Patents by Inventor Ikuo Mizobata

Ikuo Mizobata 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: 7513265
    Abstract: Disclosed is a high pressure processing method for subjecting a processing object to a high pressure processing using a high pressure fluid. In this method, the high pressure fluid is brought into collision with the surface of the processing object placed in a high pressure processing chamber, and then distributed along the surface of the processing object in an outward direction beyond the processing object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho, Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Yoshikawa, Yoichi Inoue, Katsumi Watanabe, Kaoru Masuda, Katsuyuki Iijima, Tomomi Iwata, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Ikuo Mizobata
  • Patent number: 7384484
    Abstract: After subjected to a developing process, a rinsing process and a replacing process in this order in a developing unit 10A, 10B, a substrate W wet with an anti-drying solution is wet-transported to a supercritical drying unit 20 by a primary transport robot 30. The supercritical drying unit 20 performs a high-pressure drying process (supercritical drying process) in a dedicated manner. Accordingly, by virtue of the presence of the anti-drying solution, the substrate W is effectively prevented from becoming air-dry during the transportation of the substrate W.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignees: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd., Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Tomomi Iwata, Eiji Fukatsu, Ikuo Mizobata, Hiroyuki Ueno, Yasuo Okuyama, Takashi Gama, Yoshihiko Sakashita, Katsumi Watanabe, Jun Munemasa, Hisanori Oshiba, Shogo Sarumaru
  • Patent number: 7252719
    Abstract: A high-pressure processing apparatus includes a processing vessel including a processing chamber formed therein to perform a certain process onto an object in the processing chamber; fluid feeding means which feeds a high-pressure fluid into the processing chamber; fluid discharging means which discharges the high-pressure fluid from the processing chamber; an agitating unit which is arranged in the processing chamber and is operative to flow the high-pressure fluid over the object by relative rotation to the processing vessel; a communicating channel which is formed in the processing vessel to communicate inside and outside of the processing chamber; a rotary driving member which is coupled to the agitating unit via a shaft portion provided in the communicating channel; and a sealing portion which is provided between the shaft portion and the processing vessel to disconnect the processing chamber from the rotary driving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho, Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Sakashita, Katsumi Watanabe, Hisanori Oshiba, Shogo Sarumaru, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Ikuo Mizobata, Ryuji Kitakado
  • Patent number: 7111630
    Abstract: When the hatch of a substrate washing chamber 5 is opened to receive a substrate, certain valves are closed, and a valve is opened, supply CO2 to purge the substrate washing chamber 5 to and exclude air. When the hatch is closed, another valve is opened to vent substrate washing chamber 5 so that the CO2 expels any gas and unwanted air from the substrate washing chamber 5 and the conduits. Thereafter, super critical CO2 is used to wash the substrate and clean the circulation line. The flow of supercritical CO2 is sent to the substrate washing chamber 5. After flowing through the circulation line, including a circulation channel 11, it passes through a bypass channel 12 to a decompressor 7. Any chemicals or organic substances left in the circulation line are continuously sent to a separation/recover bath 8 together with the flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignees: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd., Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ikuo Mizobata, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Ryuji Kitakado, Yoichi Inoue, Yoshihiko Sakashita, Katsumi Watanabe, Masahiro Yamagata, Hisanori Oshiba
  • Patent number: 7080651
    Abstract: When the hatch of a substrate washing chamber 5 is opened to receive a substrate, certain valves are closed, and one valve is opened, to supply CO2 to purge the substrate washing chamber 5 to and exclude air. When the hatch is closed, another valve is opened to vent substrate washing chamber 5 so that the CO2 expels any gas and unwanted air from the substrate washing chamber 5 and the conduits. Thereafter, supercritical CO2 is used to wash the substrate and clean the circulation line. The flow of supercritical CO2 is sent to the substrate washing chamber 5. After flowing through the circulation line, including a circulation channel 11, it passes through a bypass channel 12 to a decompressor 7. Any chemicals or organic substances left in the circulation line are continuously sent to separation/recovery bath 8 together with the flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignees: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd., Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ikuo Mizobata, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Ryuji Kitakado, Yoichi Inoue, Yoshihiko Sakashita, Katsumi Watanabe, Masahiro Yamagata, Hisanori Oshiba
