Patents Issued in March 28, 2017
  • Patent number: 9607779
    Abstract: An emergency button for a vehicle used for emergency rescue when a vehicle accident or an emergency situation occurs has a design structure reflecting a design to prevent an erroneous operation for conforming to governmental regulations, and an intuitive human-machine interface (HMI) to allow a user to easily operate the emergency button and prevent an erroneous operation from being generated. The emergency button includes a case; a cap coupled to an upper portion of the case so as to move up and down during rotation; and a button part which is interfered in a rotation direction and slidably coupled with the cap to be rotated together with the cap, receives elastic support by a spring at a lower side to be movable up and down, and is in contact with the switch for transmitting a call connection signal within the case to transmit a call connection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: June Ha Park
  • Patent number: 9607780
    Abstract: An electrical contactor for switching a load current having an AC waveform, has a fixed electrical contact, a movable electrical contact, an actuator arrangement having a drive coil drivable for opening and closing the movable and fixed electrical contacts, and a power supply having a controller for outputting truncated-waveform drive pulses to the electrical actuator arrangement, so as to prevent contact separation prior to peak load current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: JOHNSON ELECTRIC S.A.
    Inventor: Richard Anthony Connell
  • Patent number: 9607781
    Abstract: A tap changer for uninterrupted switching between winding taps of a tapped transformer has first and second load branches for each phase to be switched. Each load branch has a main vacuum switch and in parallel thereto a series connection of a switch-over resistance and a respective auxiliary vacuum switch. First and second vacuum switching tubes each contain the main vacuum switch of the respective first and second load branches and the auxiliary vacuum switch of the other of the load branches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Wolfgang Albrecht, Christian Hammer, Werner Hartmann, Silvio Kosse, Andreas Lawall, Roman Renz, Astrid Renz, Andreas Stelzer, Joerg Teichmann, Norbert Wenzel
  • Patent number: 9607782
    Abstract: An electronic housing is disclosed for switching devices, including a housing lower part and a housing upper part. In an embodiment, a guide is formed in the interface region between the housing upper part and the housing lower part such that the housing upper part can be slid onto the housing lower part in the X direction via the guide in a fully automatic process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Paul Fröhlich, Manuel Geitner, Wolfgang Holmer, Markus Meier, Bernhard Richter
  • Patent number: 9607783
    Abstract: A switch device structure includes at least one contact seat having a first end wall, a second end wall, two sidewalls, an upper section and a bottom section to together define a cavity for arranging a contact assembly. Each of the first and second end walls of the contact seat has a protruding assembling section and an oblique socket directed to the assembling section. The switch device structure includes a contact support equipped with a fixing board. The contact support is formed with latch sections detachably latched with the assembling sections. An operator can use a tool to directly pass through the oblique socket to unlatch the latch section from the assembling section to quickly install/uninstall the contact seat and the contact support. This solves the problem of the conventional switch device that it is troublesome and time-consuming to install/uninstall the contact seat and the contact support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignees: Switchlab Inc., Switchlab (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Yuan Wu, Wu Yi Tsai
  • Patent number: 9607784
    Abstract: Cradle-assist assemblies attached to the breaker cradle housing and/or base or residing at least partially in the breaker cradle housing and/or base include at least one actuator configured to laterally translate the at least one right and the at least one left lock members from the extended lock position to the retracted unlocked position in response to input from a user. The at least one actuator and/or transverse member(s) can be held in a defined position so that the lock members of the cradle can be locked in the respective retracted or extended positions until the cradle assist (internal) lock is manually or automatically released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: James Jeffery Benke, Koustubh Dnyandeo Ashtekar, Hongbin Wang
  • Patent number: 9607785
    Abstract: A circuit breaker can actuate to a closed condition and to an open condition. An assembly for the circuit breaker can include an obstacle that can be positioned to obstruct one form of actuation while permitting another form of actuation. The obstacle can be moved from the obstructing position to allow multiple forms of actuation. The obstacle may permit manual actuation of the circuit to an open state in any position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Osvaldo P. Morales, Michael P. Czamara
  • Patent number: 9607786
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electronic switch device that includes a front cover assembly having a user interface, a back body assembly, and a plurality of terminals configured to be coupled to an AC power source and the load. A circuit assembly is coupled to the plurality of terminals. The circuit assembly includes a relay switch having a commutator and a set of contacts. The relay switch is characterized by a predetermined commutator period, the predetermined commutator period being substantially the commutator travel time between the set of contacts during a relay switch actuation. The circuit assembly further includes an actuation circuit configured to provide a constant current actuation signal that energizes the relay switch in response to an input stimulus via the user interface such that an end of the predetermined commutator period substantially coincides with a predetermined point in an AC power cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: PASS & SEYMOUR, INC.
