Pressure Responsive Patents (Class 118/692)
  • Patent number: 11532460
    Abstract: In some examples, a gas mixer comprises a body and an orbital array of gas inlets for receiving one or more constituents of a mixed gas. A mixed gas outlet emits a mixed gas from the body and is disposed at a center of the orbital array of gas inlets. A central gas mixing point, separate from the mixed gas outlet, comprises an internal volume disposed within the body and is surrounded by the orbital array of gas inlet. The internal volume is in fluid communication with the orbital array of gas inlets via a corresponding array of gas pathways extending from the internal volume to each of the gas inlets. Each gas path length of the respective gas pathways is the same. Control circuitry is configured to control gas flow rate within each of the gas pathways individually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Taskar, Iqbal A. Shareef
  • Patent number: 11459654
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates generally to semiconductor processing and more particularly to liquid precursor injection apparatus and methods for depositing thin films. A method of injecting a liquid precursor into a thin film deposition chamber comprises delivering a vaporized liquid precursor into the thin film deposition chamber by atomizing the liquid precursor into atomized precursor droplets using a liquid injection unit and vaporizing the atomized precursor droplets into the vaporized liquid precursor in a vaporization chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Eugenus, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Finkelman, Niloy Mukherjee, Miguel Saldana
  • Patent number: 11236425
    Abstract: A method of processing each of a plurality of substrates comprises: obtaining a first correction factor based on a first flow rate set value of a mass flow controller and a first measurement value of a mass flow meter; adjusting the first flow rate set value of the mass flow controller with the first correction factor so that the flow rate of the vaporized raw material becomes equal to a target value to process the substrate; obtaining a second correction factor based on a second flow rate set value of the mass flow controller and a second measurement value of the mass flow meter; and adjusting the second flow rate set value of the mass flow controller with the second correction factor so that the flow rate of the vaporized raw material becomes equal to the target value to process the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kennan Mo, Nuri Choi, Kouichi Sekido, Katsumasa Yamaguchi, Eiichi Komori
  • Patent number: 10943769
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for distributing and mixing gas are provided. In one example, a gas distributor comprises a body, a gas inlet for admitting gas to the body, an orbital array of gas outlets for distributing the gas to an external component, and a central gas distribution point disposed within the body at a center of the orbital array of gas outlets and in fluid communication with the orbital array of gas outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Taskar, Iqbal A. Shareef
  • Patent number: 10699909
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber configured to perform a plasma processing on a sample, a first radio frequency power supply configured to generate a plasma, a sample stage configured to place the sample thereon, a second radio frequency power supply configured to supply a radio frequency power to the sample stage, a mass flow controller configured to supply a gas into the processing chamber, and a control device configured to change the radio frequency power supplied from the first radio frequency power supply or the second radio frequency power supply based on a change of plasma impedance after a first gas is switched to a second gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: HITACH HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasushi Sonoda, Motohiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10683230
    Abstract: A gas branching apparatus that branches and supplies a gas to first to N-th supply targets, includes first to N-th pipes wherein the first to N-th pipes are each branched into first to N-th branch pipes on a downstream end side, and wherein the i-th branch pipes of the respective first to N-th pipes are connected in common to the i-th supply target, and the i-th branch pipes of the respective first to N-th pipes are provided with valves, respectively, where i denotes each of integers of 1 to N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tadashi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10636625
    Abstract: A plasma processing system for processing semiconductor substrates is provided. The plasma processing system includes a plasma processing volume having a volume less than the processing chamber. The plasma processing volume is defined by a top electrode, a substrate support surface opposing the surface of the top electrode and a plasma confinement structure including at least one outlet port. A conductance control structure is movably disposed proximate to the at least one outlet port and capable of controlling an outlet flow through the at least one outlet port between a first flow rate and a second flow rate. The conductance control structure controls the outlet flow rate and an at least one RF source is modulated and at least one process gas flow rate is modulated corresponding to a selected processing state set by the controller during a plasma process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Rajinder Dhindsa, Harmeet Singh
  • Patent number: 10422035
