Patents by Inventor Mitsuhiko Inaba

Mitsuhiko Inaba 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: 11869788
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a first processing unit and a second processing unit placed in upper and lower two stages. Each processing unit has: a plurality of processing tanks arranged in series; a partition wall defining a conveyance space extending along an arrangement direction outside the plurality of processing tanks; a conveyance mechanism placed in the conveyance space and being configured to convey a substrate between the processing tanks along the arrangement direction; and an air guide duct provided to extend along the arrangement direction in the conveyance space. The air guide duct is connected with a fan filter unit. Each of the processing tanks is connected with an exhaust duct. An opening is formed in each of parts facing the processing tank in the air guide duct. The conveyance spaces of the first and second processing units are separated into upper and lower segments by the partition wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Maeda, Mitsuhiko Inaba, Haiyang Xu, Tetsuya Yashima
  • Publication number: 20230326770
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning device includes: a pressing member that cleans a substrate by contacting the substrate; a load measurement unit that measures a pressing load of the cleaning member; and a control unit that repeats an operation of comparing the measurement value of the load measurement unit with the setting load, changing the pressing amount of the cleaning member by a first movement amount so that a difference value decreases, when the difference value is larger than a first threshold value and equal to or smaller than a second threshold value, and changing the pressing amount of the cleaning member by a second movement amount larger than the first movement amount so that the difference value decreases, when the difference value is larger than the second threshold value, until the difference value becomes equal to or smaller than the first threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Haiyang Xu, Mitsuhiko Inaba
  • Publication number: 20230307259
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning device includes: a pressing member that cleans a substrate by contacting the substrate; a load measurement unit that measures a pressing load of the cleaning member; and a control unit that repeats an operation of comparing the measurement value of the load measurement unit with the setting load, changing the pressing amount of the cleaning member by a first movement amount so that a difference value decreases, when the difference value is larger than a first threshold value and equal to or smaller than a second threshold value, and changing the pressing amount of the cleaning member by a second movement amount larger than the first movement amount so that the difference value decreases, when the difference value is larger than the second threshold value, until the difference value becomes equal to or smaller than the first threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Haiyang Xu, Mitsuhiko Inaba
  • Patent number: 11380561
    Abstract: A cleaning device is described. In one embodiment, the cleaning device includes a cleaning member; a moving portion, a measurement portion, and a controller. The controller performs a reset operation in which the cleaning member is pressed against the reference member before cleaning, a cleaning member is moved in a direction away from the reference member after the measured value of the measurement portion reaches a predetermined reset load, when the measurement values of the measurement portion for each unit movement amount of the cleaning member become equal to each other at least twice consecutively, a position of the cleaning member at the time is set as a reference position of the cleaning member at the time of cleaning, and the measurement value of the measurement portion at the time is set as a pressing reference value at the time of cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidetatsu Isokawa, Mitsuhiko Inaba, Haiyang Xu
  • Publication number: 20220020610
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning device includes: a pressing member that cleans a substrate by contacting the substrate; a load measurement unit that measures a pressing load of the cleaning member; and a control unit that repeats an operation of comparing the measurement value of the load measurement unit with the setting load, changing the pressing amount of the cleaning member by a first movement amount so that a difference value decreases, when the difference value is larger than a first threshold value and equal to or smaller than a second threshold value, and changing the pressing amount of the cleaning member by a second movement amount larger than the first movement amount so that the difference value decreases, when the difference value is larger than the second threshold value, until the difference value becomes equal to or smaller than the first threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Haiyang Xu, Mitsuhiko Inaba
  • Patent number: 11164757
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning device includes: a pressing member that cleans a substrate by contacting the substrate; a load measurement unit that measures a pressing load of the cleaning member; and a control unit that repeats an operation of comparing the measurement value of the load measurement unit with the setting load, changing the pressing amount of the cleaning member by a first movement amount so that a difference value decreases, when the difference value is larger than a first threshold value and equal to or smaller than a second threshold value, and changing the pressing amount of the cleaning member by a second movement amount larger than the first movement amount so that the difference value decreases, when the difference value is larger than the second threshold value, until the difference value becomes equal to or smaller than the first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Haiyang Xu, Mitsuhiko Inaba
