Patents by Inventor Atsuhiko TABUCHI

Atsuhiko TABUCHI 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).

  • Patent number: 10553463
    Abstract: A temperature control system includes a first temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a first temperature; a second temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a second temperature higher than the first temperature; a low-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the first temperature adjustment unit; a high-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the second temperature adjustment unit; a bypass flow path for circulating fluid; a combination flow path for passing fluid from the low-temperature flow path, the high-temperature flow path, and the bypass flow path merged at a merging part; a temperature adjustment part that passes fluid from the combination flow path and cools/heats a member of a semiconductor manufacturing device; and a control device that controls valve positions of variable valves attached to the three flow paths upstream of the merging part and adjusts the flow rate distribution ratio for the three flow paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, CKD Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Kobayashi, Atsuhiko Tabuchi, Hideki Wakai, Kazutoshi Itoh, Yasuhisa Hirose, Keiichi Nishikawa, Takahiro Minatani
  • Publication number: 20180269090
    Abstract: A temperature control system includes a first temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a first temperature; a second temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a second temperature higher than the first temperature; a low-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the first temperature adjustment unit; a high-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the second temperature adjustment unit; a bypass flow path for circulating fluid; a combination flow path for passing fluid from the low-temperature flow path, the high-temperature flow path, and the bypass flow path merged at a merging part; a temperature adjustment part that passes fluid from the combination flow path and cools/heats a member of a semiconductor manufacturing device; and a control device that controls valve positions of variable valves attached to the three flow paths upstream of the merging part and adjusts the flow rate distribution ratio for the three flow paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Atsushi KOBAYASHI, Atsuhiko TABUCHI, Hideki WAKAI, Kazutoshi ITOH, Yasuhisa HIROSE, Keiichi NISHIKAWA, Takahiro MINATANI
  • Patent number: 9984908
    Abstract: A temperature control system includes a first temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a first temperature; a second temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a second temperature higher than the first temperature; a low-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the first temperature adjustment unit; a high-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the second temperature adjustment unit; a bypass flow path for circulating fluid; a combination flow path for passing fluid from the low-temperature flow path, the high-temperature flow path, and the bypass flow path merged at a merging part; a temperature adjustment part that passes fluid from the combination flow path and cools/heats a member of a semiconductor manufacturing device; and a control device that controls valve positions of variable valves attached to the three flow paths upstream of the merging part and adjusts the flow rate distribution ratio for the three flow paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, CKD Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Kobayashi, Atsuhiko Tabuchi, Hideki Wakai, Kazutoshi Itoh, Yasuhisa Hirose, Keiichi Nishikawa, Takahiro Minatani
  • Patent number: 9664460
    Abstract: A temperature control system 1 includes a joint path 71 that supplies a fluid from a low-temperature path 76 having a variable valve 79a and a high-temperature path 77 having a variable valve 79c to a temperature regulation member 70; a bypass path 73 that has a variable valve 79b and circulates the fluid flowing a collection path 72 that collects the supplied fluid through the temperature regulation member; a circulation pump 87 at the collection path; and a tank 78 that is provided at an upstream side of the circulation pump and supplies the fluid to the circulation pump when an amount of the fluid reaches a preset amount. The variable valves 79a and 79b are opened to supply the fluid, and the valves 79b and 79c are opened to supply the fluid after detecting that the amount of the fluid in the tank 78 reaches the preset amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Atsuhiko Tabuchi
  • Publication number: 20150176928
    Abstract: A temperature control system 1 includes a joint path 71 that supplies a fluid from a low-temperature path 76 having a variable valve 79a and a high-temperature path 77 having a variable valve 79c to a temperature regulation member 70; a bypass path 73 that has a variable valve 79b and circulates the fluid flowing a collection path 72 that collects the supplied fluid through the temperature regulation member; a circulation pump 87 at the collection path; and a tank 78 that is provided at an upstream side of the circulation pump and supplies the fluid to the circulation pump when an amount of the fluid reaches a preset amount. The variable valves 79a and 79b are opened to supply the fluid, and the valves 79b and 79c are opened to supply the fluid after detecting that the amount of the fluid in the tank 78 reaches the preset amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventor: Atsuhiko Tabuchi
  • Publication number: 20140262199
    Abstract: A temperature control system includes a first temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a first temperature; a second temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a second temperature higher than the first temperature; a low-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the first temperature adjustment unit; a high-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the second temperature adjustment unit; a bypass flow path for circulating fluid; a combination flow path for passing fluid from the low-temperature flow path, the high-temperature flow path, and the bypass flow path merged at a merging part; a temperature adjustment part that passes fluid from the combination flow path and cools/heats a member of a semiconductor manufacturing device; and a control device that controls valve positions of variable valves attached to the three flow paths upstream of the merging part and adjusts the flow rate distribution ratio for the three flow paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited, CKD Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Kobayashi, Atsuhiko Tabuchi, Hideki Wakai, Kazutoshi Itoh, Yasuhisa Hirose, Keiichi Nishikawa, Takahiro Minatani
  • Patent number: 8809197
    Abstract: In a control method, a first processing is performed on an object to be processed by controlling a temperature of a base to a first temperature and controlling a temperature of an electrostatic chuck that is disposed on a mounting surface of the base so as to mount thereon the object to be processed and has a heater installed therein to a second temperature. A second processing is performed on the object by controlling a temperature of the base to a third temperature and controlling a temperature of the electrostatic chuck to a fourth temperature by a heater. In the control method, a difference between the first temperature and the second temperature and a difference between the third temperature and the fourth temperature are within a tolerable temperature of the junction layer for bonding the base and the electrostatic chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Atsuhiko Tabuchi
  • Publication number: 20140073066
    Abstract: In a control method, a first processing is performed on an object to be processed by controlling a temperature of a base to a first temperature and controlling a temperature of an electrostatic chuck that is disposed on a mounting surface of the base so as to mount thereon the object to be processed and has a heater installed therein to a second temperature. A second processing is performed on the object by controlling a temperature of the base to a third temperature and controlling a temperature of the electrostatic chuck to a fourth temperature by a heater. In the control method, a difference between the first temperature and the second temperature and a difference between the third temperature and the fourth temperature are within a tolerable temperature of the junction layer for bonding the base and the electrostatic chuck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Atsuhiko TABUCHI