Patents by Inventor Nobuaki Okita
Nobuaki Okita 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).
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Publication number: 20250001462Abstract: A substrate cleaning device includes an upper holding device. The upper holding device holds a substrate in a horizontal attitude without rotating the substrate, while being in contact with an outer peripheral end of the substrate. A lower-surface brush wetted with a cleaning liquid is pressed against a lower-surface center region of the substrate held by the upper holding device. In this state, the lower-surface brush is rotated or moved with respect to the lower-surface center region of the substrate. Thus, the lower-surface center region of the substrate is cleaned.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2022Publication date: January 2, 2025Inventors: Takuma TAKAHASHI, Tomoyuki SHINOHARA, Junichi ISHII, Kazuki NAKAMURA, Takashi SHINOHARA, Nobuaki OKITA, Yoshifumi OKADA
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Publication number: 20240321598Abstract: A substrate cleaning device includes a substrate holder, a lower-surface brush, a first liquid nozzle and a second liquid nozzle. The substrate holder holds a substrate in a horizontal attitude. The lower-surface brush is configured to be movable between a processing position for cleaning of the substrate and a waiting position that overlaps with the substrate held by the substrate holder in an up-and-down direction. Further, the lower-surface brush is configured to be rotatable about an axis extending in the up-and-down direction. The lower-surface brush cleans a lower surface of the substrate by coming into contact with the lower surface of the substrate. The first liquid nozzle discharges a cleaning liquid to a center portion of the lower-surface brush, at a waiting position. The second liquid nozzle discharges a cleaning liquid to an end portion of the lower-surface brush, at the waiting position.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2022Publication date: September 26, 2024Inventors: Takuma TAKAHASHI, Tomoyuki SHINOHARA, Junichi ISHII, Kazuki NAKAMURA, Takashi SHINOHARA, Nobuaki OKITA, Yoshifumi OKADA
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Patent number: 12036662Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate processor and a substrate transporter. The substrate processor includes an upper holding device and a lower holding device configured to be capable of holding a substrate. In the substrate processor, the lower holding device is provided below the upper holding device. Therefore, a height position at which a substrate can be held by the upper holding device is different from a height position at which the substrate can be held by the lower holding device. The substrate transporter has first and second hands that hold a substrate. The second hand is located farther downwardly than the first hand. A substrate is received from or transferred to the upper holding device by the first hand. A substrate is received from or transferred to the lower holding device by the second hand.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2021Date of Patent: July 16, 2024Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.Inventors: Tomoyuki Shinohara, Yoshifumi Okada, Nobuaki Okita
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Patent number: 12036583Abstract: A cleaner comes into contact with a lower-surface center region of a substrate held by a first holder, so that the lower-surface center region is cleaned. The cleaner comes into contact with a lower-surface outer region of the substrate rotated by a second holder, so that the lower-surface outer region of the substrate is cleaned. During cleaning of the lower-surface center region, the second holder is rotated about a vertical axis while not holding the substrate. Alternatively, during cleaning of the lower-surface center region, the gas injector arranged between the cleaner and the second holder injects gas toward the substrate from a first height spaced apart from the substrate by a predetermined distance. Further, during drying of the lower-surface center region, the gas injector injects gas toward the substrate from a second height closer to the substrate than the first height.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2022Date of Patent: July 16, 2024Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.Inventors: Tomoyuki Shinohara, Junichi Ishii, Kazuki Nakamura, Yoshifumi Okada, Takuma Takahashi, Takashi Shinohara, Nobuaki Okita
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Publication number: 20240213044Abstract: With an inlet-outlet port opened by a shutter, a substrate is carried into a unit casing. With the substrate carried into the unit casing, a shutter closing operation of changing the shutter from an open state to a close state is performed. In the unit casing, a lower surface of the carried-in substrate is cleaned by a lower-surface brush. Before the substrate is carried in, the lower-surface brush is in a waiting position. Therefore, before the lower-surface of the substrate is cleaned, a brush preparing operation of moving the lower-surface brush from the waiting position to a cleaning position at which the lower-surface brush comes into contact with the substrate is performed. The shutter closing operation and the brush preparing operation are started such that the periods for these operations at least partially overlap with each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2023Publication date: June 27, 2024Inventors: Yoshifumi OKADA, Nobuaki OKITA, Kazuki NAKAMURA
