With Manipulation Of Work After Coating To Distribute Or Remove Coating Patents (Class 118/56)
  • Publication number: 20090311431
    Abstract: The surface of a substrate may be smoothly covered with a liquid when the substrate is fixed in a holder which together with forms, together with the surface of the substrate, a process volume into which the liquid may be introduced onto the surface of the substrate by means of a wetter, and when the holder including the substrate is set in a swaying motion by means of a swayer, so that the liquid will smoothly spread on the surface of the substrate. By the swaying motion, concentration of the volume of liquid at a specific location of the substrate surface is prevented, since the direction of motion of the liquid changes constantly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicants: STANGL SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT AG, Wurth Solar GMBH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Stangl, Hans-Jürgen Stangl
  • Publication number: 20090311416
    Abstract: A method of machining a profile pattern in a ceramic coating of a turbine shroud is provided and includes applying the ceramic coating substantially uniformly onto the turbine shroud, positioning a machining tool proximate the ceramic coating, and removing material from the ceramic coating by activating the machining tool to machine the ceramic coating and by moving the machining tool across the ceramic coating in a movement pattern that generally corresponds to the profile pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Warren Arthur Nelson, Lyle B. Spiegel
  • Publication number: 20090304947
    Abstract: Monochromatic or multichromatic images may be created on surfaces. The surface is moved to first, second and third stations. The surface is electrically biased, and powder is transferred to the surface electrostatically at the first station. The powder is fused or sintered selectively on the surface at the second station. Unfused or unsintered portions of the powder are removed from the surface at the third station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicants: MARS INCORPORATED, TORREY PINES RESEARCH, INC.
    Inventors: Lydia E. Gutierrez M., Peter J. Mason, Thomas Hilbert, Charles DeBoer, Richard D. Ornelaz, JR.
  • Publication number: 20090304930
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically applying a gel coat brush stroke pattern over an image surface secured to a support is described. A liquid gel applicator dispenses a predetermined quantity of transparent liquid gel on the image surface. A brush stroking machine is provided with a plurality of brush head modules which are connected to a reciprocating linkage. The linkage causes reciprocal arcuate displacement of bristles secured to the brush head modules. An adjustable support positions the bristles over the image surface for contact with the liquid gel dispensed thereon by the liquid gel applicator. A conveyor displaces the support with the image surface facing up under the liquid gel applicator and the bristles of the brush head modules along a straight axis whereby reciprocating displacement of the bristles imparts brush stroke patterns in the liquid gel over the image surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventor: Michael Chaimberg
  • Publication number: 20090285991
    Abstract: A coating apparatus includes a liquid film forming mechanism configured to form a liquid film of a process liquid for preventing a contaminant derived from a coating liquid from being deposited or left on a back side peripheral portion of a substrate. The liquid film forming mechanism includes a counter face portion facing the back side peripheral portion of the substrate and a process liquid supply portion for supplying the process liquid onto the counter face portion. The coating apparatus further includes a posture regulating mechanism disposed around the substrate holding member and configured to damp a vertical wobble of the peripheral portion of the substrate being rotated. The posture regulating mechanism includes delivery holes arrayed in a rotational direction of the substrate and configured to deliver a gas onto a back side region of the substrate on an inner side of the peripheral portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takahiro Kitano, Koichi Obata, Hiroichi Inada, Nobuhiro Ogata
  • Patent number: 7617962
    Abstract: A conductive ball mounting apparatus and method for holding a conductive ball on the holding face, as has a suction port formed therein, of a holder head thereby to mount the held conductive ball, while interposing a flux therein, on a workpiece. After the end of the mounting action and before a next conductive ball is held, flux removing means for removing the flux adhered to the holding face is brought into abutment against the holding face of the holder head thereby to remove the flux from holding face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Shibuya Kogyo Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Kajii
  • Patent number: 7611581
    Abstract: A coating apparatus is provided in which a coating liquid supplied onto a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer and a glass substrate can be easily leveled so as to have a uniform thickness without any edge bead. The coating apparatus comprises a tray, a nozzle for supplying a coating liquid, and a squeegee which serves as an applicator for spreading a coating liquid. The tray has a recessed portion into which a substrate is placed, and a spinner chuck is provided in the recessed portion. In the spinner chuck, a chuck for attracting the substrate is attached to the upper end of a spinner shaft which can be lifted and lowered, and the upper surface of the chuck and the bottom surface of the recessed portion are arranged to be in the same plane in a state where the spinner shaft is lowered to the lowest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Ohishi, Akihiko Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20090246383