    Inventors: Joshua P. Haines, Richard M Rohmer, Gerald R. Savicki, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9607787
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a casing of a hazard detector includes a body portion and a button portion. The button portion is coupled with the body portion via a plurality of arms. The arms allow the button portion to be axially movable relative to the body portion and also couple the button portion with the body portion so that tabs that extend radially outward from the button portion are positioned under and contact an inwardly facing surface of the body portion. The arms bias the button portion axially outward relative to the body portion so as maintain contact between the tabs and the inwardly facing surface. In this configuration, when the button portion is pressed at a position off-axis from a central axis of the button portion, the button portion pivots about one or more contact points between one or more tabs and the inwardly facing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Mittleman, Mathias Schmidt, Fred Bould, Matthew L. Rogers, Anthony M. Fadell
  • Patent number: 9607788
    Abstract: An appliance switch provides contacts protected within a housing that may fit coaxially within and behind a pushbutton of the switch. The pushbutton includes a rearwardly extending arm that actuates an operator extending from a rear edge of the switch as installed avoiding a water path into the contact assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Michael K. Hintz, Jonathan H. Olson
  • Patent number: 9607789
    Abstract: A switch assembly and method of operation comprises a housing having top and bottom ends spaced about a longitudinal axis and a selectively movable knob coupled to a plunger arrangement having a shaft that extends from inside the housing to couple to the knob. The switch assembly also comprises a printed circuit board having at least one wiper for engaging a contact extending from the plunger arrangement. A step shaft projects from the shaft of the plunger arrangement such that when a maintained mode of operation is desired by the switch assembly, the step shaft engages a retaining assembly formed by a portion of the housing, and when a momentary mode of operation is desired by the switch assembly the step shaft is positioned such that is free from engaging the retaining assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Delta Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Sorin Hodea
  • Patent number: 9607790
    Abstract: An operating device with a number of actuating elements, such as switches and/or pushbuttons, arranged next to one another and/or one below the other is provided. The actuating elements are delimited, at least in part, by at least one frame element. The frame element is provided, at least in some regions, with surface sections that are shaped such that they can be detected haptically. One actuating element is respectively assigned to at least a part of the haptically detectable surface sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Kellerer, Josef Ritzer
  • Patent number: 9607791
    Abstract: An operating device and an electronic device using the same are provided. The operating device includes a base, an electronic circuit board, a lever and a slider. The base includes a bearer. The electronic circuit board is disposed on the base. The lever is disposed on the electronic circuit board. The slider is movably disposed on the sliding portion for triggering the lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: ABILITY ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chi-Wen Chou, Chien-Wei Chiang, Wei-Chun Lin
  • Patent number: 9607792
    Abstract: A knob assembly includes a repositionable knob having an interior framework and a light-transmissive indicia, at least one light source for projecting light into the knob to back-illuminate the indicia, a position sensor for providing an output dependent on the position of the knob, and a controller receiving the output from the sensor and controlling the intensity of the at least one light source to compensate for any light blocked by the interior framework, and maintain a substantially uniform illumination of the light-transmissive indicia so that it is viewable from the exterior of the knob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew P. Ebrom, Neomar Giacomini, Eric J. Schuh, Miguel F. Thimann
  • Patent number: 9607793
    Abstract: A switch includes a fixed contact part including a fixed contact, a movable contact part including a movable contact, a control button, an operation part including a first end and a second end, and a lock. When the first end is pressed, the control button is pressed by the operation part, the movable contact touches the fixed contact, and the switch becomes an ON state. While the movable contact and the fixed contact are in contact with each other, a first protrusion of the lock touches an engaging part of the control button to limit movement of the control button and maintain the ON state. When the second end is pressed, the operation part touches a second protrusion of the lock and moves the lock in such a direction that the first protrusion moves away from the engaging part, and the switch becomes the OFF state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignees: FUJITSU COMPONENT LIMITED, NTT FACILITIES, INC.
