Patents by Inventor Kouji Nishihata

Kouji Nishihata 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).

  • Publication number: 20150362659
    Abstract: Problem: To provide a vehicle lamp fitting in which regularity of the strength or weakness of the emitted light is maintained and deterioration of appearance is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Kouji Nishihata, Genta Matsumura, Hideyuki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7367135
    Abstract: This invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus having vacuum processing chambers the insides of which must be dry cleaned, and to a method of operating such an apparatus. When the vacuum processing chambers are dry-cleaned, dummy substrates are transferred into the vacuum processing chamber by substrates conveyor means from dummy substrate storage means which is disposed in the air atmosphere together with storage means for storing substrates to be processed, and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber is dry-cleaned by generating a plasma. The dummy substrate is returned to the dummy substrate storage means after dry cleaning is completed. Accordingly, any specific mechanism for only the cleaning purpose is not necessary and the construction of the apparatus can be made simple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigekazu Kato, Kouji Nishihata, Tsunehiko Tsubone, Atsushi Itou
  • Patent number: 7089680
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus which includes a means for transferring substrates from a loader, with a transferring device, to a double lock chamber; and, then to a selected vacuum processing chamber. The substrates are returned to a substrate, by the vacuum loader, into their original position in the substrate table. The surfaces of the substrates are maintained in a horizontal position during processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigekazu Kato, Kouji Nishihata, Tsunehiko Tsubone, Atsushi Itou
  • Publication number: 20060032073
    Abstract: This invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus having vacuum processing chambers the insides of which must be dry cleaned, and to a method of operating such an apparatus. When the vacuum processing chambers are dry-cleaned, dummy substrates are transferred into the vacuum processing chamber by substrates conveyor means from dummy substrate storage means which is disposed in the air atmosphere together with storage means for storing substrates to be processed, and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber is dry-cleaned by generating a plasma. The dummy substrate is returned to the dummy substrate storage means after dry cleaning is completed. Accordingly, any specific mechanism for only the cleaning purpose is not necessary and the construction of the apparatus can be made simple.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Inventors: Shigekazu Kato, Kouji Nishihata, Tsunehiko Tsubone, Atsushi Itou
  • Patent number: 6968630
    Abstract: This invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus having vacuum processing chambers the insides of which must be dry cleaned, and to a method of operating such an apparatus. When the vacuum processing chambers are dry-cleaned, dummy substrates are transferred into the vacuum processing chamber by substrates conveyor means from dummy substrate storage means which is disposed in the air atmosphere together with storage means for storing substrates to be processed, and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber is dry-cleaned by generating a plasma. The dummy substrate is returned to the dummy substrate storage means after dry cleaning is completed. Accordingly, any specific mechanism for only the cleaning purpose is not necessary and the construction of the apparatus can be made simple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigekazu Kato, Kouji Nishihata, Tsunehiko Tsubone, Atsushi Itou
  • Patent number: 6941185
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus and method wherein a plurality of processing units are for conducting processing, a transfer processing unit is connected with the plurality of processing units for carrying wafers to the processing units, a transfer device is disposed in the transfer processing unit and carries the wafers and cassettes for containing the wafers, and a control unit is provided for conducting transfer control for transferring the wafers from respective cassettes to the transfer processing unit. The wafers are processed by using the plural processing units, and at least two of the cassettes are used. Parallel processing is conducted of applying same processing to the wafers contained on each of the cassettes by applying the same recipe and the wafers, after applying the parallel processing, are returned to the original cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Nishihata, Kazuhiro Joo, Shoji Ikuhara, Tetsuya Tahara, Shoji Okiguchi
  • Patent number: 6920369
    Abstract: A method of operating vacuum processing equipment that includes multiple sets of apparatus for performing a succession of different processes on individual wafers, an apparatus for transporting said wafers, and an apparatus for controlling said processing apparatus sets and said transport apparatus, and has at least two sets of wafer processing routes including multiple sets of said processing apparatus; wherein it is possible to judge whether each set of said processing apparatus for performing various processes is in a valid or invalid status for operation, to electrically disconnect only the processing apparatus whose operational status has been judged to be invalid, to reconstruct said processing routes by using the processing apparatus whose operational status has been judged to be valid, and to process said wafers by using only said processing apparatus which is valid for operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tooru Ueno, Shigeru Nakamoto, Shoji Okiguchi, Hideki Yamasaki, Kouji Nishihata
  • Patent number: 6917844
