Moving Projector Patents (Class 118/321)
  • Patent number: 8381676
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling coating material deposition on to a medical device. Images of material drops in flight are captured and an average single drop volume value is calculated by conversion of the captured drop images to a volume measurement. The average single drop volume value is used to calculate a total number of drops necessary to apply a desired amount of coating. Alternately, material is applied and the amount of material deposited is accumulated and adjustments are made to deposit only a desired amount of coating material. A drop volume is determined for either every drop or a sampling of drops as the drops are being applied. Adjustments to the coating process include changing drop size and changing a number of drops to be deposited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Eyal Teichman, Avner Schrift
  • Patent number: 8356571
    Abstract: An applicator is disclosed for applying a coating agent, such as a sealant, to a component, such as a flanged seam of a motor vehicle body component. The applicator includes a nozzle for delivering the coating agent on to the component and a carrier. The carrier may be guided by a multiple-axis robot in operation, with a joint located kinematically between the carrier and the nozzle, thereby permitting the nozzle to move to avoid contact with a component being coated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Dürr Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Rademacher, Almir Smajilovic
  • Patent number: 8336484
    Abstract: A gluing mechanism comprising a platform, a plurality of turn tables set on the platform for workpieces, a motor for driving the turn tables and a gluing device firmly set up on the platform. The gluing device comprises a forward assembly, an elevator, a panning assembly and a plurality of glue applicators. The forward assembly is set on the platform and moves along a shorter side of the platform. The elevator is set on the forward assembly and moves relative to the platform vertically. The panning assembly is set on the elevator and moves along a longer side of the platform. The glue applicators are installed on the panning assembly. The motor drives the turn tables simultaneously. The gluing mechanism of the present invention has benefits of simple structure, a high working efficiency and proceeds a precise rotary gluing process to workpieces. Therefore, an excellent gluing quality can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Cheng UEI Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Pei-cheng Wu, Feng-chi Lee, Kuo-chuan Chiu, Chia-hsin Liao
  • Patent number: 8336483
    Abstract: A system for glazing a sash is disclosed. The system comprises at least two position assemblies, a back bedding glazing compound applicator assembly, and a stabilizer assembly. The position assemblies each include a position member defining a distal end and a housing. Each position member is selectively slidable between a stored position and an extended position; wherein the distal end of the positioner member is extend outwardly from the housing and contacts a glazing leg of the sash when the positioner member is moved into the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Sika Technology AG
    Inventor: William B. Davis
  • Patent number: 8322300
    Abstract: A non-contact edge coating apparatus includes an applicator for applying a coating material on an edge of a solar cell substrate and a control system configured to drive the applicator. The control system may drive the applicator along an axis to maintain a distance with an edge of the substrate as the substrate is rotated to have the edge coated with a coating material. The applicator may include a recessed portion into which the edge of the substrate is received for edge coating. For example, the applicator may be a roller with a groove. Coating material may be introduced into the groove for application onto the edge of the substrate. A variety of coating materials may be employed with the apparatus including hot melt ink and UV curable plating resist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Luca Pavani, Emmanuel Abas
  • Patent number: 8312833
    Abstract: A pneumatic nozzle for roller coating is revealed. A workpiece to be coated is fixed on a rotating power source of a machine. A high-pressure pneumatic nozzle and a material supply nozzle, both corresponding to the workpiece, are arranged at the machine. The workpiece is driven to rotate by the rotating power source while the material supply nozzle applies coating material to the workpiece and the high-pressure pneumatic nozzle releases high pressure gas. The coating material attached on the surface of the workpiece is pushed by the high pressure gas and spread uniformly on the workpiece by rotating workpiece. Thereby the material is coated smoothly in a non-contact way and the thickness of the coating material is controlled in micron scale. This helps following manufacturing of three-dimensional microstructures on rolls for producing roll dies and increases the practical value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Southern Taiwan University of Technology
    Inventors: Cheng-Hsin Chuang, Hsing-Sheng Wu, Deng-Maw Lu
  • Patent number: 8313803
