Control Means Responsive To A Randomly Occurring Sensed Condition Patents (Class 118/663)
  • Patent number: 8485126
    Abstract: A coating apparatus including a coating part which applies a liquid material including an oxidizable metal on a substrate; a chamber having a coating section in which the coating part applies the liquid material on the substrate and a transport section into which the liquid material is transported; an adjusting part which adjusts at least one of oxygen concentration and humidity inside the chamber; and a control part which stops an operation of the coating part in response to the entrance of foreign object into the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidenori Miyamoto, Kenji Maruyama, Tadahiko Hirakawa, Koichi Misumi
  • Patent number: 8480912
    Abstract: Provided are a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method, by which plasma damage is reduced during processing. At the time of performing desired plasma processing to a substrate (5), a process chamber (2) is supplied with an inert gas for carrying in and out the substrate (5), pressure fluctuation in the process chamber (2) is adjusted to be within a prescribed range, and plasma (20) of the inert gas supplied in the process chamber (2) is generated. The density of the plasma (20) in the transfer area of the substrate (5) is reduced by controlling plasma power to be in a prescribed range, and the substrate (5) is carried in and out to and from a supporting table (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Matsuda, Masahiko Inoue, Kazuto Yoshida, Tadashi Shimazu
  • Patent number: 8479682
    Abstract: An apparatus for applying adhesive to the surface of expanded resin panels by means of a gluing roller, comprising a conveyor for feeding a panel, which is arranged upstream of the gluing roller, and a conveyor for receiving the panel, which is arranged downstream of the gluing roller, the conveyors being mutually aligned on a supporting framework so as to have adjacent ends, and means for moving the conveyors between a lowered position and a raised position, the means being controlled by an element for detecting a panel conveyed by the feeding conveyor so as to lift or lower the conveyors to a level at which the surface of the gluing roller is substantially in tangent contact with the panel in order to apply thereon a layer of adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Resta S.R.L.
    Inventors: Roberto Resta, Paolo Resta
  • Patent number: 8470126
    Abstract: An apparatus for etching features in an etch layer is provided. A plasma processing chamber is provided, comprising a chamber wall, a chuck, a pressure regulator, an electrode or coil, a gas inlet, and a gas outlet. A gas source comprises a fluorine free deposition gas source and an etch gas source. A controller comprises at least one processor and computer readable media, comprising computer readable code for providing a conditioning for a patterned pseudo-hardmask, wherein the conditioning comprises computer readable code providing a fluorine free deposition gas comprising a hydrocarbon gas, computer readable code for forming a plasma, computer readable code for providing a bias less than 500 volts, and computer readable code for forming a deposition on top of the patterned pseudo-hardmask, computer readable code for etching the etch layer, and computer readable code for cyclically repeating the conditioning and etching at least twice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Ben-Li Sheu, Rajinder Dhindsa, Vinay Pohray, Eric A. Hudson, Andrew D. Bailey, III
  • Patent number: 8448599
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, which are hard to cause a defect in processing a substrate owing to that a pressure inside a process chamber is not kept constant, and which enable a better processing of a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Yuasa, Kazuhiro Kimura, Yasuhiro Megawa
  • Patent number: 8430059
    Abstract: An apparatus for precision pen height control which includes a dispensing member, a fluid dispensing system, a vertical position sensing system, and a vertical position controller. The fluid dispensing system is in fluid communication with an opening in the dispensing member via a tubular member. A vertical position sensing system, which includes a diffraction grating and a sensor, is engaged to the tubular member. The sensor is positioned adjacent the diffraction grating. The diffraction grating is engaged to a vertical support, which is engaged to the tubular member. The sensor produces a vertical position signal based upon the position of the vertical support. The vertical position controller is engaged to the vertical position sensing system, and receives a control signal generated from the vertical position signal. The vertical position controller produces and applies vertical forces to the vertical support in response to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy J. Mickley, Frank Genovese, James Feng, Leonard B. Richardson
