Including Use Of Vacuum, Suction, Or Inert Atmosphere Patents (Class 134/21)
  • Patent number: 12134833
    Abstract: A plating apparatus 1000 includes a plating tank, a substrate holder 20, a rotation mechanism, an elevating mechanism, a contact member 40, and a cleaning device 50 configured to clean the contact member 40. The cleaning device 50 includes a pivot shaft 51, a first arm 53, a second arm 54, and a nozzle 55 that includes at least one discharge port. Applying a cleaning fluid discharged from the discharge port to the contact member 40 cleans the contact member 40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaya Seki, Masaki Tomita, Shao Hua Chang
  • Patent number: 12084762
    Abstract: Some implementations described herein provide techniques and apparatuses for determining a performance of a dry-clean operation within a deposition tool. A cleaning-control subsystem of the deposition tool may include a gas concentration sensor and a temperature sensor mounted in an exhaust system of the deposition tool to monitor the dry-clean operation. The gas concentration sensor may provide data related to a concentration of a chemical compound in a cleaning gas, where the chemical compound is a bi-product of the dry-clean operation. The temperature sensor may provide temperature data related to an exothermic reaction of the dry-clean operation. Such data may be used to determine an efficiency and/or an effectiveness of the dry-clean operation within the deposition tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ker-hsun Liao, Wei-Ming Wang, Yen-Hsing Chen, Lun-Kuang Tan, Yi Chen Ho
  • Patent number: 11986138
    Abstract: A robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a body including a suction motor for generating a suction force; a traveling part for moving the body; and a control part for, in response to sensing of a preconfigured input signal, recognizing a position of the body in a cleaning area and determining a start position on the basis of the recognized position. The control part sets an imaginary boundary having a predetermined size with reference to the determined start position, and when a travel route having a preconfigured pattern is set in the boundary, controls the travelling part and the suction motor to perform a cleaning operation while travelling along the travel route in a first direction and then perform a cleaning operation while travelling along the travel route in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Jinwoo Han
  • Patent number: 11938428
    Abstract: A main housing provides a first reservoir and a second reservoir. Water flows from the first reservoir to the second reservoir. A draining aperture in the first reservoir directs water from the first reservoir to the second reservoir. The water may be flushed from the first reservoir to the second reservoir. In another embodiment, the water may flow directly from the first tank to the second tank without the flush. A pump circulates water from the second reservoir to the first reservoir. The pump directs the water through a filtration system to filter the water to remove at least some of the dirt, debris, and other contaminants from the water. The filtered water is then returned to the first reservoir. An overflow relief in a dividing wall of the first reservoir directs overflow water to the second reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Inventor: Jeremy Michael Cloud
  • Patent number: 11801759
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an autonomous mobile robot and a walking method thereof. The autonomous mobile robot includes a machine body, a driving wheel assembly and an obstacle crossing assembly. The driving wheel assembly is rotatably arranged on the machine body through a first rotating shaft. The driving wheel assembly includes a driving wheel. When the driving wheel moves from a first position to a second position relative to the machine body, the obstacle crossing assembly applies a force to the driving wheel assembly to make a change amplitude of positive pressure between the driving wheel and a traveling surface less than or equal to a set threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: ECOVACS ROBOTICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wenjie Cheng, Jie Hou
  • Patent number: 11786947
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus, method, and dry chamber are provided for cleaning a wafer carrier that holds wafers as part of a semiconductor fabrication process. The cleaning apparatus includes a wet chamber that receives the wafer carrier to be washed and a reservoir in fluid communication with the wet chamber. The reservoir stores a cleaning liquid that is introduced to the wafer carrier within the wet chamber during a washing operation, and a dry chamber is spaced apart from the wet chamber. The dry chamber receives the wafer carrier after the wafer carrier is washed in the wet chamber and holds the wafer carrier during a drying operation. A transport system transports the wafer carrier between the wet chamber and the dry chamber during a cleaning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Eason Chen, Yi-Fam Shiu, Sung-Chun Yang, Hsu-Shui Liu, Yang-Ann Chu, Jiun-Rong Pai
