Computer Controlled Patents (Class 451/5)
  • Patent number: 9969048
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate is provided. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table holding a polishing pad; a top ring configured to press the substrate against the polishing pad; first and second optical heads each configured to apply the light to the substrate and to receive reflected light from the substrate; spectroscopes each configured to measure at each wavelength an intensity of the reflected light received; and a processor configured to produce a spectrum indicating a relationship between intensity and wavelength of the reflected light. The first optical head is arranged so as to face a center of the substrate, and the second optical head is arranged so as to face a peripheral portion of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Itsuki Kobata, Yoichi Kobayashi, Katsutoshi Ono, Masaki Kinoshita, Toshifumi Kimba
  • Patent number: 9962804
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes: a turntable for supporting a polishing pad; a turntable rotation mechanism configured to rotate the turntable; a dresser configured to dress the polishing pad; and a scanning mechanism configured to cause the dresser to scan between a first position and a second position on the polishing pad, wherein Ttt/Tds and Tds/Ttt are a non-integer where the Ttt is a rotation cycle of the turntable during dressing, and the Tds is a scanning cycle during which the dresser scans between the first position and the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinozaki
  • Patent number: 9925635
    Abstract: In an eyeglass lens processing apparatus, if a material selector selects a thermoplastic material for the lens, a control unit performs a first step and then a second step. In the first step, the control unit controls a lens rotating unit to position a lens in a plurality of lens rotation angles and controls an axis-to-axis distance changing unit to cause a roughing tool to cut into the lens up to a roughing path for each of the plurality of lens rotation angles, the lens being not rotated by the lens rotating unit when the roughing tool is cutting into the lens up to the roughing path. In the second step, the control unit controls the lens rotating unit and the axis-to-axis distance changing unit to rough the lens based on the roughing path while the lens rotating unit rotates the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: NIDEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ryoji Shibata
  • Patent number: 9922852
    Abstract: The invention simplifies airbag calibration. A pressure calibration jig calibrates pressure to be applied to a plurality of airbags disposed inside a top ring for holding and pressing a wafer against a polishing pad. The pressure calibration jig includes a plurality of first passages capable of communicating with the plurality of airbags, respectively; a second passage which combines and connects the plurality of first passages to a pressure calibration sensor; and a flow control portion configured to allow a fluid to flow through the first passage of the plurality of first passages, which first passage corresponds to an airbag selected for pressure calibration, in a direction from the selected airbag toward the second passage, and also configured to prevent the fluid from flowing through the first passages other than the first passage corresponding to the selected airbag in a direction from the second passage toward the airbags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Suguru Sakugawa, Nobuyuki Takahashi, Toru Maruyama
  • Patent number: 9870788
    Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a magneto-resistive device, comprising the steps of: extracting at least one subset of bars from at least one bar section of a wafer; obtaining a magnetic performance of the at least one subset of the bars; determining an angle based on the magnetic performance; and processing remaining bars from the at least one bar section of the wafer based on the determined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Leo Michael C. Miranda, Mark D. Moravec, Tang Hyok Lim, Reymon G. Ilaw
  • Patent number: 9842783
    Abstract: A polishing method capable of obtaining an accurate thickness of a silicon layer during polishing of a substrate and determining an accurate polishing end point of the substrate based on the thickness of the silicon layer obtained. The method includes: calculating relative reflectance by dividing the measured intensity of the infrared ray by predetermined reference intensity; producing spectral waveform representing relationship between the relative reflectance and wavelength of the infrared ray; performing a Fourier transform process on the spectral waveform to determine a thickness of the silicon layer and a corresponding strength of frequency component; and determining a polishing end point of the substrate based on a point of time when the determined thickness of the silicon layer has reached a predetermined target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshifumi Kimba
  • Patent number: 9799578
    Abstract: A method of polishing includes storing a predetermined location and a predetermined number as criteria for detecting an end point, polishing a substrate, measuring a sequence of current spectra of light reflected from the substrate while the substrate is being polished, identifying a plurality of peaks or valleys that persist with an evolving location through at least some of the sequence of current spectra, counting a number of peaks or valleys that were identified that pass the predetermined location as polishing progresses, and ceasing to polish the substrate when the number counted reaches the predetermined number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dominic J. Benvegnu, Boguslaw A. Swedek, David J. Lischka