  • Patent number: 8430962
    Abstract: A gas supply mechanism includes a gas introduction member having gas inlet portions through which a gas is introduced into a processing chamber, a processing gas supply unit, a processing gas supply path, branch paths, an additional gas supply unit and an additional gas supply path. The gas inlet portions includes inner gas inlet portions for supplying the gas toward a region where a target substrate is positioned in the chamber and an outer gas inlet portion for introducing the gas toward a region outside an outermost periphery of the target substrate. The branch paths are connected to the inner gas inlet portions, and the additional gas supply path is connected to the outer gas inlet portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Noriiki Masuda
  • Publication number: 20130092083
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a photoresist coater, which includes a receiving space consisting a top slab and a bottom slab, supporting pins and a carrying tray disposed in the receiving space. The supporting pins are coupled to the carrying tray. The photoresist coater further includes an adjustment mechanism disposed in the receiving space for automatically adjusting a height of the carrying tray. The adjustment mechanism is coupled to the carrying tray. The present invention further relates to a photoresist coater carrying system. The carrying system and the corresponding photoresist coater have a simpler way of operation and higher adjustment accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chih-hao Chang
  • Publication number: 20130087097
    Abstract: An apparatus is configured to include a gas supplying part configured to supply a plasma generating gas on a surface on a substrate mounting area side in a turntable and an antenna configured to convert the plasma generating gas to plasma by induction coupling and provided facing the surface of the substrate mounting area side in the turntable so as to extend from a center part to an outer edge part of the turntable. The antenna is arranged so as to have a distance from the turntable in the substrate mounting area not less than 3 mm longer on the center part side than on the outer edge part side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hitoshi KATO, Takeshi Kobayashi, Hiroyuki Kikuchi, Shigehiro Miura
  • Patent number: 8387559
    Abstract: Fluorine gas generators are connected with semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses through a gas supplying system including a storage tank that can store a predetermined quantity of fluorine gas generated in the on-site fluorine gas generators. When one or more of the on-site fluorine gas generators are stopped, fluorine gas is supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses from the storage tank storing a predetermined quantity of fluorine gas, so as to keep the operations of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses. Thereby obtained is a semiconductor manufacturing plant in which fluorine gas generated in the fluorine gas generators can be safely and stably supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, and with superior cost performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignees: Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd., Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Jiro Hiraiwa, Osamu Yoshimoto, Hiroshi Hayakawa, Tetsuro Tojo, Tsuneyuki Okabe, Takanobu Asano, Shinichi Wada, Ken Nakao, Hitoshi Kato
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20130017316
    Abstract: A sputter gun is provided in the embodiments contained herein. The sputter gun includes an impeller disposed within a backside portion of an opening within a housing of the sputter gun, the housing including an inlet directing fluid to rotate the impeller around an axis. A plate is disposed next to the impeller, the plate has openings extending therethrough, the openings enabling the fluid access to a backside portion of the opening within the housing. A plurality of magnets is disposed within the front side of the plate and extending from a surface of the plate such that as the impeller rotates with the plurality of magnets. A thermally conductive membrane extends across a front surface of the front portion of the opening, wherein the fluid contacts the thermally conductive membrane prior to exiting the opening within the housing. A method of performing a deposition process is also included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: INTERMOLECULAR, INC.
