Patents Examined by Richard Z. Zhang
  • Patent number: 11735438
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for Marangoni substrate drying is disclosed which includes an adjustable spray bar assembly having mounting brackets coupled to a support structure of a drying system, a base assembly coupled to the mounting brackets and disposed parallel to a face of the support structure, and a mounting assembly coupled to and parallel with the base assembly. The mounting assembly is adjustable in a vertical direction at two distal ends. The mounting assembly includes arms onto which one or more spray bars may be disposed. While secured to the mounting assembly, the one or more spray bars may be rotated about a longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Edwin Velazquez, Jagan Rangarajan
  • Patent number: 11688613
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is configured to dry a substrate by replacing a liquid film formed on a top surface of the substrate, which is horizontally held, with a supercritical fluid. The substrate processing apparatus includes a pressure vessel, a cover body and a supporting body. The pressure vessel has therein a drying chamber for the substrate. The cover body is configured to close an opening of the drying chamber. The supporting body is configured to support the substrate horizontally within the drying chamber. The supporting body is fixed to the drying chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shota Umezaki, Hiroaki Inadomi
  • Patent number: 11672967
    Abstract: A self-cleaning needleless connector may include a connector body defining a fluid passageway including an inlet and an outlet, a cover disposed over at least the inlet of the connector body, an access point disposed at an inlet end of the cover, where in a first position the inlet is within the cover and in an second position the inlet is extended beyond the cover and configured to receive a male luer, a reservoir containing a cleaning agent, and an abrasive surface located in the cover that is in fluid communication with the cleaning agent, where the abrasive surface and the cleaning agent are configured to contact an exterior surface of the inlet to create friction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: GROVE GROUP, LLC
    Inventors: Nathan Gish, Ross Hudson, Josh Luttrell
  • Patent number: 11642707
    Abstract: A method of unclogging ducts in a part made by additive manufacturing, the ducts running from at least one well that opens out into the surface of the part, the method comprising the steps of: fabricating a guide with a body that is designed to fit in the well, the guide having internal channels that extend from a base of the guide that is accessible by a user to an outside wall of the body; cleaning the well and inserting the body of the guide in the well so that channels in the guide open out in register with inlets of ducts that are to be unclogged; and inserting a thin flexible tool, e.g. a metal cable, through the base of the guide into at least one channel therein and causing the tool to penetrate into the duct in register in the part so as to unclog it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN LANDING SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Olivier Rigo, Thomas Kairet, Denis Luttenbacher, Stéphane Lambre, Stefano Argentero, Gérard Balducci
  • Patent number: 11617471
    Abstract: A novel cleaning container is disclosed for backflushing and hence clean an espresso machine. The container may include a body having a top, an opposing bottom, and an interior cavity for holding water, detergent, and/or other cleaning fluid. A piston is slidably disposed within the interior cavity between up and down positions, wherein the piston and an opening of the body at the top define a variable volume for cleaning the machine. A spring is seated firmly within the body underneath the piston for biasing the piston to the up position. A stopper disposed about the top of the piston limits the motion of the piston at the top of the body. One or more grooves within the body are in fluid communication with one or more outlets to permit fluid to exit the body during cleaning. The body may be transparent or translucent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Strategic Exits LLC
    Inventor: Douglas Weber
  • Patent number: 11612452
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to endoscope cleaning systems and methods. The endoscope cleaning system can include a pump housing that houses a peristaltic pump, an endoscope sheath fluidly connected to the pump housing, and a pump control communicatively coupled to the peristaltic pump. Upon activation of the pump control, the peristaltic pump can supply fluid to the endoscope sheath for cleaning an endoscope. Upon deactivation of the pump control, the peristaltic pump can remove residual fluid from the endoscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Stryker Corporation
    Inventors: Theodore Leclere, Candice Pack
  • Patent number: 11607717
