Patents Examined by Joseph J. Hail
  • Patent number: 11400560
    Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a retaining ring for use in a polishing process. The retaining ring includes an annular body having an upper surface and a lower surface. An inner surface is connected to the upper surface and the lower surface. The inner surface includes one or more surfaces that are used to retain a substrate during processing. The one or more surfaces have an angle relative to a central axis of the retaining ring. The inner surface also includes a plurality of facets. Channels are disposed within the retaining ring to allow passage of a polishing fluid from an inner surface to an outer surface of the retaining ring disposed opposite of the inner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Jeonghoon Oh, Charles C. Garretson, Eric Lau, Andrew Nagengast, Steven M. Zuniga, Edwin C. Suarez, Huanbo Zhang, Brian J. Brown
  • Patent number: 11399683
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner has a nozzle with an electric motor and a cleaning device driven thereby. A separate suction unit has an electric fan for drawing in air and a collector for separating dust from the drawn-in air. A suction conduit extends between the nozzle and the suction unit so the electric fan draws air and dust in through the nozzle, pulls it through the conduit, and separates the dust from the air in the collector. The conduit further has a rigid pipe having an outer end connected to the nozzle and an opposite inner end and a flexible hose connected between the inner end and the suction unit and opening into the collector. A power unit for the nozzle motor has a housing mounted on the pipe, a lithium-ion battery contained in the housing, and a control contained in the housing and operating the electric motor of the nozzle from the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: WESSEL-WERK GMBH
    Inventor: Marcus Cleff
  • Patent number: 11400561
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a top ring for holding a substrate. The top ring comprises a substrate supporting surface, a retainer member disposed to surround an outer periphery of the substrate supporting surface, and a retainer guiding device configured to guide the retainer member so as to allow the retainer member to be displaced in a direction perpendicular to the substrate supporting surface, and support the retainer member so as to inhibit the retainer member from being displaced in a direction parallel to and away from the substrate supporting surface. The retainer guiding device is disposed in an inner side of the retainer member surrounding the substrate supporting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Kobayashi, Asagi Matsugu, Makoto Kashiwagi, Manao Hoshina
  • Patent number: 11396083
    Abstract: Provided is technical means capable of supplying a polishing liquid having a uniform slurry flow rate to a CMP polishing device. There is a blending flow channel 40 communicating with a flow channel in which a slurry, ultra-pure water, a chemical, and hydrogen peroxide water are transferred. In this blending flow channel 40, a plurality of types of liquids are blended, and the blended liquid is supplied to the CMP polishing device 8 as a plurality of polishing liquid. A blending tank 52A storing the polishing liquid obtained by blending the liquids is included. A flow channel reaching the CMP polishing device 8 is a circulation flow channel that returns to the blending tank 52A via a branching point 17A from the blending tank 52A toward the CMP polishing device 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: NISHIMURA CHEMITECH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takuji Kaneshige
  • Patent number: 11396080
    Abstract: Embodiments of apparatus and method for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) are disclosed. In an example, an apparatus for CMP includes a platen, a slurry supply, and at least one scraping fixture. The platen is configured to rotate a pad thereon about a central axis of the pad. The slurry supply is configured to supply a slurry onto the pad while the pad rotates. The at least one scraping fixture is configured to scrape the slurry off the pad when the slurry travels a distance between the slurry supply and the at least one scraping fixture in a circumferential direction of the pad as the pad rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: YANGTZE MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lin Gao, Yangbo Jiang, Guangyi Wang, Juncheng Yang
  • Patent number: 11396091
    Abstract: A dual-beam torque wrench with a linear display and a linear locking member is provided. The torque wrench includes a head that couples to a socket to rotate a fastener or bolt. A housing of torque wrench extends from the head to form a handle. Within the housing forming the handle are two beams: a lever beam that transmits the force from the handle to the head and a deflecting beam that couples to the head and not the handle. The deflecting beam deflects away from the lever beam to indicate that a predetermined torque has been applied. A torque adjustment assembly moves the lever beam relative to the head to set the predetermined torque, and a pin follows the linear display to indicate to the user the set predetermined torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventor: Caleb C. Adams
  • Patent number: 11396087