  • Patent number: 11786096
    Abstract: An autonomous surface cleaning device can include a base adapted for movement over a surface to be cleaned, a drive system configured to move the base over the surface to be cleaned, and a vacuum collection system for removing at least debris from the surface to be cleaned. A main controller and a compliance control module can be operably coupled with at least one of the drive system or the vacuum collection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Daniel Buehler
  • Patent number: 11712138
    Abstract: In one aspect, an autonomous cleaning robot includes a drive configured to propel the robot along the floor surface and a tank assembly. The tank assembly includes a reservoir, left and right receptacles, and a handle extending across a cover of the tank assembly, the handle being moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein when the handle is in the second position, the tank assembly is locked in position. The tank assembly also includes left and right latch assemblies receivable by the left and right receptacles, respectively. Each latch assembly includes a moveable assembly configured to lock the tank assembly in position when the handle is in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Jeffrey Suchman, William Farmer, Johnson Hsu
  • Patent number: 11673230
    Abstract: A method of removing a conformal coating from a circuit board coated with said conformal coating, the method comprising: subjecting the circuit board to a jet comprising dry-ice ejected from a nozzle, to remove said conformal coating from said circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventor: Ebrahim Ghanbari
  • Patent number: 11676810
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure processing method and forming method are provided. The semiconductor structure processing method includes the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate, which is provided with feature portions having a mask layer on their top surfaces; ashing a semiconductor structure comprising the semiconductor substrate, the feature portions and the mask layer; removing the mask layer; cleaning the semiconductor structure, and forming an oxide layer on surfaces of the feature portions after the feature portions are cleaned; drying the semiconductor structure; and removing the oxide layer. During drying, one feature portion of at least one group of adjacent feature portions is inclined towards a feature portion adjacent thereto, and a distance between the inclined feature portion and the feature portion adjacent thereto after drying is smaller than a distance there between before drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Ning Xi
  • Patent number: 11666951
    Abstract: A wafer handler cleaning tool may include a scraping device positioned near semiconductor equipment (e.g., a cooling plate, a semiconductor processing device, and/or the like) such that the scraping device removes foreign objects, debris, and/or other types of matter from the underside of the wafer handler when the wafer handler loads a wafer into the semiconductor equipment and/or unloads the wafer from the semiconductor equipment. Moreover, the wafer handler cleaning tool may include a negative pressure device to draw the removed foreign objects, debris, and/or other types of matter away from the scraping device and toward a filtration device such that the filtration device captures the removed foreign objects, debris, and/or other types of matter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Heng-Wei Liao, Kuo-Hua Wang, Ming-Tsai Kuan
  • Patent number: 11635259
    Abstract: A machine for cleaning regeneration chambers of furnaces, the regeneration chambers having stacks of hollow refractory elements delimiting vertical passages, which define chimneys includes a self-propelled support structure to be introduced into a compartment, below the regeneration chamber to be cleaned, which communicates with the regeneration chamber. The machine further includes at least one lance, applied to the self-propelled support structure and configured to send within the vertical passages a stream of cleaning material powder and compressed air generated by a compressor positioned outside of the regeneration chamber to be cleaned, and at least one suction mouth, applied to said support structure and configured to suck cleaning material dust and aspirable materials from the ground, which were removed during the cleaning operation. At least one video camera is mounted on the support structure and at least one monitor controls from outside, through the video camera, operation of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: FARE S.R.L.