    Abstract: A vacuum process apparatus includes a plurality of cassettes for holding samples, a transporter which transports the samples, a plurality of vacuum process chambers each for processing samples one by one, an evacuator which evacuates the vacuum process chambers, and a load chamber and an unload chamber communicating with the vacuum process chambers. An apparatus controller is provided for controlling transporting and processing of the samples. The apparatus controller measures a time period for transporting each of the samples and a processing time period for processing a sample in each of the vacuum process chambers, and determines a next order of extraction of the samples from the plurality of cassettes based on the measured time periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kawano, Kouji Nishihata, Tetsuya Tahara, Shoji Okiguchi, Hideki Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 6904699
    Abstract: This invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus having vacuum processing chambers the insides of which must be dry cleaned, and to a method of operating such an apparatus. When the vacuum processing chambers are dry-cleaned, dummy substrates are transferred into the vacuum processing chamber by substrates conveyor means from dummy substrate storage means which is disposed in the air atmosphere together with storage means for storing substrates to be processed, and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber is dry-cleaned by generating a plasma. The dummy substrate is returned to the dummy substrate storage means after dry cleaning is completed. Accordingly, any specific mechanism for only the cleaning purpose is not necessary and the construction of the apparatus can be made simple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigekazu Kato, Kouji Nishihata, Tsunehiko Tsubone, Atsushi Itou
  • Publication number: 20050108577
    Abstract: A remote diagnostic system and method for facilities which carry out a diagnosis on a facilities placed under management of a first company using the diagnostic system of a second company, which is connected to the facilities through a communications network and which is not placed under management of the first company. The facilities include, a storage unit which stores information classified into multiple security levels having different access rights in order to determine the scope of reply in response to an inquiry regarding information on diagnosis of the facilities, and a security level evaluation control unit to assign a new access right in response to the inquiry devoid of access right regarding the diagnosis from the second company in conformance to the degree of the event related to the inquiry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Publication date: May 19, 2005
    Inventors: Kouji Nishihata, Kenji Nakata, Shoji Ikuhara, Hideyuki Yamamoto, Hideaki Kondo
  • Patent number: 6886272
    Abstract: This invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus having vacuum processing chambers the insides of which must be dry cleaned, and to a method of operating such an apparatus. When the vacuum processing chambers are dry-cleaned, dummy substrates are transferred into the vacuum processing chamber by substrates conveyor means from dummy substrate storage means which is disposed in the air atmosphere together with storage means for storing substrates to be processed, and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber is dry-cleaned by generating a plasma. The dummy substrate is returned to the dummy substrate storage means after dry cleaning is completed. Accordingly, any specific mechanism for only the cleaning purpose is not necessary and the construction of the apparatus can be made simple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigekazu Kato, Kouji Nishihata, Tsunehiko Tsubone, Atsushi Itou
  • Patent number: 6885906
    Abstract: A vacuum processing method and apparatus having one cassette containing wafers which are to be transferred in a preset transferring order to a processing unit via a transfer unit, and another cassette containing wafers to be processed on an emergency basis. Automatic control of processing a wafer from the one cassette is effected, and in response to a request for emergency processing of a water of the another cassette, the automatic processing control of the one wafer from the one cassette is temporarily stopped while completing processing of the wafer of the one cassette returning the same to the one cassette. Emergency processing is initiated by transferring a wafer from the another cassette to the vacuum processing unit via the transfer unit. The processing of the emergency wafer is completed and the processed emergency wafer is returned to the another cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Nishihata, Kazuhiro Joo, Shoji Ikuhara, Tetsuya Tahara, Shoji Okiguchi
  • Patent number: 6880264
    Abstract: This invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus having vacuum processing chambers the insides of which must be dry cleaned, and to a method of operating such an apparatus. When the vacuum processing chambers are dry-cleaned, dummy substrates are transferred into the vacuum processing chamber by substrates conveyor means from dummy substrate storage means which is disposed in the air atmosphere together with storage means for storing substrates to be processed, and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber is dry-cleaned by generating a plasma. The dummy substrate is returned to the dummy substrate storage means after dry cleaning is completed. Accordingly, any specific mechanism for only the cleaning purpose is not necessary and the construction of the apparatus can be made simple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigekazu Kato, Kouji Nishihata, Tsunehiko Tsubone, Atsushi Itou
  • Patent number: 6853872
    Abstract: A vacuum processing method and apparatus processing units for conducting processing, a transfer processing unit connected with the plurality of processing units for carrying wafers, and a control unit for controlling the processing units. A processing order information storing device stores a processing order of the wafers for the processing units, an operational information signal generating device generates an operational information signal indicating an operable or inoperable state of each of the processing units, an operational information signal storing device stores the operational information signal indicating the state of each of the processing units, and a control device matches and processes the processing order information and the operational information signal, and continues operation without using an inoperable processing unit while using other operable processing units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Nishihata, Kazuhiro Joo, Shoji Ikuhara, Tetsuya Tahara, Shoji Okiguchi
