Patents Examined by Michael Kornakov
  • Substrate cleaning method and substrate cleaning system
    Patent number: 9443712
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate includes supplying a treatment solution which includes a volatile component onto the front surface of a substrate, solidifying or curing the treatment solution through vaporization of the volatile component of the treatment solution such that a treatment film is formed on the entire portion of the front surface of the substrate, treating a different surface of the substrate while the entire portion of the front surface of the substrate is covered with the treatment film, and supplying to the substrate a removal solution which removes the treatment film in the amount sufficient such that the treatment film covering the entire portion of the front surface of the substrate is removed substantially in entirety after the treating of the different surface of the substrate is finished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Miyako Kaneko, Takehiko Orii, Itaru Kanno
  • Stationary household appliance, in particular a dishwasher
    Patent number: 9427134
    Abstract: A stationary household appliance having a housing wall, components, and a force transmitting element to transmit a force that acts upon the housing wall from the outside of the stationary household appliance into the components. The force transmitting element has at least two force application regions to transmit the force into at least two different ones of the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Fetzer, Dieter Hotz, Cengiz Kücük
  • Dishwasher with dynamically controlled cycle of operation
    Patent number: 9420937
    Abstract: A method of controlling the operation of an automatic dishwasher having at least one cycle of operation and a sensor that indicates a degree of turbidity of liquid in the dishwasher includes repeatedly determining a correction value for the sensor related to the scaling of the sensor and executing a de-scaling cycle of operation based thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Brent A. Deweerd, Brooke L. Lau, Robert J. Pinkowski, Robert J. Rolek
  • Method for purifying polycrystalline silicon
    Patent number: 9421584
    Abstract: Polysilicon fragments are purified to remove metal contaminates by contacting the fragments with a purifying liquid at a flow rate >100 mm/sec. Effective removal without abrasion is accomplished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: WACKER CHEMIE AG
    Inventors: Hanns Wochner, Christian Gossmann, Herbert Lindner
  • Household appliances and methods of control
    Patent number: 9416482
    Abstract: A household appliance having a treating chamber in which is received an article for treatment, a treating chemistry dispenser configured to receive a unit dose container for the treating chemistry, and a controller for executing at least one cycle of operation and a method of operating the household appliance to physically alter a unit dose container in conjunction with a at least one cycle of operation and sensing same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Alexander, Brian A. Black, Thomas A. Latack, Matthew D. Rhodes
  • Liquid processing method and liquid processing apparatus
    Patent number: 9412627
    Abstract: A surface of a substrate can be dried cleanly after liquid-processed by a liquid processing method and a liquid processing apparatus. The liquid processing method includes forming a liquid film of a rinse solution on an entire surface of a substrate having thereon a hydrophobic region by supplying, onto a central portion of the surface of the substrate, the rinse solution for rinsing a chemical liquid supplied on the substrate at a first flow rate while rotating the substrate at a first rotation speed; forming a stripe-shaped flow of the rinse solution on the surface of the substrate by breaking the liquid film formed on the entire surface of the substrate; and moving a discharge unit configured to supply the rinse solution toward a periphery of the substrate until the stripe-shaped flow of the rinse solution is moved outside the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Jun Nonaka
  • Methods for mixed acid cleaning of showerhead electrodes
    Patent number: 9396912
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for cleaning a showerhead electrode my include sealing a showerhead electrode within a cleaning assembly such that a first cleaning volume is formed on a first side of the showerhead electrode and a second cleaning volume is formed on a second side of the showerhead electrode. An acidic solution can be loaded into the first cleaning volume on the first side of the showerhead electrode. The first cleaning volume on the first side of the showerhead electrode can be pressurized such that at least a portion of the acidic solution flows through one or more of the plurality of gas passages of the showerhead electrode. An amount of purified water can be propelled through the second cleaning volume on the second side of the showerhead electrode, and into contact with the second side of the showerhead electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Armen Avoyan, Cliff La Croix, Hong Shih, John Daugherty
  • Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
    Patent number: 9396974