    Inventor: Riccardo Bugno
  • Patent number: 11632835
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a lighting system that includes a line control module and light modules. The line control module can be configured to interrupt power to the light modules according to one or more power interruption schemes to control an operation of the light modules. The line control module can have user interface circuitry including a rotary encoder with a shaft and a push button, a preview circuit, and indicator light emitting diodes. A user can interact with the lighting system via the user interface circuitry, which can be configured to provide visual feedback of various settings of the lighting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny Raposo, James Carter, Gregory Fournier, James Murdock, Kevin Potucek
  • Patent number: 11617483
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a cleaning robot, including a housing, a receiving tank, and a liquid storage tank. The housing is provided with a first groove and a second groove spaced apart from each other. The receiving tank is located in the first groove and configured to receive dirt. The liquid storage tank is located in the second groove and configured to store a cleaning liquid. In the cleaning robot of the present disclosure, the receiving tank and the liquid storage tank are arranged separately and spaced apart from each other, such that the volume of the liquid storage tank is increased, thereby allowing a larger area to be cleaned with a tank of water stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SILVER STAR INTELLIGENT GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaodan Xie, Changtai Xia, Xiao Hu
  • Patent number: 11603771
    Abstract: A compressor cleaning apparatus to clean a compressor of a gas turbine is provided. The compressor cleaning apparatus includes a nozzle configured to inject a cleaning fluid into an interior of a compressor, a fluid supply tube connected to the nozzle to supply the cleaning fluid to the nozzle, a first cleaning fluid supply connected to the fluid supply tube to supply a first cleaning fluid, and a second cleaning fluid supply connected to the fluid supply tube to supply a second cleaning fluid having a temperature higher than that of the first cleaning fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: DOOSAN ENERBILITY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyu Sic Hwang, Young Jin Jung, Young Seok Heo
  • Patent number: 11565373
    Abstract: A wet blast machine for cleaning or preparing surfaces comprises: a treatment source for providing a pressurised mixture of treatment material; a nozzle, the nozzle comprising: an inlet for receiving the pressurised mixture of treatment material; an outlet for ejecting the pressurised mixture; and at least one hole in a wall of the nozzle, the hole for feeding one or more products into the nozzle such that one or more surfaces of the product are exposed to the treatment material whilst within the nozzle, allowing for a more efficient wet blast of the products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: VAPORMATT LTD
    Inventor: Terence Ives Ashworth
  • Patent number: 11555414
    Abstract: A device cleans a core engine of a jet engine. The device has: a nozzle installation which is configured for introducing a cleaning medium into the core engine; a connector configured to connect the device in a rotationally fixed manner to a shaft of a fan of the jet engine; and a line connection configured to supply the cleaning medium, which is connected to the nozzle installation by a rotary coupling. The nozzle installation comprises nozzles, comprising at least one flat jet nozzle, and at least one full cone nozzle or hollow cone nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: LUFTHANSA TECHNIK AG
    Inventors: Dirk Deja, Christian Lutz, Sina Glasse
  • Patent number: 11529657
    Abstract: Methods of removing amine contaminants from equipment used in the production of polyether polyols. These methods include: (a) contacting the equipment with an aqueous solution of a first acid; (b) discharging the aqueous solution of the first acid from the equipment; (c) contacting the equipment with an aqueous solution of an acidic metal conditioner; (d) discharging the aqueous solution of the acidic metal conditioner from the equipment; (e) contacting the equipment with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide; and (f) discharging the aqueous solution of the alkali metal hydroxide from the equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Covestro LLC
    Inventors: Jenna L. Caputo, Mark A. Christman, II, Charles D. Starkey, Daniel R. Wagner, Nigel Barksby
  • Patent number: 11529656
    Abstract: A wash station includes a wash nozzle for cleaning an exterior portion of a probe and a basin allowing for waste fluid to be collected. The wash nozzle includes a vertically-elongate cavity with side slits on opposing side portions. A fluid inlet port may be connected to a side portion of the cavity to provide fluid. Fluid may additionally or alternatively come from within the probe. The basin includes an elongate body with an opened end to receive and secure the wash nozzle. One or more access slots may be provided on opposing side portions of the basin. The probe passes through an access slot or over a portion of the basin and through a side slit of the nozzle to enter the cavity for cleaning. A geometry of the cavity allows the wash nozzle to fill to a predetermined level while waste fluid flows out through the side slits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.
    Inventors: William D. Dunfee, Thomas E. Weitkamp
  • Patent number: 11484175
    Abstract: A floor cleaner including a base movable over a surface to be cleaned, the base including a front side, a back side opposite the front side, and a brushroll chamber. A supply tank is configured to store a cleaning fluid and a distribution nozzle is in fluid communication with the supply tank, the distribution nozzle operable to dispense the cleaning fluid onto the surface to be cleaned. A brushroll cover is removable from the base to access the brushroll chamber. A brushroll is within the brushroll chamber. The distribution nozzle is disposed adjacent the front side of the base and carried on an upper exterior portion of the base and configured to spray forwardly of the base in a direction from the back side toward the front side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Rafael Davila, Jerald Bradley, Michael Paul Dawson, Nicholas DeBlasio, Don Lydic, Benjamin Shrader
  • Patent number: 11443938
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method are provided. The substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber having a first housing and a second housing that are combined with each other to form a processing space inside, and a housing actuator that moves the first housing to open or close the processing space. The housing actuator includes a plurality of cylinder units coupled to the first housing, a fluid supplier that supplies a fluid for operating the plurality of cylinder units, and a deviation corrector that corrects an operation deviation between the plurality of cylinder units. The deviation corrector corrects the operation deviation between the plurality of cylinder units coupled to the chamber, thereby minimizing particles that are generated when the chamber is opened/closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Boong Kim, Joo Jib Park, Woo Young Kim
  • Patent number: 11401725
    Abstract: A set of pool cleaning robots for cleaning a pool, wherein a first pool cleaning robot of the set and a second pool cleaning robot of the set are configured to clean different regions of the pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: MAYTRONICS LTD.
