Patents by Inventor Yasutsugu Aoki

Yasutsugu Aoki 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: 7308757
    Abstract: An intermediate product manufacturing apparatus for carrying intermediate products and processing the intermediate products with a plurality of processing apparatuses is provided, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of carrying means for carrying the intermediate products to the processing apparatuses; a common processing apparatus provided between the plurality of carrying means, for carrying out a common process on the intermediate products carried by the carrying means; and intermediate product transfer sections provided between the plurality of carrying means, for transferring the intermediate products between the common processing apparatus and the carrying means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Fukuhara, Yasutsugu Aoki, Yoshitake Kobayashi, Hisashi Fujimura
  • Patent number: 7222721
    Abstract: A transferring apparatus is provided between a plurality of carrying apparatuses, each carrying apparatus comprising support means for supporting carried products Wf, guide means for controlling the moving direction of the support means, the guide means being provided along processing apparatuses for processing the carried products Wf, and moving means for moving the support means along the guide means. The transferring apparatus includes synchronization control means for synchronizing the moving means of the one carrying apparatus with the moving means of the other carrying apparatus; and at least one hand-over means for receiving the carried products Wf from the support means of the one carrying apparatus and handing over the carried products Wf to the support means of the other carrying apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Fujimura, Shuji Tanaka, Yoshitake Kobayashi, Yasutsugu Aoki
  • Patent number: 7182201
    Abstract: A wafer carrying apparatus 20 for carrying intermediate products comprises: a conveyer 40 for carrying the intermediate products in the carrying direction; and a plurality of platforms 41 arranged in the conveyer 40 along the carrying direction of the intermediate products on the conveyer 40, each platform 41 being capable of mounting at least one intermediate product at a position in a direction crossing the carrying direction of the intermediate products on the conveyer 40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Fujimura, Shuji Tanaka, Yoshitake Kobayashi, Yasutsugu Aoki
  • Publication number: 20060163037
    Abstract: A transferring apparatus is provided between a plurality of carrying apparatuses, each carrying apparatus comprising support means for supporting carried products Wf, guide means for controlling the moving direction of the support means, the guide means being provided along processing apparatuses for processing the carried products Wf, and moving means for moving the support means along the guide means. The transferring apparatus includes synchronization control means for synchronizing the moving means of the one carrying apparatus with the moving means of the other carrying apparatus; and at least one hand-over means for receiving the carried products Wf from the support means of the one carrying apparatus and handing over the carried products Wf to the support means of the other carrying apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventors: Hisashi Fujimura, Shuji Tanaka, Yoshitake Kobayashi, Yasutsugu Aoki
  • Patent number: 7051863
    Abstract: A transferring apparatus is provided between a plurality of carrying apparatuses, each carrying apparatus comprising support means for supporting carried products Wf, guide means for controlling the moving direction of the support means, the guide means being provided along processing apparatuses for processing the carried products Wf, and moving means for moving the support means along the guide means. The transferring apparatus includes synchronization control means for synchronizing the moving means of the one carrying apparatus with the moving means of the other carrying apparatus; and at least one hand-over means for receiving the carried products Wf from the support means of the one carrying apparatus and handing over the carried products Wf to the support means of the other carrying apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Fujimura, Shuji Tanaka, Yoshitake Kobayashi, Yasutsugu Aoki
  • Patent number: 7032739
    Abstract: An intermediate product carrying apparatus is provided for loading a carrier, which is carried between a plurality of process systems and stores a plurality of intermediate products, into the corresponding process system, and then transferring the plurality of intermediate products of the carrier to a single wafer carrying conveyer, which carries the intermediate products in a single wafer state to an intermediate product manufacturing apparatus provided in the process system. The intermediate product carrying apparatus comprising: an intermediate product transfer means provided in the process system, for loading the carrier, which is carried between process systems and which stores the plurality of intermediate products, into the corresponding process system, and transferring the intermediate products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shuji Tanaka, Yoshitake Kobayashi, Hisashi Fujimura, Yasutsugu Aoki
  • Publication number: 20040253080
    Abstract: An intermediate product carrying apparatus is provided for loading a carrier, which is carried between a plurality of process systems and stores a plurality of intermediate products, into the corresponding process system, and then transferring the plurality of intermediate products of the carrier to a single wafer carrying conveyer, which carries the intermediate products in a single wafer state to an intermediate product manufacturing apparatus provided in the process system. The intermediate product carrying apparatus comprising: an intermediate product transfer means provided in the process system, for loading the carrier, which is carried between process systems and which stores the plurality of intermediate products, into the corresponding process system, and transferring the intermediate products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Shuji Tanaka, Yoshitake Kobayashi, Hisashi Fujimura, Yasutsugu Aoki
  • Publication number: 20040247418
    Abstract: A transferring apparatus is provided between a plurality of carrying apparatuses, each carrying apparatus comprising support means for supporting carried products Wf, guide means for controlling the moving direction of the support means, the guide means being provided along processing apparatuses for processing the carried products Wf, and moving means for moving the support means along the guide means. The transferring apparatus includes synchronization control means for synchronizing the moving means of the one carrying apparatus with the moving means of the other carrying apparatus; and at least one hand-over means for receiving the carried products Wf from the support means of the one carrying apparatus and handing over the carried products Wf to the support means of the other carrying apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Hisashi Fujimura, Shuji Tanaka, Yoshitake Kobayashi, Yasutsugu Aoki