  • Patent number: 7000653
    Abstract: A high-pressure processing apparatus includes a processing vessel including a processing chamber formed therein to perform a certain process onto an object in the processing chamber; fluid feeding means which feeds a high-pressure fluid into the processing chamber; fluid discharging means which discharges the high-pressure fluid from the processing chamber; an agitating unit which is arranged in the processing chamber and is operative to flow the high-pressure fluid over the object by relative rotation to the processing vessel; a communicating channel which is formed in the processing vessel to communicate inside and outside of the processing chamber; a rotary driving member which is coupled to the agitating unit via a shaft portion provided in the communicating channel; and a sealing portion which is provided between the shaft portion and the processing vessel to disconnect the processing chamber from the rotary driving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho, Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Sakashita, Katsumi Watanabe, Hisanori Oshiba, Shogo Sarumaru, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Ikuo Mizobata, Ryuji Kitakado
  • Publication number: 20060032520
    Abstract: A high-pressure processing apparatus includes a processing vessel including a processing chamber formed therein to perform a certain process onto an object in the processing chamber; fluid feeding means which feeds a high-pressure fluid into the processing chamber; fluid discharging means which discharges the high-pressure fluid from the processing chamber; an agitating unit which is arranged in the processing chamber and is operative to flow the high-pressure fluid over the object by relative rotation to the processing vessel; a communicating channel which is formed in the processing vessel to communicate inside and outside of the processing chamber; a rotary driving member which is coupled to the agitating unit via a shaft portion provided in the communicating channel; and a sealing portion which is provided between the shaft portion and the processing vessel to disconnect the processing chamber from the rotary driving member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd), DAINIPPON SCREEN MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Sakashita, Katsumi Watanabe, Hisanori Oshiba, Shogo Sarumaru, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Ikuo Mizobata, Ryuji Kitakado
  • Patent number: 6874513
    Abstract: A high-pressure processing apparatus for removing unnecessary matters on objects to be processed by bringing a high-pressure fluid and a chemical liquid other than the high-pressure fluid into contact with the objects to be processed in a pressurized state is provided with a plurality of high-pressure processing chambers, a common high-pressure fluid supply unit for supplying the high-pressure fluid to each one of the high-pressure processing chambers, a common chemical liquid supply unit for supplying the chemical liquid to the each high-pressure processing chambers, and a separating unit for separating gaseous components from a mixture of the high-pressure fluid and the chemical liquid discharged from the high-pressure processing chambers after the objects are processed. Thus, a high-pressure processing apparatus which has such a compact construction as to be partly installable in a clean room and can stably perform a high-pressure processing can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho, Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Yamagata, Hisanori Oshiba, Yoshihiko Sakashita, Yoichi Inoue, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Ikuo Mizobata, Ryuji Kitakado
  • Patent number: 6841031
    Abstract: With respect to any one of processing units, a main transportation path, a developing unit, a dedicated transportation robot and a high-pressure processing unit are disposed linearly in this order in a direction. Hence, even if a processing fluid adhering to a substrate or an evaporant of the processing fluid moves toward the main transportation path while the high-pressure processing unit transports the substrate wet with the processing fluid, there are the processing units located which the processing fluid or its evaporant must arrive at before reaching the main transportation path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomomi Iwata, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Ikuo Mizobata, Takashi Miyake, Ryuji Kitakado
  • Patent number: 6823880