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for cleaning of medical machine components of machines such as CPAP machines, nebulizers, PEEP machines, and the like is disclosed herein. The cleaning apparatus comprises a container body. A carousel is configured for placement within the container body. The carousel comprises a support structure. The carousel further comprises a helical ramp attached to the support structure and extending helically from an operative top end of the support structure to an operative bottom end of the support structure along a periphery of the support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Inventor: Jerome Wilson
  • Patent number: 11594427
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus performs increasing a pressure within a processing vessel up to a processing pressure higher than a threshold pressure of a processing fluid by supplying the processing fluid into the processing vessel in which a substrate having thereon a liquid is accommodated; and supplying the processing fluid into the processing vessel and draining the processing fluid while maintaining the pressure within the processing vessel at a level allowing the processing fluid to be maintained in a supercritical state. The increasing of the pressure includes: increasing the pressure to a first pressure; and increasing the pressure to the processing pressure from the first pressure. A temperature of the substrate is controlled to a first temperature in the increasing of the pressure to the first pressure, and is controlled to a second temperature higher than the first temperature in the increasing of the pressure to the processing pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toru Ihara, Gentaro Goshi, Masami Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11578864
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of automatically cleaning boiler pipes. The provision of a pipe-cleaning tank on one side of a casing to store a cleaning solution therein and a tank supply valve in the pipe-cleaning tank allows the cleaning solution stored in the pipe-cleaning tank to automatically flow into a heat exchanger and various pipes inside the casing by means of only a simple operation of manipulating the tank supply valve, thereby making it easy to eliminate scale that has accumulated in the heat exchanger and the pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Inventor: Young-Hwan Choi
  • Patent number: 11560696
    Abstract: A high pressure jetting system for use with a water supply system includes a recirculating unit to connect to an isolated section of the water supply system. The isolated section remains under water supply system pressure. The recirculating unit includes a filter unit and a pump unit capable of generating a circulating flow of water. A first pig launch and recovery apparatus couples a first hydrant to the recirculating unit and a second pig launch and recovery apparatus couples a second hydrant to the recirculating unit. A jetting unit including a jetting head is coupled to a jetting hose. The jetting unit enters the closed circuit through the second pig launch and recovery apparatus and travels within the isolated section. The jetting head emits a plurality of water jets to assist removal of material from an inner surface of the water mains and pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: NO-DES, Inc.
    Inventor: Chris Eric Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 11555296
    Abstract: A high pressure jetting system includes a recirculating unit connected to an isolated section of a water supply system which remains under system pressure. The recirculating unit includes a filter unit and a pump unit generating a circulating flow of water. A first pig launch and recovery apparatus couples a first hydrant to the recirculating unit and a second pig launch and recovery apparatus couples a second hydrant to the recirculating unit. A camera unit including a camera and drogue chute enters through the first apparatus and travels in a flushing flow direction to the second apparatus. The drogue chute is then removed from the camera. The camera then couples to a jetting unit having a jetting head and hose and re-enters through the second apparatus. The jetting unit emits a plurality of water jets to move in a counter-current flow direction and remove material from the water mains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: NO-DES, Inc.
    Inventor: Chris Eric Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 11545371
    Abstract: In a chemical mechanical polishing system, a platen shield cleaning assembly is installed on a rotatable platen in a gap between the rotatable platen and a platen shield. The assembly includes a sponge holder attached to the platen and a sponge. The sponge is held by the sponge holder such that an outer surface of the sponge is pressed against an inner surface of the platen shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shantanu Rajiv Gadgil, Sumit Subhash Patankar, Nathan Arron Davis, Allen L. D'Ambra
  • Patent number: 11529932
    Abstract: A self-contained, compact camera wash system 1000 for a drone 800 or as an automotive aftermarket kit 1101 uses a pressurized container 1002 similar to a common aerosol can to supply washer fluid to a washer nozzle 1020 via actuable valving. The fluid supply container is small for use with drone cameras (e.g., ˜15 ml in volume) and is readily packaged in a compact assembly. For the automotive aftermarket kit 1101 a larger volume container volume is provided and configured to be easily replaced as needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: DLHBOWLES, INC.