    Abstract: “Marble It” is a craft box that is made of arylonitrile-butadien-styrene with a sliding clear cover made of polycarbonate or (PC). This box will enable a child to manipulate items that roll onto paper covered with paint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventor: Linda M. Hatheway
  • Publication number: 20090226615
    Abstract: A spin coating apparatus that supplies a coating liquid to a substrate and rotating the substrate to form a coating film, has a holding part that holds the substrate mounted thereon in a horizontal position; a rotationally driving source that rotationally drives the holding part about a rotational axis parallel with the vertical direction, thereby rotating the substrate; and a coating liquid supplying part that supplies the coating liquid to the substrate held by the holding part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventor: Keisuke Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20090214792
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a deglosser includes a deglossing agent reservoir and a horizontal base plate having an applicator case with an applicator such as a chamois. The chamois receives a deglossing agent and applies the agent to an object such as a baseball. Sponges or other similar devices may be used in addition to, or in replacement of, a chamois. The object is received between a plurality of manipulators. The manipulators can be movable wheels which are used for spinning the object in different axes for a predetermined amount of time. The agent can be applied directly to the object or to the applicator which then applies it to the object. As the object is manipulated, the agent is distributed across the object In this manner, the object is deglossed and covered completely with a uniform amount of agent for consistent color and moisture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventor: Cameron Kruse
  • Publication number: 20090208646
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method (100) for the production of an overlay, in particular for laminates. For this, firstly an overlay base paper (10) is impregnated in the usual manner and is coated on one side with a resin/coarse corundum application. In order to endow the overlay with additional characteristics, such as for example chafe resistance on the surface, in a further wet-in-wet application step a coating substance (29) is applied on the opposite side and is dosaged by a wiper (31).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: Dekor-Kunststoffe GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhard Kreuder, Klaus Fischer
  • Publication number: 20090188428
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing vessel; a mounting table for mounting the substrate thereon in the processing vessel; a gas inlet unit provided in the processing vessel; a gas supply mechanism for supplying a hydrogen-containing gas into the processing vessel through the gas inlet unit; a gas discharge port provided at the processing vessel; a gas exhaust mechanism for exhausting an inside of the processing vessel through the gas discharge port; a catalyst provided in the processing vessel; and a heating unit for heating the catalyst. Hydrogen radicals are formed in the processing vessel by a catalytic cracking reaction between the hydrogen-containing gas and the catalyst of high temperature, and the substrate is processed by the hydrogen radicals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Isamu SAKURAGI, Shigeru Tahara, Kumiko Yamazaki, Ryo Nonaka, Morihiro Takanashi, Eiichi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7566365
    Abstract: In a liquid processing apparatus for forming a coating film on a polygonal substrate by spin coating in an ambient with a descending clean air flow, a spin chuck includes a support plate for substantially horizontally supporting the substrate thereon. Air flow control members are provided on the spin chuck such that the air flow control member being disposed adjacent to a periphery of the polygonal substrate supported on the spin chuck, wherein the air flow control member is not provided near corner portions of the substrate supported on the spin chuck. The liquid processing apparatus may includes an air flow regulation ring which is provided with an air inlet having an opening surrounding an outer periphery of the air flow control member, wherein the air inlet communicates with the exhaust unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Kobayashi, Tetsushi Miyamoto, Masahito Hamada
  • Patent number: 7560137
    Abstract: A process and relating plant for applying protective coats of paint to containers, especially plastic bottles. The process involves gripping the bottles by means of rotating gripping devices fastened to a conveyor chain, and conveying said bottles to all the different stations involved in the process: coating, drying, and curing. Centrifugation is used to remove any excess coating from the external surface of the bottles, keeping the bottles fastened to the same conveyor chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: S.I.P.A. Societa Industrializzazione Brogettazione e Automazione S.p.A.