    Abstract: Spin coating method for a recording medium having a hole in the center, including moving a tip of a feeding nozzle to an initial position at a distance X above a recording surface and a distance A radially apart from a periphery of the hole, feeding a coating liquid onto the recording surface for a predetermined period of time while rotating the recording medium at a predetermined speed, and moving the tip from the initial position along a radial direction towards an outer periphery of the recording medium while keeping the tip above the recording surface at the distance X. X satisfies X?2 [3 r ?/(2 g C)]1/3, where ? and C respectively are surface tension and density of the coating liquid, r is the outer radius of the feeding nozzle, and g is the acceleration of gravity. A satisfies A?r+X/3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Uchida
  • Patent number: 8192800
    Abstract: An application robot, specifically a painting robot, for coating workpieces with a coating medium and an appropriate operating method. The painting robot has multiple movable axes and a spatially positionable end effector. Multiple application devices are attached to the end effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Durr Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Einar Endregaard, Frank Herre
  • Patent number: 8166913
    Abstract: In the present invention, a substrate is first rotated at a first rotation speed, and a resist solution is applied to the rotated substrate. Subsequently, the rotation of the substrate is decelerated to a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed so that the substrate is rotated at the low speed to smooth the resist solution on the substrate. The rotation of the substrate is then accelerated to a third rotation speed higher than the second rotation speed, and a solvent for the coating solution and/or a dry gas are/is supplied to the resist solution on the substrate. In this event, the solvent gas is supplied to a portion of the resist solution on the substrate thicker than a set thickness, and the dry gas is supplied to a portion of the coating solution on the substrate thinner than the set thickness. This thins the thicker portion of the resist solution and thickens the thinner portion to uniform the resist solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Takashi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8148209
    Abstract: A resin ejection nozzle is scanned over a substrate on which an electronic part is mounted, and ejects an encapsulation resin to an encapsulation area of the substrate. The resin ejection nozzle comprises an ejection part adapted to eject the encapsulation resin, the ejection part having a longitudinal direction which is perpendicular to a direction of movement of the nozzle. An ejection hole part is adapted to cause the encapsulation resin to contact a substantially half area of a side of the electronic part which lies at right angles to the direction of movement of the nozzle. A remaining portion of the side of the electronic part is gradually contacted by the encapsulation resin after the substantially half area of the side of the electronic part is contacted by the encapsulation resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiichi Morishita
  • Publication number: 20120034376
    Abstract: An apparatus which can thinly and uniformly apply a highly viscous lubricant on the threaded portion of a threaded joint for pipes comprises a steel pipe support unit which supports a steel pipe P having a pin while rotating the pipe, a lubricant circulation system in which a lubricant having its viscosity adjusted so as to be sprayable is circulated, a metering unit having a metering pump capable of metering the lubricant, a lubricant spraying unit having spray guns for spraying lubricant through nozzles toward the pin, a spray gun support unit which supports the spray guns so as to be movable in the axial and/or radial directions of the steel pipe P; and a controlling unit which controls the rotational speed of the steel pipe P by the steel pipe support unit and the speeds of movement of the spray guns by the spray gun support unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicants: VALLOUREC MANNESMANN OIL & GAS FRANCE, SUMITOMO METAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takumi NAKAMURA, Kenta SAKAI, Jun MASUBUCHI, Yusuke HIRAISHI
  • Publication number: 20120025145
    Abstract: A cylindrical coating nozzle having a flattened end is placed above a coating object being rotated. A coating solution is applied to a surface of the coating object by discharging the coating solution form a nozzle orifice at an end of the coating nozzle while moving the coating nozzle relative to the coating object in a direction intersecting a rotational direction of the coating object. The coating nozzle is formed with an angled notch at a part of the end thereof. A rotation control unit controls the rotation of the coating nozzle in a manner that the notch of the coating nozzle is positioned upstream from a position to feed the coating solution to the coating object being rotated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, CHUGAI RO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takao Tokumoto, Sadao Natsu, Mitsuhiro Hida, Souichirou Iwasaki, Tsuyoshi Sato, Kenichi Ooshiro
  • Patent number: 8104427
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and device, which is suitable for use in an operating theater just prior to implantation, for selectively applying a medical coating to an implantable medical device, for example a stent. Disclosed is a device for use with a stent deployed on a catheter balloon. The device is configured to apply a medical coating of a desired thickness to the surface of a stent only. This is done by use of a drop-on-demand inkjet printing system in association with an optical scanning device. The device is further configured so as to, if necessary, apply a plurality of layered coats, each layered coat being of a different coating material, and if appropriate, different thickness. The section of the housing in which the stent is held during the coating procedure is detachable from the housing base. The detachable housing section may be easily cleaned and re-sterilized or simply disposed or simply disposed of.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Avraham Shekalim, Ascher Shmulewitz, Eyal Teichman