    Abstract: A thin film forming method for forming a thin film on a workpiece accommodated within a reaction chamber includes a first operation of supplying a first source gas and a second source gas into the reaction chamber, and a second operation of stopping the supply of the first source gas, supplying the second source gas into the reaction chamber and setting an internal pressure of the reaction chamber higher than an internal pressure of the reaction chamber set in the first operation. The first operation and the second operation are alternately repeated a plurality of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuya Yamamoto, Yuichi Ito
  • Patent number: 10060030
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of providing a constant concentration of a metal-containing precursor compound in the vapor phase in a carrier gas. Such method is particularly useful in supplying a constant concentration of a gaseous metal-containing compound to a plurality of vapor deposition reactors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Ceres Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Egbert Woelk, Ronald L. DiCarlo
  • Patent number: 9937536
    Abstract: Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are provided for cleaning a polishing module of a semiconductor polishing apparatus. Purge air flow can be supplied into the polishing module (e.g., directed towards a polishing unit, a shield, and/or other polishing components) to create turbulence air flow within the polishing module. An auxiliary exhaust can be invoked to exhaust one or more particulates removed from the polishing module by the turbulence air flow. A purge air flow cycle can be performed by cycling the purge air flow and the auxiliary exhaust between on and off states. One or more purge air flow cycles can be performed during a main air flow cycle where laminar air flow is supplied into the polishing module and exhausted using a main exhaust. In this way, one or more particulates can be cleaned from the polishing module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Kuo-Yin Lin, Chih-I Peng, Kun-Tai Wu, Teng-Chun Tsai, Hsiang-Pi Chang, Cary Chia-Chiung Lo
  • Patent number: 9754781
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing method in accordance with an embodiment includes feeding a first gas, which contains a component of a first film, to a reaction chamber, and forming a first film over a semiconductor substrate, which is accommodated in the reaction chamber, through plasma CVD. The semiconductor manufacturing method includes feeding a second gas to the reaction chamber after forming the first film, allowing the first gas in the reaction chamber to react on the second gas, and forming a second film, which has a composition different from that of the first film, over the surface of the first film. The semiconductor manufacturing method includes selectively removing the second film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Okuda, Kei Watanabe, Hidekazu Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9605346
    Abstract: A liquid delivery system for a substrate processing system includes a liquid ampoule to store liquid precursor. A pressure adjusting system adjusts pressure in the liquid ampoule. A pressure sensor senses a pressure in the liquid ampoule. A capillary injector includes a capillary tube in fluid communication with an output of the liquid ampoule. A temperature control device controls a temperature of the capillary tube. A first valve has an input connected to the capillary tube. A controller is configured to determine a predetermined pressure in the liquid ampoule corresponding a desired flow rate and a predetermined temperature of the capillary tube, maintain the temperature of the capillary tube at the predetermined temperature, communicate with the pressure sensor and the pressure adjusting system, and control the pressure in the liquid ampoule to the predetermined pressure to provide the desired flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Colin F. Smith
  • Patent number: 9186695
    Abstract: A machine and a method of applying a non-Newtonian liquid composition onto a surface in a controlled manner. The composition is held in a chamber at a controlled variable pressure and is dispensed through a slit die nozzle as controlled by a valve. Characteristics of the composition are empirically developed and provided to a logic control circuit to assure that the composition is dispensed on either the entire surface or in one or more precise locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: B&H Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Svatoboj Otruba, Ranbir Singh Claire
  • Patent number: 8997685
    Abstract: A single axis application unit for processing a glass workpiece includes a workpiece supporting table, an applicator movable on a traveler shiftable along a first linear axis and a central suction unit that is activateable to grip the glass workpiece that travels along a second linear axis oriented generally perpendicular to the first linear axis. A central suction unit brake selectively secures the central suction unit both rotationally and translationally. The central suction unit is freely moveable both translationally and rotationally when the central suction unit brake is released. A mid-peripheral suction unit is located at a fixed location remote from the central suction unit and selectively activateable to grip the glass workpiece to hold the glass workpiece in a fixed orientation. A corner suction gripper is movable with the applicator parallel to the first linear axis, and is selectively activateable to grip the glass workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Erdman Automation Corporation
    Inventor: Morgan Donohue
  • Patent number: 8916241
