Patents by Inventor Tadashi Obikane
Tadashi Obikane 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: 20220172978Abstract: Techniques for testing both a rectangular substrate and a circular substrate are provided. One aspect of the present disclosure pertains to a test device comprising an exchangeable change kit, wherein the change kit comprises a first holding device and a second holding device which are exchangeably mounted in the test device, wherein the first holding device is configured to adsorb and hold a rectangular substrate, wherein the second holding device is configured to adsorb and hold a circular substrate, and wherein the first holding device and the second holding device are exchanged according to a substrate to be tested.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2021Publication date: June 2, 2022Inventors: Hiroki HOSAKA, Hiroshi AMEMIYA, Fumito KAGAMI, Tadashi OBIKANE
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Publication number: 20220172964Abstract: The present disclose relates to a substrate delivery method that uses a substrate delivery device including an elevating body for moving upward and downward a plurality of mounting parts, on which a transport container for a substrate is placed. The substrate delivery method of the present disclosure comprises loading and unloading the substrate in the transport container; temporarily suspending the loading and unloading for the transport container when the external transport mechanism tries to deliver a transport container to and from another mounting part; and positioning said other mounting part at the delivery height position and delivering the transport container to and from the external transport mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2021Publication date: June 2, 2022Inventor: Tadashi OBIKANE
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Publication number: 20190189482Abstract: There is provided a transfer device, comprising: a transfer part configured to transfer a target object; a transfer path having a plurality of transfer positions at which the transfer part transfers the target object while moving along one direction; a driving mechanism of a belt driving type configured to move the transfer part along the transfer path by a timing belt arranged in the one direction; a position sensor configured to generate a signal when the transfer part reaches a predetermined position corresponding to each of the transfer positions; and a controller configured to control the transfer part. The controller has coordinates of a position of the transfer part, and is configured to correct position data of the transfer part in the coordinate system of the controller based on the signal each time the controller receives the signal from the position sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2017Publication date: June 20, 2019Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Tadashi OBIKANE, Minoru UCHIDA
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Patent number: 8905700Abstract: An inspection apparatus includes an inspection chamber in which low-temperature inspection of an inspection object is performed; and a transfer chamber including therein a transfer device. The transfer device includes a transfer arm for transferring the inspection object to the inspection chamber; an arm-receiving compartment having a gateway via which the transfer arm is moved into or out of the arm-receiving compartment; and a gas supply means having a first and a second supply part for supplying a low-dew-point gas to the arm-receiving compartment from different locations. Herein, the first supply part is configured to supply the low-dew-point gas toward the inspection object introduced into the arm-receiving compartment by the transfer arm.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2008Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventor: Tadashi Obikane
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Patent number: 8726748Abstract: A probe apparatus includes a plurality of prober chamber arranged in a straight line; and a loader chamber having a substrate transfer mechanism that takes out a test target substrate from a container provided in an upper area of the prober chamber, lowers the test target substrate to a height corresponding to a loading/unloading port of the prober chamber, moves in front of a row of the prober chambers in parallel to the row of the prober chambers and transfers the test target substrate into the prober chamber. A reading mechanism for reading information recorded on the test target substrate held on the substrate transfer mechanism is installed at a horizontal moving mechanism that moves the substrate transfer mechanism in front of the row of the prober chambers in parallel to the row of the prober chambers.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2010Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Tadashi Obikane, Kazuya Yano, Hiroshi Yamada, Masaru Suzuki, Yasuhito Yamamoto
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Patent number: 8310261Abstract: There is provided a probing apparatus capable of modifying an existing probing apparatus having a single loading port to one having dual loading ports while saving the space without increasing a foot print thereof and also capable of increasing an inspection efficiency by cooperating with an automatic transfer line for the apparatus having a single loading port. The probing apparatus includes a prober chamber in which a wafer is inspected and a loader chamber having: a first and a second loading ports positioned to be spaced apart from each other at the side of a prober chamber, each of the loading ports mounting thereon a cassette accommodating therein a plurality of waters; and a wafer transfer unit for transferring the wafers between the loading ports and the prober chamber. The loading ports are arranged along a route where the cassette is transferred by an automatic transfer device.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2009Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Hiroki Hosaka, Shuji Akiyama, Tadashi Obikane