  • Patent number: 8066049
    Abstract: An automatic gluing mechanism includes a vertical board and a support rack and a power cylinder mounted to the vertical board. The mechanism includes a position adjusting member, a cam, two glue applicator tubes, a first connection block, two slidable members, a resilient element, and a stop block. The position adjusting member is slidably coupled to the vertical board and has an end coupled to the power cylinder and another end slidably coupled to the first connection block. The two slidable members are slidably mounted to the first connection block. The two glue applicator tubes are rotatably mounted to the two slidable members and connected to each other by the resilient element. The cam is mounted to the position adjusting member and forms a camming surface. The slidable members engage and follow the camming surface. The stop block is mounted to the support rack to stop the first connection block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Cheng Uei Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-kuang Liu, Tsai-sheng Shen, Han-wei Wang
  • Publication number: 20110265718
    Abstract: A plated film having a uniform film thickness is formed on a surface of a substrate. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes: a holding mechanism for holding a substrate rotatably; a nozzle for supplying a processing solution for performing a plating process on a processing target surface of the substrate; a substrate rotating mechanism for rotating the substrate held by the holding mechanism in a direction along the processing target surface; a nozzle driving mechanism for moving the nozzle in a direction along the processing target surface at a position facing the processing target surface of the substrate held by the holding mechanism; and a control unit for controlling the supply of the processing solution by the nozzle and the movement of the nozzle by the nozzle driving mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenichi Hara, Mitsuaki Iwashita, Takashi Tanaka, Takayuki Toshima, Takehiko Orii
  • Patent number: 8028651
    Abstract: A metering system for a coating installation for coating components such as vehicle body parts contains an applicator which applies the coating material supplied to it with a volumetric flow metered on-demand, a regulated first metering device which adjusts the pressure or the volumetric flow of the coating material to be applied by the applicator based on setpoints which are specified by automated installation controls, a transducer to generate a reading which matches the pressure or the volumetric flow of the coating material flowing to the applicator and a control device for regulating the metering device as a function of the specified setpoints and of the reading from the transducer. A second metering device is connected at the outlet of the regulated first metering device for the coating material flowing to the applicator which controls the pressure or volumetric flow of the said applied coating material for precision metering of the coating material applied as a function of the specified setpoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Durr Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lothar Rademacher, Wolfgang Schmid
  • Patent number: 8001926
    Abstract: An interventional device for delivery of beneficial agent to a lumen and methods of loading and manufacture of the same, which include a prosthesis loaded with beneficial agent to provide a controlled dosage concentration of beneficial agent to the lumen. The beneficial agent is loaded onto the prosthesis by a fluid-dispenser having a dispensing element capable of dispensing the beneficial agent in discrete droplets, each droplet having a controlled trajectory. The method of loading beneficial agent includes dispensing beneficial agent in a raster format and/or an off-axis format along a dispensing path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
    Inventors: Donald Verlee, Peter Tarcha, Keith Cromack, Richard Quint
  • Publication number: 20110195183
    Abstract: There is provided a method for spin coating, by which a resist is coated on a surface of a circular disc with a hole formed in its center. A method for spin coating coats a film-forming material discharged from a nozzle to an upper surface of a circular disc substrate with a through hole formed in a center while rotating the substrate. At an initial discharging stage where a discharge amount fluctuates, an inner diameter center of the nozzle is located at an initial discharge radius position apart from a position corresponding to a coat boundary of the disc substrate at an outer radial side. At a subsequent stage of stabilized discharging amount, the inner diameter center of the nozzle is moved from the initial discharge radius position to a stabilized discharge radius position around the coat boundary to further discharge the film-forming material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoaki YAMASHITA, Kyoichi MORI, Takayuki ISHIGURO, Noritake SHIZAWA, Shinjiro ISHII, Masashi AOKI
  • Patent number: 7851018
