Gas Treatment Patents (Class 141/63)
  • Patent number: 11584536
    Abstract: A method and a system for inerting an aircraft fuel tank includes at least one inert gas generator. The device includes at least means of determining the inert gas requirement of the aircraft tank(s) in real-time, means of regulating the inert gas flow rate of an inert gas generator, and controlled distribution means of the inert gas in the various fuel tanks and/or various compartments of an aircraft fuel tank. A control unit is capable of real-time determination of an inert gas flow rate setting according to the inert gas requirement of the tank(s) of the aircraft transmitted by the means of determining the inert gas requirement, the settings being transmitted in real time to the inert gas flow rate regulating means, and is also capable of determining the inert gas distribution control settings to the controlled distribution means of inert gas into the various fuel tanks and/or various compartments of a fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: ZODIAC AEROTECHNICS
    Inventors: BenoƮt Artaud, Christophe Claris, Olivier Vandroux, Thibaut Vozy
  • Patent number: 11145528
    Abstract: A load port apparatus includes a mount member, a purge nozzle, and a plurality of pins. The mount member mounts a container. The nozzle introduces a cleaning gas into the container mounted on the mount member via a purge port disposed on a bottom of the container. The pins support the container from below by each contacting with a predetermined position of the bottom of the container. The pins are relatively vertically movable to the mount member between a first position and a second position where an upper tip of each of the pins is located lower than that at the first position. The upper tip of each of the pins at the first position contacts with the predetermined position of the container. The upper tip of each of the pins at the second position contacts with the predetermined position of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tadamasa Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 11061417
    Abstract: Electronic device manufacturing systems may include an equipment front end module (EFEM) having a load port assembly configured to receiving a substrate carrier, which may be a front opening unified pod (FOUP). The load port assembly may have a receiving plate upon which the substrate carrier may be received. The receiving plate may have a plurality of gas nozzles that can be coupled to purge ports in a bottom of the substrate carrier and to a purge apparatus of the load port assembly. The purge apparatus is configured to provide a gas to the substrate carrier at a selectable gas flow rate and, in some embodiments, to provide a gas to different portions of the substrate carrier each at a selectable gas flow rate. Methods of providing selectable gas flow rates for purging a substrate carrier coupled to a load port assembly are also provided, as are other aspects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean C. Hruzek, Paul B. Reuter, Devendra C. Holeyannavar, Srinivas P. Gopalakrishna, Lakshmikantha K. Shirahatti, Babu Chinnasamy, Douglas B. Baumgarten
  • Patent number: 11056367
    Abstract: Embodiments of the inventive concept provide an apparatus and method for storing a substrate. A buffer unit for storing a substrate includes a housing having an entrance formed at one side and a buffer space inside, a substrate support unit that supports one or more substrates in the buffer space, a pressure adjustment unit that adjusts pressure in the buffer space, and a controller that controls the pressure adjustment unit. The pressure adjustment unit includes a gas supply line that supplies a gas for pressurizing the buffer space and a gas exhaust line that reduces the pressure in the buffer space. At least one of the gas supply line and the gas exhaust line includes a plurality of lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dukhyun Son, Sang-Kee Lee
  • Patent number: 10903102
    Abstract: A method of purging a substrate carrier at a load port includes: opening a door of a substrate carrier that is delivered to a load port; spraying the substrate carrier with a gas flow responsive to the opening the door; mapping substrates within the substrate carrier to generate a substrate map; determining a process purge state based on the substrate map; and activating one or more inter-substrate nozzle arrays and one or more curtain nozzle arrays using a predefined spray status configuration for the process purge state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Subramaniam V. Iyer, Dharma Ratnam Srichurnam, Devendrappa Holeyannavar, Douglas MacLeod, Kenneth Carpenter, Naveen Kumar, Vivek R. Rao, Patrick Pannese
  • Patent number: 10854487