    Inventors: SeungSeok Beak, Koichi Kiryu, Takashi Yuba, Masatoshi Noritake, Keiichi Hirose
  • Patent number: 9607794
    Abstract: A molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) includes a case, an interrupter assembly, an exhaust guide part, an exhaust cover, a sealing groove and a sealing projection. The interrupter assembly is mounted inside the case, and has an arc gas exhaust port to exhaust an arc gas generated inside the case. The exhaust guide part is disposed between the interrupter assembly and the terminal part, and has an exhaust chamber therein to provide an arc gas passage between the arc gas exhaust port and a vent chute of the terminal part. The exhaust cover is mounted to the case in a structure covering the exhaust guide part, to seal the arc gas passage. The sealing groove is formed in an inner surface of the exhaust cover. The sealing projection is formed on the arc gas exhaust port of the interrupter assembly, to be inserted and coupled into the sealing groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Bong Yun Jang
  • Patent number: 9607795
    Abstract: A complex protection device for blocking an abnormal state of current and voltage is disclosed. In the complex protection device, a resistive element is configured in the form of a structure and thus the resistive element has enhanced durability and surface mounting technology suitable for automation may be utilized, and a plurality of resistive elements is configured in various resistances and sizes to be optimally designed for product characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SMART ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jong il Jung, Doo Won Kang, Gyu Jin Ahn, Sang Joon Jin, Hyun Chang Kim, Kyung Mi Lee, Eun Min Kim, Tae Hun Kang, Kwang Hoon Lee, Sang Min Ahn
  • Patent number: 9607796
    Abstract: An electromagnetic structure comprising permanent magnets comprises an outer yoke (a6), a first permanent magnet group (a3, a5), an inner yoke (a8), an armature (a1), and a second permanent magnet group (a2, a4). The outer yoke is in a hollow cylinder shape. The first permanent magnet group comprises multiple permanent magnets arrayed in a round shape, the multiple permanent magnets are connected to the outer yoke, and a magnetizing direction of each permanent magnet is along an axial direction. The inner yoke comprises an inner yoke upper base, an inner yoke sidewall, and an inner yoke lower base. The inner yoke upper base and the inner yoke lower base are separately extended outwards and horizontally from an upper end and a lower end of the inner yoke sidewall to form a circular ring. The armature comprises an armature upper base, an armature lower base, and an armature barrel body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: HARBIN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Huimin Liang, Yong Xie, Jiaxin You, Guoqiang Xie
  • Patent number: 9607797
    Abstract: A circuit breaker includes a trip mechanism having reduced trip movement and an integrated signal flag. The trip mechanism includes a spring-biased trip lever and a latching member for keeping the trip lever in an on or latched position. Upon occurrence of an abnormal current condition, the latching member is moved away from the trip lever to trip the trip mechanism. The latching member also has a catch mechanism designed to catch the trip lever after it is released, thereby halting further progress of both the trip lever and the latching member. As a result, less space is needed within the circuit breaker for trip movement compared to existing solutions. Moreover, the location of the catch mechanism on the latching member is selected such that the halting of the latching member places the integrated signal flag in an optimal viewing position within a viewing window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerardo Rodriguez Najera, Daniel Reynoso Ortiz, Juan Ignacio Melecio Ramirez, Efrain Gutierrez Villanueva, Vicente Noguez Salazar
  • Patent number: 9607798
    Abstract: A fuse unit includes: a bus bar including a plurality of fusible parts interposed between a power supply side terminal and a plurality of load side terminals; and an insulating resin portion formed by insert molding using the bus bar as an insert component. The insulating resin portion includes: first and second resin portions respectively arranged at peripheries on the sides of the power supply side terminal and the load side terminals with respect to the fusible parts; and a plurality of coupling portions coupling the first resin portion and the second resin portion in a position outside each of the fusible parts. Each of the coupling portions is formed such that a reinforcement portion having a lower heat shrinkage rate than the insulating resin portion and having a higher strength than the insulating resin portion is an insert component. The reinforcement portion is provided using the bus bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinya Onoda, Yoshinori Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 9607799
    Abstract: A fuse may include a housing having a cavity. The fuse may also include a fuse element disposed within the cavity; a plurality of terminals extending out of the housing and electrically connected to the fuse element; and porous material disposed in the cavity adjacent to the fuse element, the porous material having a plurality of pores, the porous material further comprising an open pore structure wherein at least some of the pores are disposed on an outer surface of the porous material facing the fuse element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Littelfuse, Inc.
