Patents Examined by Shantese L. McDonald
  • Patent number: 11633829
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system includes a polishing pad configured to polish a substrate. The CMP system further includes a heating system configured to adjust a temperature of the polishing pad. The heating system comprises at least one heating element spaced apart from the polishing pad. The CMP system further includes a sensor configured to measure the temperature of the polishing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi-Sheng Lin, Chi-Hsiang Shen, Chi-Jen Liu, Chun-Wei Hsu, Yang-Chun Cheng, Kei-Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 11633833
    Abstract: A method of temperature control for a chemical mechanical polishing system includes directing a gas that includes steam from an orifice onto the component in the polishing system while the component is spaced away from a polishing pad of the polishing system to raise a temperature of the component to an elevated temperature, and before the component returns to an ambient temperature, moving the component into contact with the polishing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Haosheng Wu, Jianshe Tang, Hari Soundararajan, Shou-Sung Chang, Paul D. Butterfield, Hui Chen, Chih Chung Chou, Alexander John Fisher
  • Patent number: 11633834
    Abstract: A method for repairing a polishing pad in real time includes a trimming step, a detection step, and a reconstruction and analysis step. A surface morphology of the polishing pad is reconstructed through detection, and analysis is performed according to the reconstruction, to ensure that a surface of the polishing pad can recover its function after the surface of the polishing pad is trimmed, so that the polishing pad can be used effectively to reduce costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: TA LIANG TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chao-Chang Chen, Jian-Shian Lin, Chun-Chen Chen, Jen-Chien Li, Hsien-Ming Lee, Ching-Tang Hsueh
  • Patent number: 11618129
    Abstract: The present invention relates to sintered polycrystalline flat-shaped geometrically structured ceramic abrasive elements designed for the use in resin bonded wheels, particularly in cut-off wheels. The present invention also relates to a method of making such sintered polycrystalline flat-shaped geometrically structured ceramic abrasive elements and the use thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: IMERTECH SAS
    Inventors: Jean-André Alary, Florent Polge, Patrick Ronach
  • Patent number: 11612283
    Abstract: A portable surface cleaning apparatus has a main body and air treatment member assembly is removably mounted to the main body. The air treatment member assembly air outlet and/or the suction motor inlet end is provided at the lower end of the air treatment member assembly when the surface cleaning apparatus is located on a floor and a pre-motor filter underlies the air treatment member assembly and/or the suction motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne Ernest Conrad
  • Patent number: 11612288
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus is disclosed having a forward portion and a rearward portion. The forward portion has a dirty air inlet, a front side, a rear side and a forward bridging section, the forward bridging section having a rearwardly extending air flow passage that is downstream from the dirty air inlet. The rearward portion positioned rearward of the forward portion, the rearward portion comprising a front side, a rearward side, a rearward bridging section, a lower planar surface, an upper surface and an up flow duct, the rearward bridging section being spaced rearward of the front side of the rearward portion. The rear side of the forward portion is spaced from and faces the front side of the rearward portion and the forward bridging section is connected to the rearward bridging section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne Ernest Conrad, Jason Boyd Thorne
  • Patent number: 11607768
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a cleaning unit that cleans a substrate, a brushing unit that includes a plurality of roll brushes brushing the substrate and a driver driving the roll brushes, and a controlling unit that controls the driver. The controlling unit includes a time calculator that counts a usage time of the roll brushes, and a drive controller that reduces a distance between the roll brushes, based on the usage time of the roll brushes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ilcheol Shin, Sung-Chang Park, Kyoungwoo Kim, Young-Kyun Woo, Hak-Jae Im
  • Patent number: 11607782
    Abstract: An adapter for a bearing race and seal driver tool that allows the tool to be used in hard to reach applications. The adapter connects to a driver and a handle at a non-zero angle, for example a right angle, to allow the adapter to be struck at a face of the adapter rather than the handle to be struck at an end of the handle. A pocket is included at one or more connection points between the adapter and the handle or driver to resist rotational movement of the handle or driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Snap-on Incorporated