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the transportation and/or storage of at least one semiconductor plate, in which the plate is disposed in a hermetic container (1) filled with hydrogen at a pressure of between 10?1 and 4*103 Pa and, optionally, at least one inert gas, the total pressure in the casing being between 10?1 and 5*104 Pa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignees: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, UNIVERSITE GRENOBLE ALPES
    Inventor: Bernard Pelissier
  • Patent number: 10847395
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wafer storage container, more particularly, relates to a wafer storage container comprising a storage chamber forming an independent space separated from the wafer storage container, and a plurality of gas chambers communicating with the storage chamber, so that the gases are being supplied or exhausted through the area of the side surfaces of the storage chamber via the gas chambers in order to remove the fumes remaining on the surface of a wafer stored inside the wafer storage container efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignees: PICO & TERA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bum Je Woo, Seok Mun Yoon, Myoung Sok Han, Hyun Sin Kim
  • Patent number: 10553468
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a process module in which a substrate is processed, a first substrate storing container, a second substrate storing container, and a transferring module that conveys the substrate between locations connected by the transferring module, wherein the process module, the first substrate storing container, and the second substrate storing container are connected by the transferring module, the method including the successive steps of, conveying an unprocessed substrate stored in the first substrate storing container to the second substrate container, conveying the unprocessed substrate stored in the second substrate storing container to the process module to process the unprocessed substrate, conveying the processed substrate processed in the process module to the first substrate storing container, and introducing inactive gas into the first substrate storing container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Akira Itakura
  • Patent number: 10493417
    Abstract: A method for loading pellets into receptacles having an open top end and a bottom end uses a pressurized fluid injected through injector tubing to form virtual blankets at a plurality of elevations inside the receptacle to reduce the acceleration of the falling pellets in order to provide gentle loading of the pellets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Tubemaster, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Keith Cornett, Clifford L Johns, Dennis Patrick McAndrews
  • Patent number: 10395948
    Abstract: A purge module jig and a purge module including the purge module jig are provided. The purge module jig and the purge module include a plate having a recessed groove and an opening formed therein, a gas transfer pipe having an elliptical cross section, and a fixing part fixing the plate and the gas transfer pipe with each other, so that leakage of cleaning gas is prevented, thickness thereof is reduced, the interference between the jig and a wafer cassette is reduced, the purge module jig and the purge module can be applied to various load ports of various manufactures, and performance thereof can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: RORZE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seung Bae Oh, Young Il Kim
  • Patent number: 9822929
    Abstract: A first control device executes, if it is determined that a second control device has become unable to output an operation instruction, continued operation processing for operating an inactive gas supply portion based on the operation instruction that was last output by the second control device. The first control device further executes, if it is determined during execution of continued operation processing that a stop condition is satisfied, operation stop processing for stopping the inactive gas supply portion by suspending the continued operation processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Shin, Tadashi Nishikawa, Masahiro Takahara, Toshihito Ueda
  • Patent number: 9701431
    Abstract: A load port device conveys a container including a gas port to an outer conveyor unit by using a ceiling transportation vehicle. The load port device includes a conveyor, a purging device, and a stocker controller. The conveyor extends to the outer conveyor unit. The purging device is arranged near the outer conveyor unit, and includes a gas supply nozzle to supply purge gas into the container while connected to the gas port, and a first lifting mechanism that moves the gas supply nozzle toward or away from a gas supply port. The stocker controller controls the purging device to supply the purge gas into the container, and to stop supplying the purge gas into the container based on an arrival of the ceiling transportation vehicle to the outer conveyor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventor: Tadamasa Tominaga
  • Patent number: 9520311
