Patents Examined by Michael A Gump
  • Patent number: 11638983
    Abstract: Apparatus with a rotationally drivable receptacle for a grinding tool to be tested, wherein the apparatus comprises: an optical testing apparatus arranged such that the grinding tool, while being rotatably driven, is at least partially irradiated by light emanating from an emitter of the testing apparatus, and that at least a portion of the light from the grinding tool is reflectable in the direction towards a sensor of the testing apparatus, wherein the sensor is adapted to provide test information, a computing device which is designed for processing the test information in order to determine a 3-dimensional vector model of the grinding tool from macroscopic basic information, a memory in which a target vector model is stored, a computing device which is designed for comparing the vector model with the target vector model in order to enable the determination of deviations between the vector models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: KLINGELNBERG GMBH
    Inventor: Martin Schweizer
  • Patent number: 11623323
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting, controlling and automatically compensating pressure in a polishing process, including: detecting a pressure between a polishing wheel and a polished workpiece by a detection shaft or a moment generated on the detection shaft, and outputting the detected pressure or moment to a controller; comparing the detected pressure or moment with a preset pressure or moment and determining whether there is a difference between them; calculating a compensation feeding amount based on the difference and outputting an adjustment signal to an adjustment shaft based on the compensation feeding amount; and moving the adjustment shaft correspondingly based on the adjustment signal so as to drive the polishing wheel or the polished workpiece to move correspondingly to adjust a relative position between the polishing wheel and the polished workpiece so that the difference keeps consistent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: TUNG HUNG AUTOMATION INVESTMENT LIMITED
    Inventor: Yong Qiang Chen
  • Patent number: 11612982
    Abstract: A polishing method capable of accurately measuring a film thickness of a substrate, such as a wafer, by enhancing light intensity of a flash-light source, such as a xenon flash lamp is disclosed. The polishing method includes: while an optical sensor head is moving across a substrate, causing a flash-light source to emit light plural times in a first exposure time of a light detector to direct the light to the substrate via the optical sensor head, capturing reflected light from the substrate by the light detector via the optical sensor head, further causing the flash-light source to emit light plural times in a second exposure time of the light detector to direct the light to the substrate via the optical sensor head, and capturing reflected light from the substrate by the light detector via the optical sensor head; generating a spectrum of the reflected light; and detecting a surface state of the substrate from the spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshifumi Kimba
  • Patent number: 11607769
    Abstract: A CMP polishing apparatus for flattening a quadrate substrate is provided. A polishing apparatus for polishing a quadrate substrate is provided. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate holding portion configured to hold the quadrate substrate. The substrate holding portion includes a quadrate substrate supporting surface that supports the substrate, and an attachment mechanism that attaches a retainer member to be disposed at an outside of at least one corner portion of the substrate supporting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuji Togawa, Hiroshi Sobukawa, Masahiro Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 11577363
    Abstract: A grinding method includes a step of imaging a bonded workpiece by a camera in such a manner as to include the outer circumference of a workpiece and the outer circumference of a support component with a larger diameter than that of the workpiece before a step of holding the support component of the bonded workpiece by a holding surface. The grinding method also includes a step of recognizing the outer circumference of the support component and the outer circumference of the workpiece on the basis of the brightness difference between pixels adjacent to each other in a taken image and a step of recognizing the center of the support component from the recognized outer circumference of the support component and recognizing the center of the workpiece from the recognized outer circumference of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Fukushi
  • Patent number: 11571786
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a polishing station to hold a polishing pad, a carrier head to hold a substrate in contact with a polishing pad at the polishing station, a camera positioned to capture an image of a lower surface of a consumable part when the consumable part moves away from the polishing pad, and a controller configured to perform an image processing algorithm on the image to determine whether the consumable part is damaged. The consumable part can be a retaining ring on a carrier head, or a conditioner disk on a conditioner head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas H. Osterheld, Dominic J. Benvegnu
  • Patent number: 11571782
