Patents Examined by Michael Kornakov
  • Patent number: 9165801
    Abstract: A recyclable fluid cleaning system wafers includes a cleaning vessel configured to clean semiconductor wafers immersed in a bath of persulfuric acid cleaning solution, the cleaning solution circulated through a primary process tool fluid path; a secondary fluid path that diverts a portion of the persulfuric acid cleaning solution for electrolysis treatment thereof; an electrolysis reactor within the secondary fluid path that receives oxidant depleted sulfuric acid, the electrolysis reactor having electrodes that, when activated causes sulfate ions in the solution to be oxidized and form persulfate ions that are recombined with fluid from the primary fluid path and fed back to the cleaning vessel; and one or more controller devices in operative communication with the cleaning vessel and with the electrolysis reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard O. Henry, David F. Hilscher, Sandi E. Merritt, Charles J. Taft, Robert W. Zigner, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9163326
    Abstract: A crystal growth device includes a crucible and a heater setting. The crucible has a bottom and a top opening. The heater setting surrounds the crucible and is movable relative to the crucible along a top-bottom direction of the crucible and between first and second positions. The heater setting includes a first temperature heating zone and a second temperature heating zone higher in temperature than the first temperature heating zone. The heater setting is in the first position when the crucible is in the second temperature heating zone and in the second position when the crucible is in the first temperature heating zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Sino-American Silicon Products Inc.
    Inventors: Chung-Wen Lan, Bruce Hsu, Wen-Huai Yu, Wen-Chieh Lan, Yu-Min Yang, Kai-Yuan Pai, Wen-Ching Hsu
  • Patent number: 9165800
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid processing method which includes holding the substrate by a holding part, rotating the substrate held by the holding part through a rotation driving part, and supplying a chemical liquid to a holding part-side surface of the substrate by a chemical liquid supply part. After the supply of the chemical liquid, rinsing liquid droplets are generated and supplied between the holding part and the substrate by supplying gas toward the holding part-side surface of the substrate from a gas supply part and, at the same time, supplying a rinsing liquid toward the holding part-side surface of the substrate from a rinsing liquid supply part. After the supply of the rinsing liquid droplets, the gas supply is halted and a rinsing liquid is additionally supplied to the holding part-side surface of the substrate from the rinsing liquid supply part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Hiromitsu Namba
  • Patent number: 9157661
    Abstract: The invention relates to a service device for maintenance of a solar panel arrangement, comprising a service unit for maintenance of at least one surface of the solar panel arrangement, a guiding unit for guiding the service unit with respect to the solar panel arrangement, and a driving unit for moving the service unit with respect to the solar panel arrangement, wherein the service unit comprises a first engagement section and a second engagement section, wherein the guiding unit is attachable to the first engagement section, the guiding unit being configured for direct engagement with an edge of the solar panel arrangement, wherein the driving unit is attachable to the second engagement section, and wherein the second engagement section is displaceable with respect to the first engagement section by the driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Crowd IP Box UG
    Inventors: Gareth Monkman, Christian Baar, Arthur Fischer, Stefan Jaeger, Sebastian Kilbertus, Adrian Patzak, Michael Schumm, Daniel Treiber
  • Patent number: 9159594
    Abstract: Disclosed are a liquid processing apparatus and a liquid processing method that can advance a plurality of nozzle supporting arms into a processing chamber. The liquid processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, a nozzle configured to supply a fluid to a substrate held by a substrate holding unit, a nozzle supporting arm configured to support the nozzle, and an arm standby unit installed adjacent to the processing chamber and configured for the nozzle supporting arm retreating from the processing chamber to stand by. In the liquid processing apparatus, a plurality of nozzle supporting arms are installed and one nozzle supporting arm has a different height level from the other nozzle supporting arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Jiro Higashijima
  • Patent number: 9150996
    Abstract: The bicycle-driven clothes washing machine includes a bicycle frame, a drive mechanism, and a washing machine drum assembly adjacent the bicycle frame. The drum assembly includes an outer drum having at least a portion thereof at least transparent or partially transparent, the outer drum selectively filled with a washing liquid. An inner drum having a plurality of perforations is rotatably positioned inside the outer drum and mounted to the drive mechanism to be driven thereby via pedal action, the inner drum holding contents to be washed. Both the outer drum and the inner drum can be provided with respective covers to secure contents within the respective drums. An inlet line for introducing washing liquid and an outlet line for draining are attached to the outer drum. Each inlet and outlet line is provided with a valve system selectively operable to supply washing liquid for washing and draining the washing liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Inventor: Fawzi Behbehani
  • Patent number: 9155226