  • Patent number: 9791846
    Abstract: To include an analysis processing unit that obtains a movement command for moving on a movement path in a machining program, and vibration conditions for vibrating along the movement path, a command-movement-amount calculation unit that calculates a command-movement amount per unit time, a vibrational-movement-amount calculation unit that uses the vibration conditions to calculate a vibrational-movement amount per unit time at a time corresponding to the movement command, and a movement-amount combining unit that combines the command-movement amount with the vibrational-movement amount to calculate a combined movement amount, and that acquires a movement amount within the unit time such that a position, which has moved from a reference position for calculating the combined movement amount by the combined movement amount, is located on the movement path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD., CITIZEN MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Watanabe, Masakazu Sagasaki, Junichi Kamata, Hiroshi Shinohara, Hajime Matsumaru, Hitoshi Matsumoto, Takanori Shinohara, Akihiko Shinohara, Shigeo Yanagidaira
  • Patent number: 9764364
    Abstract: A movable wafer probe may include: an immersion hood including a top body portion and a bottom foot portion, the top body portion having first inner sidewalls surrounding a top opening, the bottom foot portion having second inner sidewalls surrounding a bottom opening; a transducer disposed above the bottom opening and within the top opening, the transducer spaced apart from the first inner sidewalls of the top body portion by a first spacing, the first spacing forming a fluid exhaust port; and a fluid input port extending through the transducer, a bottom end of the fluid input port opening to the bottom opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ying-Hsueh Chang Chien, Chin-Hsiang Lin, Chi-Ming Yang, Ming-Hsi Yeh, Shao-Yen Ku
  • Patent number: 9721595
    Abstract: A method for providing a storage device that includes a plurality of read sensor stacks for each reader of the storage device. The plurality of read sensor stacks are distributed along a down track direction and offset in a cross-track direction. A plurality of electronic lapping guides (ELGs) are provided for the read sensor stacks. The read sensor stacks are lapped. Lapping is terminated based on signal(s) from the ELG(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
    Inventors: Steven C. Rudy, Christopher L. Beaudry, Shaoping Li
  • Patent number: 9649743
    Abstract: A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a substrate and receiving an identification of a selected spectral feature, a wavelength range having a width, and a characteristic of the selected spectral feature to monitor during polishing. A sequence of spectra of light from the substrate is measured while the substrate is being polished. A sequence of values of the characteristic of the selected spectral feature is generated from the sequence of spectra. For at least some spectra from the sequence of spectra, a modified wavelength range is generated based on a position of the spectral feature within a previous wavelength range used for a previous spectrum in the sequence of spectra, the modified wavelength range is searched for the selected spectral feature, and a value of a characteristic of the selected spectral feature is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Drue David, Harry Q. Lee
  • Patent number: 9640507
    Abstract: A bonding method for bonding a semiconductor chip to an underlying structure includes aligning an electrical contact of a lower surface of the semiconductor chip with an electrical connection member of an upper surface of the underlying structure, the electrical contact at least partially encased by a support material. The method further includes first heating the semiconductor chip and the underlying structure, deforming the electrical contact, and curing the support material encasing the deformed electrical contact. The method still further includes second heating the semiconductor chip and the underlying structure to bond the electrical contact of the semiconductor chip to the electrical connection member of the underlying structure while maintaining the support material in a cured state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ilyoung Han, Kyoungran Kim, Donggil Shim, Youngjoo Lee, Byunggon Kim, Byeongkap Choi
  • Patent number: 9604342
    Abstract: In an eyeglass lens processing apparatus, a roughing tool for roughing a periphery of an eyeglass lens cuts the periphery up to a roughing path without rotating an eyeglass lens in a first stage and the roughing tool moves along the roughing path while rotating the eyeglass lens in a second stage. A calculating unit for obtaining control data of the lens rotating unit at the second stage. The calculating unit obtains a first load torque applied to a lens chuck shaft at every rotation angle of the lens based on condition data, and obtains a rotation speed of the lens at which the first load torque per unit time becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: NIDEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoji Shibata, Osamu Tanabe
  • Patent number: 9601395