    Abstract: A can coating machine control system includes a coating control signal that functions as a go/no-go signal based on a plurality of monitored conditions such as can in position, vacuum pressure, gun in position, guard in position and speed condition. Local pressure regulation of the coating material in the spray gun is provided along with optional control of the material temperature. Local pressure regulation allows for optional spray weight control based on a wrap number derived from speed and gun spray durations. A CAN to CAN network buffer is provided as well for primary network isolation. A gun control circuit may be used to select specific gun drive signals and to adjust gun drive signals based on real-time feedback of the actual spray duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: James M. Khoury, Charles Nagy, Stephen G. Nemethy, Mark J. Ignatius
  • Publication number: 20140283745
    Abstract: An ion implantation apparatus in which a fluorine compound gas is used as a source gas of an ion source, includes a vacuum chamber into which the source gas is introduced; an introduction passage connected to the vacuum chamber and configured to introduce into the vacuum chamber a cleaning gas containing a component that reacts with the fluorine compound deposited inside the vacuum chamber so as to generate a reactant gas; a delivery device configured to forcibly introduce the cleaning gas into the introduction passage; a first adjustment device configured to adjust an amount of gas flow in the introduction passage; an exhausting passage connected to the vacuum chamber and configured to forcibly exhaust the reactant gas along with the cleaning gas; and a second adjustment device configured to adjust an amount of gas flow in the exhausting passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: SEN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Nagai, Masateru Sato
  • Patent number: 8833297
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure device for the application of an expandable reaction mixture on a surface, to a method for producing expandable foams, to a device for producing sandwich composite elements, and to a method for producing expanded sandwich composite elements. The high-pressure device includes a mixing head, a distributor head fluidically connected downstream of the mixing head, at feast three outlet lines attached to the distributor head, a high-pressure feed line of a component to the mixing head, a high pressure feed line of a component B to the mixing head, at least one static mixer for mixing an inert gas to the component A, the component B or a mixture of components A and B, at least one high-pressure feed line for the inert gas, which is under increased pressure, and at least one measurement and control unit for the desired pressure of the components on the mixing head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Bayer MaterialScience AG
    Inventors: Thomas Rub, Uwe Kenzel
  • Patent number: 8790464
    Abstract: A mole delivery system and method provide pulses of known molar quantities as a function of the time duration of each pulse, which in turn is derived as a function of the ideal gas law. In one embodiment of the system, the system comprises: a chamber of known volume and controlled and known temperature; a pressure sensor to measure the pressure in the chamber; an outlet valve to a process tool; an inlet valve to charge the chamber with the delivery gas; and a control system configured and arranged so as to control the operation of the outlet valve, control the amount of each gas pulse by controlling the timing of the valve to the process tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Meneghini
  • Publication number: 20140178567
    Abstract: A system for processing vapor. The system includes a vapor source for producing a vapor and an outlet conduit coupled to the vapor source for carrying the vapor from the vapor source. Downstream of the vapor source the outlet conduit separates into a vapor bypass conduit and a vapor feed conduit. The system further includes a first vapor control valve disposed in the bypass conduit, a second vapor control valve disposed in the feed conduit, a first vacuum chamber connected fluidically coupled to the bypass conduit, and a second vacuum chamber connected fluidically coupled to the feed conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Inventors: Christopher S. Lyons, Kent T. Engle, Steven R. Vanhoose, Terence D. Spawn, Joseph M. Pieper, Edward J. Anderson, Walter Stoss
  • Patent number: 8726834
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid applying apparatus which can inhibit a variation in application amount associated with the individual variability of a component of the apparatus. According to the present invention, a liquid holding space in which a liquid is held is formed between the applying member and the liquid holding member. When the applying member moves, the liquid attached to the applying member is fed out of the liquid holding space together with the applying member. The liquid is applied to a medium. The application amount of liquid applied to the applying medium varies depending on the individual variability of a component such as a liquid applying member. The variation in liquid application amount is adjusted by adjusting section for adjusting, the rotation speed of the liquid holding member or the flow speed of the liquid flowing through the liquid holding space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Nakagawa, Osamu Iwasaki, Atsuhiko Masuyama, Satoshi Masuda, Naoji Otsuka
  • Patent number: 8714177
    Abstract: A system is adapted to automatically maintain a desired yield level for a slurry flow. Measurements of the electrical conductivity of a slurry are taken and corrected for the effects of temperature and pressure. The corrected conductivity measurements are used to arrive at a value for system yield. The system automatically determines if the yield is too high or too low relative to a desired level, and controls the rate at which accelerator is added to the slurry in order to increase or decrease yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: W.R. Grace & Co. -Conn.