    Abstract: A fan control method includes the steps of: acquiring a control factor; determining whether the control factor is located in a first range or a second range; executing a first dust removing mode if the control factor is located in the first range; executing a second dust removing mode if the control factor is located in the second range; and executing a normal mode if the control factor is not located in the first range and the second range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Yueh-Lung Huang, Jung-Yuan Chen, Ching-Sen Hsieh, Chia-Lin Lee, Jian-Cun Lin, Yen-Hung Chen, Chia-Ming Hsu
  • Patent number: 9142399
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning method can prevent corrosion of copper interconnects even when the cleaning method, which uses two-fluid jet cleaning, is used for cleaning of a surface of a substrate after polishing. The substrate cleaning method includes: carrying out primary cleaning of a surface of a substrate by scrub cleaning using a neutral or alkaline liquid chemical as a cleaning liquid; carrying out finish cleaning of the surface of the substrate by two-fluid jet cleaning which cleans the surface of the substrate in a non-contact manner by jetting carbonated water, comprising pure water or ultrapure water containing dissolved CO2 gas, from a two-fluid nozzle toward the surface of the substrate; and subsequently carrying out final finish cleaning of the surface of the substrate by scrub cleaning using a neutral or alkaline liquid chemical as a cleaning liquid, and then drying the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomoatsu Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 9138783
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning a surface. The apparatus includes a frame having wheels and a handle extending outwardly therefrom. A disc plate assembly is mounted on the frame for rotation about a first vertical axis and a nozzle assembly is mounted on the disc plate assembly for rotation about a second vertical axis. The disc plate assembly is rotated at a lower speed than the nozzle assembly. Separate pneumatically-operable motors drive the wheels, the disc plate assembly and nozzle assembly. A skirt extends downwardly from the frame and outwardly from nozzles on the nozzle assembly. The nozzles may be raised or lowered relative to the surface to be cleaned. Fluid is delivered from a fluid source to the nozzles and a vacuum port is provided on the frame to enable dirty fluid to be removed from a chamber bounded by the skirt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Terydon, Inc.
    Inventor: Terry D. Gromes, Sr.
  • Patent number: 9131826
    Abstract: A water-conducting household appliance and a method for disinfecting a conduit system of a water-conducting household appliance. The method feeds a gaseous disinfectant into a liquid circulating in the conduit system. The water-conducting household appliance includes a conduit system for circulating liquid, and a disinfector with a gas injector for injecting a gaseous disinfectant into a liquid circulating in the conduit system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Caroline Heiligenmann, Helmut Jerg
  • Patent number: 9131824
    Abstract: A floor tool including a handle, a mop head, and an actuator. The handle includes first and second opposite ends through and between which a longitudinal axis of the handle extends. The handle lies in a plane and further includes a first portion that is located at the first end of the handle and a second portion that is offset from the longitudinal axis. The mop head is coupled at the second end of the handle. A first grip is coupled to the first portion of the handle, and a second grip is coupled to the second portion of the handle. The actuator is positioned adjacent the first end and is contiguous with the first grip, and a fluid reservoir is coupled to and carried by the handle between the second portion and the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Diversey, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles A. Crawford, Andrew M. Bober, Craig Conner, Mark Cors, Nicholas Reback, Daniel Lee
  • Patent number: 9133063
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a crucible which has high viscosity at high temperature, and can be used for a long time, and can be manufactured at low cost, and a method of manufacturing the same. The composite crucible 10 is characterized in the use of mullite (3Al2O3.2SiO2) as the basic material of the crucible. The composite crucible 10 has the crucible body 11 made of mullite material whose main component is alumina and silica, and a transparent vitreous silica layer 12 formed on the inner surface of the crucible body 11. The thickness of the transparent vitreous silica layer 12 is smaller than that of the crucible body 11. The crucible body 11 can be formed by the slip casting method, and the transparent vitreous silica layer 12 can be formed by the thermal spraying method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sudo, Takuma Yoshioka, Hiroshi Kishi, Takeshi Fujita, Minoru Kanda, Koichi Suzuki, Ken Kitahara
  • Patent number: 9125542
    Abstract: A portable dishwasher conveyor system for automatically cleaning dishes features a counter top having a sink. The system features a conveyor frame on the counter top having a continuous conveyor belt on a plurality of rollers. A plurality of drag bars is located on a belt exterior surface. The system features a motor on the conveyor frame for powering the conveyor belt. The system features two “U” shaped spray bars having a plurality of spray bar nozzles and a transparent cover located on the conveyor frame. The system features an adjustable conveyor member located on a frame posterior end that is adapted to angularly adjust to a downward slope for conveying dishes into the sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Inventor: Behzad Canaanie
  • Patent number: 9123759