    Inventors: Matteo Zoppas, Alberto Armellin, Andrea Saran, Ottorino Vendramelli
  • Patent number: 7553374
    Abstract: In the present invention, a gas flow restraining ring facing corner portions of the front face of a substrate horizontally held on a substrate holding unit and movable up and down, is set to a predetermined height in accordance with a coating treatment. Then, a coating solution containing a coating film forming component and a solvent is applied to the front face of the substrate and spread into a thin film state by a so-called spin coating method, and thereafter the substrate is rotated at a high speed so that the coating solution is dried. In this case, it is possible to control fresh gas flow from above the substrate to decrease the difference in evaporation rate of the solvent between the coating solution on the corner portions of the substrate and the coating solution inside them, thus enabling the coating treatment uniform within a plane on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masahito Hamada, Fumio Hirota, Shinji Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20090092751
    Abstract: An inflatable membrane apparatus (10) comprising (a) a fluid accumulator (11) having an upper and a lower face and a fluid entrance (12), said lower face being partly formed by an inflatable membrane (14), and (b) a trunconical part (15) projecting outwardly from the lower face of the accumulator whose greater base is closed by at least part of the inflatable membrane (14) and smaller base forms a circular opening, whereby, when pressurized fluid is introduced into the accumulator (11), deformation of the inflatable membrane (14) is guided by the trunconical part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Applicant: Essilor International Compagnie Generale d'Optique
    Inventors: Peiqi Jiang, Fadi O. Adileh, Yassin Yusef Turshani
  • Publication number: 20090053399
    Abstract: An electrode mixture paste (5) is applied on both sides of a strip of core material (1) as it runs along its lengthwise direction, and the coating thickness of the paste (5) is adjusted as the core material (1) coated with the paste (5) passes through a gap between a pair of scraper tools (16a, 16b). Tips (18) provided to the scraper tools (16a, 16b) scrape off the paste (5) to form a paste-coated portion of a predetermined width. The electrode mixture paste (5) scraped off with the tips (18) is returned through recesses (19) on the upstream side of the tips (18) in the running direction of the core material, so as to prevent the phenomenon where the coating thickness is increased at both side edges of the paste-coated portion. Thus, a method for applying electrode mixture paste is realized that can prevent the phenomenon where the coating thickness is increased at both side edges of the paste-coated portion and prevent process failures such as deformation of paste-coated sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Kimihiro Imamura, Hiroyuki Usui, Tadakazu Seto
  • Publication number: 20090025633
    Abstract: A small volume resist dispenser includes a suck-back capable pressure operated valve, connectable to a nozzle of a spin coater and to a controller output arranged to open and close the valve to control liquid supply to the spin-coater. The dispenser comprises a holder for a bottle and arranged to pressurize a fluid in the bottle by applying gas pressure. The dispenser is suitable for use with, for example, pre-filled resist sample bottles containing resist samples of 100 ml to 300 ml resist solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Cornelis Martijn Johannes Ricken, Patrick Wong, Ralf Martinus Daverveld, Jos Beerens
  • Publication number: 20090025638
    Abstract: A layered-object forming apparatus (1) includes a holding mechanism (10) that holds a base (12), a liquid applying device (20) that applies a liquid to a predetermined position from above the base, a powder applying device (30) that allows a powder to fall from above the base, and a powder removing device that removes an unconsolidated powder on the base. Then, a process of applying the liquid by the liquid applying device, subsequently applying the powder by the powder applying device, subsequently consolidating the liquid and the powder applied onto the liquid and then removing the powder that has not been consolidated with the liquid by the powder removing device is repeated, thereby forming a three-dimensional structure on the base. Thus, it is possible to produce a three-dimensional structure that at least partially has a smooth surface, thus allowing omission or simplification of a surface smoothing treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: SHOFU INC
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Inoue
  • Publication number: 20080305267
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for depositing material on an array of substrates. The array of substrates may be moved past one or more sources of deposition material in a first rotational motion. The array of substrates may also be concurrently moved in a second rotational motion. The combination of the first and second rotational motions cause each of the substrates to move about its longitudinal axis without gears and bearings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventors: H. Robert Gray, Norman L. Boiling
  • Publication number: 20080295765
    Abstract: A liquid applicator comprises a guide roll for guiding a sheet, and a slit die, having a slit with an opening extending in an axial direction of the guide roll, for applying a liquid to a surface of the sheet guided by the guide roll. On the rear side of the opening in a rotating direction of the guide roll, the slit die further includes a front lip having a concave surface corresponding to the guide roll. The front lip opposes the guide roll by such a length FA in the rotating direction RD of the guide roll as to have a central angle ? of 0.95° to 3.0° about an axis O of the guide roll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazutoshi EMOTO, Kazuo KATAI, Kiyonori HINOKI, Yousuke MIYAKI
