Patents Examined by Michael Kornakov
  • Patent number: 9284674
    Abstract: Provided are a washing machine and a washing method. The washing machine includes a cabinet, an outer tub disposed in the cabinet and provided with an opened top through which wash water is supplied into the outer tub, an inner tub that is disposed in the outer tub to receive laundry and rotates about a vertical axis, a base that supports the cabinet and stores the wash water that is splattered from the outer tub by rotation of the inner tub, and an electrode sensor that is disposed on the base to detect the wash water splattered out of the outer tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Soonan Park, Yongtae Kim, Kichul Cho
  • Patent number: 9281177
    Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a surface of wafer or substrate includes a plate being positioned with a gap to surface of the wafer or substrate, and the plate being rotated around an axis vertical to surface of wafer or substrate. The rotating plate surface facing surface of the wafer or substrate has grooves, regular patterns, and irregular patterns to enhance the cleaning efficiency. Another embodiment further includes an ultra sonic or mega sonic transducer vibrating the rotating plate during cleaning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: ACM Research (Shanghai) Inc.
    Inventors: Hui Wang, Jian Wang, Yue Ma, Chuan He
  • Patent number: 9281197
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer is set in a laser irradiation apparatus, and laser beam irradiation is performed while the semiconductor wafer is moved. At this time, a laser beam emitted from a laser generating apparatus is condensed by a condensing lens so that the condensing point (focal point) is positioned at a depth of several tens of?m or so from one surface of the semiconductor wafer. Thereby, the crystal structure of the semiconductor wafer in the position having such a depth is modified, and a gettering sink is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazunari Kurita
  • Patent number: 9278380
    Abstract: Equipment for washing a carpet includes a conveyor for transferring the carpet between washing and drying units, a control unit, at least one washing unit and at least one drying unit located in the transport direction after the washing unit, and elements for receiving production goods to the equipment. The conveyor is able to transfer the carpet through the washing and drying units with the same speed. The washing unit includes a wet or dry cleaning unit, with at least one brush and elements for transferring the carpet. Each drying unit has a blowing device for blowing compressed air at a pressure of 2-15 bars onto the pile side of the carpet, the blowing pressure depending on the carpet type and/or transfer speed of the carpet at a drying station of the drying unit, it being possible to blow such an amount of compressed air through the drying apparatus so that the carpet exits the drying station tack free.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: West Heat Rauma Oy
    Inventors: Risto Kunnas, Arvo Lahtinen, Kari Matula
  • Patent number: 9278381
    Abstract: The base plate of a robotic or manually propelled tank or pool cleaning apparatus includes a transverse conduit positioned on the interior surface of the base plate and is in fluid communication with a source of pressurized water that is also located within the pool cleaner's housing, which pressurized water is discharged from the bottom or lower portion of the transverse conduit through a plurality of openings that extend along a line that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the pool cleaner's direction of travel, to produce downwardly-directed water jets that are discharged through and below the base plate towards the surface of the pool or tank over which the pool cleaning apparatus is moving to dislodge and suspend dirt and debris that is then drawn into and retained by the pool cleaner's filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Aqua Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Porat, Giora Erlich
  • Patent number: 9275881
    Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus of the present disclosure includes a rotatable substrate holder that holds a wafer from above, and a top plate nozzle that supplies at least rinse liquid to the wafer and is provided in the rotation center of the substrate holder. The top plate nozzle is movably configured with the substrate holder in the top-bottom direction, and the rinse liquid is supplied to the wafer from the top plate nozzle while the top plate nozzle is spaced from the substrate holder. When the top plate nozzle approaches to the substrate holder, the rinse liquid is supplied to the lower surface of the substrate holder from the top plate nozzle to clean the lower surface of the substrate holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shuichi Nagamine, Yusuke Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9272314