    Abstract: A processing facility is disclosed in which a container side contact surface and a support side contact surface are in contact with each other and a supply hole or a discharge hole, and a communicating hole are allowed to communicate with each other when a container is supported by a container support, and in which the container side contact surface is formed to be flat at least in a periphery of the communicating hole, and the support side contact surface is formed to have a shape that is gradually lower as a distance increases from the supply hole or the discharge hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Otsuka, Shinsuke Kawamura, Tadahiro Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 9212786
    Abstract: Apparatus for purging containers for the storage of sensitive materials is described. It includes means to connect a source of compressed purge gas to a purge gas inlet (2) on a container (1), including a pneumatically operated valve (6) adapted to allow purge gas to pass from the source to the inlet and a timing device (9) associated with the valve (6) and adapted to turn off the gas flow after a given time, and including means to vary the time between commencement and cessation of gas flow. The timing device is preferably one which operates on a pneumatic or clockwork basis, enabling the apparatus to operate without any electrical power supply, driven by the purge gas pressure alone. This enables the construction of a simple reliable unit, at a cost even enabling the unit to be incorporated into the container itself if desired. The use of a pneumatically operated valve enables portable apparatus to be designed with low power use if it includes e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Roylan Developments Limited
    Inventor: Stuart Naylor
  • Patent number: 9010384
    Abstract: A load part has a nozzle unit having outlets for generating outflow and/or inflow of gas used for replacing the atmosphere of a wafer storage container, in a direction approximately parallel to spaces between adjacent wafers being stored, are a driving unit for extending the nozzle unit to a door opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Right Mfg. Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Yoshimura, Tatsuhiko Nagata, Masaru Seki, Yoshinori Cho
  • Patent number: 8978718
    Abstract: To generate a gas-curtain for a load-port-apparatus and to supply a purge-gas into a pod by a single gas source, provided is a gas purge device including: purge nozzles extending along an outer side of side edges of the opening portion; a curtain nozzle arranged above an upper edge of the opening portion; a gas supply pipe arranged in parallel to each purge nozzle, for supplying an inert gas to the purge nozzle and the curtain nozzle, the gas being supplied from the gas supply pipe to the purge nozzle in a direction orthogonal to an extending direction of the gas supply pipe; and a conductance adjusting unit arranged at an end portion of the gas supply pipe, for generating a pressure loss in a gas flow in a configuration in which the gas is supplied to the curtain nozzle at the end portion of the gas supply pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Emoto, Tadamasa Iwamoto, Toshihiko Miyajima
  • Publication number: 20150013832
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a filling device for food product packaging plants in special containers. Particularly, the invention relates to a filling device of the electronic type, in which a contact between the valve and the container to be filled does not occur. Specifically, the invention relates to the beverage bottling field. Particularly, the present invention relates to a filling device (1) comprising a valve body (2) in which a dispensing duct (3) for a filling fluid is obtained, the dispensing duct (3) ending inferiorly with a dispensing nozzle (4), in which the lower portion (2?) of the valve body (2) comprises a sleeve (13) surrounding the dispensing nozzle (4), so as to create an annular chamber (14) between the outer surface of the dispensing nozzle (4) and the inner surface of the sleeve (13), characterized in that said sleeve (13) is connected to a sanitization duct (15) which is arranged in flow communication with a source (19) of a gaseous sanitization fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: SMI S.p.A.
    Inventor: Antonio Riggio
  • Patent number: 8905086
    Abstract: A machine for the preparation of pharmaceutical products is provided with a gripping and carrier device to transfer at least one container between a magazine and a dosage station for the preparation of a pharmaceutical product, and a box-type holding frame defining a chamber for the housing of magazine, gripping and carrier device, and dosage station; the chamber displaying an access aperture to magazine and being crossed by a sterile air flow adapted to avoid the entry of air from the external environment through aperture itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Health Robotics, S.R.L.
