Patents by Inventor Yoshitake Kobayashi

Yoshitake Kobayashi 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: 11565889
    Abstract: A feeder that feeds objects to be picked up by a robot, includes an object container unit having a first planar portion including a first planar surface in which the objects are thrown, and a groove portion including a plurality of grooves extending in a first direction from the first planar portion as seen from a normal direction in which a normal of the first planar surface extends, and a vibrator unit that applies vibration to the object container unit, wherein the vibrator unit has a first vibration mode in which the objects are moved in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toyotaro Kinoshita, Hirohisa Umeda, Yuki Yahiro, Yoshitake Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20200377307
    Abstract: A feeder that feeds objects to be picked up by a robot, includes an object container unit having a first planar portion including a first planar surface in which the objects are thrown, and a groove portion including a plurality of grooves extending in a first direction from the first planar portion as seen from a normal direction in which a normal of the first planar surface extends, and a vibrator unit that applies vibration to the object container unit, wherein the vibrator unit has a first vibration mode in which the objects are moved in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Toyotaro KINOSHITA, Hirohisa UMEDA, Yuki YAHIRO, Yoshitake KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 9022519
    Abstract: A printing device includes a camera position control mechanism configured and arranged to control a position of the camera to switch between a first state in which the alignment mark is photographed from a side of the first face, and a second state in which the alignment mark is photographed from a side of the second face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Umetsu, Yoshitake Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20140232774
    Abstract: A printing device includes a camera position control mechanism configured and arranged to control a position of the camera to switch between a first state in which the alignment mark is photographed from a side of the first face, and a second state in which the alignment mark is photographed from a side of the second face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi UMETSU, Yoshitake KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8740340
    Abstract: A printing device includes a camera position control mechanism is configured to control a position of a camera to switch between a first state, a second state, and a third state for photographing an alignment mark furnished on a substrate or a landing face for a liquid on a liquid landing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Umetsu, Yoshitake Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20120229534
    Abstract: A printing device includes a camera position control mechanism is configured to control a position of a camera to switch between a first state, a second state, and a third state for photographing an alignment mark furnished on a substrate or a landing face for a liquid on a liquid landing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi UMETSU, Yoshitake KOBAYASHI
  • 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: 7261746
    Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus is provided comprising: inter-process carrying means for carrying a container between the process modules in a container unit, the container being capable of storing a plurality of intermediate products therein; intra-process carrying means for removing the intermediate products from the container and carrying the intermediate products within each process module in a single product state; and a plurality of processing means for performing the plurality of processes, respectively, within each process module, wherein the plurality of processing means are arranged substantially in the carrying direction of the intermediate products in accordance with the order of processes to be performed on the intermediate products, without arranging a plurality of processing means for performing the same kinds of processes on the intermediate products in a group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shuji Tanaka, 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
  • Patent number: 7108121
    Abstract: An intermediate product transferring apparatus is provided for transferring an intermediate product W between a single-wafer carrying line for carrying the intermediate product W in a single-wafer manner and a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the intermediate product W includes a transferring robot for transferring the intermediate product W between the single-wafer carrying line and the manufacturing apparatus; and a buffer for temporarily storing the intermediate product W which is transferred from the single-wafer carrying line by the transferring robot or the intermediate product W which is processed by the manufacturing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Fujimura, Shuji Tanaka, Yoshitake Kobayashi
  • 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
  • Patent number: 6879884
    Abstract: To provide an energy evaluation support system and the like which can more efficiently and precisely compute electric power consumption for each of predetermined processing units such as production steps and the like, the energy evaluation support system includes a receiving section which receives a factory design request including a production condition instruction indicating a production condition from the user, a storage section which stores a production device database containing data relating to production devices and a requisite-power supply device database containing data relating to requisite-power supply devices, a processing section which computes energy consumption for each of the production devices and the requisite-power supply devices and for each requisite power type, based on the production device database and requisite-power supply device database according to the factory design request from the user, and an output section which presents the energy consumption computed by the processing secti
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Miyashita, Yoshitake Kobayashi, Junichi Takeuchi
  • 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: 20040247417
    Abstract: An intermediate product transferring apparatus is provided for transferring an intermediate product W between a single-wafer carrying line for carrying the intermediate product W in a single-wafer manner and a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the intermediate product W includes a transferring robot for transferring the intermediate product W between the single-wafer carrying line and the manufacturing apparatus; and a buffer for temporarily storing the intermediate product W which is transferred from the single-wafer carrying line by the transferring robot or the intermediate product W which is processed by the manufacturing apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Hisashi Fujimura, Shuji Tanaka, Yoshitake Kobayashi
  • 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: 20040237270
    Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus is provided comprising: inter-process carrying means for carrying a container between the process modules in a container unit, the container being capable of storing a plurality of intermediate products therein; intra-process carrying means for removing the intermediate products from the container and carrying the intermediate products within each process module in a single product state; and a plurality of processing means for performing the plurality of processes, respectively, within each process module, wherein the plurality of processing means are arranged substantially in the carrying direction of the intermediate products in accordance with the order of processes to be performed on the intermediate products, without arranging a plurality of processing means for performing the same kinds of processes on the intermediate products in a group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: Shuji Tanaka, Yoshitake Kobayashi, Hisashi Fujimura