    Abstract: A ratchet wrench includes a wrench main body provided at an end thereof with a through hole, wherein a ratchet wheel is disposed, which is provided from top to bottom thereof in order with an upper ratchet portion, an upper annular groove, a middle ratchet portion, a lower annular groove and a lower ratchet portion. The upper and lower ratchet portions both protrude out of the through hole. The middle ratchet portion is located in the through hole. Two retainers are respectively disposed in the upper and lower annular grooves located out of the through hole, for retaining the ratchet wheel in the through hole. As a result, in the ratchet wrench of the present invention, the wrench main body doesn't need much processing, thereby improved in processing convenience. Besides, the installation of the members is convenient and firm, thereby benefiting the operation of the ratchet wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Inventor: Chih-Min Chang
  • Patent number: 11389991
    Abstract: 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 a plurality of grooved rollers, the wire being fed from one of a pair of wire reels and taken up by another, the method including feeding a workpiece to the row for slicing while allowing the wire to reciprocate and travel in an axial direction, thereby slicing the workpiece at a plurality of positions aligned in an axial direction of the workpiece simultaneously. Prior to slicing, an abrasive-grain abrading step wherein the wire is allowed to travel without slicing the workpiece, allowing the wire to rub against itself within the reels, and dressing its surface for 30 minutes or more. The method can dress a fixed abrasive grain wire at low cost and suppress thickness unevenness of wafers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shiro Toyoda
  • Patent number: 11389927
    Abstract: A processing apparatus includes a first distinguishing display unit which, when a mechanism making a holding force or a processing force act on a workpiece causes an error, displays a workpiece illustration representing the workpiece to which the error is caused and on which the holding force or the processing force acts distinguishably from another workpiece illustration. The workpiece on which the holding force or the processing force of the mechanism causing the error acts can be thereby identified easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Fukushi, Souichi Matsubara, Suzu Hoshino, Hidekazu Nakayama
  • Patent number: 11389928
    Abstract: A method is provided and includes: measuring a surface profile of a polishing pad; obtaining a reference profile of the polishing pad; comparing the surface profile of the polishing pad with the reference profile to generate a difference result; determining a conditioning parameter value according to the difference result; and conditioning the polishing pad using the conditioning parameter value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shen-Nan Lee, Te-Chien Hou, Teng-Chun Tsai, Chung-Wei Hsu, Chen-Hao Wu
  • Patent number: 11390503
    Abstract: A drop table can employ one or more shearing drive couplings to optimize lifting operations. The drop table can have a motor physically attached to a first lifting column via a first rotating input shaft and to a second lifting column via a second rotating input shaft. Each rotating input shaft is connected to the motor by a drive coupling having a shearing insert positioned between a drive shaft and a collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Inventors: Stephen Harold Schumacher, Mark M. O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 11389929
    Abstract: A method for surface treatment of a workpiece made from a hard-brittle material comprises first blasting employing abrasive grains of higher hardness than a hardness of a base material of the workpiece for forming a three dimensional recess-protrusion profile having protrusions and recesses formed between the protrusions on a surface of the workpiece; and second blasting employing an elastic abrasive having a structure in which abrasive grains carried in and/or on an elastic body made from material with low rebound elasticity for polishing the surface of the workpiece formed with the recess-protrusion profile so as to achieve an arithmetic average roughness Ra of not greater than 1.6 ?m on the surface of the protrusions and the recesses on the workpiece while maintaining the recess-protrusion profile formed by the first blasting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: FUJI MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keiji Mase, Shozo Ishibashi, Mizuki Sekizawa
  • Patent number: 11383345
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus capable of effectively removing dirt attached to a bottom surface of a heat exchanger, is disclosed. The cleaning apparatus cleans the heat exchanger for regulating a surface temperature of a polishing pad. This cleaning apparatus includes: a moving mechanism configured to move the heat exchanger between a temperature-regulating position in which the heat exchanger can exchange heat with the polishing pad, and a retreat position in which the heat exchanger is separated from a surface of the polishing pad; and a cleaning mechanism configured to clean a bottom surface of the heat exchanger moved to the retreat position The retreat position is located on a side of the polishing pad. The cleaning mechanism includes at least one cleaning nozzle for ejecting a cleaning liquid to the bottom surface of the heat exchanger, or a cleaning tank in which the bottom surface of the heat exchanger can be immersed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Motoshima, Toru Maruyama, Keisuke Kamiki, Shuji Uozumi
  • Patent number: 11382475
