Patents by Inventor Akiko Nakada
Akiko Nakada has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10184185Abstract: In a gas flow monitoring method using a MFC (a flow control device) for controlling a flow rate of process gas from a process gas supply source and supply the process gas to a predetermined process chamber, a start shut-off valve placed upstream of the MFC, and a pressure gauge placed between the start shut-off valve and the MFC, the start shut-off valve is closed and a drop of pressure on an upstream side of the MFC is measured by the pressure gauge to measure a flow rate of the MFC, thereafter, the start shut-off valve is opened to monitor the flow rate of the MFC. The MFC is switched from an ON state to an OFF state before the start shut-off valve is opened. The method enables in-line monitoring a low rate of process gas without affecting a semiconductor manufacturing process.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2016Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignees: CKD CORPORATION, HORIBA STEC. CO., LTD.Inventors: Akiko Nakada, Yasunori Nishimura, Minoru Ito, Masami Nishikawa, Shigeyuki Hayashi, Atsushi Ieki
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Publication number: 20170167026Abstract: In a gas flow monitoring method using a MFC (a flow control device) for controlling a flow rate of process gas from a process gas supply source and supply the process gas to a predetermined process chamber, a start shut-off valve placed upstream of the MFC, and a pressure gauge placed between the start shut-off valve and the MFC, the start shut-off valve is closed and a drop of pressure on an upstream side of the MFC is measured by the pressure gauge to measure a flow rate of the MFC, thereafter, the start shut-off valve is opened to monitor the flow rate of the MFC. The MFC is switched from an ON state to an OFF state before the start shut-off valve is opened. The method enables in-line monitoring a low rate of process gas without affecting a semiconductor manufacturing process.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2016Publication date: June 15, 2017Applicants: CKD CORPORATION, HORIBA STEC, CO., LTD.Inventors: Akiko NAKADA, Yasunori NISHIMURA, Minoru ITO, Masami NISHIKAWA, Shigeyuki HAYASHI, Atsushi IEKI
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Patent number: 8910529Abstract: A gas flow-rate verification system includes: process gas lines each being arranged to supply gas from a process gas supply source to a process chamber through a first line cutoff valve, a second line a cutoff valve, and flow control device; and a shared gas line connected in a branch form to the process gas lines to discharge gas from a shared gas supply source through the second line cutoff valve and the flow control device. The shared gas line includes a shared cutoff valve, a measuring tank, a first pressure sensor, and a pressure regulating valve. When the first line cutoff valve and the shared cutoff valve are closed, the first pressure sensor measures a pressure drop of gas in the tank to verify a flow rate of the flow control device. The pressure regulating valve feedback-controls secondary side pressure of the pressure regulating valve.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2012Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: CKD CorporationInventor: Akiko Nakada
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Patent number: 8826935Abstract: A gas flow monitoring system is provided in process gas lines each arranged to supply gas to a predetermined process chamber via a flow control device, the system being configured to measure lowering or rising of gas pressure before and after the flow control device to monitor a flow rate of the flow control device. The system includes a first flow monitoring unit placed upstream of the flow control device in a selected one of the process gas lines, a second flow monitoring unit placed in a discharge passage upstream of the process chamber, and a controller that constantly monitors the flow rate of the flow control device with the first flow monitoring unit and, when the first flow monitoring unit detects the flow-rate abnormality two or more times, commands the second flow monitoring unit to re-verify whether flow-rate abnormality is present or not in the flow control device.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2012Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: CKD CorporationInventors: Akiko Nakada, Yoji Mori, Naoya Shiroyama, Minoru Ito
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Publication number: 20130092269Abstract: A gas flow monitoring system is provided in process gas lines each arranged to supply gas to a predetermined process chamber via a flow control device, the system being configured to measure lowering or rising of gas pressure before and after the flow control device to monitor a flow rate of the flow control device. The system includes a first flow monitoring unit placed upstream of the flow control device in a selected one of the process gas lines, a second flow monitoring unit placed in a discharge passage upstream of the process chamber, and a controller that constantly monitors the flow rate of the flow control device with the first flow monitoring unit and, when the first flow monitoring unit detects the flow-rate abnormality two or more times, commands the second flow monitoring unit to re-verify whether flow-rate abnormality is present or not in the flow control device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2012Publication date: April 18, 2013Applicant: CKD CORPORATIONInventors: Akiko NAKADA, Yoji MORI, Naoya SHIROYAMA, Minoru ITO
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Publication number: 20130036833Abstract: A gas flow-rate verification system includes: process gas lines each being arranged to supply gas from a process gas supply source to a process chamber through a first line cutoff valve, a second line a cutoff valve, and flow control device; and a shared gas line connected in a branch form to the process gas lines to discharge gas from a shared gas supply source through the second line cutoff valve and the flow control device. The shared gas line includes a shared cutoff valve, a measuring tank, a first pressure sensor, and a pressure regulating valve. When the first line cutoff valve and the shared cutoff valve are closed, the first pressure sensor measures a pressure drop of gas in the tank to verify a flow rate of the flow control device. The pressure regulating valve feedback-controls secondary side pressure of the pressure regulating valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2012Publication date: February 14, 2013Applicant: CKD CORPORATIONInventor: Akiko NAKADA