    Abstract: A steam purge method for a dishwasher includes a washing cycle, a steam purge cycle and a rinse cycle. During the steam purge cycle, a dishwasher tub is filled with fluid to a level below a heating element in a wash chamber, heated and at least partially converted to steam in the wash chamber. After the steam purge cycle, the dishwasher is drained and the rinse cycle commences. Optionally, a heated drying cycle may be performed upon termination of the rinse cycle. A single heating element arranged in the wash chamber is utilized for heating washing fluid during each of washing, purging and steam generation cycles, as well as for the heated drying cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Brooke L. Lau, Julio C. Moreira, Michelle L. Oakes, Ryan K. Roth
  • Patent number: 9269562
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a method for cleaning a processing chamber during substrate processing. During a first substrate processing step, a plasma is formed from a gas mixture of argon, helium, and hydrogen in the processing chamber. In a second substrate processing step, an argon plasma is formed in the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Dinsmore, John C. Forster, Song-Moon Suh, Cheng-Hsiung Tsai, Glen T. Mori
  • Patent number: 9267219
    Abstract: The embodiments herein relate to a sheet production apparatus. A vessel is configured to hold a melt of a material and a cooling plate is disposed proximate the melt. This cooling plate configured to form a sheet of the material on the melt. A pump is used. In one instance, this pump includes a gas source and a conduit in fluid communication with the gas source. In another instance, this pump injects a gas into a melt. The gas can raise the melt or provide momentum to the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frederick Carlson
  • Patent number: 9263304
    Abstract: Suppressed is damage of a semiconductor wafer due to charging of a cleaning liquid used in a single wafer type wafer cleaning step. A chemical solution discharged from a tip of a cleaning nozzle is brought into contact with protrusions of wafer chucks to thereby let static electricity of the chemical solution go to the wafer chucks, and subsequently, the cleaning nozzle is moved above the wafer to supply the chemical solution onto a top surface of the wafer, thereby suppressing abnormal discharge (damage) of the wafer due to charging of the chemical solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Kanamitsu, Takuya Koga, Kazutoshi Anabuki
  • Patent number: 9263303
    Abstract: Rinsing methodologies and components to accomplish rinsing of tool surfaces in tools that are used to process one or more microelectronic workpieces. The invention can be used to rinse structures that overlie a workpiece being treated in such a manner to function in part as a lid over the process chamber while also defining a tapering flow channel over the workpiece. Rather than spray rinsing liquid onto the surface in a manner that generates undue splashing, droplet, or mist generation, a swirling flow of rinse liquid is generated on a surface of at least one fluid passage upstream from the surface to be rinsed. The swirling flow then provides smooth, uniform wetting and sheeting action to accomplish rinsing with a significantly reduced risk of generating particle contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: TEL FSI, INC.
    Inventors: Mark A. Stiyer, David Dekraker
  • Patent number: 9248454
    Abstract: A device for recovering magnetic particles trapped on a magnetic plug, which includes a supporting end and a magnetized element for retaining the magnetic particles in a liquid resulting from the wear of parts with which the liquid has been in contact, the recovery device including a magnetization device and an enclosure having an opening, the enclosure to receive the magnetic plug via the opening such that the magnetized element is located inside the enclosure and the supporting end is located outside the enclosure. The opening is sized such that the supporting end blocks the opening. The device also includes an injection nozzle to inject a gaseous fluid inside the enclosure, the nozzle being oriented such that the flow of gaseous fluid expels the magnetic particles retained on the magnetized element toward the bottom of the enclosure. The magnetization device traps the particles urged toward the bottom of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Fabrice Colladon
  • Patent number: 9249535
    Abstract: Provided are a washing machine and a washing method. The washing machine includes a cabinet, an outer tub disposed in the cabinet and provided with an opened top through which wash water is supplied into the outer tub, an inner tub that is disposed in the outer tub to receive laundry and rotates about a vertical axis, a base that supports the cabinet and stores the wash water that is splattered from the outer tub by rotation of the inner tub, and an electrode sensor that is disposed on the base to detect the wash water splattered out of the outer tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Soonan Park, Yongtae Kim, Kichul Cho
  • Patent number: 9242279