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an optical information recording medium, which forms a light-transmitting layer made of a radiation curing resin on a substrate having a signal recording layer, a liquid foundation is formed by coating the radiation curing resin in a first coating step. Next, a radiation curing resin is further coated on the foundation in a second coating step. After this, a curing step is performed. By separating the dropping and spreading of the radiation curing resin into two steps, not only the manufacturing time can be reduced, but also the volume of the used radiation curing resin can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuya Hisada
  • Patent number: 7842350
    Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for coating an object with photosensitive material, a roller stabilizes a supply amount of the photosensitive material and is disposed between the object and a slit coater, so that the stabilized photosensitive material is supplied to the object through the slit coater. The photosensitive material includes additives for controlling amount of a solid powder, a boiling point and a surface tension thereof. Accordingly, the photosensitive material may be uniformly coated on the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung-Ki Jung
  • Patent number: 7832352
    Abstract: To perform a series of resist coating treatments from application of a resist solution to removal of a resist film on a wafer edge portion in a shorter time. A laser irradiation unit for applying a laser light is provided in a resist coating unit. At the time of resist coating treatment, the resist solution is discharged onto a central portion of the rotated wafer from a resist solution supply nozzle to form a resist film on the wafer. Thereafter, the laser irradiation unit moves to an outer peripheral portion of the wafer and applies the laser light onto the resist film on the outer peripheral portion to dry the resist film on the outer peripheral portion. After the resist film on the outer peripheral portion dries, the application of laser light is continued, and the solvent supply nozzle moves to a position above the edge portion of the wafer and supplies the solvent to the resist film on the edge portion of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Fukuda, Tomohiro Iseki, Takayuki Ishii
  • Patent number: 7833572
    Abstract: A dispensing apparatus includes a frame, a support coupled to the frame to receive electronic substrates, a first dispensing unit to dispense viscous material, a second dispensing unit to dispense viscous material, and a gantry coupled to the frame. The gantry includes a first Z drive mechanism to support the first dispensing unit and lower the first dispensing unit toward a first electronic substrate pattern when performing a dispense operation, and a second Z drive mechanism to support the second dispensing unit and lower the second dispensing unit toward a second electronic substrate pattern when performing a dispense operation. The second Z drive mechanism may be adjusted relative to the first Z drive mechanism a predetermined distance. A controller controls a dispense operation of the first dispensing unit on the first electronic substrate pattern and a dispense operation of the second dispensing unit on the second electronic substrate pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
    Inventor: Hugh R. Read
  • Patent number: 7823532
    Abstract: The die as provided is a die in which an upper block is placed on an upper surface of a lower block with a lower surface of the upper block in contact with the upper surface, wherein the lower block includes a manifold and a slit serving as a path for discharging paint from the manifold to the outside, constituted respectively from between the lower block and the lower surface of the upper block by forming a cavity and a space which communicates with the outside from this cavity along a columnar direction, respectively, from one end face of a columnar body with a trapezoidal shape of cross section to the other end face, a paint supply path which communicates with the manifold is formed from an outer side located between the one end face and the other end face of the lower block, a slit space dimension of the slit between front end portions in a paint discharge direction of the lower block and the upper block in a discharge port serving as an open end to the outside is smallest on the one end face side and inc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Horikawa, Yasuhiro Ueyama, Masaru Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7823534
    Abstract: A developer nozzle is moved from a periphery of a wafer toward the central portion while an exposed substrate held at a spin chuck is being rotated about a vertical axis and while a developing solution is being discharged from the developer nozzle, and this way the developing solution is supplied to the surface of the wafer, the developer nozzle having a slit-like ejection port whose longitudinal direction is oriented to the direction perpendicular to the radial direction of the wafer. The movement speed of the nozzle is higher than a case where a nozzle with a small-diameter circular nozzle is used, and this enables a development time to be reduced. Further, the thickness of a developing solution on a substrate can be reduced, so that the developing solution can be saved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Atsushi Ookouchi, Taro Yamamoto, Hirofumi Takeguchi, Hideharu Kyouda, Kousuke Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 7806074