  • Publication number: 20040238324
    Abstract: A wafer carrying apparatus 20 for carrying intermediate products comprises: a conveyer 40 for carrying the intermediate products in the carrying direction; and a plurality of platforms 41 arranged in the conveyer 40 along the carrying direction of the intermediate products on the conveyer 40, each platform 41 being capable of mounting at least one intermediate product at a position in a direction crossing the carrying direction of the intermediate products on the conveyer 40.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: Hisashi Fujimura, Shuji Tanaka, Yoshitake Kobayashi, Yasutsugu Aoki
  • Publication number: 20040231146
    Abstract: An intermediate product manufacturing apparatus for carrying intermediate products and processing the intermediate products with a plurality of processing apparatuses is provided, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of carrying means for carrying the intermediate products to the processing apparatuses; a common processing apparatus provided between the plurality of carrying means, for carrying out a common process on the intermediate products carried by the carrying means; and intermediate product transfer sections provided between the plurality of carrying means, for transferring the intermediate products between the common processing apparatus and the carrying means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Keiji Fukuhara, Yasutsugu Aoki, Yoshitake Kobayashi, Hisashi Fujimura
  • Patent number: 6620282
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for solid bonding without using a bonding agent are provided. A surface of metal, glass, or other bond members 16a and 16b is fluorinated by exposure to a mixture of HF gas from a HF gas supply unit 24 and water vapor from a vapor generator 26 in a fluorination process section 12. The bond members 16a and 16b are then placed in contact at the fluorinated surface on table 36 in bonding process section 14. Argon is then introduced to bonding chamber 34. Pressure is then applied to the first bond member 16a and second bond member 16b by a cylinder 46, and heated to below the melting point by a heater 48, to bond the first and second bond members together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Mori, Yasutsugu Aoki, Takuya Miyakawa
  • Patent number: 6604672
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for solid bonding without using a bonding agent are provided. A surface of metal, glass, or other bond members 16a and 16b is fluorinated by exposure to a mixture of HF gas from a HF gas supply unit 24 and water vapor from a vapor generator 26 in a fluorination process section 12. The bond members 16a and 16b are then placed in contact at the fluorinated surface on table 36 in bonding process section 14. Argon is then introduced to bonding chamber 34. Pressure is then applied to the first bond member 16a and second bond member 16b by a cylinder 46, and heated to below the melting point by a heater 48, to bond the first and second bond members together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Mori, Yasutsugu Aoki, Takuya Miyakawa
  • Publication number: 20010052390
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for solid bonding without using a bonding agent are provided. A surface of metal, glass, or other bond members 16a and 16b is fluorinated by exposure to a mixture of HF gas from a HF gas supply unit 24 and water vapor from a vapor generator 26 in a fluorination process section 12. The bond members 16a and 16b are then placed in contact at the fluorinated surface on table 36 in bonding process section 14. Argon is then introduced to bonding chamber 34. Pressure is then applied to the first bond member 16a and second bond member 16b by a cylinder 46, and heated to below the melting point by a heater 48, to bond the first and second bond members together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2001
    Publication date: December 20, 2001
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Mori, Yasutsugu Aoki, Takuya Miyakawa
  • Publication number: 20010009176
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for solid bonding without using a bonding agent are provided. A surface of metal, glass, or other bond members 16a and 16b is fluorinated by exposure to a mixture of HF gas from a HF gas supply unit 24 and water vapor from a vapor generator 26 in a fluorination process section 12. The bond members 16a and 16b are then placed in contact at the fluorinated surface on table 36 in bonding process section 14. Argon is then introduced to bonding chamber 34. Pressure is then applied to the first bond member 16a and second bond member 16b by a cylinder 46, and heated to below the melting point by a heater 48, to bond the first and second bond members together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2001
    Publication date: July 26, 2001
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Mori, Yasutsugu Aoki, Takuya Miyakawa
  • Patent number: 6221197
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for solid bonding without using a bonding agent are provided. A surface of metal, glass, or other bond members 16a and 16b is fluorinated by exposure to a mixture of HF gas from a HF gas supply unit 24 and water vapor from a vapor generator 26 in a fluorination process section 12. The bond members 16a and 16b are then placed in contact at the fluorinated surface on table 36 in bonding process section 14. Argon is then introduced to bonding chamber 34. Pressure is then applied to the first bond member 16a and second bond member 16b by a cylinder 46, and heated to below the melting point by a heater 48, to bond the first and second bond members together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Mori, Yasutsugu Aoki, Takuya Miyakawa
  • Patent number: 5753886
    Abstract: A plasma treatment and apparatus which enables improved uniform plasma treatment over the entire surface of an object to be treated, improved yield, and higher treatment speed is provided. In a gas introduction passage, the gas capable of plasma discharge is preexcited to raise its level of excitation. A first pair of plasma generation electrodes downstream along the gas flow passage use the preexcited gas to generate a plasma in a first plasma generation position. Further downstream, a second pair of plasma generation electrodes positioned in a second plasma generation position, where the activated state of the gas activated in the first plasma region is maintained, activates the gas to generate a plasma containing activated gas species. The object to be treated is treated by the activated gas species in the second plasma region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyuki Iwamura, Yasutsugu Aoki