Patents Examined by Sharidan Carrillo
  • Patent number: 10919707
    Abstract: A cleaning pad can be attached onto an inner surface of a transport belt so the cleaning pad can move with the transport belt along hardware of a marking system, including support rollers and a marking platen to remove ink from the marking platen and support rollers of the rendering device as the transport belt cycles through its typical path within the rendering system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Linn Hoover, Jeffrey J. Bradway, Rachel Lynn Tanchak, Paul M. Fromm, Frank B. Tamarez Gomez
  • Patent number: 10881116
    Abstract: A method for reducing level of contaminants from an object, the method comprises introducing the object into an ultrasonic (US) bath carrying an aqueous medium that holds, suspended therein, insoluble nanoparticles and activating said bath to apply US waves only said object while the object is at least partially submerged within said aqueous medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: EVER CLEAN AND CLEAR TECHNOLOGIES LTD
    Inventor: Shlomo Rotter
  • Patent number: 10870132
    Abstract: A sponge roller is made of a polyvinyl acetal porous resin material having elasticity in a wet state, includes a roller in an approximate cylinder form and a plurality of protrusions formed integrally on an outer peripheral surface of the roller, and rotates the multiple protrusions to make contact with a surface to be cleaned so as to clean the surface. The polyvinyl acetal porous resin material constituting the sponge roller contains a cationic functional group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Inventors: Yuuichi Shimazaki, Tadashi Kawaguchi, Hidehiko Tsukada
  • Patent number: 10873291
    Abstract: The disclosure herein includes one or more methods for cleaning photovoltaic panels, which includes using cleaning assemblies for photovoltaic panels that may each include: 1) a track coupled to the photovoltaic panel; 2) a housing coupled to the photovoltaic panel; 3) a drive motor coupled to the housing; 4) a drive wheel coupled to the drive motor, wherein the wheel is capable of rolling on the track; 5) a vacuum pump having a suction head coupled to the housing; and/or 6) an air pump having an ionizing electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Inventor: Mary Ethel Parker
  • Patent number: 10857575
    Abstract: Methods and treatments for removing contaminants from nanotube surfaces covering a medical device are disclosed herein. These methods and treatments include commencing exposure of a nanotube surface to at least one condition that at least partially removes the contaminants including: ultraviolet light, elevated temperature, plasma, and/or combinations thereof. These methods and treatments may also include orienting the nanotube surface relative to the at least one condition in order to enhance removal of the contaminants by the at least one condition. Exposure of the nanotube surface to the at least one condition may be ceased after the contaminants are at least partially removed from the nanotube surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Nanovation Partners LLC
    Inventors: Sungho Jin, Daniel F. Justin
  • Patent number: 10854481
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes holding a substrate horizontally, supplying water-containing processing liquid to an upper surface of the substrate, forming a low surface tension liquid film, covering the upper surface by supplying that liquid to the substrate's upper surface, supplying a gas to a center region of the liquid film to form an opening in the center, widening the opening in order to remove the film, rotating the substrate around a predetermined rotational axis along a vertical direction, blowing, in the opening widening step, the gas toward a gas supply position that is set further inward than a peripheral edge of the opening on the upper surface of the substrate, and moving the gas supply position toward the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the substrate, and supplying, the low surface tension liquid toward a liquid landing position that is set further outward and moving the liquid landing position toward the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Inventors: Shigeki Tanizawa, Nobuyuki Miyaji, Makoto Takaoka, Naoki Sawazaki, Tsuyoshi Okumura, Atsuyasu Miura
  • Patent number: 10854479
    Abstract: A substrate processing method is provided, which includes: an ozone-containing hydrofluoric acid solution spouting step of spouting an ozone-containing hydrofluoric acid solution containing ozone dissolved therein from a nozzle toward one major surface of a substrate held by a substrate holding unit; and a brush-cleaning step of cleaning the one major surface of the substrate by bringing a cleaning brush into abutment against the one major surface of the substrate, the brush-cleaning step being performed after the ozone-containing hydrofluoric acid solution spouting step or in parallel with the ozone-containing hydrofluoric acid solution spouting step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Shibayama, Masayuki Hayashi, Seiji Ano, Toru Edo
  • Patent number: 10828679