    Inventors: Hong Sheng Yang, Kent Riley Child
  • Publication number: 20130017319
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for coating a functional layer on a current collector with an active material layer thereon, the apparatus including a first roll and a second roll, the first roll and second roll being for advancing the current collector; a gravure roll, the gravure roll being configured to coat the functional layer on the active material layer; a thickness measurer, the thickness measurer being configured to measure at least one of a thickness of the active material layer and a sum thickness of the active material layer and the functional layer; and a controller, the controller being in communication with the thickness measurer and being configured to control a rotation speed of the gravure roll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: So-Il MOON, Jee-Sang HWANG, Su-Hwan KIM, Hyoung-No LEE
  • Publication number: 20120312473
    Abstract: A high frequency power distribution device includes: a distribution member for uniformly dividing a high frequency power into divided high frequency powers; coaxial transmission lines through which the divided high frequency powers are introduced to the parallel plate electrodes; and an impedance control mechanism which controls an input impedance to decrease a current value. The distribution member includes: a high frequency power input unit for inputting the high frequency power to an input point; and a plurality of high frequency power output units spaced from each other at a regular interval, and each of the coaxial transmission lines are connected to one of the high frequency power output units, and the impedance control mechanism is provided at the high frequency power input unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kenichi Hanawa, Takahiro Tomita
  • Patent number: 8302555
    Abstract: A liquid coating apparatus has: a coating roller which has a coating surface; a liquid holding unit which abuts against the coating surface of the coating roller so as to form a liquid holding space; a medium support member which faces the coating surface in such a manner that the medium support member and the coating roller nip and support the medium; an abutment pressure-varying device which adjusts at least one of a first abutment pressure between the coating surface of the coating roller and the liquid holding unit and a second abutment pressure between the coating surface of the coating roller and the medium; and a control device which controls the abutment pressure-varying device according to a relative position of the medium with respect to the coating roller, wherein the coating roller rotates while the medium is sandwiched by the medium support member and the coating roller in such a manner that the liquid is fed to the coating surface from the liquid holding unit and the liquid is transferred to the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakazawa, Toshiyuki Makuta
  • Publication number: 20120272897
    Abstract: A pipe conditioning tool comprising a drive unit to move the tool along a pipe and a work head rotatable about an axis of the pipe to condition a surface of the pipe, the drive unit includes a frame extending to opposite sides of the pipe, the frame having legs extending radially beyond the work head to provide support for the tool upon removal from said pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventor: Brad Bamford
  • Patent number: 8293014
    Abstract: There are provided a substrate processing apparatus and a reaction tube for processing a substrate. The substrate processing apparatus comprises a process chamber configured to accommodate a substrate and process the substrate, a heater configured to heat the substrate, a gas supply part configured to supply a gas to an inside of the process chamber, a quartz reaction tube installed in the alloy reaction tube and a purge gas supply part configured to supply a purge gas to a gap formed between the alloy reaction tube and the quartz reaction tube. The process chamber comprises an alloy reaction tube made of a material comprising at least molybdenum (Mo) and cobalt (Co) and excluding aluminum (Al).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventor: Harushige Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 8287648
    Abstract: A semiconductor processing apparatus includes a reaction chamber, a loading chamber, a movable support, a drive mechanism, and a control system. The reaction chamber includes a baseplate. The baseplate includes an opening. The movable support is configured to hold a workpiece. The drive mechanism is configured to move a workpiece held on the support towards the opening of the baseplate into a processing position. The control system is configured to create a positive pressure gradient between the reaction chamber and the loading chamber while the workpiece support is in motion. Purge gases flow from the reaction chamber into the loading chamber while the workpiece support is in motion. The control system is configured to create a negative pressure gradient between the reaction chamber and the loading chamber while the workpiece is being processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph C Reed, Eric J Shero
  • Publication number: 20120251725
    Abstract: An imprint method includes, in the peeling step of peeling a mold off the material layer to be transferred, a region-of-contact recognition operation of recognizing and determining a region of contact of the mold with the material layer to be transferred, a center-of-gravity locating operation of determining a center of gravity of a morphology of the thus recognized region of contact on the basis of that morphology, and a peeling operation of determining a point of force for applying peeling force to the mold or the imprinting substrate in relation to the center of gravity determined by the center-of-gravity locating operation, thereby acting the peeling force on the point of force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: DAI NIPPON PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki ARITSUKA, Naoko NAKATA
  • Patent number: 8276539
    Abstract: An observation sample is prepared by immobilizing a nanomaterial on a substrate 10 by applying a voltage between a nanomaterial dispersion liquid 13, filled in an interior of an electrostatic spray nozzle 20, and the observation substrate 10 to electrostatically spray and dry the dispersion liquid 13 and electrostatically deposit the nanomaterial. With respect to the observation substrate 10, including a conductive grid portion 11 and a supporting film 12, a reference electrode 81 is disposed below the substrate 10 and a bias voltage of the same polarity as the electrostatic spraying voltage is applied to the grid portion 11 of the substrate 10 to adjust immobilization positions of the nanomaterial on the substrate 10. An observation sample, with which the nanomaterial is immobilized in a satisfactory state on the substrate, can thereby be prepared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Hamamatsu-Photonics K.K.