    Abstract: A coating machine is capable of reducing VOC and CO2 by atomizing a paint to increase depositing efficiency without lowering production efficiency and the rotary atomizing head of the coating machine. The coating machine includes the rotary atomizing head in which a paint chamber receiving the supply of paint is formed on the rear side thereof. A plurality of rims formed in a roughly truncated conical shape for extending the paint flowing out of the paint chamber by a centrifugal force and atomizing the paint at the tip thereof are fitted in the rotary atomizing head overlappingly at specific clearances. The clearances are opened to the peripheral surface part of the paint chamber. Accordingly, VOC and CO2 can be reduced by reducing the total jetted amount of paint to enable the atomization of the paint at low rotating speeds so as the increase the deposit efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Trinity Industrial Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Nomura, Shigeyoshi Inada, Takashi Katsumata
  • Patent number: 7779782
    Abstract: A method is provided which includes dispensing a deposition solution at a plurality of locations extending different distances from a center of a microelectronic topography each at different moments in time during an electroless plating process. An electroless plating apparatus used for the method includes a substrate holder, a moveable dispense arm, and a storage medium comprising program instructions executable by a processor for positioning the moveable dispense arm. Another method and accompanying electroless deposition chamber are configured to introduce a gas into an electroless plating chamber above a plate which is suspended above a microelectronic topography and distribute the gas to regions extending above one or more discrete portions of the microelectronic topography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Lam Research
    Inventor: Igor C. Ivanov
  • Patent number: 7779777
    Abstract: A substrate-processing apparatus includes a sample table which mounts thereon a to-be-processed substrate, a first line which supplies a chemical solution, a second line which supplies a cleaning liquid, a three-way valve connected to the first and second lines and configured to select one of the first and second lines, a filter provided across the first line upstream of the three-way valve, and configured to eliminate a foreign material from the chemical solution, and a nozzle provided downstream of the three-way valve and configured to discharge the chemical solution or the cleaning liquid when the first or second line is selected via the three-way valve. The three-way valve selects the first line when the substrate is coated with the chemical solution, and selects the second line in other cases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Eishi Shiobara, Hirokazu Kato, Seiro Miyoshi, Shinichi Ito
  • Patent number: 7776382
    Abstract: A method for coating a rollable device including a device rotator having a pair of rollers and spray nozzle is described. The spray nozzle produces a spray of coating material that is directed towards a gap that is between the rollers of the pair. The majority of any spray not deposited on the rollable device during a coating process passes through the gap between the rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Surmodics, Inc
    Inventors: Ralph A. Chappa, Mark F. Carlson
  • Patent number: 7770535
    Abstract: An object is to provide a chemical solution application apparatus capable of applying a chemical solution evenly and without irregularity by a spin coating method. A plurality of nozzles are provided for applying a chemical solution to an application object that is fixed over a stage. Each of the nozzles is individually mobile in vertical and horizontal directions. For this reason, controlling a discharging point or pattern is possible, and application responding to a wider viscosity range of chemical solutions is possible. By implementing the present invention, a chemical solution application apparatus equipped with a discharging method of a chemical solution by which a coating film having a small film thickness distribution over an entire substrate and an even thickness can be obtained, as well as for which use efficiency is improved by cutting down on waste of a chemical solution to be discharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fuminori Tateishi
  • Patent number: 7737055
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate undergoing processing to fabricate integrated circuit devices thereon is spun about a rotational axis while introducing liquid onto a surface of the substrate. An annular-shaped sheet of liquid is formed on the surface, the sheet of liquid having an inner diameter defining a liquid-free void. The size of a diameter of the void is reduced by manipulation of the annular-shaped sheet of liquid. The void may then be enlarged until the surface is substantially dry. The annular-shaped sheet of liquid may be formed and altered by selectively moving a contact area on the surface of the substrate on which the liquid is introduced. Systems for processing a substrate and configured to deposit and manipulate a sheet of liquid thereon are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Shirley, Hiroyuki Mori
  • Patent number: 7691450
    Abstract: Two sprayer units are arranged along a conveyer. A coating surface of a panel conveyed by the conveyer is divided into four coating areas. Then, the sprayer units reciprocate parallel to the conveying direction and coat the individual coating areas. At this time, at the boundaries of the coating areas, the positions of the turning paths for reciprocation of the sprayer units are shifted from the front side to the rear side in the conveying direction and step-like coating trajectories are formed. As a result, the size of the area coated by each of the sprayer units can be expanded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: ABB K.K.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Kenmoku, Takehito Katsunuma