    Inventors: Paolo Giribona, Werner Rainer, Daniele Baldassari, Alferino Gabbarrini, Pietro Paluselli
  • Patent number: 8893753
    Abstract: The substrate storage pod includes a pod case for housing a substrate, and an opening, a lid member which closes and seals the opening, a buffer space which is defined in the lid member, an air-supply port for supplying a replacement gas into the buffer space; and multiple holes which are arranged so as to establish communication between the buffer space and an inner plate of the lid member in a state of being fit-inserted to the opening of the pod case, for sending out the replacement gas into the hollow inner space, the replacement gas having been supplied into the buffer space, the inner plate facing the hollow inner space of the pod case. With this, pressure variation of the replacement gas in supply pipes is blocked, and hence replacement-gas flow in a stable laminar state free from disturbance can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Okabe, Hiroshi Igarashi
  • Patent number: 8834640
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for treating containers relating especially to cleaning plastic bottles (1) preferably in the inverted position. Each container is thereby subjected to a treatment medium (16) applied and/or introduced thereto. Electrically charged ions introduced into the treatment medium (16) serve to balance the charge of each container. According to the invention, the treatment medium (16) is tested for the presence of ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Steffen Kappel, Thomas Ludwig
  • Patent number: 8800608
    Abstract: A machine for the preparation of pharmaceutical products is provided with a gripping and carrier device to transfer at least one container between a magazine and a dosage station for the preparation of a pharmaceutical product, and a box-type holding frame defining a chamber for the housing of magazine, gripping and carrier device, and dosage station; the chamber displaying an access aperture to magazine and being crossed by a sterile air flow adapted to avoid the entry of air from the external environment through aperture itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Health Robotics, S.R.L.
    Inventors: Paolo Giribona, Werner Rainer, Daniele Baldassari, Alferino Gabbarrini, Pietro Paluselli
  • Patent number: 8776839
    Abstract: A filling element for filling containers includes a housing having a liquid channel, a connection for feeding liquid into the channel, a discharge port for discharging liquid into a container provided in a sealed position on the filling element, a valve in the channel between the connection and the port, an actuator for opening and closing the channel, a gas path for pre-stressing the container's interior with gas and returning displaced gas, a switching valve in the gas path, the valve being switchable by the actuator between a first state for use while pre-stressing and a second switched state for use with displaced gas, wherein in the first state, the gas path has a first effective flow cross section, and in the second state, the gas path has a second effective flow cross section, the second effective flow cross section being different from the first effective flow cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Ludwig Clusserath, Manfred Hartel
  • Patent number: 8776841
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method, system, and components for protecting reticles and specifically for minimizing haze formation on reticles during storage and use. By substantially continually maintaining a purge in a storage housing having a reduced humidity level on reticles or by temporarily storing the reticle in a container in proximity to a desiccant or getter when not being purged, haze formation can be eliminated, minimized, or sufficiently controlled. Moreover, a filter media in the container may be positioned to be ā€œrechargedā€ during the substantially continual purging of the reticle, a reduced desirable humidity level can be readily maintained in the reticle container when the container is not currently being purged. Additionally, the system of the invention can comprise an ionizer associated with the purge system. For example, the ionizer can be associated with at least one of the plurality of purge lines of the purge system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Entegris, Inc.
