Belt Tracking Patents (Class 451/297)
  • Publication number: 20010011003
    Abstract: A polishing head of a polishing apparatus of this invention has a structure in which an air blast port is formed in a lower surface of a carrier 20, and an upper outer peripheral portion 24 of the carrier is so formed as to protrude in a diametric direction, and is placed on a retainer ring 30 to thereby form a seal portion 25. The retainer ring clamps a peripheral edge of a rubber sheet in such a form as to cover the carrier. Consequently, an air chamber 61 is formed between the carrier lower surface and the rubber sheet, and an air pressure of this air chamber pushes a wafer W to a polishing cloth 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2001
    Publication date: August 2, 2001
    Inventor: Minoru Numoto
  • Patent number: 6186866
    Abstract: An abrasive article including (i) a first backing, (ii) a plurality of protrusions attached to the first surface of the first backing and including a grinding aid, wherein the first surface of the first backing is contoured by the protrusions so as to define a plurality of peaks and valleys, and (iii) a coating of abrasive particles adhered to the contoured first surface of the first backing so as to cover at least a portion of both the peaks and the valleys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: John J. Gagliardi
  • Patent number: 6135866
    Abstract: A grinding device includes a grinding member disposed on a base, and a board rotatably supported in the base at a shaft. An axle is rotatably secured in the board for supporting the tools. A spring is coupled between the base and the board for moving the axle and thus the tools toward the grinding member and for allowing the tools to be ground by the grinding member. The grinding member is rotated to grind the tools. A rack is coupled to the axle to rotate the tools for allowing the peripheral portion of the tools to be ground by the grinding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Inventor: Wen Teng Wang
  • Patent number: 6126512
    Abstract: An automated tracking and control system measures the lateral displacement of a moving belt, using non-contact sensing. The displacement signal is provided to an algorithm that adjusts the tilts of the belt pulleys and steers the belt laterally. Non-contact sensors include inductive proximity sensors, which respond to the metal belt but are immune to airborne slurry and other non-metallic debris in a hostile environment typical of wafer polishing. Other non-contact sensors include shielded optical sensors. Dual sensor configurations cancel response to non-lateral displacements. Instrumentation, such as tension sensors, cylinder pressure sensors, load transducers, and limit switches, provides input to the algorithm. Independent tension signals for each belt edge verify proper functioning of, e.g., pad conditioners. User-specified belt displacements, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Aplex Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Chao, Tim H. Huynh, Chi Guo, Huey M. Tzeng
  • Patent number: 6059643
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of Chemical Mechanical Planarization ("CMP") for wafer, flat panel display (FPD), and hard drive disk (HDD). The preferred apparatus comprises a looped belt spatially oriented in a vertical direction with respect to a ground floor. A polishing pad is glued to an outer surface of the belt. At an inner surface of the belt, there are a plurality of wafer supports to support the wafers while they are in polishing process. Wafers are loaded from a wafer station to a wafer head using a handling structure before polishing and are unloaded from the wafer head to the wafer station after polishing. An electric motor or equivalent is used to drive the looped belt running over two pulleys. An adjustment means is used to adjust the tension and position of the belt for smooth running. This new CMP machine can be mounted in multiple orientations to save manufacturing space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Aplex, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert Hu, Burford J. Furman, Mohamed Abushaban
  • Patent number: 6001006
    Abstract: A machine for machining internal surfaces of axisymmetric workpieces with an abrasive strip. The machine includes a roller for pressing the abrasive strip against a surface of the workpiece that is to be machined. The workpiece rotates about an axis, and the roller rotates about an axis parallel to the axis of the workpiece. The machine also includes a pulley positioned on either side of the roller, for guiding the abrasive strip to the roller and holding the abrasive strip in position relative to the roller. The abrasive is driven continuously over the roller during machining, to renew the abrasive where the roller presses the abrasive strip against the surface of the workpiece. The roller and pulleys can be moved oointo, out of, and within a workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Societedes Procedeset Machines Speciales
    Inventors: Jean Claude Pineau, Richard Bonachera, Patrick Jeanne
  • Patent number: 5864746
    Abstract: The surface of a fingernail is efficiently and uniformly ground by a grinder having an endless grinding belt that is adjustably supported between a rotating wheel mounted on a follower axle and a connecting portion of a driving axle carried by a connecting seat. The driving axle is rotated by a round axle disposed within a hollow pipe and rotated by a driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Inventor: Lin Wu Chang
  • Patent number: 5860854
    Abstract: A belt drift control device (20) is mounted in the side wall (2a) of belt sander (1) comprises a shoulder bolt (22) threaded through a nut 21 in the side wall (2a). A generally conical, tapered roller (23) is rotatably engaged with the free end of the shoulder bolt (22). The tapered roller (23) comprises a taper portion (24) and a flange (24a). The axial movement of the tapered roller (23) is restricted by a washer (26) and a stop ring (27). A control knob (29) is fitted around the head of the shoulder bolt (22) and pressed outwardly by a compression spring (28) surrounding the shoulder bolt (22). Rotation of the control knob (29) axially feeds the shoulder bolt (22) to permit adjustment of the position of the tapered roller (23) relative to an abrasive belt (10). The tapered roller (23) is preferably positioned such that the top end of the taper portion (24) is in contact with the left edge (10a) of the abrasive belt (10) when the belt (10) is a normal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Makita Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Sakoh, Akihito Hara, Atsushi Utsuno
  • Patent number: 5830046
    Abstract: An apparatus for continually shifting an endless abrasive belt trained between a drive pulley and an idler wheel. The belt is trained around an idler wheel which is supported by an arm above a continually pivoting platform transverse to the travel direction of travel of the endless belt. The platform is pivotally supported by a fulcrum mechanism at a pivot axis bisecting the platform, and a resilient member urges one side of the platform down while an inflatable and deflatable bladder continually urges the other side of the platform up and down. A tensioning means biases the arm supporting the idler wheel away from the drive pulley to maintain tension on the endless belt between the idler wheel and the drive wheel while the idler wheel is reciprocating. The bladder is continually inflated and deflated per a preselected time period to selectively vary the shifting cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Vulcan Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Ben Allen Dugger, Antoine Ibrahim Hallit
  • Patent number: 5573619
    Abstract: A coated abrasive backing consisting of an endless, seamless, loop is provided. The backing loop includes about 40-99% by weight of an organic polymeric binder, based upon the weight of the backing; and an effective amount of a fibrous reinforcing material engulfed within the organic polymeric binder material. The endless, seamless backing loop includes a length with parallel side edges, and at least one layer of fibrous reinforcing material engulfed within the organic polymeric binder material such that there are regions of organic binder material free of fibrous reinforcing material on opposite surfaces of the layer of fibrous reinforcing material. The fibrous reinforcing material can be in the form of individual fibrous strands, a fibrous mat structure, or a combination of the these. A method for preparing the endless, seamless backing loop for a coated abrasive belt is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Harold W. Benedict, Diana D. Zimny, Donna W. Bange
  • Patent number: 5545077
    Abstract: A band sander has a motor housing (2) and a band running case (17) located below the latter, the abrasive band revolving therein. The abrasive band is driven via a belt (17) and belt wheels (14, 16). Because of manufacturing tolerances, it is necessary to be able to adjust the belt tension in a simple manner after the device has already been assembled. This is effected by an insert plate (19) which is inserted into a slot (18) between the motor housing (2) and band running case (7) so as to be displaceable. The insert plate (19) has steps (31 to 33) of varying height which determine the distance between the motor housing (2) and band running case (7) and accordingly determine the belt tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Cornelius Boeck, Rudolf Fuchs