    Inventor: Tomonori Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20120240851
    Abstract: The disclosed electrostatic coating system (1) includes a spray gun (2) for electrostatic coating, a high-voltage generator (5), and an alternating-current source unit (4), and further includes a removable grounding member (7), in a state attached to the main body of the gun, provided to close an open-circuit portion (3c) of the grounded power source line (3a), and a control circuit (8) for controlling the alternating current source unit (4) by detecting the current flowing through the power source line (3) or the voltage of the power source line (3) by a current coil (13) to stop application of the alternating voltage (Vac) to the high-voltage generator (5) when the detected electric current or the detected voltage has dropped or either the current or the voltage is not detected during supply of the alternating voltage (Vac) to the high voltage generator (5) of the spray gun (2). This system enables prevention of charging of the removable grounding member (7) to improve the safety in the coating operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: Asahi Sunac Corporation
    Inventors: Masami Murata, Tatsuya Nishio, Satoshi Yamasaki, Teruo Ando
  • Patent number: 8273178
    Abstract: A thin film deposition apparatus and a method of maintaining the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a thin film deposition apparatus includes: a chamber including a removable chamber cover; one or more reactors housed in the chamber; a chamber cover lifting device connected to the chamber cover. The chamber cover lifting device is configured to move the chamber cover vertically between a lower position and an upper position. The apparatus further includes a level sensing device configured to detect whether the chamber cover is level, and a level maintaining device configured to adjust the chamber cover if the chamber cover is not level. This configuration maintains the chamber cover to be level as a condition for further vertical movement of the chamber cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: ASM Genitech Korea Ltd.
    Inventors: Se Yong Kim, Woo Chan Kim, Dong Rak Jung
  • Publication number: 20120237667
    Abstract: A printed layer formation processing device performs a part of a process for forming a printed layer on a part of the print medium by a first colorant in a molded object formation process. The printed layer formation processing device includes: a formation amount correspondence relationship storage part that stores a formation amount correspondence relationship, which is a correspondence relationship between a degree of deformation of the print medium and a formation amount of the first colorant, which are correlated so that the thickness of the printed layer is substantially the same in respective regions of the molded object, a deformation degree acquisition part that acquires the degree of deformation in the respective regions of the print medium; and a formation amount determining part that determines the formation amount of the first colorant in the respective regions based on the degree of the deformation and the formation amount correspondence relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Minoru KOYAMA, Toru FUJITA
  • Patent number: 8267041
    Abstract: A plasma treating apparatus adapted to provide a predetermined plasma treatment to an object W to be treated comprises a processing chamber 12 configured to be capable of being vacuumed, an object holding means 20 adapted to hold the object to be treated, a high frequency power source 58 adapted to generate high frequency voltage, a plasma gas supplying means 38 adapted to supply a plasma generating gas to be treated to generate plasma to the processing chamber, a pair of plasma electrodes 56, 56B connected to the output side of the high frequency power source via wirings 60 to generate plasma in the processing chamber, the pair of plasma electrodes being brought into an excited electrode state. In addition, a high frequency matching means 72 is provided in the middle of the wirings. In this case, each of the plasma electrodes 56A, 56B is not grounded. Thus, the plasma density can be increased, and the efficiency of generating plasma can be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Toshiji Abe, Toshiki Takahashi, Hiroyuki Matsuura
  • Patent number: 8267039
    Abstract: To provide a coating apparatus and a coating method capable of accurately control the coating width of a coating liquid on an article to be coated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiji Ishizu, Hiroshi Oyama
  • Patent number: 8247741
    Abstract: A system is provided for heating or cooling discrete, linearly conveyed substrates having a gap between a trailing edge of a first substrate and a leading edge of a following substrate in a conveyance direction. The system includes a chamber, and a conveyor operably configured within the chamber to move the substrates through at a conveyance rate. A plurality of individually controlled temperature control units, for example heating or cooling units, are disposed linearly within the chamber along the conveyance direction. A controller is in communication with the temperature control units and is configured to cycle output of the temperature control units from a steady-state temperature output as a function of the spatial position of the conveyed substrates within the chamber relative to the temperature control units so as to decrease temperature variances in the substrates caused by movement of the substrates through the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: PrimeStar Solar, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Michael Pepler, James Joseph Jones, Sean Timothy Halloran