    Inventors: Florian Schmidt, Michael Hofmann, Pascal Jung
  • Patent number: 9607800
    Abstract: An electron impact ion beam source is provided with a pressure chamber to confine a specific high pressure area within excited gas to a small enough volume that the source can be operated at relatively high pressure and still achieve substantial brightness of the extracted ion beam. In particular, the area is configured such that the overall linear dimension along the beam path is less than the mean free path of the ions and the electrons within the chamber. If pressure is increased, the linear dimension must be correspondingly decreased to maximized brightness. By keeping linear dimensions sufficiently small, both incident electrons and extracted ions are enabled to transit the source region without significant energy loss. The new source design allows operation at pressures at least an order of magnitude higher than other known ion sources and thus produces an order of magnitude higher brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Nonsequitur Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter E. Loeffler
  • Patent number: 9607801
    Abstract: A structure and associated process for joining dissimilar materials to form various components of an x-ray tube is illustrated that utilizes one or more intermediate or interfacial filler material members positioned between the primary welding or mating surfaces of the base material components to be joined. The use of the interfacial or intermediate filler material preserves the multiple benefits of friction welding, as well as enabling the joining of highly dissimilar material components, decreasing the required joining temperature, and providing increased microstructural control of the resulting weld or joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ben David Poquette, Michael Scott Hebert, Kirk Alan Rogers, Michael Louis Szugye, Gregory Alan Steinlage, Donald Robert Allen
  • Patent number: 9607802
    Abstract: One embodiment relates to an apparatus for aberration correction in an electron beam lithography system. An inner electrode surrounds a pattern generating device, and there is at least one outer electrode around the inner electrode. Each of the inner and outer electrodes has a planar surface in a plane of the pattern generating device. Circuitry is configured to apply an inner voltage level to the inner electrode and at least one outer voltage level to the at least one outer electrode. The voltage levels may be set to correct a curvature of field in the electron beam lithography system. Another embodiment relates to an apparatus for aberration correction used in an electron based system, such as an electron beam inspection, or review, or metrology system. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher F. Bevis
  • Patent number: 9607803
    Abstract: An ion implantation system has a process chamber having a process environment, and an ion implantation apparatus configured to implant ions into a workpiece supported by a chuck within the process chamber. A load lock chamber isolates the process (vacuum) environment from an atmospheric environment, wherein a load lock workpiece support supports the workpiece therein. An isolation chamber is coupled to the process chamber with a pre-implant cooling environment defined therein. An isolation gate valve selectively isolates the pre-implant cooling environment from the process environment wherein the isolation chamber comprises a pre-implant cooling workpiece support for supporting and cooling the workpiece. The isolation gate valve is the only access path for the workpiece to enter and exit the isolation chamber. A pressurized gas selectively pressurizes the pre-implant cooling environment to a pre-implant cooling pressure that is greater than the process pressure for expeditious cooling of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Armin Huseinovic, Joseph Ferrara, Brian Terry
  • Patent number: 9607804
    Abstract: Embodiments are further directed to an information processing system for generating a corrected image of a sample. The system includes a detector, a memory communicatively coupled to the detector, and a post-detection image processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the detector. The system is configured to perform a method that includes detecting, by the detector, data of a plurality of moving particles, wherein the data of the plurality of moving particles correspond to an uncorrected image of the sample, and wherein the uncorrected image includes defocus, astigmatism and spherical aberration. The method further includes generating, by the post-detection image processor, a corrected image of the sample based at least in part on processing the detected data of the plurality of moving particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Rudolf M. Tromp
  • Patent number: 9607805
    Abstract: One modified source-conversion unit and one method to reduce the Coulomb Effect in a multi-beam apparatus are proposed. In the modified source-conversion unit, the aberration-compensation function is carried out after the image-forming function has changed each beamlet to be on-axis locally, and therefore avoids undesired aberrations due to the beamlet tilting/shifting. A Coulomb-effect-reduction means with plural Coulomb-effect-reduction openings is placed close to the single electron source of the apparatus and therefore the electrons not in use can be cut off as early as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION INC.