  • Publication number: 20080230000
    Abstract: A system or device for spin coating an implantable medical device, such as a stent, is disclosed. The device includes a coating table to support the stent, the stent being positioned on top of the coating table and supported on the table by a support fixture. The coating table has an axis of rotation. The axis of rotation of the table can intersect a center of the mass of the stent. A driving means can be provided for rotating the stent about the longitudinal axis of the stent and for rotating the coating table about the axis of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen D. Pacetti
  • Publication number: 20080169589
    Abstract: A solid imaging apparatus is provided that includes a replaceable cartridge containing a source of build material and an extendable and retractable flexible transport film for transporting the build material layer-by-layer from the cartridge to the surface of a build in an image plane. An operator using the device needs merely to remove a spent cartridge and replace it with a fresh cartridge to continue solid imaging virtually uninterrupted. The apparatus also includes the capability of withdrawing and inserting an imager without the operator having to perform a separate alignment step. A brush attached to the transport film and forming part of the cartridge provides for intra-layer removal of excess uncured build material. If desired, the apparatus can produce a fully reacted build. A high intensity UV source cures the build between layers. An injection molded build pad is designed to hold a build in an inverted position for improving the build.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Inventors: Charles R. Sperry, Dennis F. McNamara, Suzanne M. Scott, Charles W. Hull, Jouni Partanen, Mehdi Mojdeh, William J. Pappas, Richard O. Gregory
  • Patent number: 7396556
    Abstract: A method of coating a medical appliance is provided that includes vibrating the medical appliance and contacting a material with the medical appliance to form the coating. A medical appliance is provided having a coating applied by a method. The method includes vibrating the medical appliance and contacting a material with the medical appliance to form the coating. A system is provided for coating a medical appliance. The system includes an arrangement for holding the medical appliance and an arrangement for at least one of moving and rotating the arrangement for holding the medical appliance. The system also includes an arrangement for vibrating the medical appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventor: Micheál Hayes
  • Publication number: 20080141931
    Abstract: The present invention provides a bio-sheet material, and a method and an apparatus of manufacturing the bio-sheet, which has pliability or easiness of cutting by unifying a mixture of at least one of healthful natural minerals or plants such as ocher, jade, tourmalin, etc., using fiber material, paper, etc., as a medium, which can be maintained in an original shape at natural or heat drying without generating separation of the mixture, and which can shorten the manufacturing time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventor: Jong-Hak Lee
  • Publication number: 20070298158
    Abstract: An apparatus for introducing a testing material into an optical disc production includes a vessel for holding a test material and a regulator for pressurizing the vessel, wherein the vessel and regulator are connectable to a disc production for using the test material in lieu of bonding material in the disc production.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventors: Marion Keith Martin, Bang Thai Dinh, Justin John Cunningham
  • Publication number: 20070264431
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for forming a film. The apparatus comprises a fluid auto-injecting mechanism, a tension control mechanism, and a scraper with a height. The fluid auto-injecting mechanism injects a viscous fluid material on a substrate and controls the injection quantity of the fluid material wherein the fluid material is capable of filtering out volatile organic compounds and the substrate has a shape and experiences a tension. The tension control mechanism controls the tension of the substrate to prevent from shape deformation. The scraper uniformly scraps the fluid material wherein the height of the scraper is adjustable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Applicant: CHUNG YUAN CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Shih-Ming Wang, Sheng-Yuan Huang, Chia-You Chung
  • Patent number: 7247176
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method adapted for shielding and removing fine particles for a portable camera module generated during a portable camera module fabricating process. The portable camera module includes an image sensor and an infrared ray filter. The apparatus includes a tape attaching device for attaching a surface protective tape on a surface of the infrared ray filter so as to prevent fine particles from being attached to the surface of the infrared ray filter, and a tape detaching device movably installed above the surface protective tape in order to detach the surface protective tape having fine particles shielded from the surface of the infrared ray filter. The fine particles are attached to the surface protective tape, which remains shielding the surface of the infrared ray filter during the holder attaching, primary heat treatment, secondary heat treatment, and under filling processes are subsequently carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun-Ju Lee, Yeong-Seop Lee, Do-Hyung Lee, Sang-Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 7198674
