Patents Examined by Shantese L. McDonald
  • Patent number: 6905400
    Abstract: A polishing cloth mounted on a turntable is dressed by bringing a dresser in contact with the polishing cloth for restoring the polishing capability of the polishing cloth. The dressing is performed by measuring heights of a surface of the polishing cloth at radial positions of the polishing cloth in a radial direction thereof determining a rotational speed of the dresser with respect to a rotational speed of the turntable on the basis of the measured heights, and dressing the polishing cloth by pressing the dresser are rotating. The dresser has an annular diamond grain layer or an annular SiC layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Norio Kimura, You Ishii, Toyomi Nishi, Takayoshi Kawamoto, Takeshi Sakurai
  • Patent number: 6899609
    Abstract: Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) equipment for use in planarizing a semiconductor wafer prevents slurry from being deposited on the surfaces of respective components of the equipment. The CMP equipment includes a turntable, a polishing pad mounted to the table so as to rotate with the table, a slurry supply unit for dispensing slurry onto the polishing pad, a polishing head unit for pressing a wafer downward atop the polishing pad, a conditioning unit for scoring the pad to maintain the surface of the polishing pad uniform, and a cleaning fluid supply unit. The cleaning solution supply unit has at least one spray nozzle by which cleaning solution is sprayed onto the polishing pad and respective components of the CMP equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yong-Sung Hong
  • Patent number: 6899592
    Abstract: In a polishing apparatus, a polishing tool including abrasive particles and a binder for bonding together the abrasive particles is pressed against a substrate to polish the substrate. The polishing apparatus has a light source for irradiating a polishing surface with light rays for weakening a bond force of the binder for bonding together the abrasive particles, and a waste matter removing mechanism for forcefully removing waste matter produced by polishing or waste matter produced by irradiation. By irradiating the polishing surface with the light rays, dressing of the polishing surface is performed, and products resulting from dressing and the like are removed. The polishing apparatus supplies abrasive particles to the polishing surface stably by dressing and allows high-speed polishing of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Shunichiro Kojima, Kazuto Hirokawa, Akira Kodera
  • Patent number: 6884146
    Abstract: Systems and methods for characterizing a polishing process are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with two or more measurement devices during polishing. In one embodiment, the two or more measurement devices may include a reflectometer and a capacitance probe. In another embodiment, the two or more measurement devices may include an optical device and an eddy current device. An additional embodiment relates to a measurement device for scanning a specimen during polishing. The device includes a light source and a scanning assembly. The scanning assembly is configured to scan light from the light source across the specimen during polishing. Another measurement device includes a laser light source coupled to a first fiber optic bundle and a detector coupled to a second fiber optic bundle. An additional method includes scanning a specimen with different measurement devices during different steps of a polishing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Kurt Lehman, Charles Chen, Ronald L. Allen, Robert Shinagawa, Anantha Sethuraman, Christopher F. Bevis, Thanassis Trikas, Haiguang Chen, Ching Ling Meng
  • Patent number: 6875083
    Abstract: An abrasive media containment bag (11) having a bag portion (13), a nozzle fitting (15), a blast fitting (17), and a filter member (19) is disclosed. The abrasive media containment bag (11) allows the surface of an aircraft or aircraft component to be prepared for bonding by using abrasive blasting, without fear of contaminating other aircraft components with the abrasive media. The abrasive media containment bag (11) isolates the area to be treated ande recovers and contains the abrasive media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.