  • Patent number: 8245662
    Abstract: A method and a configuration provide dynamic control of a liquid supply for a moisturizing storage device for sealing glued edges of a envelope flap of letter envelopes. Once a measured value has been measured for a sealing liquid which is stored in the tank of a moisturizing apparatus, the type of sealing liquid that is used is qualitatively analyzed on the basis of the measured value and of at least one material parameter as a comparison value. The amount of liquid stored in the moisturizing storage device is then measured by at least one further measurement to allow dynamic control of the liquid supply to the moisturizing storage device as a function of the material parameter and of at least one measured value, which is related to the liquid consumption, in the result of the at least one measurement of the amount of liquid stored in the moisturizing storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Gerhardt, Wolfgang Muhl
  • Patent number: 8236380
    Abstract: A gas supply system for supplying a gas into a processing chamber for processing a substrate to be processed includes: a processing gas supply unit; a processing gas supply line; a first and a second processing gas branch line; a branch flow control unit; an additional gas supply unit; an additional gas supply line; a first and a second additional gas branch line; a flow path switching unit; and a control unit. Before processing the substrate to be processed, the control unit performs a pressure ratio control on the branch flow control unit while the processing gas supply unit supplies the processing gas. After the inner pressures of the first and the second processing gas branch line become stable, the control unit switches the pressure ratio control to a fixed pressure control, and then the additional gas supply unit supplies the additional gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Kenetsu Mizusawa
  • Patent number: 8235002
    Abstract: A plasma assisted apparatus for organic film deposition, comprising: a plasma chamber, capable of thermally cracking a precursor in the plasma chamber; and a deposition chamber, being channeled with the plasma chamber for receiving the thermally cracked precursor. In an exemplary embodiment, the deposition chamber further comprises a substrate device, being provided for the thermally cracked precursor to deposit thereon to form an organic film. As the plasma chamber is separated from the deposition chamber in the aforesaid apparatus, a low-temperature film deposition process can be used for forming organic films while preventing the substrate device from being bombarded directly by plasma. In addition, as there is a flow guiding device arranged at the outlet of the plasma chamber, the thermally cracked precursor is guided or disturbed and thus is prevented from overly concentrating at the outlet or the center of the substrate device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Guo-Shing Huang, Tung-Ying Lin, Chun-Hao Chang, Herrison Wang, Teng-Yen Wabg
  • Patent number: 8225745
    Abstract: System and method for operating a material deposition system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method can include periodically injecting a precursor into a vaporizer through an injector at the vaporizer, vaporizing the precursor in the vaporizer and supplying the vaporized precursor to a reaction chamber in fluid communication with the vaporizer, and shutting down the vaporizer and the reaction chamber after a period of time. The method can also include conducting maintenance of the injector at the vaporizer by using a vapor solvent rinse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene P. Marsh, David R. Atwell
  • Patent number: 8203425
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer-usable medium are disclosed for providing information relating to damage incurred by a vehicle in an accident. A first plurality of markers with a first set of identifiers is embedded in a coating applied to a component of a first vehicle and a second plurality of markers with a second set of identifiers is embedded in a coating applied to a component of a second vehicle. Markers from the first vehicle are transferred to the second vehicle upon impact during an accident. The transferred markers are read by a marker reader and then processed to determine the identity of the first vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Reynaldo Medina, III, Michael P. Bueche, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8186300
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for processing a surface of a to-be-processed substrate includes a processing chamber, a first electrode provided in the processing chamber, a second electrode arranged in opposition to the first electrode, a main power source for supplying the first or second electrode with power for generating a plasma, a biasing power source for supplying the second or first electrode with biasing power, a gas supplying unit for supplying a processing gas into the processing chamber and a control unit for controlling the main power source, the biasing power source and the gas supplying unit. The control unit performs a control such that, during a time of transition from a stationary state of plasma, in which a plasma processing is to be carried out, to a plasma quenching, an output of the main power source is kept not larger than an output of the biasing power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Takamasa Ichino, Ryoji Nishio, Tomoyuki Tamura, Shinji Obama