    Inventors: Dennis M. Hilton, Karl Taub, Keith Lipford, Philip A. Zanghi
  • Patent number: 8701593
    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: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Kenetsu Mizusawa
  • Patent number: 8631758
    Abstract: A drum coating device for coating work-pieces includes a main body, a support element, a cleaning device, a spraying device, a rotary drum device, a heating device, and a drive device. The main body defines a receiving room. The support element is received in the receiving room and defines slots for receiving the work-pieces. The cleaning device cleans the work-pieces. The spraying device sprays coating materials to the work-pieces. The rotary drum device uniformly coats the coating materials on the work-pieces. The heating device heats the coating materials coated on the work-pieces. The drive device includes a rotating drive rotating the support element and a linear drive raising or lowering the support element in the receiving room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shao-Kai Pei
  • Patent number: 8613972
    Abstract: A counter roll (26) is positioned to engage a paper or board web (24) in a paper or board making machine along a contact line. A pressure-sensitive EMFi film (28) is disposed on the counter roll to measure the pressure profile of the web along the contact line. A coating apparatus (22) applies a coating to the web passing over the counter roll (26), and a pressure profile of the applied coating is measured by the pressure-sensitive film (28) on the counter roll (26). The pressure-sensitive film (28) may also be disposed to detect details of coating application in a curtain coater (30). Moreover, the film may be driven to provide adjustable vibration for cleaning the coater, or conditioning or controlling the coating flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventors: Petteri Lannes, Tatu Markus Kristian Pitkänen
  • Patent number: 8578878
    Abstract: A can coating machine control system includes a coating control signal that functions as a go/no-go signal based on a plurality of monitored conditions such as can in position, vacuum pressure, gun in position, guard in position and speed condition. Local pressure regulation of the coating material in the spray gun is provided along with optional control of the material temperature. Local pressure regulation allows for optional spray weight control based on a wrap number derived from speed and gun spray-durations. A CAN to CAN network buffer is provided as well for primary network isolation. A gun control circuit may be used to select specific gun drive signals and to adjust gun drive signals based on real-time feedback of the actual spray duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: James M. Khoury, Charles Nagy, Stephen G. Nemethy, Mark J. Ignatius
  • Patent number: 8561570
    Abstract: A droplet discharge device is configured to control the drive corresponding to a prescribed set of the nozzles selected to discharge droplets during a main scan when the droplets are arranged in the first partition regions, based on a pre-measured distribution of a droplet discharge amount of each of the prescribed set of the nozzles so that the droplet discharge amount approximates a predetermined optimal amount, and to control the drive waveforms corresponding to the nozzles included in a plurality of potential combinations of the nozzles selected to discharge droplets during a main scan when the droplets are arranged in the second partition regions, based on a pre-measured distribution of an average droplet discharge amount calculated from an amount of droplets discharged from the each of the nozzles in all the potential combinations so that the droplet discharge amount approximates the predetermined optimal amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Sadaharu Komori, Tsuyoshi Kato, Tamotsu Goto
  • Patent number: 8544410
    Abstract: The invention is an immobilization apparatus comprising: a container (1) having a nozzle (4) formed for exhausting a solution; a charging means (PS, 5, 4) for charging the sample solution within the container; and an airflow generating means for generating airflow (Af) crashing into the sample solution. The immobilization apparatus is configured to operate the charging means and the airflow generating means simultaneously, atomize the solution into microparticulate substances charged while maintaining its activity and functionality by the electrostatic force due to the charge of the sample solution charged by the charging means and the crash energy due to the crash of the airflow generated by the airflow generating means into the sample solution, and exhaust it from the exhaust outlet (4), and the charged microparticulate substances are deposited on a substrate (7) by the electrostatic force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignees: Fuence Co., Ltd., Hit Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiko Tanioka, Kozo Inoue, Kazuya Nitta, Masaru Tamaru
  • Patent number: 8443755
    Abstract: A paint spraying system having a paint reservoir (16) remote from a spray gun (12) of the type which draws paint to the gun using vacuum (6, 7). A paint pump (14) delivers paint under positive pressure to the paint gun and a paint regulator (28) in or associated with the paint gun delivers the paint to the gun as drawn by vacuum by the gun through the regulator. An over-pressure relief valve (70) may be used to limit the positive pressure delivered by the pump. A mechanical switch may be used to select a SPRAY or CLEAN mode for the operation of the paint regulator to allow flushing of the paint regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation
    Inventor: Michael B. Jones
  • Patent number: 8420178
    Abstract: A liquid sending method comprises the steps of sending a coating solution to a liquid sending pipe, passing the coating solution to an orifice which is provided at a part of the liquid sending pipe to prevent a vibration propagation and passing the coating solution to a pulsation absorb device which is provided at a part of the liquid sending pipe where is located at a downstream of the orifice, wherein the pulsation absorb device includes a first chamber that a liquid can flow in and out, a second chamber which is introduced a gas, and a diaphragm which separates the first chamber and the second chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Yasuda, Hitoshi Satou, Kazuhiro Oki
  • Publication number: 20130089934
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling saturated vapor pressure of a precursor material is provided. An embodiment comprises generating a calibration curve and utilizing the calibration curve to control a temperature of the precursor material in order to control its saturated vapor pressure. Alternatively, the calibration curve may be substituted for a real time sensor which can take readings in real time and adjust the temperature and saturated vapor pressure based upon the real time readings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ke-Chih Liu, Chia-Ming Tsai, Yen-Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 8360001
    Abstract: Chemical vapor deposition processes utilize chemical precursors that allow for the deposition of thin films to be conducted at or near the mass transport limited regime. The processes have high deposition rates yet produce more uniform films, both compositionally and in thickness, than films prepared using conventional chemical precursors. In preferred embodiments, a higher order silane is employed to deposit thin films containing silicon that are useful in the semiconductor industry in various applications such as transistor gate electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Todd, Mark Hawkins
  • Publication number: 20130023129
    Abstract: Embodiments related to measuring process pressure in low-pressure semiconductor processing environments are provided. In one example, a semiconductor processing module for processing a substrate with a process gas in a vacuum chamber is provided. The example module includes a reactor positioned within the vacuum chamber for processing the substrate with the process gas and a pressure-sensitive structure operative to transmit a pressure transmission fluid pressure to a location exterior to the vacuum chamber. In this example, the pressure transmission fluid pressure varies in response to the process gas pressure within the vacuum chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: ASM AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Joseph Charles Reed
  • Patent number: 8355644
    Abstract: A toner-remaining-amount detection sensor includes a rubber member, an actuator, a transmission sensor, and a holder member which integrally holds the rubber member, the actuator, and the transmission sensor. The actuator is supported by the holder member so as to move to a first position at which the transmission sensor detects that a toner remaining amount in a toner storage container is a predetermined amount or more when a toner pressure in the toner storage container acts on the rubber member, and to move to a second position at which the transmission sensor detects that the toner remaining amount in the toner storage container falls below the predetermined amount when the toner pressure in the toner storage container does not act on the rubber member. When the actuator is at the second position, the actuator partially comes into contact with the holder member so that a gap is formed between the actuator and the rubber member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Yoshii, Naoki Yamane
  • Patent number: 8316791
    Abstract: A coating device includes a main body defining a first and a second receiving rooms, a base received in the first receiving room for supporting work-pieces, a cleaning device opposing the first receiving room, a spraying device positioned on the top of the first receiving room for spraying coating materials to the work-pieces, a rotary drum device received in the first receiving room for uniformly coating the coating materials on the work-pieces, a heating device opposing the first receiving room for heating the coating materials to form a first film, a drive device for rotating, raising and lowering the base, a transportation device positioned in the second receiving room for transporting the base from the first receiving room to the second receiving room, a vacuum coating device opposing the second receiving room for coating a second film on the work-pieces after completing coating the first film on the work-pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shao-Kai Pei
  • 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: 8206123
    Abstract: A system is adapted to automatically maintain a desired yield level for a slurry flow. Measurements of the electrical conductivity of a slurry are taken and corrected for the effects of temperature and pressure. The corrected conductivity measurements are used to arrive at a value for system yield. The system automatically determines if the yield is too high or too low relative to a desired level, and controls the rate at which accelerator is added to the slurry in order to increase or decrease yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn.