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a chemical mechanical polishing system having a unitary platen. The platen includes one or more recesses within the platen to house various components for the polishing/planarization process. In one embodiment, the platen includes a first recess and a second recess. The first recess is located under the second recess. An end point detector is placed in the first recess and a detector cover may be placed in the second recess. A sealing mean is provided in a space between the end point detector and the detector cover to prevent any external or foreign materials from coming in contact with the end point detector. A fastener used for fastening the detector cover to the platen also provides addition protection to prevent foreign materials from coming in contact with components received in the recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsung-Lung Lai, Cheng-Ping Chen, Shih-Chung Chen, Sheng-Tai Peng, Rong-Long Hung
  • Patent number: 11559843
    Abstract: Method for the grinding of a gear wheel workpiece using a dressable worm grinding wheel, wherein the worm grinding wheel is rotationally driven about a tool axis of rotation and the gear wheel workpiece is rotationally driven about a workpiece axis of rotation, and relative movements are executed between the worm grinding wheel and gear wheel workpiece, and wherein after the execution of a dressing procedure of the worm grinding wheel, which is carried out by means of a rotationally-drivable dressing unit, the following steps are carried out: executing a relative shift movement between the worm grinding wheel and gear wheel workpiece parallel to the tool axis of rotation, executing an axially-parallel relative movement between the worm grinding wheel and gear wheel workpiece in parallel or diagonally to the workpiece axis of rotation, wherein a ratio between the shift movement and axially-parallel relative movement is specified, which is variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Inventor: Olaf Vogel
  • Patent number: 11554463
    Abstract: A clamp mount and clamp assembly using a clamp mount are provided. The clamp mount is used to attach a clamp to a workbench or other support device so that a workpiece can be clamped to a work surface. The clamp mount may include a removable shoe. The clamp mount may include a plurality of attachment plates for attaching the clamp mount to different supports or different mounting features of the support device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Nomis LLC
    Inventor: Taylor James Hall
  • Patent number: 11540688
    Abstract: A handy-stick type vacuum cleaner is disclosed. The disclosed vacuum cleaner comprises: a first part for collecting dust included in air suctioned to the inside through a suction hole; and a second part including a suction motor and a handle, wherein the first and second parts are hinge-connected so as to communicate with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyoun-soo Kim, Tae-woon Lim, Jin-ho Lee, Yun-won Jung
  • Patent number: 11541512
    Abstract: A clamp, comprising a guide rail, a fixed jaw, which is arranged on the guide rail, a sliding jaw, which is displaceable on the guide rail, and at least one spindle, which is arranged displaceably on the sliding jaw and on which there is arranged or formed a pressure piece, with an actuation device, which is spaced from the at least one spindle and which actuable by an operator in order to control a displacement movement of the at least one spindle, with a force application device, which acts on the at least one spindle and by means of which a displacement movement of the at least one spindle is achievable, and with a transmission device, which connects the actuation device and the force application device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: BESSEY Tool GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gerhard Kloepfer, Thomas Klein, Rainer Steinle
  • Patent number: 11534890
    Abstract: An SiC ingot forming method includes: a holding step of holding by a chuck table a cut section of a primitive SiC ingot cut from an SiC ingot growth base; a planarization step of grinding an end surface of the primitive SiC ingot held by the chuck table, to planarize the end surface; a c-plane detection step of detecting a c-plane of the primitive SiC ingot from the planarized end surface; a first end surface forming step of grinding the planarized end surface, to form a first end surface inclined at an off angle relative to the c-plane; and a second end surface forming step of holding the first end surface by the chuck table and grinding the cut section of the primitive SiC ingot in parallel to the first end surface, to form a second end surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuya Hirata, Toshiyuki Sakai
  • Patent number: 11524319
    Abstract: A cleaning assembly for cleaning one or more wafer edge handling contact surfaces of wafer handling equipment includes a substrate and a cleaning ring. The substrate includes an edge portion that extends about the body of the substrate. The cleaning ring is reversibly attachable to the edge portion of the substrate. The cleaning ring is formed from a deformable material. The substrate and cleaning ring are sized for compatibility with a front opening unified pod (FOUP) or a wafer cassette of a semiconductor fabrication facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: KLA Corporation
    Inventors: William VanHoomissen, Val Estrin, Eric Jong