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method of predicting warp in a plurality of wafers after an epitaxial layer deposition process is provided. The method includes receiving, by a processor, a measured resistivity of a first wafer of the plurality of wafers, receiving, by the processor, a measured shape of the first wafer after at least one of a grinding process and an etching process, and calculating, using the processor, a change in wafer shape during the epitaxial layer deposition process. The method further includes superposing, using the processor, the calculated shape change onto the measured shape of the first wafer to determine a post-epitaxial wafer shape and calculating, using the processor, a post-epitaxial warp value based on the determined post-epitaxial wafer shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SunEdison Semiconductor Limited (UEN201334164H)
    Inventors: Sumeet S. Bhagavat, Roland R. Vandamme
  • Patent number: 9517517
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method of grinding a toothed workpiece in which a central axis of the toothed contour profile is defined, wherein the method encompasses at least two work operations. In a first work operation a grinding zone of a grinding tool whose selection is determined by the grinding process to be performed, which rotates about an axis of rotation and is set up for an infeed in the direction of the shortest distance between said central axis and the rotation axis, is brought into grinding engagement with a tooth flank of the workpiece. In a later, second work operation, the tooth flank is brought into grinding engagement with a grinding zone of a grinding tool whose selection is determined by the grinding process to be performed and which is advanced in the infeed direction of the first operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Gleason-Pfauter Maschinenfabrik GmbH
    Inventor: Edgar Weppelmann
  • Patent number: 9490186
    Abstract: A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a region of a substrate at a first polishing rate, measuring a sequence characterizing values for the region of the substrate during polishing with an in-situ monitoring system, determining a polishing rate adjustment for each of a plurality of adjustment times prior to a polishing endpoint time, and adjusting a polishing parameter to polish the substrate at a second polishing rate. The time period is greater than a period between the adjustment times and the projected time is before the polishing endpoint time. The second polishing rate is the first polishing rate as adjusted by the polishing rate adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dominic J. Benvegnu, Benjamin Cherian, Sivakumar Dhandapani, Harry Q. Lee
  • Patent number: 9440328
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for ascertaining topography deviations of a dressing tool. The method includes executing a predefined relative movement of a dressing tool in relation to a dressable grinding tool, wherein during the execution of the relative movement, at least one contour region of the dressing tool is transferred into a transfer region of the grinding tool. A plunging body made of material which can be ground in the machine is provided. The transfer region of the grinding tool is moved into the vicinity of the plunging body by a relative infeed movement. A rotational movement of the grinding tool around an axis of rotation is executed. Plunging the transfer region of the grinding tool into the material of the plunging body, to thus perform a transfer of the topography of the transfer region into an imaging region of the plunging body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Klingelnberg AG
    Inventor: Karl-Martin Ribbeck
  • Patent number: 9440327
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for polishing a substrate having a film formed thereon. The method includes: rotating a polishing table supporting a polishing pad by a table motor; pressing the substrate against the polishing pad by a top ring; obtaining a signal containing a thickness information of the film; producing from the signal a polishing index value that varies in accordance with a thickness of the film; monitoring a torque current value of the table motor and the polishing index value; and determining a polishing end point based on a point of time when the torque current value has reached a predetermined threshold value or a point of time when a predetermined distinctive point of the polishing index value has appeared, whichever comes first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Yasumasa Hiroo, Yoichi Kobayashi, Katsutoshi Ono
  • Patent number: 9401293
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate includes a polishing table holding a polishing pad, a top ring configured to press the substrate against the polishing pad, and first and second optical heads each configured to apply the light to the substrate and to receive reflected light from the substrate. The polishing apparatus also includes spectroscopes each configured to measure at each wavelength an intensity of the reflected light received, and a processor configured to produce a spectrum indicating a relationship between intensity and wavelength of the reflected light. The first optical head is arranged so as to face a center of the substrate, and the second optical head is arranged so as to face a peripheral portion of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Itsuki Kobata, Yoichi Kobayashi, Katsutoshi Ono, Masaki Kinoshita, Toshifumi Kimba
  • Patent number: 9393665
    Abstract: A polishing method and a polishing system are provided. By means of adjusting a rotational center of a polishing article corresponding to positions of a polishing pad or polishing pads, a polishing rate of the polishing article surface has a better uniformity, resulted from compensation of polishing rates at the rotational center of the polishing article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignees: IV TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD., POWERCHIP TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu-Piao Wang, Jen-Feng Cheng, Te-Yang Chen, Ya-Ling Chen
