayur S. Shah, Ohiole Ake
  • Process kit for a substrate support
    Patent number: 11387134
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing substrates are provided herein. In some embodiments, a process kit for a substrate support includes: an upper edge ring made of quartz and having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the upper surface is substantially planar and the lower surface includes a stepped lower surface to define a radially outermost portion and a radially innermost portion of the upper edge ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Muhannad Mustafa, Muhammad M. Rasheed, Yu Lei, Avgerinos V. Gelatos, Vikash Banthia, Victor H. Calderon, Shi Wei Toh, Yung-Hsin Lee, Anindita Sen
  • Apparatus and methods for improvement of surface geometries of internal channels of additively manufactured components
    Patent number: 11376661
    Abstract: A cutting system for removing an excess material along a length of a channel constructed using an additive manufacturing process is disclosed. In various embodiments, the cutting system includes a cutting component having an abrasive surface configured to remove the excess material along a down-facing surface of the channel and a smooth surface configured for sliding contact with an up-facing surface of the channel; and a motive component configured to urge the cutting component through the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brian A. Fisher, David W. Morganson
  • Grinding method
    Patent number: 11376707
    Abstract: A grinding method includes an oblique grinding step of rotating a grinding wheel about the central axis of a second shaft, tilting the second shaft to a first shaft of a rotatable chuck table such that the bottom of a first portion of the grinding wheel that is positioned above an outer circumferential portion of the chuck table is higher than the bottom of a second portion of the grinding wheel that is positioned above a central portion of the chuck table, and then moving the grinding wheel and the chuck table relatively closer to each other along a direction parallel to the first shaft, thereby forming a disk-shaped recess in the reverse side of the workpiece, and a tilt changing and grinding step of grinding the reverse side of the workpiece while gradually changing a tilt of the second shaft to orient parallel to the first shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Suzuki
  • Components for a chemical mechanical polishing tool
    Patent number: 11376709
    Abstract: A component in a CMP tool disclosed herein having a surface and a hydrophobic layer deposited on the surface. In one example, the component is a component for delivering a fluid in a CMP tool. The component for delivering a fluid in a CMP tool includes an elongated member having a first end and a second end, and an elongated upper surface extending between the two ends. A hydrophobic layer is deposited on the elongated upper surface. In another example, the component is a ring shaped body having an upper side and a lower side. A hydrophobic layer is deposited on the inner surfaces of both the upper and lower sides. In another example, the component is a disk shaped body having a top surface, bottom surface, and ledge defined by the top and bottom surfaces. A hydrophobic layer is deposited on the surfaces and the ledge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventor: Sreenidhi Attur