  • Publication number: 20100059176
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for fabricating a multi-layer information recording medium including a substrate, plural information recording layers placed on the aforementioned substrate, resin intermediate layers placed between adjacent information recording layers and a resin protective layer placed on all the information recording layers at the side opposite from the aforementioned substrate, the apparatus including an ejecting unit including ink jet nozzles operable to drip minute resin liquid drops onto the aforementioned substrate or the aforementioned information recording layers; and a control unit operable to control the aforementioned ejecting unit, whereby resin layers which form said resin intermediate layers or said resin protective layer are formed on the aforementioned substrate or the aforementioned information recording layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventor: Eiichi Ito
  • Patent number: 7622002
    Abstract: This invention generally relates to a spray apparatus and a method useful in the repair of coating adhered to can ends used in the food and beverage packaging industries. The spray apparatus has one or more elongated shafts rotatably coupled to a frame. One or more bearing members are rotatably coupled to the shafts. One or more plates are rotatably coupled to the bearing members. One or more spray guns are coupled to the plates. The spray guns of the spray apparatus are structured to apply fluid to the can end with a solid stream emitted from the spray guns in a circular pattern. A method for the repair of coating adhered on a can end is provided as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Stolle Machinery Company, LLC
    Inventors: Craig Allan McEldowney, Dennis Cornelius Stammen
  • Patent number: 7615119
    Abstract: An elevated containment structure in the shape of a wafer edge ring surrounding a surface of a semiconductor wafer is disclosed, as well as methods of forming and using such a structure. In one embodiment, a wafer edge ring is formed using a stereolithography (STL) process. In another embodiment, a wafer edge ring is formed with a spin coating apparatus provided with a wafer edge exposure (WEE) system. In further embodiments, a wafer edge ring is used to contain a liquid over a wafer active surface during a processing operation. In one embodiment, the wafer edge ring contains a liquid having a higher refractive index than air while exposing a photoresist on the wafer by immersion lithography. In another embodiment, the wafer edge ring contains a curable liquid material while forming a chip scale package (CSP) sealing layer on the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter A. Benson
  • Patent number: 7604832
    Abstract: There is disclosed a film forming method comprising continuously discharging a solution adjusted so as to spread over a substrate by a given amount to the substrate through a discharge port disposed in a nozzle, moving the nozzle and substrate with respect to each other, and holding the supplied solution onto the substrate to form a liquid film, wherein a distance h between the discharge port of the nozzle and the substrate is set to be not less than 2 mm and to be in a range less than 5×10?5 q? (mm) given with respect to a surface tension ? (N/m) of the solution, discharge speed q (m/sec) of the solution continuously discharged through the discharge port, and a constant of 5×10?5 (m·sec/N).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shinichi Ito, Tatsuhiko Ema, Kei Hayasaki, Rempei Nakata, Nobuhide Yamada, Katsuya Okumura
  • Publication number: 20090253258
    Abstract: A plated film having a uniform film thickness is formed on a surface of a substrate. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes: a holding mechanism for holding a substrate rotatably; a nozzle for supplying a processing solution for performing a plating process on a processing target surface of the substrate; a substrate rotating mechanism for rotating the substrate held by the holding mechanism in a direction along the processing target surface; a nozzle driving mechanism for moving the nozzle in a direction along the processing target surface at a position facing the processing target surface of the substrate held by the holding mechanism; and a control unit for controlling the supply of the processing solution by the nozzle and the movement of the nozzle by the nozzle driving mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenichi Hara, Mitsuaki Iwashita, Takashi Tanaka, Takayuki Toshima, Takehiko Orii
  • Patent number: 7597764
    Abstract: An interventional device for delivery of beneficial agent to a lumen and methods of loading and manufacture of the same, which include a prosthesis loaded with beneficial agent to provide a controlled dosage concentration of beneficial agent to the lumen. The beneficial agent is loaded onto the prosthesis by a fluid-dispenser having a dispensing element capable of dispensing the beneficial agent in discrete droplets, each droplet having a controlled trajectory. The method of loading beneficial agent includes dispensing beneficial agent in a raster format and/or an off-axis format along a dispensing path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
    Inventors: Donald Verlee, Peter Tarcha, Keith Cromack, Richard Quint
  • Patent number: 7591902