  • Patent number: 11517160
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner including: a cleaner main body configured to generate suction force; and a suctioner including a head having a suction inlet to suck dust by the suction force and a brush drum rotatably provided in the suction inlet to sweep dust on a floor. The brush drum includes convex portions projected from an outer circumferential surface of the brush drum and spirally extended in a rotational axial direction of the brush drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taegwang Kim, Dongwoo Ha, Kihwan Kwon, Kyoungwoong Kim, Seokman Hong
  • Patent number: 11510543
    Abstract: A handy-stick type vacuum cleaner is disclosed. The disclosed vacuum cleaner comprises: a first part for collecting dust included in air suctioned to the inside through a suction hole; and a second part including a suction motor and a handle, wherein the first and second parts are hinge-connected so as to communicate with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyoun-soo Kim, Tae-woon Lim, Jin-ho Lee, Yun-won Jung
  • Patent number: 11445876
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a cleaner including an improved structure to enable self-standing. The cleaner includes a head main body including a brush, a main wheel coupled to the head main body to be positioned in the rear of the brush, a suction pipe disposed between the brush and the main wheel to enable self-standing, a connector configured to connect the suction pipe and the head main body, and a hose having an elasticity such that the suction pipe maintains a self-standing state and disposed between the head main body and the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yeon Su Kim, Jae Won Choi, Jae Ho Jang, Seung Wook Suh
  • Patent number: 11363931
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus including, a fluid storage container; an outlet for directing fluid from the fluid storage container onto a surface to be cleaned; and a valve configured to regulate the flow of fluid from the fluid storage container to the outlet and including: a body; and a member being moveable relative to the body between a first position and a second position and defining a flow path extending through a surface thereof; wherein the flow of fluid through the valve flows at a first rate when the member is in the first position and at a second rate and along the flow path when the member is in the second position, the second rate of flow being lower than the first rate of flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Inventors: Daragh Manning, Rafael Davila
  • Patent number: 11358245
    Abstract: A T-slot mounting and alignment system for non-rigidly mounting a workpiece or fixture to a work-piece positioner table, welding positioner table or machine tool table having one of more T-slots includes a T-dog, a dog nut, at least one bolt, and at least one fastener. The at least one fastener fastens the T-dog to the workpiece or fixture, and a dog stem of the T-dog extends through a guide slot in the workpiece or fixture and into the T-slot in the table. The dog nut mates with the at least one bolt and tightens to engage a distal end of the dog stem, wherein clearance is provided in the assembled structures to prevent the workpiece or fixture from being tightly clamped against the table. Consequently, compensation for misalignments is possible during setup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Inventors: Justin Siddle, James Tuttle, Nicholas Sinno
  • Patent number: 11344993
    Abstract: Provided is an automatic grinding apparatus, comprising a grinding wheel, a support, a feeding device, a control device, a first detector, a second detector, a third detector, and a fourth detector, wherein the control device is further configured to, before processing using the grinding wheel is started, calculate a range in which the grinding wheel and the support are relatively moved on the basis of information on positions of a surface of a workpiece and an outer peripheral end portion and an end surface of the grinding wheel detected by the first detector, the second detector, the third detector, and the fourth detector, to move the grinding wheel or the support by controlling the feeding device, and to automatically start the processing using the grinding wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: OKAMOTO MACHINE TOOL WORKS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Yoshida, Takuo Hirayama, Kuniyoshi Matsuoka, Shiho Satake, Yoshimi Kito
  • Patent number: 11287584
    Abstract: A connector extracting jig according to an embodiment is a connector extracting jig for extracting an optical connector connected to a component to be connected along a connection direction from the component to be connected, the optical connector including a latch engaged with the component to be connected, the latch having a protrusion which is can be pushed down, and the protrusion releasing the engagement of the latch with the component to be connected when being pushed down, the connector extracting jig including: a butting part configured to butt on the optical connector in the connection direction; and a pushing-down part configured to be positioned closer to the component to be connected than the butting part and face the protrusion along a first direction intersecting the connection direction when the butting part butts on the optical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Daizo Nishioka, Yohei Aoshima