    Inventor: John W. Gunnell
  • Patent number: 6860791
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of a wafer employing a device for determining, in-situ, during the CMP process, an endpoint where the process is to be terminated. This device includes a laser interferometer capable of generating a laser beam directed towards the wafer and detecting light reflected from the wafer, and a window disposed adjacent to a hole formed through a platen. The window provides a pathway for the laser beam during at least part of the time the wafer overlies the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Manoocher Birang, Allan Gleason
  • Patent number: 6851190
    Abstract: A shaving aid delivery system for a shaving system includes a razor head having a resilient reservoir for holding a shaving aid and a piezoelectric ceramic disposed adjacent the resilient reservoir. The delivery system also includes a shaving strip disposed within the razor head, an actuator and an ejection port. The shaving strip is oriented to engage the skin of a user during a shaving stroke and the actuator electrically couples to the piezoelectric ceramic such that, upon activation, the actuator causes deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic which, in turn, deforms the resilient reservoir and forces the shaving aid from the reservoir through the ejection port. Alternatively, the actuator may include a shape memory alloy which, upon transformation between states, deforms the reservoir and forces the shaving aid from the reservoir through the ejection port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Eveready Battery Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond Guimont, Matthew Swanson, Hao-Chih Liu, Ye Tao
  • Patent number: 6846232
    Abstract: The invention provides a backing for an abrasive article comprising a sheet-like polymeric substrate having a first major surface including a pattern of non-abrasive raised areas and depressed areas and an opposite second major surface including a plurality of shaped engaging elements that are one part of a two-part mechanical engagement system. An abrasive product is provided by coating at least the raised areas of the backing with an abrasive coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Ehrich J. Braunschweig, Daidre L. Syverson, Edward J. Woo, Michael J. Annen
  • Patent number: 6802094
    Abstract: A hand tool such as a knife or a combination tool includes multiple blades, each independently rotatable on a common axle between a closed position within a handle of the tool and an open position extending from the handle. Each blade is positively but releasably locked into its open position. Those blades which remain closed are biased toward the closed position when the opened blade is locked into position and also as it is opened and closed. A single locking, releasing, and biasing mechanism serves all of the blades in one handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Leatherman Tool Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett P. Seber, Randolph J. Morton, Gabriel Alejandro Draguicevich, Roy L. Helton, Jr., Gregory F. Rubin
  • Patent number: 6796882
    Abstract: An appliqué film and paint removal tool includes a central rotating shaft, a spring-loaded locator pin, at least three freely rotating bearings, an arbor, and a collar. The rotating shaft may be centered with the locator pin and pushed down until the bearings touch the surface from which the appliqué or paint material is to be removed. By rotating while touching the mold line contour of the fastener the bearings will cause the appliqué film or paint treatment to separate around the mold line of the fastener. The separated material than can be peeled off and the fastener is accessible. Therefore, the appliqué film or paint treatment can be removed from fasteners without damaging the surface around the fastener. The appliqué film and paint treatment removal tool may be designed to accommodate all fastener diameters and mold line contours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Daniel E. Pulcher, Roy L. Tribble, Marvin C. Holwager
  • Patent number: 6779269
    Abstract: A connection for a tube is formed by placing a coiled spring around an end of a tube and inserting a barbed tubular portion from a connection into the tube. The connection forces the tube to expand applying pressure against the coil spring and forcing it to expand and exert radial pressure against the tube towards the inserted tubular portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corporation
    Inventors: Edward A. Green, Dominic Profio
  • Patent number: 6776696
    Abstract: A continuous CMP process for polishing multiple conductive and non-conductive layers on a semiconductor substrate. The continuous process comprises the steps of: (a) disposing a substrate on a platen; (b) polishing a first layer using both a mechanical means and a chemical means; and (c) polishing a second layer upon adjusting at least one parameter in either the mechanical means, chemical means, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Planar Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Deepak Mahulikar, Richard J. Jenkins
  • Patent number: 6755724
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device for grinding a liquid crystal display panel improving the efficiency of using equipment by independently operating first and second grinding units for grinding the unit liquid crystal display panel. The present invention includes a first grinding unit grinding edges of short or long sides of the unit liquid crystal display panel in a normal mode and a second grinding unit grinding the edges of the short or long sides of the unit liquid crystal display panel that are not ground by the first grinding unit in the normal mode or grinding the edges of the long and short sides of the unit liquid crystal display panel in an emergency mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Sun Shin, Jong-Go Lim
  • Patent number: 6569001
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power tool, in particular to an angle grinder, having a quick clamping device for fastening of a tool between a clamping flange and a counter flange. Such quick clamping devices are usually equipped with an actuation element, during the transfer of which from a clamping position into a release position the clamping is neutralized. In the quick clamping device according to the invention, the actuation element returns, on its own, and in a controlled way, when in the release position and, by accident, the motor of the power tool is turned on. For that purpose, an eccentric being mounted on the actuation element acts with its running surface onto a cam in such a way that it retains the eccentric due to the frictional force acting between the cam and the running surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: C. & E. Fein GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Boris Rudolf, Gerhard Frenck