  • Publication number: 20120118230
    Abstract: An apparatus for cladding the interior surfaces of a curved pipe section includes a flexible track that is positioned longitudinally within the curved pipe and supported at opposite ends to corresponding opposite ends of the curved pipe. The flexible track is caused to bend and conform to the radius of curvature of an interior surface of the curved pipe. A robotic crawler is supported on the track section and carries a material applicator head. The robotic crawler is driven back-and-forth across the track section while the material applicator head applies an overlay material to the interior surface of the curved pipe. In a method, the position of the curved pipe in space, the travel direction and speed of the crawler and the position of the application head are all coordinated to maintain the application of the overlay material in the “flat plane” position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventor: Don Gano
  • Publication number: 20120118504
    Abstract: A processing apparatus for performing a process on an object includes a chamber; a rotary floater for supporting the object on its upper end side; XY rotating attraction bodies provided in the rotary floater at an interval circumferentially; a floating attraction body provided in the rotary floater to extend circumferentially; a floating electromagnet group for floating the rotary floater while adjusting an inclination of the rotary floater by applying a vertically upward acting magnetic attraction to the floating attraction body; an XY rotating electromagnet group for rotating the rotary floater while adjusting a horizontal position of the rotary floater by applying a magnetic attraction force to the XY rotating attraction bodies; a gas supply for supplying a gas into the chamber; a mechanism for performing a process on the object; and an apparatus control unit for controlling an entire operation of the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masamichi Nomura, Kenjiro Koizumi, Shigeru Kasai, Sumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8176871
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus, including: a processing space to provide a space in which a substrate is to be processed; a heating member to heat the processing space; a gas supply member to supply at least first and second processing gases to the processing space; an exhaust member to exhaust an atmosphere in the processing space; and a control member to control at least the gas supply member and the exhaust member such that supply and exhaust of the first and second processing gases are alternately repeated a plurality of times so that the first and second processing gases are not mixed with each other in the processing space when forming a desired film on the substrate, and both the first and second processing gases are supplied to the processing space when coating a surface of an inner wall of the processing space with a desired film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Okuda, Norikazu Mizuno
  • Patent number: 8172949
    Abstract: A computer readable storage medium storing a program for performing an operation method of a substrate processing apparatus is provided. The operation method includes the steps of introducing a nonreactive gas into the vacuum preparation chamber before the gate valve is opened while the substrate is transferred between the vacuum preparation chamber of the vacuum processing unit and the transfer unit, stopping introducing the nonreactive gas when an inner pressure of the vacuum preparation chamber becomes same as an atmospheric pressure, starting an evacuation process of the corrosive gas in the vacuum preparation chamber and then opening to atmosphere performed by letting the vacuum preparation chamber communicate with an atmosphere, and opening the gate valve after the step of opening to atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kudo, Jun Ozawa, Hiroshi Nakamura, Kazunori Kazama, Tsuyoshi Moriya, Hiroyuki Nakayama, Hiroshi Nagaike
  • Publication number: 20120100709
    Abstract: A plating apparatus allows a substrate holder to be serviced easily while ensuring easy access to the substrate holder and while a substrate is being processed in the plating apparatus. The plating apparatus includes a plating section for plating a substrate, a substrate holder for holding the substrate, a substrate holder transporter for holding and transporting the substrate holder, a stocker for storing the substrate holder, and a stocker setting section for storing the stocker therein. The stocker includes a moving mechanism for moving the stocker into and out of the stocker setting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Inventor: Yoshio MINAMI
  • Publication number: 20120094011