    Inventors: Xuedong Liu, Weiming Ren, Shuai Li, Zhongwei Chen
  • Patent number: 9607806
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for manipulation of one or more charged particle beams of a plurality of charged particle beamlets in a charged particle multi-beamlet apparatus. The manipulator device comprises a planar substrate comprising an array of through openings in the plane of the substrate, each of these through openings is arranged for passing the at least one charged particle beamlet there through, wherein each of the through openings is provided with one or more electrodes arranged around the through opening, and a electronic control circuit for providing control signals to the one or more electrodes of each through opening, wherein the electronic control circuit is arranged for providing the one or more electrodes of each individual through opening with an at least substantially analog adjustable voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: MAPPER LITHOGRAPHY IP B.V.
    Inventors: Aernout Christiaan Zonnevylle, Pieter Kruit
  • Patent number: 9607807
    Abstract: There is provided a charged particle beam exposure apparatus which turns an array beam including a plurality of charged particle beams, being arranged side by side in a line in a direction intersecting line patterns, on and off at predetermined blanking timing, and thus performs irradiation when irradiated positions of the charged particle beams arrive at pattern positions. The charged particle beam exposure apparatus improves data processing control by segmenting a sample provided with line patterns into a plurality of exposure ranges each at a predetermined length in a direction of movement, and performing on-off control of the beams based on a point of time when the array beam passes on a reference position set in the exposure region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Advantest Corp.
    Inventors: Akio Yamada, Tatsuro Okawa, Masahiro Seyama, Masaki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 9607808
    Abstract: A method of electron-beam lithography by direct writing solves the reliability of design of etched components through rounding of the corners of contiguous patterns, notably in patterns to be etched of critical dimension of the order of 35 nm. The method determines critical patterns, and correction patterns by subtracting patterns of corrections of dimensions and of locations as a function of rounding of external or internal corners to be corrected and etching of the corrected design. The corrections may be by a correction model taking account of the parameters of the critical patterns. A correction of the proximity effects specific to these methods is also performed, by resizing of edges of blocks to be etched in combination optimized by the energy latitude with a modulation of the radiated doses. A rescaling and negation functions and eRIF functions may be used to optimize the parameters and the realization of the extrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique ET AUX Energies Alternatives
    Inventor: Serdar Manakli
  • Patent number: 9607809
    Abstract: A plasma reactor includes an enclosure having a top and a bottom and defining a processing chamber. Inlets are formed in the enclosure for injecting process gas into the chamber. An outlet is formed in the enclosure for withdrawing gas from the chamber. A platform is positioned to support a wafer in the chamber above the bottom. A plurality of coils is positioned above the top of the chamber. Each coil is coupled to a radio frequency generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi-Ching Lo, Po-Hsiung Leu, Tzu-Chun Lin, Ding-I Liu, Jen-Chi Chang, Ho-Ta Chuang
  • Patent number: 9607810
    Abstract: Systems and methods for impedance-based adjustment of power and frequency are described. A system includes a plasma chamber for containing plasma. The plasma chamber includes an electrode. The system includes a driver and amplifier coupled to the plasma chamber for providing a radio frequency (RF) signal to the electrode. The driver and amplifier is coupled to the plasma chamber via a transmission line. The system further includes a selector coupled to the driver and amplifier, a first auto frequency control (AFC) coupled to the selector, and a second AFC coupled to the selector. The selector is configured to select the first AFC or the second AFC based on values of current and voltage sensed on the transmission line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Valcore, Jr., Bradford J. Lyndaker
  • Patent number: 9607811
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of processing a workpiece including a mask. The processing method includes: a first process of generating plasma of a first gas containing a silicon halide gas in a processing container of a plasma processing apparatus that accommodates a workpiece having a mask, to form a reactive precursor; a second process of purging a space in the processing container; a third process of generating plasma of a second gas containing oxygen gas in the processing container to form a silicon oxide film; and a fourth process of purging the space in the processing container. In the processing method, a sequence including the first to fourth processes is repeated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihide Kihara, Toru Hisamatsu, Masanobu Honda