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and methodology for dummy-dispensing resist though a dispense head while mitigating waste associated with the dummy-dispense process. The dummy dispensed resist is returned to a reservoir from which it was taken. Between substrate applications, the dispense head can be positioned to dispense resist into a return line. The flow of resist from the dispense head keeps resist from drying at the dispense head. By funneling the dummy-dispensed resist into a return line with low volume, for example, waste from the dummy-dispensing process can be mitigated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Bharath Rangarajan, Ramkumar Subramanian, Khoi A. Phan, Ursula Q. Quinto, Michael T. Templeton
  • Patent number: 7582164
    Abstract: A tire dressing system for efficiently and accurately applying tire dressing to vehicle tires. The tire dressing system generally includes a support unit, a spray unit movably positioned within the support unit, an actuator unit connected to the spray unit, a tire sensor to determine the size of a vehicle tire, and a tire position sensor to determine the location of the vehicle tire. The spray unit includes a hollow cone nozzle telescopically supported within the spray unit to adjust the spray pattern applied to the sidewall of the vehicle tire depending upon the size of the vehicle tire. After the size of the vehicle tire is determined, the proximity of the hollow cone nozzle is adjusted to apply the desired spray pattern to the sidewall. The hollow cone nozzle then applies the dressing to the sidewall of the vehicle tire as the vehicle moves by the spray unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Cleaning Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David Krause, Forrest R. Burton
  • Patent number: 7569110
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and device, which is suitable for use in an operating theater just prior to implantation, for selectively applying a medical coating to an implantable medical device, for example a stent. Disclosed is a device for use with a stent deployed on a catheter balloon. The device is configured to apply a medical coating of a desired thickness to the surface of a stent only. This is done by use of a drop-on-demand inkjet printing system in association with an optical scanning device. The device is further configured so as to, if necessary, apply a plurality of layered coats, each layered coat being of a different coating material, and if appropriate, different thickness. The section of the housing in which the stent is held during the coating procedure is detachable from the housing base. The detachable housing section may be easily cleaned and re-sterilized or simply disposed or simply disposed of.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Labcoat Ltd.
    Inventors: Avraham Shekalim, Ascher Shmulewitz, Eyal Teichman
  • Patent number: 7510611
    Abstract: A coating solution is sprayed on a rotating wafer held horizontally from a nozzle provided above the wafer while the nozzle is travelling over the wafer from a wafer center to a wafer outer area, thus spirally spraying the coating solution on the wafer. The nozzle stops when the coating solution has reached the wafer outer area and the coating solution is sprayed in circle on the wafer outer area while the wafer is rotating. A coating solution including a component of a coating film and a solvent may be sprayed on a first area to be coated of the wafer and the coating solution and a solvent for the coating film may be sprayed on a second edge area located outside the first area of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tomohide Minami, Shinichi Sugimoto, Takahiro Kitano, Jun Ookura, Hiroaki Kurishima
  • Patent number: 7497908
    Abstract: Film coating unit has a substrate holder for holding a wafer, a coating solution discharge nozzle, and anti-drying boards opposed to a surface of the wafer. The coating solution is applied to the surface of the wafer in a direction from a front end toward a rear end of the wafer while relatively moving the substrate holder with respect to the coating solution discharge nozzle. During that time, the anti-drying boards are disposed at height of maximum 2 mm from the surface of the wafer so as to form dense atmosphere of a solvent between the surface of the wafer and the anti-drying board. Thereby the coating solution on or over the surface of the wafer is restrained from being dried and a coating film is formed with even thickness on or over the surface of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Mizuno, Yuuichi Mikata, Kimihide Saito
  • Patent number: 7488505
    Abstract: When a coating film is formed on a substrate, the inplane uniformity of the thickness of the coating film is enhanced to improve through put. Above the substrate, there are provided main and auxiliary nozzles separately movable, and monitoring means for monitoring the state of the surface of the substrate to detect the occurrence of an uncoated region on the surface of the substrate. On the basis of previously prepared coating data, a coating liquid is spirally applied on the substrate by the main nozzle. Then, if the monitoring means detects the occurrence of the uncoated region in a coated region in which the coating liquid has been applied by the main nozzle, a control part detects whether it is required to supply the coating liquid to the uncoated region. If it is required, the coating liquid is supplied to the uncoated region by the auxiliary nozzle. On the other hand, the portion of occurrence of the uncoated region has been grasped by the control part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tomohide Minami, Shinichi Sugimoto, Takahiro Kitano, Jun Ookura, Hiroaki Kurishima
  • Patent number: 7488389