    Inventors: Oleg P. Kishkovich, Xavier Gabarre, William M. Goodwin, James Lo, Troy Scoggins
  • Patent number: 8627859
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for recharging depleted tennis balls that uses pressurized gas. A recharge pressure vessel includes a cylindrical shell with a closed end and a spaced apart opening top with a connecting wall forming a charging chamber. The vessel may be pivotally secured to a base. A pressure port proximate the open end permits gas entry and exit for charging. The chamber may be filled with any number of discharged tennis balls and then is sealed and charged with high pressure gas such as carbon dioxide. The balls will become sufficiently recharged and the pressure may be released and the recharged balls remove from the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Rebounces, LLC
    Inventor: William F. Dirst
  • Patent number: 8596312
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus including: a table configured to receive a container that stores an object therein, the container including a bottom surface provided with a positioning groove and including a charging inlet through which a gas is charged into the container; a positioning pin projecting from the table and adapted to engage with the positioning groove of the container; a nozzle configured to charge the gas into the container through the charging inlet; and a drive unit configured to move the nozzle into contact with the charging inlet of the container after the positioning pin is engaged with the positioning groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Natsume, Mitsutoshi Ochiai, Takumi Mizokawa
  • Patent number: 8591809
    Abstract: A substrate transfer container comprises a housing including a plurality of substrate slots positioned within a gas chamber having an interior environment. Each substrate slot accommodates a substrate undergoing a substrate manufacturing process, the interior environment of the gas chamber being selectively sealed from an exterior environment. A detection unit at the housing is constructed and arranged to detect an environmental property of the interior environment of the gas chamber, and to generate a detection signal in response. A signal transmission module at the housing is configured to wirelessly transmit a detection signal received from the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung-Koog Ra, Tae-Sik Yun, Kunhyung Lee, Hyunjoon Kim, Hyeogki Kim, KiDoo Kim
  • Patent number: 8573264
    Abstract: A reticle pod for storing reticles, into the gas channel of partition of which gas is filled through a gas inlet, wherein strong gas flow is formed around the pellicle film and the pellicle film expands outward in accordance with the Bernoulli's principle; when no gas is filled in through the gas inlet, the pellicle film contracts inward. Therefore, by turning on and shutting off the gas inlet valve, the pellicle film will be set in a breathing motion for the gas inside the pellicle film to be exchanged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Gudeng Precision Industrial Co, Ltd
    Inventors: Ni-Shin Lee, Shao-Wei Lu
  • Patent number: 8567454
    Abstract: An apparatus for sterile filling of beverage containers has a first module and a second module. The first module rinses and sterilizes empty containers and delivers the sterilized containers to the second module. The second module fills and caps the containers with beverage product at ambient temperature in an active sterilization zone utilizing an e-beam sterilization unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Stokely-Van Camp, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Mastio, Rei-Young Amos Wu, Michael F. McGowan, Subodh K. Raniwala, Gregory Schimmel, James D. Schuman, Steven Havlik
  • Patent number: 8550129
    Abstract: A vapor-recovery-activated auto-shutoff nozzle comprises a manually operable trigger that permits selective operation of a normally closed valve between a valve-closed configuration and a valve-open configuration. Linkage arms connect the trigger and the valve, and are re-configurable between an enabled configuration and a disabled configuration. In the enabled configuration, the trigger and the valve are operatively connected such that the rest position of the trigger corresponds to the valve being closed, and the in-use position of the manually operable trigger corresponds to the valve being open. In the disabled configuration, the manually operable trigger is precluded from controlling the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Fuel Transfer Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Bonner
  • Publication number: 20130255827
    Abstract: A system for filling a blow-fill-seal (BFS) container is provided. The system includes a first fluid circuit constructed to selectively deliver a purge fluid to an open BFS container. A second fluid circuit selectively delivers a product to the open BFS container. A third fluid circuit, having a vent line in fluid communication with the open BFS container and to the ambient, directs a bulk fluid comprising at least the purge fluid from the container when the purge fluid is introduced into the BFS container. The second circuit selectively delivers product when the first fluid circuit selectively does not deliver the purge fluid, and the second circuit selectively does not deliver product when the first circuit selectively delivers the purge fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: R.P. SCHERER TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Colangelo
  • Patent number: 8522836
    Abstract: The substrate storage pod includes a pod case which includes a hollow inner space for storing a substrate, and an opening; a lid member which is capable of sealing the opening; an exhaust port for exhausting a replacement gas in the hollow inner space of the pod case; and an exhaust space which is defined in the hollow inner space so as to communicate to the exhaust port. The exhaust space is defined in the hollow inner space by a multi-hole partition member including multiple holes and by an inner surface of the pod case. In the substrate storage pod, back pressure on an exhaust side can be lowered, and hence dust in the pod can be collected to the exhaust side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Okabe, Toshihiko Miyajima
  • Patent number: 8522831
    Abstract: A device and a method for filling with a gas other than air an insulating glazing unit composed of at least two glass panes and at least one spacer frame, comprising a movable and a fixed bed. The fixed bed is provided with retractable suckers suitable to capture a lower flap of a glass pane and move therewith with a motion of retraction with respect to the movable bed, such as to provide straightening of the lower flap of the glass pane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: FOR.EL. Base di Davanzo Nadia & C. S.N.C.