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Publication number: 20240213076Abstract: A substrate is held by an upper holding device, and a lower-surface center region of the substrate is cleaned. During this cleaning, a suction holder of a lower holding device located below the upper holding device is rotated. The substrate held by the upper holding device is transferred to a suction holder of the lower holding device. A lower-surface outer region of the substrate held by the suction holder is cleaned. After the lower-surface center region of the substrate is cleaned and until the substrate is transferred to the suction holder of the lower holding device, rotation of the lower holding device is stopped. Further, the suction holder is moved in a horizontal direction by a base device. A rotation stopping operation for the suction holder and a horizontal moving operation for the suction holder are performed such that the periods for these operation at least partially overlap with each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2023Publication date: June 27, 2024Inventors: Yoshifumi OKADA, Nobuaki OKITA, Kazuki NAKAMURA
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Publication number: 20240213075Abstract: A substrate is held by an upper holding device, and a lower-surface center region of the substrate is cleaned with use of a lower-surface brush. The substrate is lowered from an upper holding device and transferred to a suction holder of a lower holding device. The substrate held by the suction holder is cleaned with use of a processing liquid. A cup is provided to be liftable and lowerable between an upper cup position and a lower cup position. The cup is in the lower cup position when waiting. A period for the substrate lowering operation and a period for the cup lifting operation at least partially overlap with each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2023Publication date: June 27, 2024Inventors: Yoshifumi OKADA, Nobuaki OKITA, Kazuki NAKAMURA
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Publication number: 20240207900Abstract: A substrate processing device includes a plurality of cleaning devices and a main robot. The main robot is configured to carry a substrate into and carrying the substrate out from each substrate cleaning device. The substrate cleaning device includes a processing chamber. In the processing chamber, a brush cleaner that brings a brush into contact with a lower surface of the substrate to clean the lower surface of the substrate is provided. Further, the substrate cleaning device has a cleaning nozzle that discharges a brush cleaning liquid to the brush. In a period during which the substrate carry-in operation and the substrate carry-out operation are performed with respect to the substrate cleaning device by a main robot, supply of the brush cleaning liquid to the cleaning nozzle is stopped.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2023Publication date: June 27, 2024Inventors: Kazuki NAKAMURA, Yoshifumi OKADA, Nobuaki OKITA
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Patent number: 12017257Abstract: A lower-surface center region of a substrate held by a first holder is cleaned by a cleaner. A lower-surface outer region of the substrate rotated by a second holder is cleaned by the cleaner. A mobile base provided with the second holder and the cleaner is moved in a horizontal plane such that a reference position of the first holder coincides with a center axis of the second holder in a plan view when the substrate is received and transferred between the first holder and the second holder, and is moved in the horizontal plane such that the cleaner overlaps with the lower-surface center region of the substrate held by the first holder and a center axis of the cleaner coincides with a first portion different from a center of the substrate in the plan view when the lower-surface center region is cleaned.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2022Date of Patent: June 25, 2024Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.Inventors: Tomoyuki Shinohara, Kazuki Nakamura, Yoshifumi Okada, Takuma Takahashi, Takashi Shinohara, Nobuaki Okita, Junichi Ishii
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Publication number: 20240100712Abstract: A substrate cleaning device includes a chamber, a first processing part and a second processing part. The chamber forms a processing space including a first processing position and a second processing position. The first processing part performs a first process on a substrate disposed at the first processing position in the chamber. The second processing part performs a second process on the substrate disposed at the second processing position in the chamber. A main robot loads and unloads the substrate with respect to the substrate cleaning device by moving a hand holding the substrate. In addition, the main robot receives the substrate disposed at the first processing position by causing the hand to enter the processing space, transporting the substrate to the second processing position, and positioning the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2023Publication date: March 28, 2024Applicant: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.Inventors: Nobuaki OKITA, Kazuki NAKAMURA, Yoshifumi OKADA
