Patents by Inventor Tom G. Gullett

Tom G. Gullett 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).

  • Semiconductor wafer edge polishing system and method
    Patent number: 5595522
    Abstract: An edge polishing system (20, 320) and method for edge polishing semiconductor wafers is disclosed. The system (20, 320) includes a loader (22, 326), a polisher (24, 328), an unloader (26, 330), and a controller (28, 335). The method includes the steps of loading wafers (28), and spacers (30) into a loader (22) to form a stack (36), moving the stack (36) into a polisher (24) and causing polisher (24) to polish the stack (36), then moving the stack (36) to an unloader (26), which semiautomatically removes the wafers (28) and spacers (30). The system (20) may include a controller (28) for entering the appropriate commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Vikki S. Simpson, Tom G. Gullett, Jerry B. Medders, Arthur R. Clark, Bobby R. Robbins, Danny R. Newton, Lawrence D. Dyer, Douglas W. Bilderback, Clyde A. King
  • Semiconductor wafer stacking apparatus and method
    Patent number: 5240557
    Abstract: An apparatus stacks semiconductor wafers and spacers and clamps them in an axial alignment for mounting in a semiconductor wafer edge polishing machine. After edge polishing, the apparatus separates the wafers and spacers and delivers them respectively into separate cassettes for further processing or recycling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Lawrence D. Dyer, Dempsey McGregor, Robert M. Montgomery, Jerry B. Medders, Michael R. Head, Tom G. Gullett