    Inventors: Sharon Goldenberg, Yair Hadari, Ofer Regev, Shay Witelson
  • Patent number: 11342204
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and a cleaning apparatus for cleaning semiconductor wafers. The cleaning apparatus includes a plurality of cleaning tanks, a dipping tank, a first robot hand, a second robot hand, and at least one drying chamber. The plurality of cleaning tanks is configured to clean a plurality of wafers held by a cassette by cleaning agents. The plurality of wafers is cleaned in the plurality of cleaning tanks through a batch process. The dipping tank is configured to rinse the plurality of wafers by a replacement agent. The at least one drying chamber is configured to dry the wafer taken by the second robot hand with single wafer process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: XIA TAI XIN SEMICONDUCTOR (QING DAO) LTD.
    Inventors: Chang-Hyeon Nam, Injoon Yeo
  • Patent number: 11335588
    Abstract: A substrate holding apparatus which can stably hold a substrate, such as a wafer, while causing the substrate to make a circular motion and rotating the substrate about its axis is disclosed. The substrate holding apparatus includes: rollers; electric motors configured to rotate the rollers; eccentric shafts arranged around a central axis; and actuators. The eccentric shafts include movable shafts and reference shafts, the actuators are coupled to the movable shafts, respectively, and the actuators are configured to move the movable shafts in a direction closer to the reference shafts and in a direction away from the reference shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Makoto Kashiwagi
  • Patent number: 11317779
    Abstract: An autonomous floor cleaner can include a brush chamber, a brushroll rotatably mounted in the brush chamber, a controller for controlling the operation of the autonomous floor cleaner; and a fluid delivery system with a supply tank and at least one fluid distributor configured to deposit cleaning fluid onto a surface to be cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventors: Steve M. Johnson, Todd Vantongeren, Jake Andrew Mohan, Adam Brown, Eric Daniel Buehler
  • Patent number: 11322373
    Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a holding unit, a driving unit, a shaft, and a nozzle. The driving unit rotates the substrate and the holding unit that horizontally holds the substrate. The shaft is extended along an axial direction of a rotation axis. The nozzle includes a base that is attached to an upper end of the shaft, and a liquid supply unit that is extended from the base to a radial-direction outer side of the substrate and includes discharge ports formed to discharge the liquid toward a lower surface of the substrate. The shaft and the base are configured to include a discharge passage that is formed along the axial direction to discharge the liquid discharged toward the lower surface of the substrate. The base includes a concave portion that is concave downward to cause the liquid to flow toward the discharge passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Terufumi Wakiyama, Norihiro Ito
  • Patent number: 11304584
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus, such as a steam mop, includes a steam delivery system having a steam delivery pathway. A fragrance dispenser for receiving a fragrant material is provided on the apparatus, and a portion of the steam delivery pathway is in heat exchange relationship with the fragrance dispenser to heat the fragrant material in the fragrance dispenser by heat transfer from the steam in the pathway. Fragrance is dispensed from apparatus via heat transfer utilizing the steam pathway as a thermal radiation source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventors: Alan J. Krebs, Ming Luo, Jin Yang
  • Patent number: 11282728
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a contamination controlled semiconductor processing system. The contamination controlled semiconductor processing system includes a processing chamber, a contamination detection system, and a contamination removal system. The processing chamber is configured to process a wafer. The contamination detection system is configured to determine whether a contamination level on a surface of the door is greater than a baseline level. The contamination removal system is configured to remove contaminants from the surface of the door in response to the contamination level being greater than the baseline level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Inventors: Bo Chen Chen, Sheng-Wei Wu, Yung-Li Tsai
  • Patent number: 11273472
    Abstract: Provided is a bottom gas purge device including a nozzle that can be appropriately connected to a purge port. A bottom gas purge device configured to introduce a cleaning gas into a container from a bottom portion of the container accommodating a substrate includes: a mounting table on which the container is mounted; a nozzle provided so as to be movable relative to the mounting table in an upward-downward direction and connectable from below to a purge port provided in the bottom portion of the container; a gas supply unit configured to supply the cleaning gas to the nozzle; and a pressure sensor provided at a tip end portion of the nozzle and configured to detect a pressure rising between the purge port and the nozzle when the nozzle is connected to the purge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tadamasa Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 11253884