  • Patent number: 9394949
    Abstract: A tripod type constant velocity universal joint includes an outer joint member including three track grooves having roller-guide surfaces arranged to face each other in a circumferential direction, a tripod member including three leg shafts projecting in a radial direction, and roller units each including a roller and an inner ring for supporting the roller in a freely rotatable manner. The inner ring is externally fitted to a corresponding one of the three leg shafts. The roller is movable along the roller-guide surfaces of a corresponding one of the three track grooves. Each of the three leg shafts includes a region formed into a substantially circular-arc shape in horizontal cross-section that is orthogonal to an axial line of each of the three leg shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jiahua Miao, Shunsuke Makino, Hiroshi Murakami, Taku Itagaki, Hiroshi Adachi, Makoto Ikki
  • Patent number: 9390986
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus capable of achieving a good control operation for a distribution of remaining film thickness is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes: a top ring configured to apply pressures separately to zones on a back surface of a substrate to press a front surface of the substrate against a polishing pad; a film-thickness sensor configured to obtain a film-thickness signal that varies in accordance with a film thickness of the substrate; and a polishing controller configured to manipulate the pressures. The polishing controller calculates indexes of a remaining film thickness in zones on the front surface of the substrate, manipulate the pressures based on the indexes for controlling a distribution of the remaining film thickness, and update at least one of control parameters using polishing data obtained during polishing of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Kobayashi, Keita Yagi
  • Patent number: 9387568
    Abstract: Systems and methods for correcting fabrication error in magnetic recording heads using magnetic write width (MWW) measurements are provided. One such method includes separating a wafer into sections containing row bars, each row bar including magnetic recording heads, selecting a first row bar from a first section of the sections, lapping the first row bar to form sliders, performing a test of a magnetic write width (MWW) on each of the sliders, calculating a first error profile for the first row bar based on results of the magnetic write width tests, generating a second error profile for a stripe height of a component of the sliders based on the first error profile, where the component is selected from a magnetic read head and a magnetic write head, and lapping a second row bar from the row bars of the first section using the second error profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Reymon G. Ilaw, Augustus C. Calub, Theera Yaemglin, Manit Kiatkhumjaikajorn, Ittipon Cheowanish
  • Patent number: 9381615
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing turned surfaces of a rotor disc of a gas turbine engine, including rotating the rotor disc about its central axis, rotating an abrasive grinding wheel having an outer grinding surface with a hardness greater than that of a material of the rotor disc, contacting the rotating wheel with at least one annular surface of the rotating disc, and sliding the rotating wheel along a curved cross-sectional profile of the at least one annular surface of the rotating disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Amr Elfizy, Lafleche Gagnon, Sylvain Jette
  • Patent number: 9375824
    Abstract: A measured characterizing value dependent on a thickness of a region of a substrate is input into a first predictive filter. The first predictive filter generates a filtered characterizing value. A measured characterizing rate at which the measured characterizing value changes is input into a second predictive filter. The second predictive filter generates a filtered characterizing rate of the region of the substrate. The measured characterizing value and the measured characterizing rate are determined based on in-situ measurements made at or before a first time during a polishing process of the substrate. A desired characterizing rate is determined to be used for polishing the region of the substrate after the first time and before a second, later time based on the filtered characterizing value and the filtered characterizing rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dominic J. Benvegnu, Benjamin Cherian, Sivakumar Dhandapani, Harry Q. Lee
  • Patent number: 9375821
    Abstract: A novel polishing pad is described. The polishing pad includes a base plate, a main polishing body, a plurality of metal bottom portions, a positive electrode conductive wire and a negative electrode conductive wire. The main polishing body made from a non-conductive material and disposed on the base plate includes a plurality of cavities thereon. The metal bottom portions are disposed in the cavities with each of the cavities having one of the metal bottom portions therein. The positive electrode conductive wire electrically is connected to a positive electrode of a power supply. The negative electrode conductive wire electrically is connected to a negative electrode of the power supply. The positive electrode conductive wire and the negative electrode conductive wire alternatively pass through the base plate and connect to the metal bottom portions respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Chao-Chang Chen, Chi Hsiang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9361916