    Inventor: Russell Hester
  • Patent number: 11515182
    Abstract: There is provided a drying apparatus for covering an upper surface of the substrate with an uneven pattern formed thereon with a liquid film and subsequently drying the substrate, including: a first heat transfer part whose temperature is adjusted to a first temperature, wherein a first heat is transferred between the first heat transfer part and the substrate by a first temperature difference; a second heat transfer part whose temperature is adjusted to a second temperature different from the first temperature, wherein a second heat is transferred between the second heat transfer part and the substrate by a second temperature difference; and a controller configured to control the first temperature and the second temperature and to control a surface tension distribution of the liquid film so as to control an agglomeration of the liquid film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Morikawa
  • Patent number: 11508589
    Abstract: When performing a liquid processing on a substrate W being rotated and removing a processing liquid by a cleaning liquid, a cleaning liquid nozzle 421 configured to discharge a cleaning liquid slantly with respect to a surface of the substrate W toward a downstream side of a rotational direction of the substrate W and a gas nozzle 411 configured to discharge a gas toward a position adjacent to a central portion side of the substrate W when viewed from a liquid arrival position R of the cleaning liquid are moved from the central portion side toward a peripheral portion side. A rotation number of the substrate is varied such that rotation number in a period during which the liquid arrival position R moves in the second region becomes smaller than a maximum rotation number in a period during which the liquid arrival position moves in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Akiko Kai, Kouichirou Tanaka, Hiroshi Ichinomiya, Masahiro Fukuda
  • Patent number: 11497346
    Abstract: A back-blush cleaning container may have a spring-biased piston that allows the container to fill with hot water when attached to a group head of the espresso machine. When the hot water of the espresso machine is turned off, the piston due to the spring urges the hot water out and back through a 3-way valve to clean the espresso machine. The backflush cleaning container also may have a steam conduit that allows steam from a steam wand of the espresso machine to clean the group head, 3-way valve and tubes. Moreover, the container may have a window which based on the position of the piston, a particular color is shown. The colors indicate whether the container is safe to remove from the group head of the espresso machine and when the container is full of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Strategic Exits LLC
    Inventor: Douglas Weber
  • Patent number: 11495474
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for processing a substrate, comprising a liquid processing step of performing liquid processing on the substrate by supplying a processing liquid onto the substrate in a liquid processing chamber, a transfer step of transferring the substrate from the liquid processing chamber to a drying chamber, and a drying step of drying the substrate in the drying chamber. In the drying step, the substrate is dried while an edge region of the substrate other than a central region of the substrate is supported by a support unit, and in the liquid processing step, the liquid processing is performed on the substrate such that a height of the processing liquid remaining on the edge region of the substrate is greater than a height of the processing liquid remaining on the central region of the substrate when the liquid processing is completed in the liquid processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong Hee Lee, Young Hun Lee, Jinwoo Jung, Eui Sang Lim
  • Patent number: 11488846
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes supplying a water-soluble polymer solution to a surface of a substrate having, on a surface of the substrate, a resist film on which no pattern is formed, after an immersion exposure process, hydrophilizing a surface of the resist film using the supplied water-soluble polymer solution, supplying, after the hydrophilizing, a cleaning liquid to the surface of the substrate while rotating the substrate to remove the water-soluble polymer solution that has not contributed to the hydrophilizing, and drying the substrate supplied with the cleaning liquid, wherein the water-soluble polymer solution has a pH value that allows an acid concentration in the resist film to fall within a permissible range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Akiko Kai
  • Patent number: 11478987
    Abstract: Method of making a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a carrier platform on which the three-dimensional object can be formed; (b) producing the three-dimensional object, (c) immersing the object in a wash liquid with the object remaining adhered to the carrier platform; (d) agitating (i) the object in said wash liquid, (ii) the wash liquid with the object immersed therein, or (iii) both the object and the wash liquid, to at least partially remove residual resin from the surface of the object; (e) separating the object from the wash liquid, with the object remaining adhered to the carrier platform, (f) agitating the object to at least partially remove residual wash liquid from the surface thereof; and (g) repeating steps (c) through (f) to remove additional polymerizable resin from the surface thereof, wherein steps (c) through (f) are carried out in the same vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventors: Courtney F. Converse, W. Ryan Powell, Sherwood Forlee, David Eliot Scheinman, Scott Heines, Edwin James Sabathia, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11446716
    Abstract: Various automated cleaning systems for internal cavities of pressure instruments are disclosed. The systems comprise a computer controlled fluid flow system that enables the use of various cleaning fluids for cleaning internal cavities of pressure instruments to high cleanliness levels. Various pressure instruments, including complex shapes such as Bourdon tube gauges, are accommodated. The system can include a computerized cleaning cycle selection and a multi-fluid combination of cleaners for efficient and low cost cleaning solution. A servo controlled agitation system can allow for filling, evacuation, and drying of aqueous solutions as well as high performance solvents for Oxygen Clean service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: King Nutronics Corporation
    Inventors: Amir Gnessin, Nathan J. Ransom, Robert T. Welther