    Inventors: Allen M. Hutchison, William J. Powell, Jonathan I. Andersen
  • Patent number: 11607770
    Abstract: An efficient ultra-precise shear thickening and chemical synergy polishing method, comprising the following steps: 1) fixing workpieces (3) to a polishing and fixing disc (31) of implementation equipment; 2) preparing an efficient ultra-precise shear thickening and chemical synergy polishing slurry, the polishing slurry comprising polishing abrasive particles or micro-powder, a shear thickening enhanced phase, water and green chemistry environmentally-friendly substances; 3) adding the prepared polishing slurry into a dust-prevention cover (30), and starting a polishing slurry circulating device, so that the polishing slurry is supplied to the surfaces of the workpieces (3) by means of polishing tools (1); and 4) starting driving devices (9) and driving mechanisms (33), so that the polishing tools (1) move relative to the workpieces (3), and surfaces of the workpieces (3) to be machined are polished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: HUNAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Min Li, Cheng Tang, Ting Dong, Zhenrong Huang
  • Patent number: 11602821
    Abstract: A wafer polishing head is provided. The wafer polishing head includes a carrier head, a plurality of piezoelectric actuators disposed on the carrier head, and a membrane disposed over the plurality of piezoelectric actuators. The plurality of piezoelectric actuators is configured to provide mechanical forces on the membrane and generate an electrical charge when receiving counterforces of the mechanical forces through the membrane. A wafer polishing system and a method for polishing a substrate using the same are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: James Jeng-Jyi Hwang, He Hui Peng, Jiann Lih Wu, Chi-Ming Yang
  • Patent number: 11597059
    Abstract: A coated abrasive disc includes a disc backing and an abrasive layer disposed thereon. The abrasive layer comprises abrasive elements secured to a major surface of the disc backing by at least one binder material. The abrasive elements are disposed at contiguous intersections of horizontal and vertical lines of a rectangular grid pattern. Each abrasive element has two triangular abrasive platelets, each having respective top and bottom surfaces connected to each other, and separated by, three sidewalls. On a respective basis, one sidewall of the triangular abrasive platelets is disposed facing and proximate to the disc backing. A first portion of the abrasive elements is arranged in alternating first rows wherein the triangular abrasive platelets are disposed lengthwise aligned with the vertical lines. A second portion of the abrasive elements is arranged in alternating second rows wherein the triangular abrasive platelets are disposed lengthwise aligned with the horizontal lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas P. Hanschen, Steven J. Keipert, Joseph B. Eckel, Aaron K. Nienaber, Erin D. Spring, Brant A. Moegenburg, Eric M. Moore, Thomas J. Nelson
  • Patent number: 11597052
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a platen to hold a polishing pad, a carrier to hold a substrate against a polishing surface of the polishing pad during a polishing process, a dispenser to supply a polishing liquid to the polishing surface, and a temperature control system including a body configured to contact the polishing surface or the polishing liquid on the polishing surface. The body supports a thermal control module positioned over the polishing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hari Soundararajan, Shou-Sung Chang, Haosheng Wu, Jianshe Tang, Jeonghoon Oh, Rajeev Bajaj, Andrew Siordia
  • Patent number: 11590617
    Abstract: According to the present invention, the operating rate of a machine tool can be increased. Solution is made by a machine tool including a processing chamber surrounded by cover walls to perform processing of a workpiece to be processed, an equerre a part of which is arranged inside the processing chamber, the equerre fixing the workpiece, an opening arranged at a part of the cover walls for access to an inside of the processing chamber, and shutter doors movable between open positions where opening of the opening is performed so that the inside of the processing chamber communicates with an outside of the processing chamber, and closed positions where closing of the opening is performed so that the inside of the processing chamber is isolated from the outside of the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: KIWA MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shinichi Fukuda
  • Patent number: 11590661