    Inventor: Fortunato Vianello
  • Patent number: 8517064
    Abstract: A powder filling apparatus and a powder filling method which enable powder to be densely filled in a short period of time is to be provided. This is a powder filling apparatus having a pressure hopper wherein the pressure hopper has a discharger for discharging powder and a gas inlet positioned above at least the surface of a powder layer formed by the powder in the pressure hopper; the powder layer is so formed as to blockade the discharger in the pressure hopper; in the powder filling apparatus, the inside of the pressure hopper is pressurized by leading in gas through the gas inlet in a state in which the discharger is closed, and the powder layer so formed as to blockade the discharger is discharged by opening the discharger after the pressurization thereby to utilize that pressure to load the powder into the filling container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Isomura, Manabu Jimba, Masashi Koseki, Kei Jomen, Yutaka Ban
  • Patent number: 8485771
    Abstract: In a load port apparatus, a door driving mechanism that supports a door through a communication opening portion leading to a mini-environment is housed in a housing chamber that is in communication with the mini-environment through the communication opening portion. Exhaust opening portions are provided in the upper portion of a wall of the housing chamber that is opposed to the communication opening portion and a bottom wall of the housing chamber. Thus, gas passages from the mini-environment to the housing chamber and then to the external space are formed. Thus, dust in the load port apparatus is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Mutsuo Sasaki, Hitoshi Suzuki, Koichiro Oikawa
  • Patent number: 8430133
    Abstract: An enclosure is filled with a filling gas according to the disclosed method. An enclosure is provided having an interior, a width, a height, a thickness, and fluid filling and exit holes fluidly communicating with the interior. Filling of the enclosure is commenced by directing a flow of the filling gas at a filling flow rate into the fluid filling hole. An oxygen concentration of gas exiting the fluid exit hole is sensed. The filling of the enclosure is stopped when the sensed oxygen concentration reaches a threshold concentration, wherein the threshold oxygen concentration and/or the filling flow rate are selected by a Decision Support Tool based upon the width, height, and/or the thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: American Air Liquide, Inc.
    Inventors: Philippe A. Coignet, Pascal J. Tromeur, Justin J. Wang
  • Patent number: 8418733
    Abstract: A pod opener is an apparatus for purging the inside of a reticle pod having a pod cover and an openable bottom lid by supplying and discharging a clean gas to and from the inside of the reticle pod. The pod opener includes a stage, an elevator driving mechanism, a latch mechanism, and a supplying-discharging section. The stage can attach and remove the bottom lid to and from the pod cover. The elevator driving mechanism can move the stage. The latch mechanism serves to move a latch member that locks the bottom lid to the pod cover such that it cannot be detached and to release the locked state of the bottom lid. The supplying-discharging section starts purging before the latch member has completed an operation of locking the bottom lid to the pod cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhide Shikata, Takanori Izumi
  • Patent number: 8413693
    Abstract: A curtain nozzle is located above an opening portion in a FIMS. A gas curtain formed of inert gas for closing the opening portion is formed. A cover is so provided as to cover a part of the curtain nozzle so as to prevent peripheral gas around an opening of the curtain nozzle from being involved in the gas curtain of the inert gas emitted from the curtain nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Tsutomu Okabe
  • Patent number: 8408047
    Abstract: A universal adapter to be detachably connected to the round fuel cap retaining lip of most any fuel tank filler neck so that smoke (i.e., a vapor) under pressure can be delivered to the fuel tank of a motor vehicle to test the fuel system for leaks. When connected, the universal adapter lies entirely outside the fuel tank filler neck. The universal adapter includes a circular ring-shaped rim that is manufactured from a flexible material having a spring memory. The flexible rim of the universal adapter is stretched and attached in surrounding sealing engagement against the fuel cap retaining lip of the filler neck. The universal adapter also includes a vapor inlet tube to which the nozzle of a vapor supply hose is attached. According to one embodiment, smoke produced by a smoke-generating machine pressurizes the fuel tank by way of a vapor delivery path which includes the vapor inlet tube of the universal adapter and the fuel tank filler neck of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: STAR EnviroTech, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory Michael McCollom