    Abstract: A film deposition apparatus includes a partitioning member that forms, in a chamber, a film deposition space including a turntable on which a substrate is placed, a first reactive gas supplying portion for supplying a first reactive gas toward the turntable, and a second reactive gas supplying portion for supplying a second reactive gas toward the turntable. The partitioning member is fabricated with material superior to material forming the chamber in corrosion resistance. The film deposition apparatus includes a pressure measurement portion that measures a pressure of the film deposition space, and a pressure measurement portion that measures a pressure of a space outside the film deposition space, so that the pressure of the space outside the film deposition space is kept slightly higher than the pressure of the film deposition space based on the pressure measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventors: Katsuyuki HISHIYA, Manabu Honma, Tsuneyuki Okabe
  • Patent number: 8137745
    Abstract: A hot melt adhesive system includes a melting unit configured to liquefy a bulk form of hot melt adhesive and deliver the liquefied hot melt adhesive to an application location. The melting unit includes a controller for establishing and/or verifying at least one system condition, such as temperatures associated with system operation. A machine reading unit is coupled with the controller and is capable of receiving information from a machine readable element and communicating the information to the controller for use in establishing and/or verifying the system condition. A method of operating the system includes scanning information on at least one system condition into the controller from a machine readable element, and using the scanned information during operation of the melting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Rick Pallante, John M. Raterman
  • Patent number: 8137467
    Abstract: A temperature controlled showerhead for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chambers enhances heat dissipation to enable accurate temperature control with an electric heater. Heat dissipates by conduction through a showerhead stem and fluid passageway and radiation from a back plate. A temperature control system includes one or more temperature controlled showerheads in a CVD chamber with fluid passageways serially connected to a heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Henner Meinhold, Dan M. Doble, Stephen Lau, Vince Wilson, Easwar Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 8117985
    Abstract: A laser cladding device for applying a coating to a part comprising a laser which can generate laser light, which is adapted to heat the coating and the part, a main body defining a laser light channel adapted to transmit the laser light to the part, a coating channel adapted to transmit the coating to the part, and a vacuum channel and a nozzle having an exit. The nozzle comprises a delivery port at one end of the laser light channel, a coating port at one end of the coating channel, and a vacuum port at one end of the vacuum channel, wherein the vacuum port is positioned generally adjacent the delivery port. In operation the vacuum port draws a vacuum, pulling the coating towards the part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Inventor: Ronald Peter Whitfield
  • Patent number: 8114245
    Abstract: A plasma etching device which has an auxiliary electrode enabling realization of a uniform plasma density of generated plasma on the surface of a base and which enables uniform etching with respect to the base without depending upon pressure and without rotating a magnetic field applying means. The plasma etching device has magnetic field applying means which has two parallel plate electrodes I and II and RF power applying means, with the base set on the electrode I, and which is horizontal and unidirectional with respect to the surface of the base where plasma etching is carried out. In this plasma etching device, an auxiliary electrode is provided at least on the upstream side of the base in a flow of electron current generated by the magnetic field applying means. The auxiliary electrode includes a local electrode arranged on the side facing the electrode II and means for adjusting impedance provided at a part of the local electrode to be electrically connected with the electrode I.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Masaki Hirayama, Haruyuki Takano, Yusuke Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20120032220
    Abstract: Light emitting structures are disclosed that can include a semiconductor light emitting diode (LED) that includes a p-n junction active layer. A first layer can include a binder material having a thickness that is less than about 1000 ?m, wherein the first layer is directly on the LED. A second layer can include phosphor particles, where the second layer can have a thickness that is less than about 1000 ?m and can be directly on the first layer so that the first layer is between the LED and the second layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventors: Nathaniel O. Cannon, Mitchell Jackson
  • Publication number: 20120024226
    Abstract: A lip drive part for a T-die that adjusts a gap between first and second lips includes an actuator acts on a flexible lip part forming at least one of the first and second lips of a T-die body, includes a lever that acts on the flexible lip part, a first bellows that narrow the gap by acting on the lever when being expanded, and a second bellows that widen the gap by acting on the lever when being expanded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES MODERN, LTD.