    Abstract: A device for cleaning and drying a spraying unit, the device containing: a top end and a bottom end; the top and bottom end connected to each other by a housing; the housing having an opening proximate the top end, for receiving at least a portion of a spraying unit; a first liner within the housing; a second liner within the first liner; the first liner fitting within the housing forming a space between an outside wall of the first liner and an inside wall of the housing; the second liner fitting within the first liner forming a space between an outside wall of the second liner and an inside wall of the first liner; the opening further containing an open cap, proximate the top end; the device having at least one vacuum air supply influent port, at least one drying air supply influent port and at least one solvent supply influent port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Circle Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventor: James Laurence Doyle
  • Patent number: 11214890
    Abstract: Systems for cleaning electroplating system components may include a seal cleaning assembly incorporated with an electroplating system. The seal cleaning assembly may include an arm pivotable between a first position and a second position. The arm may be rotatable about a central axis of the arm. The seal cleaning assembly may also include a cleaning head including a bracket portion coupled with a distal portion of the arm. The cleaning head may be characterized by a front portion formed to interface with a seal of the electroplating apparatus. The cleaning head may define a trench along the front portion, and the cleaning head may define a plurality of fluid channels through the cleaning head, each fluid channel of the plurality of fluid channels fluidly accessing a backside of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Kyle M. Hanson
  • Patent number: 11187377
    Abstract: An overload control device for use with a floor machine having an electric motor is disclosed. The overload control device can include a power input and a power output connectable to the electric motor. The device can include a load detector, a current sensor operative to sense a current value supplied to the motor via the power output, and a cutoff relay interconnecting the power input and the power output. The cutoff relay being operative to supply power from the power input to the power output when activated, and interrupt power when deactivated. A controller receives a load present indication from the load detector and activates the cutoff relay if a load is present. The controller receives a current value from the current sensor, determines if the current value is greater than a threshold value, and deactivates the cutoff relay when the current value is greater than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: TAYLOR TOOLS
    Inventors: Keith Papulski, Thomas P. Karnowka
  • Patent number: 11141034
    Abstract: A cleaner includes a first cleaning module including a left spin mop and a right spin mop configured to contact the floor while rotating in a clockwise direction or in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from an upper side, a second cleaning module configured to contact the floor in front of the first cleaning module, and a body supported by the first cleaning module and the second cleaning module. A point on the bottom surface of the left spin mop that receives the largest frictional force from the floor is located on a left-front side of the rotation center of the left spin mop, and a point on the bottom surface of the right spin mop that receives the largest frictional force from the floor is located on a right-front side of the rotation center of the right spin mop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaewon Jang, Youngkouk Song
  • Patent number: 11122944
    Abstract: A sweeping machine for floors and carpets, comprising a body with wheels for gliding and a maneuvering handle, the body supporting at least one cleaning roller that has a horizontal axis and is actuated by an electric motor by virtue of torque transmission elements; there are elements for the suction of air from a region proximate to the at least one cleaning roller, the suction elements being actuated by the same electric motor for driving the at least one cleaning roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: LINDHAUS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Michele Massaro
  • Patent number: 11116377
    Abstract: A robot polisher has, in a box-shaped body part having a round shape in a plan view, right and left batteries, right and left wheel motors (not shown), and a pair of right and left wheels. The right and left wheel motors are rotationally driven by using the batteries as power supplies. The pair of right and left wheels can be individually rotated forward/backward by the respective wheel motors. On a lower housing, at the front-side lower part of the body part, a pair of right and left brushes are downwardly attached, which rotate in directions opposite to each other during traveling while being in sliding contact with a floor surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko Goto, Kentaro Koura
  • Patent number: 11089934
    Abstract: A popcorn ceiling scraper includes a scraping head with multiple blades, at least one of which is oriented horizontally in the same plane as the scraping head with other blades extending vertically from the scraping head. The ceiling scraper has a funnel arranged below the scraping head, and the funnel and the scraping head are formed to reach to an edge or juncture between a ceiling and a wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: PBJT Engineering Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Paul Evans, Jared Jeffcoat, Travis Murphy, Brent Jeffcoat