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus including: a housing supporting: a suction source including a motor with an axle having an axis (A) which rotates a fan; a dirt collection chamber having an elongate axis (B); and a battery for providing power to operate the suction source, wherein the battery has an elongate axis (C); wherein the axis (A) of the motor axle and the elongate axis (B) of the dirt collection chamber extend transversely with respect to the elongate axis (C) of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventors: Simon Pougher, Darren Holmes, Richard Waters, Anna Jaanus, Jose Casella
  • Patent number: 11382471
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus including a vacuum cleaner and a docking station is provided. The cleaning apparatus includes a vacuum cleaner including a dust collecting chamber in which foreign substances are collected, and a docking station configured to be connected to the dust collecting chamber to remove the foreign substances collected in the dust collecting chamber. The dust collecting chamber is configured to collect foreign substances through centrifugation, and configured to be docked to the docking station, and the docking station includes a suction device configured to suction the foreign substances and air in the dust collecting chamber docked to the docking station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: See Hyun Kim, In Gyu Choi, Ki Hwan Kwon, Shin Kim, Hyeon Cheol Kim, Do Kyung Lee, Hyun Ju Lee, Yun Soo Jang, Seung Ryong Cha, Jung Gyun Han
  • Patent number: 11382474
    Abstract: A battery-operated vacuum cleaner comprises a handle (H) having a lower end, a battery (B) having an end that is adjacent to the lower end of the handle (H), a dirt management system (DMS) coupled to an inlet (N) for dirt-loaded air; and an airflow generator (AG) for generating an airflow through the dirt management system (DMS), the airflow generator (AG) being positioned adjacent the battery (B) and a lower end of the handle (H). Preferably, the battery (B) is positioned between the handle (H) and the dirt management system DMS. Advantageously, the battery (B) has a first side adjacent to the airflow generator (AG) and a second side adjacent to the dirt management system (DMS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Matthijs Hendrikus Lubbers
  • Patent number: 11382472
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus including a vacuum cleaner and a docking station is provided. The cleaning apparatus includes a vacuum cleaner including a dust collecting chamber in which foreign substances are collected, and a docking station configured to be connected to the dust collecting chamber to remove the foreign substances collected in the dust collecting chamber. The dust collecting chamber is configured to collect foreign substances through centrifugation, and configured to be docked to the docking station, and the docking station includes a suction device configured to suction the foreign substances and air in the dust collecting chamber docked to the docking station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: See Hyun Kim, In Gyu Choi, Ki Hwan Kwon, Shin Kim, Hyeon Cheol Kim, Do Kyung Lee, Hyun Ju Lee, Yun Soo Jang, Seung Ryong Cha, Jung Gyun Han
  • Patent number: 11383351
    Abstract: A grinding apparatus includes a table that holds a workpiece, and a grinding unit including a grinding wheel mounted to a spindle. The grinding wheel has a grindstone formed by binding abrasive grains with a bonding agent. In addition, the grinding apparatus further includes: a supply unit that supplies grinding water to at least the grindstone when grinding the workpiece; and a light applying unit that is disposed adjacent to the table and that applies light to a grinding surface of the grindstone grinding the workpiece held by the table. The light applying unit includes a light emission section that emits light, and a diffusion preventive wall that surrounds the light emission section and prevents diffusion of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Takenouchi, Takayuki Gawazawa
  • Patent number: 11383342
    Abstract: A method and a cylindrical grinding machine for centerless cylindrical grinding of a workpiece. The workpiece is supported on a first contact surface and a second contact surface arranged at an angle relative to one another. A grinding disk is applied to the workpiece with an application force, whereby the workpiece is in turn pressed against the first and second contact surfaces, which cause braking of the workpiece (which is rotationally driven solely by the grinding disk). The braking reduces the rotational speed of the workpiece such that the grinding disk produces grinding in addition to rotationally driving the workpiece. The rotational speed of the workpiece can be precisely set by means of an additional brake that applies an adjustable braking force to the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: ERWIN JUNKER GRINDING TECHNOLOGY A.S.
    Inventor: Erwin Junker
  • Patent number: 11376706
    Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly for loading parts to be treated into a single-side or double-side treatment machine, comprising—a part holder in the form of a plate for holding at least one part to be treated, comprising a second side and first side, said first side being flat, and said part holder delimiting at least one through-hole forming a cell for housing at least one part to be treated, and a film mounted on the first side of the part holder opposite said through-hole, allowing said part to be treated to be held at least during the loading step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: PBMC SA
    Inventors: Denis Munier, Doniphan Mollard