    Abstract: A slider bar apparatus, and a method for lapping a back side surface of the slider bar, is provided. The slider bar includes a head part and a pair of sliders separated by the head part. Each of the sliders has an air bearing surface (ABS) and a back side surface opposite the ABS. Each of the sliders has a reader element and a writer element of a magnetic head for use in a magnetic hard disk drive. An electrical lapping guide is mounted on the back side surface and has a pair of terminals and a conductive material extending between the terminals. The conductive material is arranged on the slider bar such that the resistance between the terminals increases during a lapping of the back side of the sliders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont)
    Inventors: Luc Ving Chung, Steven C. Rudy, Nurul Amin
  • Patent number: 9352510
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for adjusting the position of a transparent element (1), consisting in forming an image of a peripheral edge (B1) of the transparent element, using the light diffused by said peripheral edge. In this way, movements by the transparent element relative to reference marks can be followed on a screen or carried out automatically based on an analysis of the image. The method can be used to apply a piece of film (2) to a spectacle lens, adjusting the distance between the respective peripheral edges (B1, B2) of the spectacle lens and the piece of film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Essilor International
    Inventor: Eric Roussel
  • Patent number: 9349661
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method for wafer thinning endpoint detection. Embodiments of the present invention utilize through silicon via (TSV) structures formed in the wafer. A specially made wafer handle is bonded to the wafer. Conductive slurry is used in the wafer backside thinning process. The wafer handle provides electrical connectivity to an electrical measurement tool, and conductive posts in the wafer handle are proximal to a test structure on the wafer. A plurality of electrically isolated TSVs is monitored via the electrical measurement tool. When the TSVs are exposed on the backside as a result of thinning, the conductive slurry shorts the electrically isolated TSVs, changing the electrical properties of the plurality of TSVs. The change in electrical properties is detected and used to trigger termination of the wafer backside thinning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Hanyi Ding, Oleg Gluschenkov, Ping-Chuan Wang, Lin Zhou
  • Patent number: 9333618
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a height position of a polishing head, comprising moving the polishing head to a height position at which the polishing head comes in noncontact with the polishing pad with the polishing head holding no workpiece, and then rotating at least one of the polishing head and the turn table; measuring the load torque current of the at least one of the polishing head and the turn table rotated with the torque-measuring mechanism while the height-adjusting mechanism moves the polishing head toward the polishing pad until the polishing head contacts the polishing pad, and recording the height position of the polishing head as a reference position when a variation in the measured load torque current exceeds a threshold; and adjusting the height position of the polishing head to the predetermined position on the basis of a distance from the reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Aratani
  • Patent number: 9331625
    Abstract: An electronic device for controlling and/or regulating a drive unit includes a memory configured to make available at least two at least partially different control parameter sets which are each usable to at least one of control and regulate one of at least two drive units. The electronic device further includes a control unit which is configured to select one of the at least two parameter sets of the memory unit as a function of at least one operating parameter of the drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Joern Stock, Kamil Pogorzelski
  • Patent number: 9321140
    Abstract: A machine grinding system is provided for machine grinding the main bearing journals, pin bearing journals, the post surface, gear-fit wall surface, and the flywheel flange surfaces of a four cylinder crankshaft. The system includes three operating stations, each operating station only requiring one machine to maintain the desired production rate. The first operating station machine grinds the main bearing journals, post surface, and gear-fit wall surface; the second operating station machine grinds the pin journals; and the third operating station machine grinds the thrust bearing surfaces and the flywheel flange surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael A Kopmanis
  • Patent number: 9317030
    Abstract: A method of generating control code for a CNC machine is described. The method includes the steps of: (1) generating in a computer a first plurality of coordinate values, xi, yi, zi, said first plurality of coordinate values representing a plurality of first connected line segments which surround a vertical axis, said first connected line segments gradually descending to a first predetermined depth, (2) generating in a computer a second plurality of coordinate values xj, yj, zj, said second coordinate values representing a plurality of second connected line segments which surround the vertical axis, said plurality of second connected line segments having a starting point at approximately the first predetermined depth, and gradually descending to a second predetermined depth greater than the first depth, and (3) converting the first and the second coordinate values to a code for controlling the CNC machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: TRUEMILL, INC.