  • Patent number: 11071430
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a waste water tank. The seal assembly comprises: a base (2) disposed at a waste water tank (1); a linkage (3) movably disposed at the base (2); a sealing cover (4) connected to the linkage (3) and disposed at a waste water inlet (101) and on a suction opening (102); and a push rod (5) connected to the linkage (3) and used for pushing the linkage (3) to press the sealing cover (4) so as to seal the waste water inlet (101) and the suction opening (102). A bottom end of the push rod (5) is connected to a side wheel component (6) of a floor cleaning machine and the push rod (5) can move up and down along the side wheel component (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: SHENZHEN ZHIYI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xuedong Zhang
  • Patent number: 11071429
    Abstract: A robot cleaner includes a main body forming an external appearance of the robot cleaner, moving units configured to move the main body, a cleaning module arranged at one side of the main body so as to contact a floor and rotated, a module driving unit arranged in the main body and rotating the cleaning module, and a dust pocket configured to remove foreign substances attached to the outer circumference of the cleaning module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaewon Jang, Jeongseop Park, Youngkouk Song
  • Patent number: 11019967
    Abstract: A central vacuum cleaning system includes an inlet valve mounted at various locations in a structure or RV and connected to the inlet end of a vacuum conduit. A section of hose is slidably mounted within the conduit and extends from the inlet valve for cleaning an adjacent area. A pair of seals within the inlet valve retains a nozzle handle mounted on the end of the hose in a stored position when the hose is in a retracted position and provides an air seal between the handle and vacuum supply conduit. A locking mechanism mounted on one embodiment of the inlet valves automatically locks the hose in a selected extended position when manually pulled from the inlet valve. A mounting bracket enables the inlet valve to be mounted at various locations in the structure and a pair of seals enables the inlet valve to be open to the ambient atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: H-P Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Darrell V. Nieschwitz, Greg A. Calderone, Shawn C. Metz
  • Patent number: 11006802
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner capable of recording an abnormality immediately upon occurrence of the abnormality. The vacuum cleaner has a main casing. The vacuum cleaner has driving wheels for enabling the main casing to travel. The vacuum cleaner has a control unit for controlling drive of the driving wheels to make the main casing autonomously travel. The control unit has a function as an abnormality sensor for detecting an abnormality. The vacuum cleaner has a camera for picking up an image. The control unit has a cleaning mode for cleaning a cleaning-object surface, an image pickup mode for performing image pickup with the camera, and a standby mode applied during a standby state. Upon detection of an abnormality during the cleaning mode, the control unit is switched over to the image pickup mode to perform image pickup with the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: TOSHIBA LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kota Watanabe, Hirokazu Izawa, Kazuhiro Furuta, Yuuki Marutani, Yuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10966587
    Abstract: This document describes a mobile cleaning robot that includes a chassis that supports a drive system, a debris collection volume; and a cleaning head formed to complete a bottom of the robot. The cleaning head includes a frame for affixing the cleaning head to the chassis, a monolithic housing having an interior cavity, a suspension linkage movably suspending the monolithic housing from the frame, the suspension linkage being configured to lift the monolithic housing, a diaphragm formed of a flexible material and mated to the monolithic housing, a rigid duct mated the frame to form a pneumatic path between the monolithic housing and the rigid duct through the diaphragm, and cleaning extractors disposed in the interior cavity of the monolithic housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: William Farmer, Thomas P. Schregardus, Eric Burbank
  • Patent number: 10964608
    Abstract: A method is provided for gate contact formation on a semiconductor workpiece using an integrated sequence of processing steps executed on a common manufacturing platform (CMP) hosting one or more film-forming modules, one or more etching modules, and one or more transfer modules. A workpiece having a contact feature formed therein, and inspected throughout, the contact feature having a semiconductor contact surface exposed, is received into the CMP. A plurality of metal layers is deposited at a bottom of the contact feature after the workpiece is treated to remove contamination. The integrated sequence of processing steps is executed within the CMP without leaving the controlled environment, the transfer modules used to transfer the workpiece between the modules while maintaining the workpiece within the controlled environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Robert Clark