    Inventors: Dennis M. Hilton, Karl Taub, Keith Lipford, Philip A Zanghi
  • Patent number: 8171878
    Abstract: The coating instrument is provided with a coating head which has a plurality of head members, and in which a groove-like slot is formed, an adjustment unit accommodated in a recessed groove installed on a leading end face continuing to an outer face opposite to an inner face or to the inner face in the head member to adjust the width of the slot by pressing a side wall face of the recessed groove, and a controller for controlling a pressing force to the side wall face of the recessed groove by the adjustment unit. The adjustment unit is provided with a fluid pressure chamber into which a fluid is sealed, a pressing portion for pressing the side wall face of the recessed groove by the fluid pressure of the fluid pressure chamber, and an operating portion for allowing the fluid pressure of the fluid pressure chamber to change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Hayashi, Tsutomu Fukuda, Katsuyuki Fujimura
  • Publication number: 20120095588
    Abstract: A method for operating a gluing system (10) for gluing blanks for producing and/or packaging cigarettes or other smokable objects, in which the blanks are conveyed along glue valves (11) of the gluing system (10), in which case, in order to control and/or regulate the glue valves (11), a superordinate master controller (13) respectively transmits values of at least one control and/or regulation parameter to individual controllers (15) which are assigned to the glue valves (11), are subordinate to the master controller (13) and are each connected to the superordinate master controller (13) via a suitable data connection, the subordinate controller (15) using said values to control and/or regulate the glue valve (11) assigned to it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.KG)
    Inventors: Ralf Barkmann, Wolfgang Rohwedder, Marc-Daniel Stegen
  • Patent number: 8156889
    Abstract: A method for dispensing a foamed material onto a substrate surface, including: generating a relative movement between the substrate surface to be coated and an exit opening of a material dispensing apparatus, mixing at least two material components in a mixing device to provide a free-flowing, foamable dispensing material, generating a pressure differential between the mixing device and the dispensing region located downstream in the direction of flow from a discharge cross-section of the exit opening, conveying the dispensing material from the mixing device for the dispensing material to the exit opening, and discharging the dispensing material from the exit opening onto the substrate surface. The dispensing material be kept under such a pressure in the region adjacent to and upstream from the discharge cross-section of the exit opening that the dispensing material in this region has a foaming rate that is less than 10% of the foaming rate which ensues at the end of the foaming process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald Burger, Frank Jones, Dirk Pannhausen
  • Publication number: 20120085282
    Abstract: A substrate coating device is provided which is capable of reducing non-uniform film thickness areas that take place in a coating start portion and a coating end portion during coating using a slit nozzle coater. The substrate coating device (10) includes at least a slider driving motor (4), a pump (8), a delivery state quantity measuring section (82), and a control section (5). The slider driving motor (4) scans a slit nozzle (1) over a substrate (100) at an established velocity relative to the substrate (100). The pump (8) controls the supply of the coating liquid to the slit nozzle (1). The delivery state quantity measuring section (82) is configured to measure a state quantity indicative of a delivery state of the coating liquid from the tip of the slit nozzle (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: TAZMO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ikagawa, Mitsunori Oda, Minoru Yamamoto, Takashi Kawaguchi, Hideo Hirata, Masaaki Tanabe
  • Patent number: 8151814
    Abstract: A method for controlling flow and concentration of a liquid precursor includes: supplying a carrier gas to a first auto-pressure regulator and outputting therefrom the carrier gas at a first pressure to a precursor reservoir; outputting the mixture of the vaporized precursor and the carrier gas from the precursor reservoir; and supplying the mixture to a second auto-pressure regulator and outputting therefrom the mixture at a second pressure to a reactor via an orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: ASM Japan K.K.