  • Patent number: 9607812
    Abstract: Provided is a sputtering target which contains Na in high concentration and, despite this, is inhibited from discoloration, generating spots, and causing abnormal electrical discharge and which has high strength and rarely breaks. Also provided is a method for producing the sputtering target. The sputtering target has a component composition that contains 10 to 40 at % of Ga and 1.0 to 15 at % of Na as metal element components other than F, S, and Se, with the remainder composed of Cu and unavoidable impurities, wherein the Na is contained in the form of at least one Na compound selected from sodium fluoride, sodium sulfide, and sodium selenide. The sputtering target has a theoretical density ratio of 90% or higher, a flexural strength of 100 N/mm2 or higher, and a bulk resistivity of 1 m?·cm or less. The number of 0.05 mm2 or larger aggregates of the at least one of sodium fluoride, sodium sulfide, and sodium selenide present per cm2 area of the target surface is 1 or less on average.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shoubin Zhang, Keita Umemoto, Masahiro Shoji
  • Patent number: 9607813
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic field generation apparatus including: two or more main magnetic pole portions configured to generate a main magnetic field; one or more secondary magnetic pole portions including a plurality of first divisional magnets obtained by a division, that generate a secondary magnetic field for adjusting the generated main magnetic field; and a yoke portion including one or more first yokes opposing the plurality of first divisional magnets in correspondence with the one or more secondary magnetic pole portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Sasaki, Atsuhiro Abe, Ryoichi Hiratsuka
  • Patent number: 9607814
    Abstract: In a photodetection unit 100 according to one aspect of the present invention, a photomultiplier 1 and a voltage divider board 132 are electrically connected to each other through a flexible wiring board 120, whereby the photomultiplier 1 can freely set its orientation and achieve a high degree of freedom of installation. In addition, in a voltage divider 130, an insulating resin 136 within a resin case 134 covers around the voltage divider board 132, thereby improving a voltage withstand performance of the voltage divider board 132. This eases restrictions on conditions under which the voltage divider board 132 is installed, whereby the degree of freedom of installation of the photodetection unit 100 is further improved as a whole, which makes it applicable to wider uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventor: Takanori Kurouzu
  • Patent number: 9607815
    Abstract: Improved thermionic energy converters are provided by electrodes that include a silicon carbide support structure, a tungsten adhesion layer disposed on the silicon carbide support structure, and an activation layer disposed on the tungsten adhesion layer. The activation layer is a material that lowers the electrode work function, such as BaO, SrO and/or CaO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Jae Hyung Lee, Igor Bargatin, Bernard Vancil, Roger T. Howe
  • Patent number: 9607816
    Abstract: A method of ion mapping is disclosed comprising depositing a sample onto a target surface and separating the sample on the target surface according to a first physico-chemical property in a first dimension and according to a second physico-chemical property in a second dimension. The method further comprises ionizing and mass analyzing multiple separate regions of the sample so as to generate an ion map of at least a portion of the sample deposited upon the target surface. The sample is deposited onto and separated on the target surface by mechanical, hydrodynamic and/or aerodynamic means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Micromass UK Limited
    Inventors: Stevan Bajic, Paul Robert Murray, Mark William Towers
  • Patent number: 9607817
    Abstract: A system for analyzing a sample includes a source configured to generate ions from constituent components of the sample; a mobility separation device, a plurality of ion channels, and a mass analyzer configured to determine the mass-to-charge ratio of the ions. The mobility device is configured to separate ions received from the source based on the mobility in a gas. The mobility separation device provides a gas flow in a first direction and an electric field gradient along a second direction such that ions move in the first direction and drift according to their mobility in the second direction and are sorted based on their respective mobility. The ion channels are arranged adjacent to the mobility separation device such that ions from the mobility separation device are directed to different channels according to their respective mobility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Thermo Finnigan LLC