    Inventor: Katsuyuki NAKANO
  • Publication number: 20120018095
    Abstract: A plasma processing system for processing a wafer is provided. The system includes an electrostatic chuck (ESC) positioned inside a plasma processing chamber and configured to support the wafer. The ESC includes a positive terminal for providing a first force to the wafer and a negative terminal for providing a second force to the wafer. The system also includes a first circuit arrangement configured to measure at least a first voltage for determining a value of a positive load current applied to the positive terminal. The system further includes a second circuit arrangement configured to measure at least a second voltage for determining a value of a negative load current applied to the negative terminal. The system yet also includes circuitry configured to adjust a bias voltage using the values of the positive load current and the negative load current for balancing the first force and the second force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Seyed Jafar Jafarian-Tehrani, Ralph Jan-Pin Lu
  • Publication number: 20120000607
    Abstract: A mass flow control system according to an embodiment includes a first mass flow controller that receives a corrosive gas having a corrosive effect on a predetermined material and has corrosion resistance to the corrosive gas, and a second mass flow controller that receives a non-corrosive gas having no corrosive effect on the predetermined material and is configured using the predetermined material. The mass flow control system further includes a plurality of first gas pipes that respectively supply a plurality of kinds of corrosive gases to the first mass flow controller, and a plurality of second gas pipes that respectively supply a plurality of kinds of non-corrosive gases to the second mass flow controller and are configured using the predetermined material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Atsushi Ito, Hideo Eto
  • Patent number: 8083889
    Abstract: A plasma etching apparatus capable of performing processing with excellent in-plane uniformity on an object to be processed having a large diameter is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Go Miya, Manabu Edamura, Ken Yoshioka, Ryoji Nishio
  • Publication number: 20110297082
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a metallic basic material arranged in a sample stage, a dielectric film of dielectric material disposed on an upper surface of the basic material, the dielectric film being formed through a plasma spray process; a film-shaped heater disposed in the dielectric film, the heater being formed through a plasma spray process; an adhesive layer arranged on the dielectric film; a sintered ceramic plate having a thickness ranging from about 0.2 mm to about 0.4 mm, the sintered ceramic plate being adhered onto the dielectric film by the adhesive layer; a sensor disposed in the basic material for sensing a temperature; and a controller for receiving an output from the sensor and adjusting quantity of heat generated by the heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Watanabe, Mamoru Yakushiji, Yutaka Ohmoto
  • Publication number: 20110293854
    Abstract: An atomic layer growing apparatus introduces an organic metal gas containing hydrogen to a deposition vessel to cause an organic metal component to be adsorbed on a substrate. Then, the apparatus introduces an oxidizing gas or a nitriding gas to the deposition vessel to generate plasma, thereby oxidizing or nitriding the organic metal component deposited on the substrate. When the plasma is generated, the apparatus detects emission intensity of a predetermined wavelength of light emitted on the substrate through an observation window provided in the deposition vessel. When the detected emission intensity becomes a predetermined value or less, the apparatus stops the generation of the plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: MITSUI ENGINEERING & SHIPBUILDING CO., LTD
    Inventor: Kazuki Takizawa
  • Patent number: 8061299
    Abstract: A deposition system includes a vacuum reaction chamber with a substrate holder positioned in it. The substrate holder is for carrying a substrate therein. A sputtering apparatus is also positioned in the vacuum reaction chamber. The sputtering apparatus is configured to direct sputtered material towards the substrate to form a sputtered material region thereon. A plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) apparatus is positioned in the vacuum reaction chamber. The PECVD apparatus is configured to deposit a PECVD material region thereon the substrate. The first PECVD apparatus includes a first PECVD electrode movable from a first position towards the substrate and a second position away from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Inventor: George M. Engle