  • Patent number: 10950485
    Abstract: Semiconductor processing apparatuses and methods are provided in which an electrostatic discharge (ESD) prevention layer is utilized to prevent or reduce ESD events from occurring between a semiconductor wafer and one or more components of the apparatuses. In some embodiments, a semiconductor processing apparatus includes a wafer handling structure that is configured to support a semiconductor wafer during processing of the semiconductor wafer. The apparatus further includes an ESD prevention layer on the wafer handling structure. The ESD prevention layer includes a first material and a second material, and the second material has an electrical conductivity that is greater than an electrical conductivity of the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsai-Hao Hung, Ping-Cheng Ko, Tzu-Yang Lin, Fang-Yu Liu, Cheng-Han Wu
  • Patent number: 10888209
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus is disclosed for extracting a liquid from a surface. The apparatus includes at least one extraction head that has at least one aperture that is facing the surface to be cleaned. The vacuum cleaner includes a vacuum pathway situated between the at least one extraction head and a riser that is connected to a vacuum motor. The internal surfaces of the vacuum pathway are smooth and the vacuum pathway has certain dimensions and orientations that optimize the extraction of a liquid from a surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Harris Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward E. Durrant, Dale S. Jensen, Craig L. Donaldson, Roger C. Andersen, Monte G. Taylor
  • Patent number: 10814293
    Abstract: A foam generator, in particular for a motor vehicle washing installation, includes a foam generation chamber having at least one inlet for water, surfactant and gas, in particular compressed gas, and one outlet for foam, and contains a fluid-permeable bed of loose particles. The bed fills the foam generation chamber sufficiently to prevent fluidization of the bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: WASHTEC HOLDING GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Sattler, Stefan Mayer
  • Patent number: 10806815
    Abstract: A floor processing device has a motor-driven floor processing element for processing a floor to be processed, wherein the floor processing element has a hollow space with a hollow space opening that joins the hollow space with the ambient air. A fragrance element is arranged in the hollow space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventor: Georg Hackert
  • Patent number: 10792593
    Abstract: A method for removing gas from a froth by supplying at least a portion of the froth from a vessel into a housing, providing a flow of fluid through the housing, introducing the froth into the fluid such that at least a portion of the gas in the froth is removed from the froth and entrained in the fluid to form a mixture of fluid and entrained gas and subsequently delivering the mixture to the vessel and/or another location within a processing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: GLENCORE TECHNOLOGY PTY LTD
    Inventors: Peter Woodall, Daniel Smith, Brendan Scott Smith
  • Patent number: 10788838
    Abstract: A surface processing device for processing surface areas with obstacles, comprising a chassis, surface processing means and first and second sensory means, characterized in that it further comprises a movable assembly, adapted to affect exposure of the surface processing means to surface area, wherein the movable assembly is adapted to move, based on information from the first and the second sensory means, at least between a first position and a second position with respect to the chassis, wherein in the second position the surface processing means have different exposure to surface area than in the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: ADVANCED DIGITAL BROADCAST S.A.
    Inventor: Bartosz Dabrowski
  • Patent number: 10786835
    Abstract: An ultrasonic cleaner according to the present invention includes a vibrating part 222 for enlarging ultrasonic vibration of a BLT 100 on a side surface side in a cleaning tank 211, generates cavitation by the ultrasonic vibration with respect to cleaning liquid supplied into the cleaning tank 211 by driving the BLT 100 on the periphery of a nozzle without unevenness, and is capable of performing effective nozzle cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yosuke Horie, Tomohiro Inoue, Takamichi Mori, Kouhei Nonaka, Masato Ishizawa, Isao Yamazaki, Hitoshi Tokieda, Akihiro Nojima
  • Patent number: 10784175
    Abstract: A method is provided for gate contact formation on a semiconductor workpiece using an integrated sequence of processing steps executed on a common manufacturing platform (CMP) hosting one or more film-forming modules, one or more etching modules, and one or more transfer modules. A workpiece having a contact feature formed therein, and inspected throughout, the contact feature having a semiconductor contact surface exposed, is received into the CMP. A metal layer is deposited within the contact feature after the workpiece is treated to remove contamination. The integrated sequence of processing steps is executed within the CMP without leaving the controlled environment, the transfer modules used to transfer the workpiece between the modules while maintaining the workpiece within the controlled environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Robert Clark