    Abstract: An end effector for a robotic sanding system includes a sanding head including a sander configured to sand a surface of a workpiece. A motor is operatively coupled to the sander. The motor is configured to rotate the sander to sand the surface of the workpiece. The motor includes a first central longitudinal axis. A coupler is configured to removably secure the end effector to an attachment interface of an arm of the robotic sanding system. The coupler includes a second central longitudinal axis. The first central longitudinal axis is offset from the second central longitudinal axis. One or more sensors are coupled to the sanding head. The one or more sensors are configured to detect presence of a metal within the predefined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Dominic Wierzbicki, Benjamin Stanislaw Zielinski
  • Patent number: 11577358
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing system includes a platen to support a polishing pad having a polishing surface, and a pad cooling assembly. The pad cooling assembly has an arm extending over the platen, a nozzle suspended by the arm and coupled to a source of coolant fluid, the nozzle positioned to spray coolant fluid from the source onto the polishing surface of the polishing pad, and an opening in the arm adjacent the nozzle and a passage extending in the arm from the opening, the opening positioned sufficiently close to the nozzle that a flow of coolant fluid from the nozzle entrains air from the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Surajit Kumar, Hui Chen, Chih Chung Chou, Shou-Sung Chang
  • Patent number: 11577357
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to improve in-plane uniformity in polishing in a polishing device. A temperature adjusting device for adjusting temperature of a rotating polishing pad comprises: a heat conductor that can contact with a top face of the polishing pad; an arm for holding the heat conductor above the polishing pad; column members formed to stand on a top face of the heat conductor, comprising an upstream-side column member and a downstream-side column member arranged at a position at an upstream/downstream side of rotation of the polishing pad; and overhung members extending, from the upstream-side column member and the downstream-side column member, in directions that are parallel to the top face of the heat conductor; wherein the overhung members can contact with a top face of the arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Motoshima
  • Patent number: 11577435
    Abstract: A system or method of forming a handle portion of an oral care implement and a handle portion of an oral care implement formed thereby. The method may include providing a first mold that defines a first mold cavity having a shape that corresponds to the handle portion, injecting a first material into the first mold cavity via a first injection orifice with a first hot runner sub-system, and injecting a second material into the first mold cavity via a second injection orifice with a second hot runner sub-system. The second material is injected into the first material thereby forming the handle portion, with the second material forming a core component of the handle portion and the first material forming a shell component of the handle portion that surrounds the core component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
    Inventors: Alan Sorrentino, Stephen Nelson
  • Patent number: 11571095
    Abstract: An apparatus having a first cyclonic stage having a dirt collection chamber external thereto wherein the cyclone and the dirt chamber are concurrently openable. A second cyclonic stage is downstream from the first cyclonic stage, a pre-motor filter is downstream from the second cyclonic stage and a suction motor is downstream from the pre-motor filter wherein the suction motor axis of rotation extends through the pre-motor filter chamber and the second cyclonic stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne Ernest Conrad
  • Patent number: 11564539
    Abstract: Disclosed is a central vacuum system. The central vacuum system comprises a first vacuum device, a second vacuum device, and a hose connected between the first vacuum device and the second vacuum device; the first vacuum device and the second vacuum are controlled by a linked switch, interior of the hose remains positive or slightly negative pressure. A self-operated differential pressure regulating valve arranged at the end of the hose is capable of generating corresponding air resistance under different airflow rate so as to maintain the interior pressure of the hose at a stable slightly positive or negative pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Inventor: Jianping Chen
  • Patent number: 11560737
    Abstract: A security kit is provided that enables retrofitting a mobile electronic device with a theft preventing security slot. The slot allows locking therein a lock head, a cable of which is attachable to an immovable object. The security kit includes a security bracket having an attachment plate with a screw hole formed therein, and having a thickened portion having a security slot formed therein. A fork-shaped screw extracting tool is used to extract from the mobile electronic device one of the body screws and then re-use it to attach the security bracket to the housing of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Inventor: Meir Avganim