  • Patent number: 8375998
    Abstract: A curtain nozzle is located above an opening portion (10) in a FIMS. A gas curtain formed of inert gas for closing the opening portion is formed. A cover is so provided as to cover a part of the curtain nozzle so as to prevent peripheral gas around an opening of the curtain nozzle from being involved in the gas curtain of the inert gas emitted from the curtain nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Tsutomu Okabe
  • Publication number: 20130037168
    Abstract: A filling element for filling containers includes a housing having a liquid channel, a connection for feeding liquid into the channel, a discharge port for discharging liquid into a container provided in a sealed position on the filling element, a valve in the channel between the connection and the port, an actuator for opening and closing the channel, a gas path for pre-stressing the container's interior with gas and returning displaced gas, a switching valve in the gas path, the valve being switchable by the actuator between a first state for use while pre-stressing and a second switched state for use with displaced gas, wherein in the first state, the gas path has a first effective flow cross section, and in the second state, the gas path has a second effective flow cross section, the second effective flow cross section being different from the first effective flow cross section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Ludwig Clusserath, Manfred Hartel
  • Publication number: 20120291914
    Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for recharging depleted pressurized balls that uses pressurized gas is disclosed. A pressure vessel includes a cylindrical shell with a closed end and a spaced apart and opening top connected by a wall to form a charging chamber. The vessel may be pivotally secured to a base. A port in the outer wall, closed end, or top of the vessel permits gas entry and exit for charging. The chamber is filled with an appropriate number of discharged balls and then is sealed and charged with high pressure gas having a molecular weight heavier than air. The chamber is monitored to determine when the balls have reached a desired internal pressure. Once the balls reach the desired internal pressure they are removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventor: William F. DIRST
  • Patent number: 8302637
    Abstract: A partial pressure of oxidizing gas in an opened state FOUP fixed in a FIMS system is reduced when the FOUP is closed. Purge gas supply nozzles are placed outside of two vertical sides of an opening portion (10) within the FIMS. A curtain nozzle is additionally installed which can form a gas curtain from purge gas above the top side of the opening portion (10). When a pod (2) is closed with a lid (4), a door opening/closing mechanism keeps the lid (4) at a given angle with respect to the flowing direction of curtain gas for a given period of time, and hence purge gas supplied to the gas curtain is additionally put into use for the purging of the interior of the pod by the lid 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Okabe, Jun Emoto, Tomoshi Abe
  • Patent number: 8297320
    Abstract: A machine for the preparation of pharmaceutical products is provided with a gripping and carrier device to transfer at least one container between a magazine and a dosage station for the preparation of a pharmaceutical product, and a box-type holding frame defining a chamber for the housing of magazine, gripping and carrier device, and dosage station; the chamber displaying an access aperture to magazine and being crossed by a sterile air flow adapted to avoid the entry of air from the external environment through aperture itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Health Robotics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Paolo Giribona, Werner Rainer, Daniele Baldassari, Alferino Gabbarini, Pietro Paluselli
  • Publication number: 20120261031
    Abstract: A curtain nozzle is located above an opening portion in a FIMS. A gas curtain formed of inert gas for closing the opening portion is formed. A cover is so provided as to cover a part of the curtain nozzle so as to prevent peripheral gas around an opening of the curtain nozzle from being involved in the gas curtain of the inert gas emitted from the curtain nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Tsutomu OKABE
  • Publication number: 20120210675