    Inventors: Alan Diehl, Robert B. Patterson
  • Patent number: 9302366
    Abstract: A method is capable of monitoring the polishing surface of the polishing pad without removing the polishing pad from the polishing table. The method includes: conditioning the polishing surface of the polishing pad by causing a rotating dresser to oscillate on the polishing surface; measuring a height of the polishing surface when the conditioning of the polishing surface is performed; calculating a position of a measuring point of the height on a two-dimensional surface defined on the polishing surface; and repeating the measuring of the height of the polishing surface and the calculating of the position of the measuring point to create height distribution in the polishing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Shinozaki, Takahiro Shimano, Akira Imamura, Akira Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9291522
    Abstract: Determining position parameters defining relative position of a manufactured derivable surface relative to a reference surface, the process comprising: providing a nominal surface expressed in a nominal frame of reference and corresponding to the theoretical derivable surface to be manufactured with the nominal value of the position parameters defining the relative position of the nominal surface relative to the reference surface, providing a measured surface of the manufactured derivable surface expressed in the nominal frame of reference, providing at least one deformation surface defined by at least one deformation adjustable parameter, determining a composed surface by adding the measured surface and the deformation surface, determining the position parameters and at least one deformation parameter by minimizing the difference between the nominal surface and the composed surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Chauveau, Pascal Allione, Daniel Steigelmann
  • Patent number: 9291818
    Abstract: A self-cleaning optical system for the transmission or reflection of light to and/or from a process region comprises a liquid bath and a transparent or reflective optical component continuously rotatable about a non-vertical axis so that a lower part of the component continuously rotates through the bath. When the component emerges from the bath, a coating of the liquid remains thereon which forms a substantially uniform film on at least a part of the component through which the light is transmitted or from which the light is reflected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: University College Dublin, National University of Ireland, Dublin
    Inventors: Fergal O'Reilly, Kenneth Fahy, Paul Sheridan
  • Patent number: 9283652
    Abstract: An edge grinding apparatus and method for grinding a glass substrate, with which a glass substrate can be ground by a fixed amount and the occurrence of defects can be minimized. The edge grinding apparatus includes an edge grinding unit which grinds a cut edge of a glass substrate while following the cut edge; a measuring unit which obtains positional information of the cut edge; and a control unit which receives the positional information of the cut edge from the measuring unit and controls a position of the edge grinding unit based on the positional information of the cut edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Chae Ko, Se-Yeon Kim, Yeonhoon Kim, Jun-Seok Kim
  • Patent number: 9272442
    Abstract: A method of aligning an ingot of semiconductor or solar-grade material with a mounting block includes supporting the ingot using adjustable supports, aligning a predetermined centerline of the ingot with a reference line using a laser, and attaching the mounting block to the ingot such that the predetermined centerline remains aligned with the reference line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.
    Inventors: Dusan Krulj, John Michael Pogany
  • Patent number: 9267396
    Abstract: A method of precision manufacture of an outer arm of a rocker arm assembly is performed by determining structures of a rough outer arm that would require precision processing and locations to support the structures as they are processed. Starting with at least one structure requiring precision processing, locations on the outer arm close to the structure to hold the outer arm during processing are determined that would cause minimal distortion of the outer arm during processing. The outer arm is then provided with clamping lobes at these locations. The clamping lobes of the outer arm are clamping into a fixture for manufacturing. The slider pad may now be precision ground while the outer arm is clamped in the fixture with minimal risk of distortion of the outer arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Austin Robert Zurface, Tony Eric Gordon, Andrei Dan Radulescu, Otto Jerome Schultheis
  • Patent number: 9266213
    Abstract: A method of polishing one side of a wafer, which makes it possible to accurately realize the desired wafer edge shape without dependence on the period of use of a polishing cloth, is provided. In the method according to the present invention, a wafer fixed to a head is brought into contact with a polishing cloth provided on a surface of a surface plate, and the head and the surface plate are rotated, thereby polishing one side of the wafer, the method including the steps of measuring a contact angle of the polishing cloth (S1); determining a rotation speed of the head and the surface plate, based on the measured contact angle of the polishing cloth (S4); and polishing the one side of the wafer by rotating the head and the surface plate at the determined rotation speed (S5, S6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: SUMCO Corporation