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit that horizontally holds a substrate in non-contact with a major surface of the substrate, a processing liquid supply unit that supplies a processing liquid to the major surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit, and a hydrophilic surface placing unit that places an annular hydrophilic surface along a peripheral portion of the major surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit such that the hydrophilic surface comes into contact with a liquid film of the processing liquid held on the major surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Toru Endo, Masahiro Miyagi, Koji Hashimoto
  • Method for cleaning HVAC system and method and system for verifying cleaning effectiveness
    Patent number: 9393599
    Abstract: A method of cleaning and a system and method of determining the effectiveness of a cleaning process for an HVAC system including a heat exchanger having a coil matrix. The coil matrix includes a plurality of rows of heat exchanging coils in which each adjacent row of coils is offset. The plurality of rows define channels extending through the coil matrix between an upstream side and a downstream side. The heat exchanger cleaning method includes applying a cleaning solution and a wet steam mixture directed into the channels. The effectiveness of the cleaning method is determine by a system and method which measures various operating parameters at the inlet side and outlet side of the heat exchanger both before and after the cleaning process. The system and method calculate a SEER rating using the total amount of heat removed by the HVAC system and the total power usage of the HVAC system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Greenair Process, LLC
    Inventor: Jeff Seippel
  • Cleaning apparatus and method of cleaning a contaminated surface
    Patent number: 9393579
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus is provided that includes a first nozzle configured to direct a cleaning jet towards a contaminated surface at a pressure sufficient to remove contaminants from the surface. At least one second nozzle is configured to direct a rinsing jet towards the contaminated surface to remove cleaning fluid therefrom, wherein the rinsing jet is directed at a pressure sufficient to isolate the cleaning jet from an ambient environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Sergey G. Ponomarev
  • Atomic layer epitaxy of hematite on indium tin oxide for application in solar energy conversion
    Patent number: 9388499
    Abstract: A method to provide an article of manufacture of iron oxide on indium tin oxide for solar energy conversion. An atomic layer epitaxy method is used to deposit an uncommon bixbytite-phase iron (III) oxide (?-Fe2O3) which is deposited at low temperatures to provide 99% phase pure ?-Fe2O3 thin films on indium tin oxide. Subsequent annealing produces pure ?-Fe2O3 with well-defined epitaxy via a topotactic transition. These highly crystalline films in the ultra thin film limit enable high efficiency photoelectrochemical chemical water splitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Alex B. Martinson, Shannon Riha, Peijun Guo, Jonathan D. Emery
  • Cosmetic brush cleaning apparatus
    Patent number: 9380860
    Abstract: A cosmetic brush cleaner apparatus is provided for automatically washing, cleaning, rinsing, and sanitizing a plurality of cosmetic brushes quickly, efficiently, and effectively. In particular, the cosmetic brush cleaner includes a removable lid, a base having a liquid inlet port, a removable brush holder coupled to the base, wherein the brush holder secures one or more cosmetic brushes. The cleaner further comprises a bristle plate coupled to the base, a liquid dispensing port for dispensing the liquid on to the bristle plate, a liquid drainage port for draining the liquid from the bristle plate, wherein the bristle plate is configured to engage the cosmetic brushes, and a controller for operating a motor of the brush cleaner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Lilumia International Ltd.
    Inventor: Fierra Taylor
  • Fire hydrant cleaning device
    Patent number: 9382697
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an associated object includes a motor and an output drive shaft powered by the motor. A cleaning attachment is coupled for rotational movement with the output drive shaft and has an axis of rotation. The cleaning attachment includes a housing having an outer surface and an inner surface. A plurality of elongated cleaning members is mounted to the inner surface of the housing. The apparatus can be employed as a cleaning implement for fire hydrants or other stationary objects. A mechanized method for cleaning stationary objects is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Inventor: Terrence K. Byrne
  • Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method using processing solution
    Patent number: 9378988
    Abstract: Nozzle arms for holding discharge heads are caused by a pivotal driving part to move between a processing position above a substrate and a standby position outside a processing cup surrounding a substrate. When the nozzle arms having cleaned a substrate is placed at the standby position, a cleaning solution is ejected from a shower nozzle toward the nozzle arms arranged obliquely downward of the shower nozzle. The three nozzle arms are caused to move up and down such that the nozzle arms cut across a jet of a cleaning solution discharged obliquely downward, thereby cleaning the three nozzle arms in order. Then, a nitrogen gas is ejected from a drying gas nozzle and sprayed on the nozzle arms to remove the cleaning solution attached to the nozzle arms, thereby drying the nozzle arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Osada, Kentaro Sugimoto
  • Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
    Patent number: 9378940