    Abstract: A high-pressure processing apparatus includes a processing vessel including a processing chamber formed therein to perform a certain process onto an object in the processing chamber; fluid feeding means which feeds a high-pressure fluid into the processing chamber; fluid discharging means which discharges the high-pressure fluid from the processing chamber; an agitating unit which is arranged in the processing chamber and is operative to flow the high-pressure fluid over the object by relative rotation to the processing vessel; a communicating channel which is formed in the processing vessel to communicate inside and outside of the processing chamber; a rotary driving member which is coupled to the agitating unit via a shaft portion provided in the communicating channel; and a sealing portion which is provided between the shaft portion and the processing vessel to disconnect the processing chamber from the rotary driving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho, Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Sakashita, Katsumi Watanabe, Masahiro Yamagata, Hisanori Oshiba, Shogo Sarumaru, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Ikuo Mizobata, Ryuji Kitakado
  • Publication number: 20040231698
    Abstract: When the hatch of a substrate washing chamber 5 is opened to receive a substrate, certain valves are closed, and a valve is opened, supply CO2 to purge the substrate washing chamber 5 to and exclude air. When the hatch is closed, another valve is opened to vent substrate washing chamber so that the CO2 expels any gas and unwanted air from the substrate washing chamber 5 and the conduits. Thereafter, super critical CO2 is used to wash the substrate and clean the circulation line. The flow of supercritical CO2 is sent to the substrate washing chamber 5. After flowing through the circulation line, including a circulation channel 11, it passes through a bypass channel 12 to a decompressor 7. Any chemicals or organic substances left in the circulation line are continuously sent to a separation/recover bath 8 together with the flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicants: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd., Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ikuo Mizobata, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Ryuji Kitakado, Yoichi Inoue, Yoshihiko Sakashita, Katsumi Watanabe, Masahiro Yamagata, Hisanori Oshiba
  • Publication number: 20040194842
    Abstract: A high-pressure processing apparatus includes a processing vessel including a processing chamber formed therein to perform a certain process onto an object in the processing chamber; fluid feeding means which feeds a high-pressure fluid into the processing chamber; fluid discharging means which discharges the high-pressure fluid from the processing chamber; an agitating unit which is arranged in the processing chamber and is operative to flow the high-pressure fluid over the object by relative rotation to the processing vessel; a communicating channel which is formed in the processing vessel to communicate inside and outside of the processing chamber; a rotary driving member which is coupled to the agitating unit via a shaft portion provided in the communicating channel; and a sealing portion which is provided between the shaft portion: and the processing vessel to disconnect the processing chamber from the rotary driving member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd), DAINIPPON SCREEN MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Sakashita, Katsumi Watanabe, Hisanori Oshiba, Shogo Sarumaru, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Ikuo Mizobata, Ryuji Kitakado
  • Publication number: 20040123484
    Abstract: Disclosed is a high pressure processing method for subjecting a processing object to a high pressure processing using a high pressure fluid. In this method, the high pressure fluid is brought into collision with the surface of the processing object placed in a high pressure processing chamber, and then distributed along the surface of the processing object in an outward direction beyond the processing object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO, DAINIPPON SCREEN MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Yoshikawa, Yoichi Inoue, Katsumi Watanabe, Kaoru Masuda, Katsuyuki Iijima, Tomomi Iwata, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Ikuo Mizobata
  • Publication number: 20040105936
    Abstract: After subjected to a developing process, a rinsing process and a replacing process in this order in a developing unit 10A, 10B, a substrate W wet with an anti-drying solution is wet-transported to a supercritical drying unit 20 by a primary transport robot 30. The supercritical drying unit 20 performs a high-pressure drying process (supercritical drying process) in a dedicated manner. Accordingly, by virtue of the presence of the anti-drying solution, the substrate W is effectively prevented from becoming air-dry during the transportation of the substrate W.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Applicant: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Tomomi Iwata, Eiji Fukatsu, Ikuo Mizobata, Hiroyuki Ueno, Yasuo Okuyama, Takashi Gama, Yoshihiko Sakashita, Katsumi Watanabe, Jun Munemasa, Hisanori Oshiba, Shogo Sarumaru
  • Patent number: 6703316
    Abstract: A method and system for processing a substrate includes performing a wet process by supplying a working liquid to a substrate in a wet processing apparatus, transferring the substrate in a non-dry state from the wet processing apparatus to a drying apparatus, and subjecting the substrate to a supercritical drying by a supercritical fluid in the drying apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho, Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Inoue, Yoshihiko Sakashita, Katsumi Watanabe, Nobuyuki Kawakami, Takahiko Ishii, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Tomomi Iwata, Ikuo Mizobata, Takashi Miyake, Ryuji Kitakado
