Patents by Inventor Hirohiko Kozai

Hirohiko Kozai 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: 11105752
    Abstract: An inspecting apparatus for inspecting a test piece. The inspecting apparatus includes a test piece holding mechanism for holding the test piece, the test piece holding mechanism having a mounting portion formed from a transparent member having upper and lower exposed surfaces, the upper exposed surface of the transparent member functioning as a mounting surface for mounting the test piece, whereby the test piece mounted on the mounting surface of the mounting portion is adapted to be held by the test piece holding mechanism. The inspecting apparatus further includes an imaging mechanism for imaging the test piece held by the test piece holding mechanism, the imaging mechanism having a first imaging unit provided above the mounting portion, a second imaging unit provided below the mounting portion, and a connecting portion for connecting the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoaki Sugiyama, Hirohiko Kozai, Naoki Morikawa
  • Publication number: 20200333261
    Abstract: An inspecting apparatus for inspecting a test piece. The inspecting apparatus includes a test piece holding mechanism for holding the test piece, the test piece holding mechanism having a mounting portion formed from a transparent member having upper and lower exposed surfaces, the upper exposed surface of the transparent member functioning as a mounting surface for mounting the test piece, whereby the test piece mounted on the mounting surface of the mounting portion is adapted to be held by the test piece holding mechanism. The inspecting apparatus further includes an imaging mechanism for imaging the test piece held by the test piece holding mechanism, the imaging mechanism having a first imaging unit provided above the mounting portion, a second imaging unit provided below the mounting portion, and a connecting portion for connecting the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Tomoaki SUGIYAMA, Hirohiko KOZAI, Naoki MORIKAWA
  • Patent number: 9934957
    Abstract: A wafer is bonded to a support plate by cutting off, with a cutting blade, an annular portion of the bonded wafer which extends from the outer peripheral edge of the bonded wafer to a position that is spaced radially inwardly toward the center of the bonded wafer by a predetermined distance. Bonding is done by a method that includes a captured image forming step of irradiating the outer peripheral edge of the bonded wafer with light emitted from an irradiating unit and passing through a through hole, and imaging the outer peripheral edge of the bonded wafer with an imaging camera disposed in facing relation to the irradiating unit with the bonded wafer interposed therebetween, thereby to capture an image, and an outer peripheral edge position detecting step of detecting an outer peripheral edge position of the bonded wafer on the basis of the captured image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Disco Corporation
    Inventors: Hirohiko Kozai, Kazuki Terada, Meiyu Piao
  • Publication number: 20170294300
    Abstract: A wafer is bonded to a support plate by cutting off, with a cutting blade, an annular portion of the bonded wafer which extends from the outer peripheral edge of the bonded wafer to a position that is spaced radially inwardly toward the center of the bonded wafer by a predetermined distance. Bonding is done by a method that includes a captured image forming step of irradiating the outer peripheral edge of the bonded wafer with light emitted from an irradiating unit and passing through a through hole, and imaging the outer peripheral edge of the bonded wafer with an imaging camera disposed in facing relation to the irradiating unit with the bonded wafer interposed therebetween, thereby to capture an image, and an outer peripheral edge position detecting step of detecting an outer peripheral edge position of the bonded wafer on the basis of the captured image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: Hirohiko Kozai, Kazuki Terada, Meiyu Piao
  • Patent number: 9396976
    Abstract: Cutting apparatus includes first and second cutting units that are provided on one outside surface of a guide rail unit and are movable on first Y-axis guide rails and third and fourth cutting units that are provided on the other side surface and are movable on second Y-axis guide rails. A first spindle of the first cutting unit and a second spindle of the second cutting unit are disposed in a hung state with cutting blades opposed to each other and a third spindle of the third cutting unit and a fourth spindle of the fourth cutting unit are disposed in a hung state with cutting blades opposed to each other. The first and third spindles are so configured as to be movable in juxtaposition in the X-axis direction and the second and fourth spindles are so configured as to be movable in juxtaposition in the X-axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Disco Corporation
    Inventors: Hirohiko Kozai, Yuji Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 9159623
    Abstract: After performing a dividing step to divide a wafer into individual chips, an irradiation step is performed to apply ultraviolet radiation or plasma to the mount side of each chip, thereby generating ozone and active oxygen, which functions to remove organic matter sticking to the mount side of each chip. Accordingly, it is possible to remove from the mount side of each chip not only foreign matter sticking to the wafer during handling the wafer, but also foreign matter generated in dividing the wafer, so that faulty mounting of each chip can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Disco Corporation
    Inventors: Hirohiko Kozai, Atsushi Hattori
  • Publication number: 20150104928
    Abstract: After performing a dividing step to divide a wafer into individual chips, an irradiation step is performed to apply ultraviolet radiation or plasma to the mount side of each chip, thereby generating ozone and active oxygen, which functions to remove organic matter sticking to the mount side of each chip. Accordingly, it is possible to remove from the mount side of each chip not only foreign matter sticking to the wafer during handling the wafer, but also foreign matter generated in dividing the wafer, so that faulty mounting of each chip can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Hirohiko Kozai, Atsushi Hattori
  • Publication number: 20140298969
    Abstract: Cutting apparatus includes first and second cutting units that are provided on one outside surface of a guide rail unit and are movable on first Y-axis guide rails and third and fourth cutting units that are provided on the other side surface and are movable on second Y-axis guide rails. A first spindle of the first cutting unit and a second spindle of the second cutting unit are disposed in a hung state with cutting blades opposed to each other and a third spindle of the third cutting unit and a fourth spindle of the fourth cutting unit are disposed in a hung state with cutting blades opposed to each other. The first and third spindles are so configured as to be movable in juxtaposition in the X-axis direction and the second and fourth spindles are so configured as to be movable in juxtaposition in the X-axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirohiko Kozai, Yuji Nakanishi