    Abstract: A method of treating a sensor array including a plurality of sensors and an isolation structure, where a sensor of the plurality of sensors has a sensor pad exposed at a surface of the sensor array and the isolation structure is disposed between the sensor pad and sensor pads of other sensors of the plurality of sensors, comprises exposing the sensor pad and the isolation structure to a non-aqueous organo-silicon solution including an organo-silicon compound and a first non-aqueous carrier; applying an acid solution including an organic acid and a second non-aqueous carrier to the sensor pad; and rinsing the acid solution from the sensor pad and the isolation structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James A. Ball, Phil Waggoner, Scott Parker
  • Patent number: 10832924
    Abstract: A substrate treating device immerses substrates in a mixed-acid aqueous solution, and performs an etching treatment on the substrates. The substrate treating device includes: a treating tank that stores the mixed-acid aqueous solution; a treating-liquid exchange unit that performs a total liquid exchange of the mixed-acid aqueous solution based on a life time of the mixed-acid aqueous solution in the treating tank; a detecting unit that detects a pure-water concentration of the mixed-acid aqueous solution; a concentration control unit that controls, based on the pure-water concentration detected by the detecting unit, the pure-water concentration such that the pure-water concentration becomes a predetermined target concentration by supplying pure water to the mixed-acid aqueous solution in the treating tank; and a target-value change unit that changes a lower-side standard value (a target concentration).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Sugioka
  • Patent number: 10820685
    Abstract: A housing has a rearward end with a handle. The housing has a forward end with a motor housing and a laterally spaced guard housing. The housing has a housing axis extending between the forward end and the rearward end. The guard housing is located to the left side of the forward end. A motor located within the motor housing has a drive shaft rotatable around a horizontal axis of rotation perpendicular with the housing axis and extending into the guard housing. A brush wheel mounted on the drive shaft rotates with the drive shaft for brushing and cleaning small bathroom grout, tub and shower walls and floors, kitchen and bathroom sinks, especially under-mounted, around windows and more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Inventor: Harold R. Becker
  • Patent number: 10816505
    Abstract: A sensor array includes a plurality of sensors. A sensor of the plurality of sensors has a sensor pad exposed at a surface of the sensor array. A method of treating the sensor array includes exposing at least the sensor pad to a wash solution including sulfonic acid and an organic solvent and rinsing the wash solution from the sensor pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James A. Ball, Brian Reed
  • Patent number: 10818521
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus including: a substrate holding member that holds a peripheral portion of a substrate; a rotating member that includes a plate provided with the substrate holding member and rotates the substrate by rotating the plate; a fluid supply unit that is disposed at a center of the rotating member and supplies a processing liquid and an inert gas to a lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding member; and a controller that controls to perform a liquid processing by supplying the processing liquid to the lower surface of the substrate while rotating the substrate, and, after the liquid processing, to perform a drying processing of the substrate while supplying the inert gas to the lower surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Osamu Miyahara
  • Patent number: 10811247
    Abstract: A cleaning and drying method of a semiconductor substrate capable of suppressing collapse or breakdown of a pattern which occur at the time of drying a cleaning solution after cleaning the substrate and decomposition of a resin at a bottom of the pattern, and capable of removing the cleaning solution with good efficiency without using a specific device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Ogihara, Osamu Watanabe, Takeshi Nagata, Naoki Kobayashi, Daisuke Kori
  • Patent number: 10799068
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for cleaning a fryer using a washing element coupled to a bottom wall of a cooking chamber. An upper portion of the washing element extends above the bottom wall of the cooking chamber and includes a plurality of spray jet nozzles that are separated at predetermined angles relative to one another around a periphery of the upper portion of the washing element to orient the plurality of spray jet nozzles so as to spray a plurality of pressurized streams of the cooking medium to predetermined areas of the cooking chamber, including at least one corner of the cooking chamber. Also disclosed is a fryer that includes a spreader bar that maintains an electric heating coil in the serpentine pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Henny Penny Corporation
    Inventors: Randy Caudill, Mark Gogel