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus by which uniform and large area films can be formed according to the AD method. The film forming apparatus includes: a film forming chamber; a substrate holder located in the film forming chamber, for holding a substrate on which a structure is to be formed; an exhaust pump for exhausting an interior of the film forming chamber; an aerosol generating unit for generating an aerosol by blowing up a raw material powder placed in a container with a gas; a carrier pipe for introducing the generated aerosol into the film forming chamber; a nozzle for spraying the aerosol introduced via the carrier pipe toward the substrate; and a control unit for chaotically changing a relative position of the substrate held by the substrate holder and the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Osawa
  • Patent number: 7485346
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controllably dispensing photoresist solutions and other fluids in semiconductor manufacturing equipment from an array of syringe-based fluid dispensers. A multi-syringe fluid dispensing system is provided for photoresist coating within a wafer track coating module. The coating module may contain a spin chuck that is positioned within a catch cup. A robotic dispense arm and gripper assembly may be positioned within the coating module for gripping and positioning a fluid syringe. An array of syringes may be stored on a solution tray within the wafer track coating module for holding a plurality of fluid syringes containing photoresist solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Branko Bem, Dikran Babiklan
  • Patent number: 7479190
    Abstract: In the present invention, a plurality of solvent supply nozzles for solvents having different solubility parameters are provided in a coating treatment apparatus. For a solvent supply nozzle for use at the time of edge rinse, a solvent supply nozzle is selected that discharges a removal solvent having a solubility parameter different by a set value or more from that of a coating solvent contained in a coating solution. During coating treatment, the coating solution is discharged from a coating solution supply nozzle onto the central portion of a rotated substrate to form a solution film having a predetermined film thickness. Immediately after the formation, edge rinse is started with the coating solution on the substrate not dry yet, in which the removal solvent is supplied to the peripheral portion of the substrate from the selected solvent supply nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Fukuda, Tomohiro Iseki, Takayuki Ishii
  • Patent number: 7462374
    Abstract: A coating method includes rotatably supporting both ends of the piston or product to be coated; injecting coating material to a first parts of the piston or product to be coated through a first nozzle while rotating the piston, and simultaneously spreading to a uniform film thickness the coating material applied to the first part of the piston or product to be coated thereby removing excess coating material; fixedly supporting both ends of the piston or product to be coated; injecting coating material to a second pad of the piston or product to be coated through a second nozzle while sliding the second nozzle in an axial direction of the piston or product to be coated, and simultaneously spreading to a uniform film thickness the coating material applied to the second part of the piston or product to be coated thereby removing excess coating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corp.
    Inventors: Dae Kyu Park, Kyoung Duck Kim, Young Jin Yoon
  • Patent number: 7452421
    Abstract: The bowl according to the invention is equipped with first magnetic coupling means adapted to cooperate with second complementary magnetic coupling means fixed on a non-rotary part of a sprayer, these first and second coupling means being adapted to exert an at least partially axial effort inducing the coupling in rotation of the bowl with a corresponding drive member. The radial width of an annular or truncated surface defined by the first coupling means is greater than the total radial width of the coupling means borne by the non-rotary part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Sames Technologies
    Inventors: Caryl Thome, Patrick Ballu, Eric Prus, Laurent Giraud
  • Patent number: 7429298
    Abstract: Painting system for painting large objects comprising a paint booth with surrounding walls and a robot installation comprising a plurality of painting robots, each painting robot comprising a stationary base, a stand carried by the base rotatably arranged around a first axis, a first arm carried by the stand rotatably arranged around a second axis, a second arm carried by the first arm rotatably arranged around a third axis and a forth, a fifth and a sixth arm part carried by the second arm for orienting an attached painting tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: ABB AS
    Inventors: Arnulf Krogedal, Gisle Bryne
  • Patent number: 7416607
    Abstract: A fluid injection apparatus for discharging a fluid against a surface in a controlled manner is disclosed. The fluid injection apparatus includes at least one fluid supply conduit, at least one rotatable and vertically-movable fluid injector provided in fluid communication with the fluid supply conduit and at least one fluid conduit provided in the fluid injector. By selective vertical movement of the fluid injector, each fluid conduit in the fluid injector can be selectively blocked from or provided in fluid communication with the fluid supply conduit to impart a desired flow configuration of a processing fluid against the surface. By selective rotational movement of the fluid injector, a rotational or swirling motion can be imparted to the fluid as it contacts the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kun-Tzu Lin, Cha-Hong Chung