  • Publication number: 20050010320
    Abstract: A method of operating vacuum processing equipment that includes multiple sets of apparatus for performing a succession of different processes on individual wafers, an apparatus for transporting said wafers, and an apparatus for controlling said processing apparatus sets and said transport apparatus, and has at least two sets of wafer processing routes including multiple sets of said processing apparatus; wherein it is possible to judge whether each set of said processing apparatus for performing various processes is in a valid or invalid status for operation, to electrically disconnect only the processing apparatus whose operational status has been judged to be invalid, to reconstruct said processing routes by using the processing apparatus whose operational status has been judged to be valid, and to process said wafers by using only said processing apparatus which is valid for operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Inventors: Tooru Ueno, Shigeru Nakamoto, Shoji Okiguchi, Hideki Yamasaki, Kouji Nishihata
  • Patent number: RE39756
    Abstract: This invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus having vacuum processing chambers the insides of which must be dry cleaned, and to a method of operating such an apparatus. When the vacuum processing chambers are dry-cleaned, dummy substrates are transferred into the vacuum processing chamber by substrates conveyor means from dummy substrate storage means which is disposed in the air atmosphere together with storage means for storing substrates to be processed, and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber is dry-cleaned by generating a plasma. The dummy substrate is returned to the dummy substrate storage means after dry cleaning is completed. Accordingly, any specific mechanism for only the cleaning purpose is not necessary and the construction of the apparatus can be made simple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigekazu Kato, Kouji Nishihata, Tsunehiko Tsubone, Atsushi Itou
  • Patent number: RE39775
    Abstract: This invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus having vacuum processing chambers the insides of which must be dry cleaned, and to a method of operating such an apparatus. When the vacuum processing chambers are dry-cleaned, dummy substrates are transferred into the vacuum processing chamber by substrates conveyor means from dummy substrate storage means which is disposed in the air atmosphere together with storage means for storing substrates to be processed, and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber is dry-cleaned by generating a plasma. The dummy substrate is returned to the dummy substrate storage means after dry cleaning is completed. Accordingly, any specific mechanism for only the cleaning purpose is not necessary and the construction of the apparatus can be made simple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigekazu Kato, Kouji Nishihata, Tsuenhiko Tsubone, Atsushi Itou
  • Patent number: RE39776
    Abstract: This invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus having vacuum processing chambers the insides of which must be dry cleaned, and to a method of operating such an apparatus. When the vacuum processing chambers are dry-cleaned, dummy substrates are transferred into the vacuum processing chamber by substrates conveyor means from dummy substrate storage means which is disposed in the air atmosphere together with storage means for storing substrates to be processed, and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber is dry-cleaned by generating a plasma. The dummy substrate is returned to the dummy substrate storage means after dry cleaning is completed. Accordingly, any specific mechanism for only the cleaning purpose is not necessary and the construction of the apparatus can be made simple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigekazu Kato, Kouji Nishihata, Tsunehiko Tsubone, Atsushi Itou
  • Patent number: RE39823
    Abstract: This invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus having vacuum processing chambers the insides of which must be dry cleaned, and to a method of operating such an apparatus. When the vacuum processing chambers are dirty-cleaned, dummy substrates are transferred into the vacuum processing chamber by substrates conveyor means from dummy substrate storage means which is disposed in the air atmosphere together with storage means for storing substrates to be processed, and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber is dry-cleaned by generating a plasma. The dummy substrate is returned to the dummy substrate storage means after dry cleaning is completed. Accordingly, any specific mechanism for only the cleaning purpose is not necessary and the construction of the apparatus can be made simple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigekazu Kato, Kouji Nishihata, Tsunehiko Tsubone, Atsushi Itou
  • Patent number: RE39824
    Abstract: This invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus having vacuum processing chambers the insides of which must be dry cleaned, and to a method of operating such an apparatus. When the vacuum processing chamber are dry-cleaned, dummy substrates are transferred into the vacuum processing chamber by substrates conveyor means from dummy substrate storage means which is disposed in the air atmosphere together with storage means for storing substrates to be processed, and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber is dry-cleaned by generating a plasma. The dummy substrate is returned to the dummy substrate storage means after dry cleaning is completed. Accordingly, any specific mechanism for only the cleaning purpose is not necessary and the construction of the apparatus can be made simple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigekazu Kato, Kouji Nishihata, Tsuenhiko Tsubone, Atsushi Itou