  • Patent number: 10790119
    Abstract: Plasma processing with post plasma gas injection is provided. In one example implementation, a plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma chamber. The apparatus includes a processing chamber separated from the plasma chamber. The processing chamber includes a substrate holder operable to support a workpiece. The apparatus includes a plasma source configured to generate a plasma in the plasma chamber. The apparatus includes a separation grid separating the plasma chamber from the processing chamber. The separation grid can be configured to filter one or more ions generated in the plasma and allow the passage of neutral particles from the plasma chamber to the processing chamber. The apparatus can include at least one gas port configured to inject a gas into neutral particles passing through the separation grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignees: MATTSON TECHNOLOGY, INC, BEIJING E-TOWN SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shawming Ma, Vladimir Nagorny, Dixit V. Desai, Ryan Pakulski
  • Patent number: 10784126
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a substrate holding step of holding a substrate horizontally, a hydrophobic agent supplying step of supplying to an upper surface of the substrate a hydrophobic agent which is a liquid for hydrophobizing the upper surface of the substrate, a low surface-tension liquid supplying step of supplying the low surface-tension liquid to the upper surface of the substrate in order to replace the hydrophobic agent on the substrate by a low surface-tension liquid lower in surface tension than water, and a humidity adjusting step of adjusting humidity of the atmosphere in contact with a liquid film on the substrate such that the humidity of the atmosphere in contact with a liquid film on the substrate in the hydrophobic agent supplying step reaches a first humidity and the humidity of the atmosphere in contact with a liquid film on the substrate in the low surface-tension liquid supplying step reaches a second humidity which is humidity lower than the first humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taiki Hinode, Sadamu Fujii
  • Patent number: 10780467
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for surface wetting control are disclosed. In certain described examples, an apparatus can expel fluid from a droplet on a surface using a transducer mechanically coupled to the surface. A first area of the surface can have a first wettability for the fluid, and a second area of the surface can have a second wettability for the fluid. The first wettability of the first area of the surface can be greater than the second wettability of the second area of the surface. The first area and the second area can be arranged in a patterned arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Daniel Lee Revier, Benjamin Stassen Cook, David Patrick Magee, Stephen John Fedigan
  • Patent number: 10758105
    Abstract: A dishwashing appliance includes a tub defining a wash chamber, a water storage chamber, an inlet defined in the tub and providing fluid communication into the wash chamber, and a heat pipe heat exchanger. The heat pipe heat exchanger includes a sealed casing, a working fluid contained within the sealed casing, a condenser section, and an evaporator section. The condenser section is in operative communication with the inlet upstream of the wet chamber. The dishwashing appliance also includes a fluid circulation system configured to deliver fluid to the wash chamber from the water storage chamber. The fluid circulation system includes a spray nozzle configured to spray wash fluid onto the evaporator section of the heat pipe heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Ramasamy Thiyagarajan
  • Patent number: 10748789
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for treating the surface of a microelectronic substrate, and in particular, relate to an apparatus and method for scanning the microelectronic substrate through a cryogenic fluid mixture used to treat an exposed surface of the microelectronic substrate. The fluid mixture may be expanded through a nozzle to form an aerosol spray or gas cluster jet (GCJ) spray may impinge the microelectronic substrate and remove particles from the microelectronic substrate's surface. In one embodiment, the fluid mixture may be maintained to prevent liquid formation within the fluid mixture prior to passing the fluid mixture through the nozzle. The fluid mixture may include nitrogen, argon, helium, neon, xenon, krypton, carbon dioxide, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: TEL FSI, INC.
    Inventors: Chimaobi W. Mbanaso, Jeffery W. Butterbaugh, David Scott Becker
  • Patent number: 10717115
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for cleaning medical and dental instruments. The disclosed compositions are preferably non-foaming or generate low foam to allow visual inspection of the cleaning process as well as safe handling of the instruments. The disclosed compositions preferably employ select proteases, a carbonate and a nonionic surfactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan R. Ortmann, Katherine Vetter, Thomas R. Mohs, Anthony W. Erickson