    Abstract: The invention concerns a coating drum (60) for a single drum or, as the case may be, a multi-drum circulating coating device. The inside of the drum is subdivided into two rotation-symmetrical drum chambers (61 and 62) via a separating wall (67), which chambers are fillable with equal dispensed amounts of small parts through oppositely lying openings (73) of the drum casing (63). The openings (73) are closeable via lids or covers (68) provided pivotable on the drum (60).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Ernst Reinhardt GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Schaeuble
  • Patent number: 7143464
    Abstract: When vehicle wheels are powder-coated with powder coating, those surfaces on which no coating is wanted are always also coated. To suck off the powder coating from these surface areas before it is baked in, a device which includes a conveyor system, an electronic camera and a suction station is used. The electronic camera records the axial and angular position of the vehicle wheels which pass it, and supplies corresponding data to a controller. After a certain time delay, this causes a suction head in the suction station to move, in such a way that it approaches the vehicle wheel with appropriate alignment of its axis and angular position, and using suction nozzles sucks off those surfaces of the vehicle wheel on which the powder coating is not wanted. During the suction process, the suction head moves together with the vehicle wheel, at the same speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Eisenmann Maschinenbau KG
    Inventor: Jürgen Brosi
  • Patent number: 7128943
    Abstract: A microlens is affixed in the far field of an optical fiber to spatially transform a beam either entering or exiting the fiber. In a first embodiment, a droplet of photo polymer is placed on the end of an optical fiber and the fiber is spun to create an artificial gravity. The droplet is cured by UV radiation during the spinning. In a second embodiment, nanoparticles are mixed into the droplet to increase the refractive index of the photo polymer. A third embodiment employs artificial gravity to attach a microsphere to the end of the optical fiber. A fourth embodiment chemically treats the surface of the microsphere so that the requirement of artificial gravity is either reduced or eliminated. In a fifth embodiment the droplet is cured under equlibrium or nonequilibrium conditions to obtain different final shapes for the lenslet. A sixth embodiment discloses fabrication of microlens arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: University of South Florida
    Inventor: Nicholas Djeu
  • Patent number: 7090892
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing excess coating material from a honeycomb body of a catalytic converter. The coated honeycomb body is mounted on an eccentric tappet and is rotated around a first rotational axis with a first rotational frequency such that the distance from the center of gravity of the honeycomb body to the first rotational axis is at least 1.5 times the length of the honeycomb body. The honeycomb body is further rotated around a second rotational axis even out the coating material and provide a more uniform coating surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Becker, Rolf Bruck
  • Patent number: 7001645
    Abstract: The invention seeks to provide a magnetized coating suitable for exerting durable magnetic forces. To do this, the method of the invention consists in spreading conductive particles (13) on a medium (11), the particles being directed by prior magnetization along an inducing magnetic field and being embedded in a binder (12). The coating apparatus for implementing the method of the invention comprises means (10, 15) for feeding the medium (11) onto a conveyor (20), means for applying a main binder (12) via presser rollers (40) and via at least one nozzle (30), said means being coupled to heater means, a tank (50) of particles (13) coupled to a duster (51) for dispensing the fill of particles, means for spreading the fill of particles within the main binder, electromagnetic means (60) for producing an anisotropic magnetic field for magnetizing the particles, a sprayer (80) for depositing an additional binder, dryer means (100), demagnetizer means (110), and winder means (120).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Magnesia Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Claude Texier
  • Patent number: 6982102
    Abstract: The present invention is a coating unit for applying a coating solution on a substrate, comprising: a container enclosing the substrate; a casing for accommodating the container therein; a supply device for supplying a predetermined gas into the casing; a first exhaust pipe for exhausting an atmosphere inside the container; a second exhaust pipe for exhausting an atmosphere inside the casing; a first adjusting device which is disposed in the first exhaust pipe, for adjusting a flow rate of an atmosphere passing through the first exhaust pipe; and a second adjusting device which is disposed in the second exhaust pipe, for adjusting a flow rate of an atmosphere passing through the second exhaust pipe. According to the present invention, the second exhaust pipe is usable for adjusting the exhaust flow rate to maintain a pressure inside the casing at a positive pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hiroichi Inada, Shinichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 6936107