  • Publication number: 20210210374
    Abstract: To detach a substrate from a table without damaging the substrate. According to Embodiment 1, provided is a substrate processing apparatus including a table to hold a substrate, a plurality of lift pins that are arranged at periphery of the table and configured to arrange or separate the substrate on or from the table and to be movable in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the table, a drive mechanism that includes a motor to move the lift pins in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the table, and a control device that is configured to control the drive mechanism. The control device is configured to be capable of moving the lift pins at a first speed and at a second speed different from the first speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Haiyang Xu, Koji Maeda, Mitsuhiko Inaba
  • Publication number: 20210175099
    Abstract: A cleaning device is described. In one embodiment, the cleaning device includes a cleaning member; a moving portion, a measurement portion, and a controller. The controller performs a reset operation in which the cleaning member is pressed against the reference member before cleaning, a cleaning member is moved in a direction away from the reference member after the measured value of the measurement portion reaches a predetermined reset load, when the measurement values of the measurement portion for each unit movement amount of the cleaning member become equal to each other at least twice consecutively, a position of the cleaning member at the time is set as a reference position of the cleaning member at the time of cleaning, and the measurement value of the measurement portion at the time is set as a pressing reference value at the time of cleaning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Hidetatsu Isokawa, Mitsuhiko Inaba, Haiyang Xu
  • Patent number: 10991615
    Abstract: To detach a substrate from a table without damaging the substrate. According to Embodiment 1, provided is a substrate processing apparatus including a table to hold a substrate, a plurality of lift pins that are arranged at periphery of the table and configured to arrange or separate the substrate on or from the table and to be movable in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the table, a drive mechanism that includes a motor to move the lift pins in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the table, and a control device that is configured to control the drive mechanism. The control device is configured to be capable of moving the lift pins at a first speed and at a second speed different from the first speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Haiyang Xu, Koji Maeda, Mitsuhiko Inaba
  • Publication number: 20200388510
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a first processing unit and a second processing unit placed in upper and lower two stages. Each processing unit has: a plurality of processing tanks arranged in series; a partition wall defining a conveyance space extending along an arrangement direction outside the plurality of processing tanks; a conveyance mechanism placed in the conveyance space and being configured to convey a substrate between the processing tanks along the arrangement direction; and an air guide duct provided to extend along the arrangement direction in the conveyance space. The air guide duct is connected with a fan filter unit. Each of the processing tanks is connected with an exhaust duct. An opening is formed in each of parts facing the processing tank in the air guide duct. The conveyance spaces of the first and second processing units are separated into upper and lower segments by the partition wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Koji MAEDA, Mitsuhiko INABA, Haiyang XU, Tetsuya YASHIMA
  • Patent number: 10818531
    Abstract: A substrate transport system includes a hand, a main positioning member permanently mounted on a base, where the main positioning member is engageable with the hand at a position offset by a first distance in the first axis direction and offset by a second distance in the second axis direction from a substrate transfer position, and a control unit that stores a position coordinate in the first axis direction and a position coordinate in the second axis direction of the hand in a state where the hand is positioned by being engaged with the main positioning member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kuniaki Yamaguchi, Haiyang Xu, Koji Maeda, Mitsuhiko Inaba
  • Patent number: 10688622
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is provided with a polishing part that polishes a substrate, a transporting part that transports a substrate before polishing to the polishing part, and a cleaning part that cleans the polished substrate. The cleaning part has a first cleaning unit and a second cleaning unit that are vertically arranged in two stages. The first cleaning unit and the second cleaning unit each have a plurality of cleaning modules that are arranged in series. The transporting part has a slide stage that is disposed between the first cleaning unit and the second cleaning unit, and transports a substrate before polishing along an arrangement direction of the plurality of cleaning modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Aono, Kuniaki Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Shimomoto, Koji Maeda, Tetsuya Yashima, Kenji Shinkai, Koichi Hashimoto, Mitsuhiko Inaba, Hidetatsu Isokawa, Hidetaka Nakao, Soichi Isobe
  • Patent number: 10573509