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a substrate processing apparatus including: a substrate processing chamber configured to process a substrate on which a target layer to be removed is formed on the surface of an underlying layer; a substrate holding unit provided in the substrate processing chamber and configured to hold the substrate; a mixed liquid supplying unit configured to supply a mixed liquid of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide to the substrate held by the substrate holding unit in a mixing ratio of the hydrogen peroxide and a temperature that does not damage the underlying layer while removing the target layer; and an OH-group supplying unit configured to supply a fluid containing OH-group to the substrate in an amount that does not damage the underlying layer when the mixed liquid and the OH-group are mixed on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hisashi Kawano, Norihiro Ito, Yosuke Hachiya, Jun Nogami, Kotaro Ooishi, Itaru Kanno
  • Method and apparatus for sludge removal from a tank
    Patent number: 9370806
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system of processing and removing hydrocarbon sludge from a tank wherein the hydrocarbon sludges are the product of gravity settling in the bottom of the tank to form a sludge consisting of inorganic and organic materials not readily flowable or pumpable for removal in the found state and where a process is used to selectively separate, grind, disperse and suspend these materials with a mechanical classifier system, and where flow agents may be metered to effect a slurry stream directed thru a nozzle system towards the sludge in the tank and by reducing the surface tension and mechanical conditioning of the sludge, create a pumpable slurry that may be removed from the tank with minimal time, cost and environmental impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: JR & JH HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventor: John C. Hancock
  • Substrate treatment method and substrate treatment apparatus
    Patent number: 9364873
    Abstract: The inventive substrate treatment apparatus includes a spin chuck which horizontally holds and rotates a wafer; a heater which is disposed in opposed relation to a lower surface of the wafer held by the spin chuck and heats the wafer from a lower side; a phosphoric acid nozzle which spouts a phosphoric acid aqueous solution to a front surface (upper surface) of the wafer held by the spin chuck; and a suspension liquid nozzle which spouts a silicon suspension liquid to the front surface of the wafer held by the spin chuck. The wafer is maintained at a higher temperature on the order of 300° C. and, in this state, a liquid mixture of the phosphoric acid aqueous solution and the silicon suspension liquid is supplied to the front surface of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taiki Hinode, Akio Hashizume, Takashi Ota
  • Method and hardware for cleaning UV chambers
    Patent number: 9364871
    Abstract: A cleaning method for a UV chamber involves providing a first cleaning gas, a second cleaning gas, and a purge gas to one or more openings in the chamber. The first cleaning gas may be an oxygen containing gas, such as ozone, to remove carbon residues. The second cleaning gas may be a remote plasma of NF3 and O2 to remove silicon residues. The UV chamber may have two UV transparent showerheads, which together with a UV window in the chamber lid, define a gas volume proximate the UV window and a distribution volume below the gas volume. A purge gas may be flowed through the gas volume while one or more of the cleaning gases is flowed into the distribution volume to prevent the cleaning gases from impinging on the UV transparent window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Sanjeev Baluja, Alexandros T. Demos, Kelvin Chan, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Scott A. Hendrickson, Abhijit Kangude, Inna Turevsky, Mahendra Chhabra, Thomas Nowak, Daping Yao, Bo Xie, Daemian Raj
  • Gallium-nitride-on-diamond wafers and manufacturing equipment and methods of manufacture
    Patent number: 9359693
    Abstract: A method for integrating wide-gap semiconductors, and specifically, gallium nitride epilayers, with synthetic diamond substrates is disclosed. Diamond substrates are created by depositing synthetic diamond onto a nucleating layer deposited or formed on a layered structure that comprises at least one layer of gallium nitride. Methods for manufacturing GaN-on-diamond wafers with low bow and high crystalline quality are disclosed along with preferred choices for manufacturing GaN-on-diamond wafers and chips tailored to specific applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: ELEMENT SIX TECHNOLOGIES US CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel Francis, Firooz Faili, Kristopher Matthews, Frank Yantis Lowe, Quentin Diduck, Sergey Zaytsev, Felix Ejeckam
  • Fabric treating machine
    Patent number: 9359708
    Abstract: A fabric treating machine includes a spray nozzle for spraying water supplied from a water supply passage into an inner tub and a spray nozzle combining unit for combining the spray nozzle with a case. Fabric loaded in the inner tub can be effectively soaked through the spray nozzle. Furthermore, a spray direction of the spray nozzle can be accurately adjusted when the spray nozzle is fitted in the case, and thus the spray nozzle can be easily fitted in the case and water sprayed through the spray nozzle can be prevented from overflowing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kyu Bum Lee, Young Jong Kim, Young Bae Park