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention relates to a susceptor comprising a counterbored groove receiving a semiconductor wafer in the course of manufacturing an epitaxial wafer by vapor phase growing an epitaxial layer on a surface of the semiconductor wafer, wherein a lateral wall of the counterbored groove is comprised of at least one flat portion and at least one protruding portion being higher than the flat portion, and a height of the flat portion is equal to or greater than a thickness of the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junji Miyashita
  • Patent number: 9120120
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus includes a first substrate-holding portion configured to hold a first area of a back surface of the substrate so that the top surface is kept face up; a second substrate-holding portion configured to hold a second area of the back surface of the substrate, the second area being not overlapped with the first area, and rotate the substrate; a top-surface cleaning nozzle configured to supply a top surface cleaning fluid to a top surface of the substrate; a bevel cleaning nozzle configured to supply a bevel cleaning fluid to a bevel portion of the substrate; a cleaning fluid supplying portion configured to supply a back surface cleaning fluid to the back surface of the substrate held by the first or the second substrate-holding portion; and a cleaning member configured to clean the back surface of the substrate held by the first or the second-substrate holding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Taro Yamamoto, Naoto Yoshitaka, Shuichi Nishikido, Yoichi Tokunaga
  • Patent number: 9120674
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for cleaning polycrystalline silicon chunks in an acidic cleaning bath, wherein: (a) the cleaning includes several cleaning cycles, (b) a particular amount of acid is consumed in each cycle, (c) a computer-controlled dosage system integrator adds up those amounts of acid consumed in each cycle to give a current total consumption of acid in the bath, and (d) on attainment of a total consumption of acid in the bath corresponding to an optimal dosage of the dosage system, the dosage system supplies this optimal dosage of unconsumed acid withdrawn from a reservoir vessel to the bath. Another process for cleaning polycrystalline silicon chunks in an acidic cleaning bath includes an acid circuit in which acid is circulated, wherein the ratio of amount of acid circulated in liters to the mass of polysilicon chunks present in the bath in kg is greater than 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Wacker Chemie AG
    Inventors: Hanns Wochner, Thomas Gailer, Rudolf Kellner
  • Patent number: 9114418
    Abstract: A system is disclosed. The system includes a fluid reservoir containing a volume of fluid, a bell housing that forms a chamber, a workpiece having a first surface portion and a second surface portion, and a pressure manipulating sub-system in fluid communication with the chamber of the bell housing. The bell housing is arranged relative to the fluid reservoir such that a lower end of the bell housing is at least partially submerged in the fluid thereby sealing the chamber of the bell housing from atmosphere. The bell housing is arranged relative to the fluid reservoir such that the second surface portion of the workpiece is disposed within the chamber of the bell housing that is sealed from atmosphere. A method is also disclosed. An apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Android Industries LLC
    Inventors: John Donnay, George B. Byma
  • Patent number: 9108229
    Abstract: A method for removing dust-carrying air from a moving paper web is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a moving web, the web having a first side and a second side, the web moving at a sufficient rate to produce a boundary layer of adjacent dust-carrying air; providing a NACA duct, the NACA duct having an intake opening and walls that diverge in increasing cross-sectional area to an exhaust opening having greater cross sectional area than the intake opening; and submerging the intake opening into the boundary layer to scavenge dust-carrying air from the boundary layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Brad Scott Lockhart, André Mellin, John Ferney McKibben, David Matthew Ogden, Brian Christopher Schwamberger, Peter Wiedmann, Richard Matthew Giachetto
  • Patent number: 9101700
    Abstract: Devices and methods for the effective clearing of artificial tubes, especially in-situ clearing of artificial tubes in a living being is covered in this disclosure. An elongated clearing member includes either a fixed or an adjustable element that selectively defines the portion of the elongated clearing member that is insertable within the artificial tube. The proximal end of the clearing member is releasably secured to the driving mechanism and the driving mechanisms may comprise a wide variety of repetitive motion drivers such as voice coil motors, piezoelectric actuators, pneumatic actuators, DC motors, etc. These devices/methods may comprise a free-standing console for hands-free operation or may comprise hand-held versions. The distal working end of the clearing member may comprise tips of differing functions, including an irrigation/aspiration feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Actuated Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger B Bagwell, Brian M Park, Maureen L Mulvihill, Gabriela Hernandez Meza, Josue R Crespo, Paul L Frankhouser
  • Patent number: 9103060
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a washing machine and a method of operating the washing machine. In operating the washing machine according to inputted settings, each washing cycle is divided into a plurality of steps, and a washing tub or pulsator is controlled to be differently operated for each step. Accordingly, the washing machine may be operated in various patterns to effectively remove contaminants from the laundry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Youngjong Kim, Sangjun Lee