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Patent number: 8267633Abstract: A FOUP opening/closing device includes a housing containing a mounting table for mounting the FOUP thereon, an FOUP loading opening, and a delivery opening. The device further includes a rotator for rotating the mounting table, a door opening/closing unit to open or close the door of the FOUP and keep the door open, a mover for moving the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit in a reciprocating manner, to allow the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit to be connected to or separated from each other, and a controller to output control signals for moving the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit via operation of the mover to mount the door of the FOUP to the door opening/closing unit, separating the door from the FOUP, moving the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit away from each other, and rotating the mounting table to make the FOUP face the delivery opening.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2009Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventor: Tadashi Obikane
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Publication number: 20110107858Abstract: A probe apparatus includes a plurality of prober chamber arranged in a straight line; and a loader chamber having a substrate transfer mechanism that takes out a test target substrate from a container provided in an upper area of the prober chamber, lowers the test target substrate to a height corresponding to a loading/unloading port of the prober chamber, moves in front of a row of the prober chambers in parallel to the row of the prober chambers and transfers the test target substrate into the prober chamber. A reading mechanism for reading information recorded on the test target substrate held on the substrate transfer mechanism is installed at a horizontal moving mechanism that moves the substrate transfer mechanism in front of the row of the prober chambers in parallel to the row of the prober chambers.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2010Publication date: May 12, 2011Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Tadashi Obikane, Kazuya Yano, Hiroshi Yamada, Masaru Suzuki, Yasuhito Yamamoto
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Patent number: 7887280Abstract: There is provided a processing apparatus capable of modifying an existing processing apparatus having a single loading port to one having dual loading ports by providing an additional loading port without increasing a foot print thereof and also capable of realizing a complete automation of a wafer transfer by utilizing an existing automatic transfer line. The processing apparatus includes a loader chamber having: a first and a second loading ports positioned to be spaced apart from each other at the side of a prober chamber, each of the loading ports mounting thereon waters; a sub-chuck, disposed under the second loading port, for positioning the wafers; and a wafer transfer unit having a transfer arm for transferring the wafers between the sub-chuck and the prober chamber, the transfer arm being rotatable and movable vertically.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2007Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Hiroki Hosaka, Shuji Akiyama, Tadashi Obikane
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Patent number: 7741837Abstract: A probe apparatus includes a load port for mounting therein a carrier having therein a plurality of substrates; a plurality of probe apparatus main bodies, each having a probe card having probes on its bottom surface; a substrate transfer mechanism for transferring the substrates between the load port and the probe apparatus main bodies, the substrate transfer mechanism being rotatable about a vertical axis and movable up and down. The substrate transfer mechanism has at least three substrates capable of moving back and forth independently. Further, at least two wafers are received from the carrier by the substrate transfer mechanism, and then are sequentially loaded into the probe apparatus main bodies. The prove apparatus a high throughput increasing a wafer transfer efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2008Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Tadashi Obikane, Shuji Akiyama
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Patent number: 7701236Abstract: A prove apparatus includes a first and a second loading port for mounting therein two carriers facing each other, a wafer transfer mechanism having a rotation center between the loading ports, and a first and a second inspection unit being symmetrical to each other and disposed in accordance with the arrangement of the loading ports. In this configuration, wafers are directly transferred between the carrier and a wafer chuck of the inspection unit by the wafer transfer mechanism. The wafer transfer mechanism has three arms for unloading two wafers from the carrier. The prove apparatus has a compact size and achieves a high throughput.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2008Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Shuji Akiyama, Tadashi Obikane, Masaru Suzuki, Yasuhito Yamamoto, Kazuya Yano, Yuji Asakawa, Kazumi Yamagata, Shigeki Nakamura, Eiichi Matsuzawa, Kazuhiro Ozawa, Fumito Kagami, Shinji Kojima
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Publication number: 20100040441Abstract: A FOUP opening/closing device includes a housing containing a mounting table for mounting the FOUP thereon, an FOUP loading opening, and a delivery opening. The device further includes a rotator for rotating the mounting table, a door opening/closing unit to open or close the door of the FOUP and keep the door open, a mover for moving the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit in a reciprocating manner, to allow the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit to be connected to or separated from each other, and a controller to output control signals for moving the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit via operation of the mover to mount the door of the FOUP to the door opening/closing unit, separating the door from the FOUP, moving the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit away from each other, and rotating the mounting table to make the FOUP face the delivery opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2009Publication date: February 18, 2010Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventor: Tadashi OBIKANE