    Inventor: Mikhail V Ugarov
  • Patent number: 9607818
    Abstract: A multimode ionization device includes an electrospray unit, a charge generating unit, and a plasma supplying unit. The electrospray unit is configured to form an electrospray plume which travels along a traveling path. The charge generating unit is configured to permit a liquid electrospray medium to leave the electrospray unit as the electrospray plume. The plasma supplying unit can generate and guide a plasma plume to mix with the electrospray plume so as to obtain a plume combination in a confluent zone, and is oriented to permit at least one of analytes carried in the plume combination to travel to the receiving unit along a linearly-extending end zone of the traveling path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: National Sun Yat-Sen University
    Inventor: Jentaie Shiea
  • Patent number: 9607819
    Abstract: A non-radioactive plasma ion source device includes at least four planar electrodes that define at least three chambers, including a discharger chamber and at least two additional chambers aligned along a major longitudinal axis of the housing. A discharger ionizes at least one of a transport gas and a discharge gas to form ions in the discharger chamber that are directed by a homogeneous electric field generated by the planar electrodes toward an analyte gas outlet. Ionized species of at least one of the transport gas and the discharge gas that are not entrained by a counterflow gas stream are discharged from the discharger chamber to form a stream of ionized particles that ionize a sample gas and thereby form a stream of ionized analyte particles of the same polarity. The ionized analyte particles are entrained with the stream of ionized particles and pass through an analyte gas outlet to an analyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc.
    Inventors: Erkinjon G. Nazarov, Spiros Z. Manolakos, Francy L. Sinatra, Timothy A. Postlethwaite, Kenneth A. Markoski, Clayton J. Morris, II
  • Patent number: 9607820
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer includes an ion mobility spectrometer or separator arranged upstream of a collision or fragmentation cell. Ions are separated according to their ion mobility within the ion mobility spectrometer or separator. The kinetic energy of the ions exiting the ion mobility spectrometer or separator is increased substantially linearly with time in order to optimize the fragmentation energy of ions as they enter the collision or fragmentation cell. During the time that the potential of the ion mobility spectrometer or separator is being varied, the potential of ion-optical components upstream of the ion mobility spectrometer or separator such as an ion source, ion guide, quadrupole mass filter, optional second collision or fragmentation cell and an ion trapping device are kept constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Micromass UK Limited
    Inventors: Robert Harold Bateman, Kevin Giles, Steven Derek Pringle, Jason Lee Wildgoose
  • Patent number: 9607821
    Abstract: There is herein described a lamp having a light-transmissive envelope, a tungsten-halogen capsule and a coating disposed on the surface of the light-transmissive envelope or doped in the light-transmissive material. The light-transmissive envelope may comprise a light-transmissive material. The tungsten-halogen capsule can be positioned inside the light-transmissive envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Levin, Ronald Blose, Richard Comtois
  • Patent number: 9607822
    Abstract: Certain embodiments herein relate to methods and apparatus for processing a partially fabricated semiconductor substrate in a remote plasma environment. The methods may be performed in the context of wafer level packaging (WLP) processes. The methods may include exposing the substrate to a reducing plasma to remove photoresist scum and/or oxidation from an underlying seed layer. In some cases, photoresist scum is removed through a series of plasma treatments involving exposure to an oxygen-containing plasma followed by exposure to a reducing plasma. In some embodiments, an oxygen-containing plasma is further used to strip photoresist from a substrate surface after electroplating. This plasma strip may be followed by a plasma treatment involving exposure to a reducing plasma. The plasma treatments herein may involve exposure to a remote plasma within a plasma treatment module of a multi-tool electroplating apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Bryan L. Buckalew, Mark L. Rea
  • Patent number: 9607823