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Patent number: 7904257Abstract: A flow verification system is adapted to verify flow characteristics just after a flow control device starts flow control by verifying a flow rate in a gas piping system which includes a first cutoff valve, the flow control device installed downstream from the first cutoff valve, and a pressure sensor for measuring pressure downstream from the flow control device, flow verification is made based on the pressure measured by the pressure sensor. The flow verification system also includes a benchmark storage device for storing a benchmark which is calculated by integrating the pressure values measured by the pressure sensor during a normal flow control operation, and an abnormality detection device for detecting an abnormal flow of process gas.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2008Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Assignee: CKD CorporationInventors: Akiko Nakada, Kazutoshi Itoh, Akihito Sugino
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Patent number: 7853416Abstract: A flow rate verification failure diagnosis apparatus is applied to a gas supply pipe system including flow rate control devices and a flow rate verification unit for detecting flow rate abnormality by measuring flow rate of each of the flow rate control devices on the basis of pressure measured by a pressure measurement device. The flow rate verification failure diagnosis apparatus comprises a failure diagnosis device having a mode to diagnose a failure in the pressure measurement device at a time of the flow rate verification unit detecting the flow rate abnormality, thereby the reliability of flow rate verification can be enhanced.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2008Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Assignee: CKD CorporationInventors: Akiko Nakada, Keisuke Kato, Akihito Sugino, Hiroki Doi
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Patent number: 7716993Abstract: A gas flow rate verification unit capable of enhancing reliability of gas flow rate verification. The gas flow rate verification unit has a first cutoff valve that is connected to a flow rate control device and to which gas is inputted, a second cutoff valve for discharging the gas, a communication member for allowing the first cutoff valve and the second cutoff valve to communicate with each other, a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the gas supplied between the first cutoff valve and the second cutoff valve, a temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the gas supplied between the first cutoff valve and the second cutoff valve, and a control means for verifying the flow of the gas flowing in the flow control device, the verification being performed by using both the result of the pressure detected by the pressure sensor and the result of the temperatures detected by the temperature detector.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2007Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: CKD CorporationInventors: Yukio Ozawa, Minoru Ito, Hiroki Doi, Akiko Nakada
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Publication number: 20090112491Abstract: A flow rate verification failure diagnosis apparatus is applied to a gas supply pipe system including flow rate control devices and a flow rate verification unit for detecting flow rate abnormality by measuring flow rate of each of the flow rate control devices on the basis of pressure measured by a pressure measurement device. The flow rate verification failure diagnosis apparatus comprises a failure diagnosis device having a mode to diagnose a failure in the pressure measurement device at a time of the flow rate verification unit detecting the flow rate abnormality, thereby the reliability of flow rate verification can be enhanced.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2008Publication date: April 30, 2009Applicant: CKD CORPORATIONInventors: Akiko Nakada, Keisuke Kato, Akihito Sugino, Hiroki Doi
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Publication number: 20090063059Abstract: A flow verification system is adapted to verify flow characteristics just after a flow control device starts flow control by verifying a flow rate in a gas piping system which includes a first cutoff valve, the flow control device installed downstream from the first cutoff valve, and a pressure sensor for measuring pressure downstream from the flow control device, flow verification is made based on the pressure measured by the pressure sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2008Publication date: March 5, 2009Applicant: CKD CORPORATIONInventors: Akiko Nakada, Kazutoshi Itoh, Akihito Sugino
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Publication number: 20090019943Abstract: A gas flow rate verification unit capable of enhancing reliability of gas flow rate verification. The gas flow rate verification unit has a first cutoff valve that is connected to a flow rate control device and to which gas is inputted, a second cutoff valve for discharging the gas, a communication member for allowing the first cutoff valve and the second cutoff valve to communicate with each other, a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the gas supplied between the first cutoff valve and the second cutoff valve, a temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the gas supplied between the first cutoff valve and the second cutoff valve, and a control means for verifying the flow of the gas flowing in the flow control device, the verification being performed by using both the result of the pressure detected by the pressure sensor and the result of the temperatures detected by the temperature detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2007Publication date: January 22, 2009Applicant: CKD CORPORATIONInventors: Yukio Ozawa, Minoru Ito, Hiroki Doi, Akiko Nakada