    Abstract: A coating film forming apparatus for forming a film by applying a coating solution to a substrate, which is provided with a cassette section, coating unit, developing unit, pre-treatment/post-treatment units and a main arm for transferring the substrate between the respective units. In the coating unit, provided is a coating section in which a resist is applied on the substrate in a manner of single stroke by intermittently moving the substrate in a Y-direction and by moving a nozzle in an X-direction, and provided is a reduced-pressure drying section for drying under reduced pressure the substrate after being applied, and further provided is equipment for removing the coating film adhered to a periphery of the substrate. Additionally, when the reduced-pressure drying section is arranged outside the coating unit, the main arm is covered with a cover so that the inside thereof is under a solvent atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takahiro Kitano, Masateru Morikawa, Yukihiko Esaki, Nobukazu Ishizaka, Norihisa Koga, Kazuhiro Takeshita, Hirofumi Ookuma, Masami Akimoto
  • Patent number: 6878400
    Abstract: A method for continuously introducing a substance in liquid phase into plastics granules comprising: a) feeding a substantially continuous flow of the plastics granules to at least one substantially static spraying chamber, b) spraying the substance in liquid phase onto the plastics granules, c) passing the granules partially or totally coated by the substance in liquid phase by a substantially static mixing means supported in at leas one mixing chamber provided downstream of the spraying chamber, d) submitting the mixed granules to drying for a time sufficient to allow a substantially complete absorption of the substance in liquid phase by the granules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Pirelli Cavi e Sistemi S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Colombo, Pierluigi Folcini, Giovanni Pozzati, Marcello Del Brenna
  • Patent number: 6872254
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a generally uniform liquid layer on a surface of an upper surface microelectronic substrate. The apparatus can include a support that engages less than the entire lower surface of the microelectronic substrate and rotates the microelectronic substrate at a selected rate. A barrier can extend over the upper surface of the microelectronic substrate and can rotate at about the same rate as the substrate to separate a rotating air mass adjacent to the upper surface and within the barrier from a stationary air mass external to the barrier. The rotating air mass can reduce the likelihood for liquid/air interface disturbances that create non-uniformities in the liquid layer. Accordingly, the method and apparatus can increase the range of thicknesses to which the liquid layer can be formed and can reduce the topographical non-uniformities of the liquid layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul D. Shirley
  • Patent number: 6830643
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an item comprises the steps of: controlling a printer means to print a layer of retaining material in a predetermined pattern onto a substrate; applying a manufacturing material to be retained by the retaining material in substantially the predetermined pattern; treating the manufacturing material so that it forms a continuous solid piece in substantially the predetermined shape of the pattern, or, where the pattern is made up of distinct parts, in substantially the predetermined shape of each distinct part of the pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Inventor: Jonathan Hayes
  • Publication number: 20040241337
    Abstract: A coloring agent addition system which generally includes a processing module having an in-feed conveyor for receiving and processing a raw material and a coloring unit connected to the in-feed conveyor for adding a coloring agent to the raw material. The coloring unit is driven by the processing module to deliver the coloring agent depending on operation of the processing module. The coloring unit includes a motor that is in fluid communication with a hydraulic fluid line of a processing module motor, whereby the processing module motor is connected in series to the coloring unit motor to drive the coloring unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: EAC Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Slawomir Nachilo, Paul J. Shanahan
  • Publication number: 20040213926
    Abstract: The present invention is related to methods and compositions for marking and removing turf lines and other markings from artificial and natural turf, including sports fields. The marking compositions include alkali-activatible acrylics, including one or both of alkali-soluble resin and an alkali-swellable thickener to enable removing the dried composition with an alkaline solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Applicant: Eco Chemical, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark K. Cheirrett, Walter Sadowski
  • Publication number: 20040191408
    Abstract: A method of forming a thin film by an ink jet method including the step of discharging a liquid containing thin film-forming materials and a solvent from liquid discharge ports to each position on a substrate while the liquid discharge ports are being moved relatively to the substrate, characterized in that subsequent droplets are arranged while a solvent vapor evaporating from droplets arranged previously on the substrate are compulsively removed from inside the substrate surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuko Okada, Shunichi Seki, Katsuyuki Morii
  • Publication number: 20040187773
    Abstract: The uniformity of a wet coating on a substrate is improved by contacting the coating at a first position with the wetted surfaces of periodic pick-and-place devices, and re-contacting the coating with such wetted surfaces at positions on the substrate that are different from the first position and not periodically related to one another with respect to their distance from the first position. A coating is applied to a substrate by applying an uneven wet coating, contacting the coating at a first position with the wetted surfaces of periodic pick-and-place devices, and re-contacting the coating with such wetted surfaces at positions on the substrate that are different from the first position and not periodically related to one another with respect to their distance from the first position. These methods can provide extremely uniform coatings and extremely thin coatings, at very high rates of speed. The coatings can be applied in lanes with sharply defined edges and independently adjustable coating calipers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: William K. Leonard, David W. Leonard, Albert E. Seaver