    Abstract: Provided are a liquid processing apparatus and a liquid processing method that can optimize the state of air flow at an upper side of a substrate according to each liquid process performed during a substrate liquid processing. A liquid processing apparatus for performing a substrate liquid processing includes a support member configured to horizontally supporting the substrate; a gap forming member configured to form an annular gap between the gap forming member and an outer circumferential part of the support member; an upper liquid supplying member configured to supply a processing liquid to the substrate from an upper side; a cup configured to surround the annular gap and receive the processing liquid swept away from the rotating substrate through the annular gap; and an elevating mechanism configured to elevate the gap forming member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Satoshi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 9243343
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vitreous silica crucible which can restrain deterioration of crystallinity of a silicon ingot in multi-pulling. Provided is a vitreous silica crucible for pulling a silicon single crystal, the crucible has a wall having, from an inner surface toward an outer surface of the crucible, a synthetic vitreous silica layer, a natural vitreous silica layer, an impurity-containing vitreous silica layer and a natural vitreous silica layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sudo, Hiroshi Kishi
  • Patent number: 9243332
    Abstract: The method for eliminating metallic lithium on a support comprises a plasma application step. The plasma is formed from a carbon source and an oxygen source with a power comprised between 50 and 400 W. It transforms the metallic lithium into lithium carbonate. The method then comprises a dissolution step of the lithium carbonate in an aqueous solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT À L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Sami Oukassi, Lucie Le Van-Jodin, Raphael Salot
  • Patent number: 9236280
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus including a processing vessel in which a target substrate W is processed by using a high-pressure fluid in a supercritical state or a subcritical state, and pipes that are divided into a first pipe member and a second pipe member in a flowing direction of the fluid and circulate the fluid are connected to processing vessel. A connecting/disconnecting mechanism moves at least one of first and second pipe members between a connection position and a separation position of first pipe member and the second pipe member, and opening/closing valves are installed in each of first and second pipe members and are closed at the time of separating pipe members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takayuki Toshima, Mitsuaki Iwashita, Yuji Kamikawa, Mikio Nakashima
  • Patent number: 9226571
    Abstract: A device for cleaning a toothbrush, attachable to a faucet expelling water in a first direction, the device including: an adapter mountable on a water expelling end of the faucet; and a cylindrical cleaning element in fluid flow communication with the adapter and disposed, when the adapter is mounted on the faucet, in a direction transverse to the first direction, the cylindrical cleaning element including a cylindrical housing and a water expelling cylindrical element, disposed within the cylindrical housing and including multiple rows of circumferentially disposed nozzles for expelling water jets, the water expelling cylindrical element defining an interior space accessible via circular portal at an end thereof, wherein when water is expelled from the faucet, at least some water is directed in the transverse direction and expelled through the nozzles in the water expelling cylindrical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Inventor: Adam Belitz
  • Patent number: 9228283
    Abstract: One exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a vertical axis washing machine. The washing machine includes a cabinet having a top portion with a lid and side portions extending downwardly from the top portion. The lid has a first layer and a second layer that are separated by a volume of space defined by the first layer and the second layer. A tub is positioned within the cabinet with a basket rotatably supported within the tub. The washing machine also includes a heater and a water level sensor. The water level sensor controls the volume of water that enters the tub and the heater generates steam from such volume of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jerrod Aaron Kappler, Michael Wuttikorn Ekbundit
  • Patent number: 9228282
    Abstract: One exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a vertical axis washing machine. The washing machine includes a cabinet having a top portion with a lid and side portions extending downwardly from the top portion. A tub is positioned within the cabinet with a basket rotatably supported within the tub. The washing machine also includes a heater and a water level sensor. The water level sensor controls the volume of water that enters the tub and the heater generates steam from such volume of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jerrod Aaron Kappler, Alaknanda Acharya, Michael Wuttikorn Ekbundit