    Abstract: The cleaning apparatus includes multiple kinds of cleaning modules each configured to perform a cleaning processing of a substrate, a first accommodating section configured to accommodate the multiple kinds of cleaning modules therein, and a fluid supply section configured to supply a fluid to the cleaning modules accommodated in the first accommodating section through a pipe. Each of the multiple kinds of cleaning modules includes a pipe connection portion having a common connection position to be connected with the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Maeda, Hiroshi Shimomoto, Kuniaki Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Aono, Tetsuya Yashima, Hidetatsu Isokawa, Kenji Shinkai, Mitsuhiko Inaba, Koichi Hashimoto, Junji Kunisawa, Mitsuru Miyazaki, Fujihiko Toyomasu
  • Publication number: 20200013640
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning device includes: a pressing member that cleans a substrate by contacting the substrate; a load measurement unit that measures a pressing load of the cleaning member; and a control unit that repeats an operation of comparing the measurement value of the load measurement unit with the setting load, changing the pressing amount of the cleaning member by a first movement amount so that a difference value decreases, when the difference value is larger than a first threshold value and equal to or smaller than a second threshold value, and changing the pressing amount of the cleaning member by a second movement amount larger than the first movement amount so that the difference value decreases, when the difference value is larger than the second threshold value, until the difference value becomes equal to or smaller than the first threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Haiyang Xu, Mitsuhiko Inaba
  • Publication number: 20190378740
    Abstract: There is provided a teaching apparatus for a substrate transfer system including a substrate transfer device and a substrate receiving device. The substrate transfer device is configured to hold a substrate. The substrate receiving device is configured to receive the substrate from the substrate transfer device. The teaching apparatus includes a teaching substrate configured to be held to the substrate transfer device, a camera mountable to the teaching substrate, and a controller that controls an operation of the substrate transfer device holding the teaching substrate and/or the substrate receiving device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Hidetatsu Isokawa, Koichi Hashimoto, Mitsuhiko Inaba, Makoto Iida
  • Publication number: 20190164796
    Abstract: A substrate transport system includes a hand, a main positioning member permanently mounted on a base, where the main positioning member is engageable with the hand at a position offset by a first distance in the first axis direction and offset by a second distance in the second axis direction from a substrate transfer position, and a control unit that stores a position coordinate in the first axis direction and a position coordinate in the second axis direction of the hand in a state where the hand is positioned by being engaged with the main positioning member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Kuniaki YAMAGUCHI, Haiyang XU, Koji MAEDA, Mitsuhiko INABA
  • Publication number: 20190057894
    Abstract: To detach a substrate from a table without damaging the substrate. According to Embodiment 1, provided is a substrate processing apparatus including a table to hold a substrate, a plurality of lift pins that are arranged at periphery of the table and configured to arrange or separate the substrate on or from the table and to be movable in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the table, a drive mechanism that includes a motor to move the lift pins in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the table, and a control device that is configured to control the drive mechanism. The control device is configured to be capable of moving the lift pins at a first speed and at a second speed different from the first speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Haiyang XU, Koji MAEDA, Mitsuhiko INABA
  • Publication number: 20180001440
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is provided with a polishing part that polishes a substrate, a transporting part that transports a substrate before polishing to the polishing part, and a cleaning part that cleans the polished substrate. The cleaning part has a first cleaning unit and a second cleaning unit that are vertically arranged in two stages. The first cleaning unit and the second cleaning unit each have a plurality of cleaning modules that are arranged in series. The transporting part has a slide stage that is disposed between the first cleaning unit and the second cleaning unit, and transports a substrate before polishing along an arrangement direction of the plurality of cleaning modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Applicant: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi AONO, Kuniaki YAMAGUCHI, Hiroshi SHIMOMOTO, Koji MAEDA, Tetsuya YASHIMA, Kenji SHINKAI, Koichi HASHIMOTO, Mitsuhiko INABA, Hidetatsu ISOKAWA, Hidetaka NAKAO, Soichi ISOBE
  • Publication number: 20170372893
    Abstract: The cleaning apparatus includes multiple kinds of cleaning modules each configured to perform a cleaning processing of a substrate, a first accommodating section configured to accommodate the multiple kinds of cleaning modules therein, and a fluid supply section configured to supply a fluid to the cleaning modules accommodated in the first accommodating section through a pipe. Each of the multiple kinds of cleaning modules includes a pipe connection portion having a common connection position to be connected with the pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Koji Maeda, Hiroshi Shimomoto, Kuniaki Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Aono, Tetsuya Yashima, Hidetatsu Isokawa, Kenji Shinkai, Mitsuhiko Inaba, Koichi Hashimoto, Junji Kunisawa, Mitsuru Miyazaki, Fujihiko Toyomasu