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Publication number: 20240091815Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus includes an upper holding device holding an outer peripheral end of a substrate, and a lower surface brush contacting a lower surface of the substrate to clean the lower surface. The lower surface brush moves between a contact position where the lower surface brush contacts the lower surface of the substrate held by the upper holding device and a separation position where the lower surface brush is separated from the substrate held by the upper holding device by a certain distance. At the separation position, the lower surface brush rotates at a first rotation speed. At the contact position, the lower surface brush rotates at a second rotation speed higher than the first rotation speed at a time point when the lower surface brush contacts the lower surface and a time point when the lower surface brush is separated from the lower surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2023Publication date: March 21, 2024Applicant: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuki NAKAMURA, Yoshifumi OKADA, Nobuaki OKITA
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Publication number: 20240091816Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus includes an upper holding device holding an outer peripheral end of a substrate, and a lower surface brush contacting a lower surface of the substrate to clean the lower surface. The lower surface brush moves from a state of being separated from the lower surface to contact a first partial region of the lower surface when cleaning of a lower surface central region of the substrate is started. Then, the lower surface brush moves into contact with the lower surface central region on the lower surface. The lower surface brush moves from a state of being in contact with the lower surface to be separated from a second partial region of the lower surface when cleaning of the lower surface central region is completed. At least one of the first partial region and the second partial region does not overlap the lower surface central region.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2023Publication date: March 21, 2024Applicant: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuki Nakamura, Yoshifumi Okada, Nobuaki Okita
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Patent number: 11813646Abstract: A substrate processing device includes: a chamber; a substrate processing mechanism that has a holding member, and discharges a processing fluid onto a substrate held by the holding member; a joint pipe that has a lower opening provided below the holding member, and an upper opening provided above the holding member, and is disposed such that at least part of the joint pipe from the lower opening to the upper opening passes through the outside of the chamber; and an air flow generator that is provided in the joint pipe. The air flow generator circulates an atmosphere in the chamber by discharging the atmosphere in the chamber from the lower opening to the joint pipe to allow the atmosphere to pass through the joint pipe, thereby introducing the atmosphere again into the chamber via the upper opening so that a downflow of the atmosphere occurs in the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2021Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.Inventors: Nobuaki Okita, Joichi Nishimura
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Publication number: 20230017418Abstract: An upper holding device holds a substrate in a horizontal attitude without rotating the substrate. A lower holding device rotates a substrate while holding the substrate by suction. A substrate held by the upper holding device is cleaned with use of a cleaning liquid, and a substrate held by the lower holding device is cleaned with use of a cleaning liquid. Gas in a processing space is exhausted by exhaust equipment of a factory through an exhaust system. When a substrate is held by the upper holding device, gas in the processing space is not exhausted or gas in the processing space is exhausted at a first flow rate. Gas in the processing space is exhausted at a second or third flow rate that is higher than the first flow rate when the substrate is held by the lower holding device.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2022Publication date: January 19, 2023Inventors: Nobuaki OKITA, Junichi ISHII, Kazuki NAKAMURA, Takashi SHINOHARA, Yoshifumi OKADA, Tomoyuki SHINOHARA, Takuma TAKAHASHI
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Publication number: 20230010624Abstract: A substrate alignment device includes first and second support members that are arranged to be opposite to each other and be spaced apart from each other in a plan view, and respectively support an outer peripheral end of a substrate from a position below the substrate. Further, the substrate alignment device includes a first pressing member that is arranged to be opposite to the first support member in a plan view, and moves the substrate by pressing one portion of the outer peripheral end of the substrate in a first direction directed from the second support member toward the first support member with the substrate supported by the first and second support members. The first support member includes a movement limiter that limits movement of the substrate in the first direction past a predetermined prescribed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2022Publication date: January 12, 2023Inventors: Nobuaki OKITA, Tomoyuki SHINOHARA, Junichi ISHII, Kazuki NAKAMURA, Takashi SHINOHARA, Takuma TAKAHASHI, Yoshifumi OKADA, Hiroshi KATO