  • Patent number: 6691430
    Abstract: Liquid for prevention of substrate drying is supplied into a processing chamber so that a pool of the liquid is created as an anti-drying atmosphere in advance inside a processing chamber, and substrates, as they are dipped in the pool, are kept on stand-by in a substrate board. In this manner, air drying of the substrates which are kept on stand-by is prevented. When the number of the substrates in the substrate board reaches a certain number, the anti-drying atmosphere is removed from the processing chamber, which is followed by introduction of an SCF into the processing chamber and supercritical drying (high pressure drying) of all of the plurality of substrates inside the processing chamber, namely, batch supercritical drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kimitsugu Saito, Yusuke Muraoka, Ryuji Kitakado, Takashi Miyake, Tomomi Iwata, Ikuo Mizobata
  • Publication number: 20030177659
    Abstract: Liquid for prevention of substrate drying is supplied into a processing chamber so that a pool of the liquid is created as an anti-drying atmosphere in advance inside a processing chamber, and substrates, as they are dipped in the pool, are kept on stand-by in a substrate board. In this manner, air drying of the substrates which are kept on stand-by is prevented. When the number of the substrates in the substrate board reaches a certain number, the anti-drying atmosphere is removed from the processing chamber, which is followed by introduction of an SCF into the processing chamber and supercritical drying (high pressure drying) of all of the plurality of substrates inside the processing chamber, namely, batch supercritical drying.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Applicant: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kimitsugu Saito, Yusuke Muraoka, Ryuji Kitakado, Takashi Miyake, Tomomi Iwata, Ikuo Mizobata
  • Publication number: 20030019578
    Abstract: With respect to any one of processing units, a main transportation path, a developing unit, a dedicated transportation robot and a high-pressure processing unit are disposed linearly in this order in a direction. Hence, even if a processing fluid adhering to a substrate or an evaporant of the processing fluid moves toward the main transportation path while the high-pressure processing unit transports the substrate wet with the processing fluid, there are the processing units located which the processing fluid or its evaporant must arrive at before reaching the main transportation path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Applicant: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomomi Iwata, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Ikuo Mizobata, Takashi Miyake, Ryuji Kitakado
  • Publication number: 20020179114
    Abstract: A high-pressure processing apparatus includes a processing vessel including a processing chamber formed therein to perform a certain process onto an object in the processing chamber; fluid feeding means which feeds a high-pressure fluid into the processing chamber; fluid discharging means which discharges the high-pressure fluid from the processing chamber; an agitating unit which is arranged in the processing chamber and is operative to flow the high-pressure fluid over the object by relative rotation to the processing vessel; a communicating channel which is formed in the processing vessel to communicate inside and outside of the processing chamber; a rotary driving member which is coupled to the agitating unit via a shaft portion provided in the communicating channel; and a sealing portion which is provided between the shaft portion and the processing vessel to disconnect the processing chamber from the rotary driving member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd)
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Sakashita, Katsumi Watanabe, Masahiro Yamagata, Hisanori Oshiba, Shogo Sarumaru, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Ikuo Mizobata, Ryuji Kitakado
  • Publication number: 20020170577
    Abstract: When the hatch of a substrate washing chamber 5 is opened to place a substrate therein, valves V1, V2, V3, V4 and V6 are closed, only a valve V5 being opened. Thus, gaseous CO2 is supplied into the substrate washing chamber 5 to perform a chamber purge for preventing surrounding air components from straying in. As the hatch of the substrate washing chamber 5 is closed, the valve V6 is further closed to form a vent line for the substrate washing chamber 5. Thus, the gas residing within the substrate washing chamber 5 and the conduits is expelled by CO2 gas, into the surrounding air, thereby performing a chamber purge to prevent any unwanted surrounding air components from being left. Thereafter, super critical CO2 is used to wash the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Applicant: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ikuo Mizobata, Yusuke Muraoka, Kimitsugu Saito, Ryuji Kitakado, Yoichi Inoue, Yoshihiko Sakashita, Katsumi Watanabe, Masahiro Yamagata, Hisanori Oshiba