    Abstract: The apparatus, for filling a flexible pouch having a bottom end, an opposite top end, and a pair of side edges extending between the bottom and top end, includes a filling station, a supply of compressed purging gas, and a gas purging station. The filling station includes a feeder that dispenses an amount of product into the pouch. The gas purge station is positioned subsequent to the filling station and includes a pair of gas lances. Each of the pair of gas lances have an outlet to discharge the purging gas into the pouch. The pair of gas lances being moveable between an inserted position and a withdrawn position. In the inserted position the pair of gas lances are disposed within the pouch a predetermined distance above the amount of product, and in the withdrawn position the pair of gas lances are provided above the top end of the pouch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicants: Pouch Pac Innovations, LLC
    Inventors: R. Charles Murray, Olaf Clemens
  • Patent number: 8235076
    Abstract: An enclosure is filled with a filling gas according to the disclosed method. An enclosure is provided having an interior, a width, a height, a thickness, and fluid filling and exit holes fluidly communicating with the interior. Filling of the enclosure is commenced by directing a flow of the filling gas at a filling flow rate into the fluid filling hole. An oxygen concentration of gas exiting the fluid exit hole is sensed. The filling of the enclosure is stopped when the sensed oxygen concentration reaches a threshold concentration, wherein the threshold oxygen concentration and/or the filling flow rate are selected by a Decision Support Tool based upon the width, height, and/or the thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: American Air Liquide, Inc.
    Inventors: Philippe A. Coignet, Pascal J. Tromeur, Justin J. Wang
  • Patent number: 8235364
    Abstract: This invention relates to a vapor or liquid phase reagent dispensing apparatus that may be used for dispensing vapor or liquid phase reagents such as precursors for deposition of materials in the manufacture of semiconductor materials and devices. The vapor phase reagent dispensing apparatus has a single port capable of receiving a carrier gas and dispensing a vapor phase reagent. The liquid phase reagent dispensing apparatus has a single port capable of receiving an inert gas and dispensing a liquid phase reagent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Demetrius Sarigiannis, M. Mushtaq Ahmed
  • Patent number: 8205646
    Abstract: A powder filling apparatus and a powder filling method which enable powder to be densely filled in a short period of time is to be provided. This is a powder filling apparatus having a pressure hopper wherein the pressure hopper has a discharger for discharging powder and a gas inlet positioned above at least the surface of a powder layer formed by the powder in the pressure hopper; the powder layer is so formed as to blockade the discharger in the pressure hopper; in the powder filling apparatus, the inside of the pressure hopper is pressurized by leading in gas through the gas inlet in a state in which the discharger is closed, and the powder layer so formed as to blockade the discharger is discharged by opening the discharger after the pressurization thereby to utilize that pressure to load the powder into the filling container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Isomura, Manabu Jimba, Masashi Koseki, Kei Jomen, Yutaka Ban
  • Patent number: 8171964
    Abstract: The invention provides a purge apparatus that purges the gas in the interior of a FOUP with a high purging efficiency and an apparatus for opening/closing the lid of a FOUP for use in the purge apparatus. The purge apparatus has a cabinet having an opening portion through with the lid of the FOUP can pass, a door that can close the opening portion and hold the lid, and a gas supply nozzle provide in the cabinet. In this apparatus, a seal member is provided in such a way as to surround an element that is provided on the surface of the door and adapted to actuate a latch mechanism of the lid. The seal member spatially separates the element that is adapted to actuate the latch mechanism from the external space in a state in which the door is holding the lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Tsutomu Okabe
  • Patent number: 8146623
    Abstract: A purging station with a substrate container receiving zone having at least one upwardly extending purging nozzle. The nozzle has a circular engaging lip. The substrate container has support means for at least one substrate and a purge port assembly that includes an externally facing sealing flange facing downward from the container. The sealing flange has a central aperture and a cantilevered flange portion that engages with the circular engaging lip of the nozzle. The weight of the substrate container on the nozzle carried by the canilevered portion of the flange causes bending of the flange for a resilient soft seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Entegris, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Mathius Tieben, David L. Halbmeier, Steven P. Kolbow