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Publication number: 20230001456Abstract: A cleaner comes into contact with a lower-surface center region of a substrate held by a first holder, so that the lower-surface center region is cleaned. The cleaner comes into contact with a lower-surface outer region of the substrate rotated by a second holder, so that the lower-surface outer region of the substrate is cleaned. During cleaning of the lower-surface center region, the second holder is rotated about a vertical axis while not holding the substrate. Alternatively, during cleaning of the lower-surface center region, the gas injector arranged between the cleaner and the second holder injects gas toward the substrate from a first height spaced apart from the substrate by a predetermined distance. Further, during drying of the lower-surface center region, the gas injector injects gas toward the substrate from a second height closer to the substrate than the first height.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2022Publication date: January 5, 2023Inventors: Tomoyuki SHINOHARA, Junichi ISHII, Kazuki NAKAMURA, Yoshifumi OKADA, Takuma TAKAHASHI, Takashi SHINOHARA, Nobuaki OKITA
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Publication number: 20220410219Abstract: A lower-surface center region of a substrate held by a first holder is cleaned by a cleaner. A lower-surface outer region of the substrate rotated by a second holder is cleaned by the cleaner. A mobile base provided with the second holder and the cleaner is moved in a horizontal plane such that a reference position of the first holder coincides with a center axis of the second holder in a plan view when the substrate is received and transferred between the first holder and the second holder, and is moved in the horizontal plane such that the cleaner overlaps with the lower-surface center region of the substrate held by the first holder and a center axis of the cleaner coincides with a first portion different from a center of the substrate in the plan view when the lower-surface center region is cleaned.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2022Publication date: December 29, 2022Inventors: Tomoyuki SHINOHARA, Kazuki NAKAMURA, Yoshifumi OKADA, Takuma TAKAHASHI, Takashi SHINOHARA, Nobuaki OKITA, Junichi ISHII
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Publication number: 20220395867Abstract: A first cleaner cleans an upper surface of a substrate by scanning above the substrate to pass through a first point in an outer edge of the substrate in a plan view. A second cleaner cleans an outer peripheral end of the substrate by coming into contact with a second point in the outer edge of the substrate in a plan view. A virtual first straight line passing through the first point and the second point and a virtual second straight line passing through a center of the substrate and is parallel to the first straight line are defined. A third cleaner is arranged below the substrate and opposite to the first cleaner and the second cleaner with the second straight line located between the third cleaner, and the first cleaner and the second cleaner, and cleans a lower surface of the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2022Publication date: December 15, 2022Inventors: Tomoyuki SHINOHARA, Yoshifumi OKADA, Nobuaki OKITA, Takashi SHINOHARA, Junichi ISHII, Kazuki NAKAMURA, Takuma TAKAHASHI
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Patent number: 11361979Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding portion which holds a substrate W. The substrate holding portion includes two movable holding pins and two fixed holding pins which sandwich the substrate. The substrate processing apparatus includes two support pins which support the substrate W held by the substrate holding portion from below. Each of the support pins has an inner portion which overlaps the substrate held by the substrate holding portion in a vertical direction. An upper end of the support pin is on a side below an overlapping portion of the substrate which overlaps the inner portion in the vertical direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2018Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takayuki Nishida, Nobuaki Okita
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Publication number: 20220088793Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate processor and a substrate transporter. The substrate processor includes an upper holding device and a lower holding device configured to be capable of holding a substrate. In the substrate processor, the lower holding device is provided below the upper holding device. Therefore, a height position at which a substrate can be held by the upper holding device is different from a height position at which the substrate can be held by the lower holding device. The substrate transporter has first and second hands that hold a substrate. The second hand is located farther downwardly than the first hand. A substrate is received from or transferred to the upper holding device by the first hand. A substrate is received from or transferred to the lower holding device by the second hand.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2021Publication date: March 24, 2022Inventors: Tomoyuki SHINOHARA, Yoshifumi OKADA, Nobuaki OKITA