  • Publication number: 20040180141
    Abstract: There is provided a coating and processing apparatus including a spin chuck horizontally holding a quadrangular substrate and rotating the substrate in a horizontal plane, a coating solution nozzle for supplying a coating solution to a front surface of the substrate horizontally held by the spin chuck, and a solvent supply mechanism provided in the spin chuck for supplying a solvent to a back surface of the substrate, in which the solvent supplied to the back surface of the substrate is allowed to reach the back surface and side surface of each of corners of the substrate by centrifugal force, thereby removing the coating solution attached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventors: Shinji Kobayashi, Tetsushi Miyamoto, Masahito Hamada, Masatoshi Kaneda
  • Patent number: 6790307
    Abstract: A method of making shingles includes providing a moving asphalt coated sheet having at least an overlay lane and an underlay lane. Blend drops of at least two color blends are discharged onto each lane, wherein at least one of the blend drops discharged onto the overlay lane has a different color blend from the color blends of all the blend drops discharged onto the underlay lane. Background granules are then discharged onto the asphalt coated sheet to form a granule coated sheet, and the excess granules are removed from the granule coated sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Owens Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Bert W. Elliott
  • Patent number: 6767403
    Abstract: A spin bowl includes a base and a sidewall that extends from the base. The base has an upper portion for supporting a substrate in a horizontal plane and a lower portion that intersects with the sidewall. The lower portion of the base has a plurality of drain holes formed therein proximate to the sidewall. Each of the plurality of drain holes is configured to trap fluid therein during spinning of the spin bowl to thereby form a fluid seal that prevents air from flowing therethrough. In one embodiment, each of the drain holes is V-shaped. In another embodiment, the fluid seal is formed by the intersection of a straight drain hole with an external fluid catch area. An apparatus and method for spin coating a film over a substrate also are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred J. Chetcuti, Henner Meinhold
  • Publication number: 20040134421
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a machine and method for applying chemicals with substrates in a continuous manner, as opposed to batch processes. The machine uses non-aqueous solvents as a carrier medium for the chemicals. The non-aqueous solvents are then evaporated away, leaving the chemicals on the substrates. Additionally, the non-aqueous solvents are then continuously condensed, purified and recycled through the machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventor: Larry Rising
  • Publication number: 20040115346
    Abstract: A machine for applying sealant material to non-circular closures using a rotating chuck connected to a rotational motor and a fixedly mounted dispensing apparatus. The chuck is also moved in at least one linear direction in a plane normal to the rotational axis of the chuck. The rotational motor may be connected to the chuck using various mechanisms while minimizing the moving mass of the machine. Sealant applicators are also disclosed that are mounted on a turret and use independently controlled motors, or fully integrated servomotors to rotate the chuck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: Scott J. Woolley, William W. Weil, Ian J. Buckley, James N. McBride
  • Patent number: 6723167
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a sleeve that forms a hollowed cylinder to enclose a spindle. The sleeve has a thickness and a first length. A strut is mounted to the spindle to keep the sleeve from traveling up a shaft. The strut is slotted into a first slot on a top end of the hollowed cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: James A. Porter
  • Patent number: 6716478
    Abstract: A coating area of wafer W is divided into, for example, three regions. The wafer W and/or a supply nozzle are driven in a predetermined coating direction and/or a coating direction such that coating start positions of the adjacent divided regions are not next to each other and/or the coating is not continuously performed in order of a coating end position and a coating start position when the coating end position of one region of the adjacent divided regions and the coating start position of the other region are adjacent to each other, whereby forming a liquid film of a resist liquid for each divided region of the surface of wafer W. As a result, a phenomenon, in which the resist liquid is drawn to the coating start position, so as to increase the film thickness of this portion, occurs in only the corresponding region. Resultantly, uniformity of an inner surface of the film thickness can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takahiro Kitano, Masateru Morikawa, Yukihiko Esaki, Nobukazu Ishizaka, Norihisa Koga, Kazuhiro Takeshita, Hirofumi Ookuma, Masami Akimoto
  • Patent number: 6709514
    Abstract: A rotary coating apparatus and a method of coating medical devices, such as stents, is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Syed F. A. Hossainy