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Publication number: 20090267626Abstract: There is provided a probing apparatus capable of modifying an existing probing apparatus having a single loading port to one having dual loading ports while saving the space without increasing a foot print thereof and also capable of increasing an inspection efficiency by cooperating with an automatic transfer line for the apparatus having a single loading port. The probing apparatus includes a prober chamber in which a wafer is inspected and a loader chamber having: a first and a second loading ports positioned to be spaced apart from each other at the side of a prober chamber, each of the loading ports mounting thereon a cassette accommodating therein a plurality of waters; and a wafer transfer unit for transferring the wafers between the loading ports and the prober chamber. The loading ports are arranged along a route where the cassette is transferred by an automatic transfer device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2009Publication date: October 29, 2009Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Hiroki HOSAKA, Shuji Akiyama, Tadashi Obikane
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Patent number: 7583096Abstract: There is provided a probing apparatus capable of modifying an existing probing apparatus having a single loading port to one having dual loading ports while saving the space without increasing a foot print thereof and also capable of increasing an inspection efficiency by cooperating with an automatic transfer line for the apparatus having a single loading port. The probing apparatus includes a prober chamber in which a wafer is inspected and a loader chamber having: a first and a second loading ports positioned to be spaced apart from each other at the side of a prober chamber, each of the loading ports mounting thereon a cassette accommodating therein a plurality of waters; and a wafer transfer unit for transferring the wafers between the loading ports and the prober chamber. The loading ports are arranged along a route where the cassette is transferred by an automatic transfer device.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2007Date of Patent: September 1, 2009Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Hiroki Hosaka, Shuji Akiyama, Tadashi Obikane
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Publication number: 20080290886Abstract: A prove apparatus includes a first and a second loading port for mounting therein two carriers facing each other, a wafer transfer mechanism having a rotation center between the loading ports, and a first and a second inspection unit being symmetrical to each other and disposed in accordance with the arrangement of the loading ports. In this configuration, wafers are directly transferred between the carrier and a wafer chuck of the inspection unit by the wafer transfer mechanism. The wafer transfer mechanism has three arms for unloading two wafers from the carrier. The prove apparatus has a compact size and achieves a high throughput.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2008Publication date: November 27, 2008Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Shuji Akiyama, Tadashi Obikane, Masaru Suzuki, Yasuhito Yamamoto, Kazuya Yano, Yuji Asakawa, Kazumi Yamagata, Shigeki Nakamura, Eiichi Matsuzawa, Kazuhiro Ozawa, Fumito Kagami, Shinji Kojima
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Publication number: 20080284455Abstract: A probe apparatus includes a load port for mounting therein a carrier having therein a plurality of substrates; a plurality of probe apparatus main bodies, each having a probe card having probes on its bottom surface; a substrate transfer mechanism for transferring the substrates between the load port and the probe apparatus main bodies, the substrate transfer mechanism being rotatable about a vertical axis and movable up and down. The substrate transfer mechanism has at least three substrates capable of moving back and forth independently. Further, at least two wafers are received from the carrier by the substrate transfer mechanism, and then are sequentially loaded into the probe apparatus main bodies. The prove apparatus a high throughput increasing a wafer transfer efficiency.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2008Publication date: November 20, 2008Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Tadashi OBIKANE, Shuji AKIYAMA
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Publication number: 20080240891Abstract: An inspection apparatus includes an inspection chamber in which low-temperature inspection of an inspection object is performed; and a transfer chamber including therein a transfer device. The transfer device includes a transfer arm for transferring the inspection object to the inspection chamber; an arm-receiving compartment having a gateway via which the transfer arm is moved into or out of the arm-receiving compartment; and a gas supply means having a first and a second supply part for supplying a low-dew-point gas to the arm-receiving compartment from different locations. Herein, the first supply part is configured to supply the low-dew-point gas toward the inspection object introduced into the arm-receiving compartment by the transfer arm.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2008Publication date: October 2, 2008Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventor: Tadashi Obikane
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Patent number: D592230Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2007Date of Patent: May 12, 2009Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Hiroki Hosaka, Shuji Akiyama, Tadashi Obikane
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Patent number: D602882Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2008Date of Patent: October 27, 2009Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Hiroki Hosaka, Shuji Akiyama, Tadashi Obikane
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Patent number: D607424Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2006Date of Patent: January 5, 2010Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Hiroki Hosaka, Shuji Akiyama, Tadashi Obikane