    Abstract: The method includes the steps of: a) providing a stack including, successively, a substrate, a silicide layer formed on the substrate, and a silicon nitride layer covering at least the silicide layer, b) etching predefined regions of the silicon nitride layer in such a way as to expose at least areas of the silicide layer intended to form the electrical contacts, and c) depositing a protective layer on at least the areas of the silicide layer exposed in step b), the method not including a step of exposing the stack to moisture between step b) and step c), in particular moisture from the ambient air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT À L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventor: Nicolas Posseme
  • Patent number: 9607824
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a support substrate, an insulating layer provided on the support substrate, and a semiconductor element provided on the insulating layer. The insulating layer has a lower insulating layer consisting of amorphous boron nitride, and an upper insulating layer provided on the lower insulating layer and including amorphous boron nitride and an hexagonal system boron nitride (h-BN) particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazufumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9607825
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide hydrogen-free dielectric films and methods of fabrication. A hydrogen-free precursor, such as tetraisocyanatosilane, and hydrogen-free reactants, such as nitrogen, oxygen (O2/O3) and nitrous oxide are used with chemical vapor deposition processes (PECVD, thermal CVD, SACVD, HDP CVD, and PE and Thermal ALD) to create hydrogen-free dielectric films. In some embodiments, there are multilayer dielectric films with sublayers of various materials such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride. In embodiments, the hydrogen-free reactants may include Tetra Isocyanato Silane, along with a hydrogen-free gas including, but not limited to, N2, O2, O3, N2O, CO2, CO and a combination thereof of these H-Free gases. Plasma may be used to enhance the reaction between the TICS and the other H-free gasses. The plasma may be controlled during film deposition to achieve variable density within each sublayer of the films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Donald Francis Canaperi, Alfred Grill, Sanjay C. Mehta, Son Van Nguyen, Deepika Priyadarshini, Hosadurga Shobha, Matthew T. Shoudy
  • Patent number: 9607826
    Abstract: Semiconductor device manufacturing methods and methods of forming insulating material layers are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of forming a composite insulating material layer of a semiconductor device includes providing a workpiece and forming a first sub-layer of the insulating material layer over the workpiece using a first plasma power level. A second sub-layer of the insulating material layer is formed over the first sub-layer of the insulating material layer using a second plasma power level, and the workpiece is annealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Gin-Chen Huang, Tsai-Fu Hsiao, Ching-Hong Jiang, Neng-Kuo Chen, Hongfa Luan, Sey-Ping Sun, Clement Hsingjen Wann
  • Patent number: 9607827
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including supplying a first precursor containing a specific element and a halogen group to form a first layer and supplying a second precursor containing the specific element and an amino group to modify the first layer into a second layer. A temperature of the substrate is set such that a ligand containing the amino group is separated from the specific element in the second precursor, the separated ligand reacts with the halogen group in the first layer to remove the halogen group from the first layer, the separated ligand is prevented from being bonded to the specific element in the first layer, and the specific element from which the ligand is separated in the second precursor is bonded to the specific element in the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Yoshiro Hirose, Atsushi Sano, Katsuyoshi Harada
  • Patent number: 9607828
    Abstract: A method of depositing a silicon-containing film using a film deposition apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a turntable provided in a process chamber. In the method, a seed layer is formed on a surface of the substrate by supplying an aminosilane gas from the first process gas supplying unit for a predetermined period of time while rotating the turntable. A boron-containing gas is supplied from the first gas supplying unit to the surface of the substrate while rotating the turntable after finishing the step of forming the seed layer on the surface of the substrate. A silane-based gas is supplied from the second process gas supplying unit to the surface of the substrate while rotating the turntable and causing silicon atoms contained in the silane-based gas to bond with each other on the surface of the substrate by a catalytic action of the boron-containing gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Jun Sato, Shigehiro Miura