    Inventors: Akira Shimizu, Akiko Kobayashi, Hiroki Kanayama
  • Patent number: 8136477
    Abstract: A chemical solution is uniformly dispensed from a nozzle by N2 in spin-coating equipment. The dispensing apparatus includes a canister configured to receive a bottle containing the chemical solution, gas supply piping connecting a source of N2 to the inside of the canister, a pressure control valve disposed in the gas supply piping, a chemical supply line by which the bottle is connected to the nozzle, a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure of the chemical solution supplied from the bottle, and a controller that controls the pressure control valve on the basis of the pressure sensed by the pressure sensor. The controller opens the pressure control valve further when the value of the signal output by the pressure sensor is less than a value representative of the minimum of a predetermined pressure range, and closes the pressure control valve further when the value of the signal output by the pressure sensor is greater than a value representative of the maximum of the predetermined pressure range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung-Ki Cho
  • Patent number: 8122848
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus which forms a film on a substrate by utilizing a chemical solution, including: a correlation data creating unit which creates a correlation data that is related to the quality of a chemical solution, from data that is related to the properties of the chemical solution including at least one of data on storage temperature for the chemical solution to be loaded and data on pressure applied to the chemical solution to be loaded; and a determining unit which determines whether or not the chemical solution holds expected quality thereof on the bases of the correlation data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Daisuke Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20110293915
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure device for application of an expandable reaction mixture on a surface, to a method for producing expandable foams, to a device for producing sandwich composite elements, and to a method for producing expanded sandwich composite elements. The high-pressure device includes a mixing head, a distributor head fluidically connected downstream of the mixing head, at least three outlet lines attached to the distributor head, a high-pressure feed line of a component A to the mixing head, a high pressure feed line of a component B to the mixing head, at least one static mixer for mixing an inert gas to the component A, the component B or a mixture of components A and B, at least one high-pressure feed line for the inert gas, which is under increased pressure, and at least one measurement and control unit for the desired pressure of the components on the mixing head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: Bayer MaterialScience AG
    Inventors: Thomas Rub, Uwe Kenzel
  • Patent number: 8056501
    Abstract: The problem regarding volatileness of a solvent in an EL forming material, which occurs in adopting printing, are solved. An EL layer is formed in a pixel portion of a light emitting device by printing. Upon formation of the EL layer, a printing chamber is pressurized to reach a pressure equal to or higher than the atmospheric pressure, and the printing chamber is filled with inert gas or set to a solvent atmosphere. Thus the difficulty in forming an EL layer by printing is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8043430
    Abstract: Apparatuses are provided for controlling flow conductance of plasma formed in a plasma processing apparatus that includes an upper electrode opposite a lower electrode to form a gap therebetween. The lower electrode is adapted to support a substrate and coupled to a RF power supply. Process gas injected into the gap is excited into the plasma state during operation. The apparatus includes a ground ring that concentrically surrounds the lower electrode and has a set of slots formed therein, and a mechanism for controlling gas flow through the slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Rajinder Dhindsa, Jerrel K. Antolik, Scott Stevenot
  • Patent number: 8033244
    Abstract: Leakage of an atmosphere of a solvent vapor used by a smoothing process for smoothing the surface of a resist pattern outside from a smoothing unit is prevented to facilitate incorporating the smoothing unit into a coating and developing system. A substrate processing system has a coating and developing block 20, a smoothing block 50, an airflow producing unit 60 for producing down airflow that flows down from above the coating and developing block 20 and the smoothing block 50, and a main controller 100 for controlling the airflow producing unit 60.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Junya Minamida, Seiki Ishida
  • Patent number: 8034725
    Abstract: This invention provides a high throughput PECVD process for depositing TEOS films in a multi-station sequential deposition chamber. The methods significantly reduce the number of particles in the TEOS films, thereby eliminating or minimizing small bin defects. The methods of the invention involve dedicating a first station for temperature soak while flowing purge gas. Stopping the flow of reactant gas and flowing the purge gas for station 1 eliminates TEOS condensation on a cold wafer surface and significantly reduces the number of defects in the film, particularly for short temperature soaks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon Henri, Xingyuan Tang, Jason Tian, Kevin Gerber, Arul N. Dhas
  • 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: RE45067
    Abstract: The invention concerns a contactless numerical printing machine for products of average fluidity, such as varnish, glue, and conducting or scratchable ink, onto a substrate of variable thickness and dimensions. The machine includes a special device for printing without contact by projection. The projected materials are materials of average fluidity or composed of large-dimension molecules. The process used includes an electro-acoustic device for control of the projection, and a multiplicity of projection nozzles, each controlled individually. The machine also includes a production chain with different work stations, whose printing devices are controlled by a computer management system. The production chain allows printing with a certain precision in given zones located during the processing by an appropriate work station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: MGI France
    Inventors: Edmond Abergel, Raphael Renaud