    Inventor: Tomonori Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 9266179
    Abstract: A method for dressing a tool of a gear grinding machine, including a workpiece holder and a tool holder, is provided. The tool holder, arranged on a machining head, is rotatable about a first axis of rotation, and is linearly movable via a first linear axis of movement, wherein a workpiece clamped in the workpiece holder can be machined by a tool clamped in the tool holder. The machine furthermore includes a dressing unit with a dressing tool holder rotatable about a second axis of rotation, wherein a dressing tool accommodated in the dressing tool holder is used for dressing the tool clamped in the tool holder. During the dressing operation the machining head is pivoted about the swivel axis in dependence on a tool profile and is linearly moved with the first linear axis of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Liebherr-Verzahntechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Hansjoerg Geiser
  • Patent number: 9256213
    Abstract: A commanded speed is acquired by a command program analysis unit, an override is acquired by an override input unit, and the override before input is changed in steps by a stepwise override change unit to the override that is input, in a predesignated time or by a predesignated change amount, and outputs the override changed as an actual override. The actual override is acquired by a speed operation unit in an interpolation cycle from the stepwise override change unit and the commanded speed is multiplied by the actual override to calculate a feed speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventor: Iwao Makino
  • Patent number: 9254545
    Abstract: A polishing pad has structural parts embedded therein; sensors, a memory for storing detected information obtained by the sensors, and a communication unit driven by a power supply unit to communicate with outside in a non-contact manner. The polishing pad and a communication unit configured to communicate with the communication unit of the polishing pad in a non-contact manner constitute a polishing information management system. The polishing pad and a communication unit configured to transmit and receive the information to and from the communication unit of the polishing pad in a non-contact manner constitute a polishing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Nitta Haas Incorporated
    Inventor: Jaehong Park
  • Patent number: 9248541
    Abstract: This machine includes a base frame (17) and a lens support (19) mounted on the frame (17) with the lens support (19) having elements (29A, 29B) for driving a lens (15) into rotation around a first axis. It includes a tool holder set (21) including a rotary shaft (39) around a second axis (C-C?) and elements (43) for inclining the first axis (A-A?) with respect to the second axis (C-C?). The rotary shaft (39) bears at least two tools (49, 51) for machining the lens, spaced out along the second axis (C-C?), and a spacer (50) positioned in an intermediate area (55) located between both machining tools (49, 51). The spacer (50) defines an outer surface (57) for machining the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: LUNEAU TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS
    Inventor: Jean-Jacques Videcoq
  • Patent number: 9242341
    Abstract: A CMP structure for CMP processing and a method of making a device using the same are presented. The apparatus comprises a polishing pad on a platen table; a head assembly for holding a wafer against the polishing pad, wherein the head assembly includes the retaining ring; a sensor for sensing the step height between the retaining ring and its membrane and a controller for adjusting the movement of the retaining ring based on the step height between the retaining ring and its membrane to ensure the step height remains at a fixed value as the retaining ring wears out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Benfu Lin, Wei Lu, Alex See
  • Patent number: 9238297
    Abstract: In a machining method of supporting a workpiece having a cylindrical machined portion such that the workpiece is rotatable and feeding a grinding wheel in a radial direction, a start diameter that is a diameter including a measurement start point on a surface of the machined portion is measured, and, after the measurement start point passes through a machining application portion, an end diameter that is a diameter including a measurement end point is measured. An actual grinding depth at the time when the measurement start point is machined is computed by the equation, U=|D0?D1|, a runout of the machined portion is computed from a relative difference in the actual grinding depth (U) between positions of the machined portion in a rotational direction, and infeed control of the grinding wheel is executed such that the runout is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiki Sakai, Masashi Yoritsune, Yasuo Niino
  • Patent number: 9233448
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a substrate by moving the substrate and a polishing pad relative to each other. The apparatus includes: an elastic modulus measuring device configured to measure an elastic modulus of the polishing pad, and a polishing condition adjustor configured to adjust polishing conditions of the substrate based on a measured value of the elastic modulus. The polishing conditions include pressure of a retaining ring, arranged around the substrate, exerted on the polishing pad and a temperature of the polishing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Motoshima, Toru Maruyama
  • Patent number: 9211631
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a grinding wheel truing tool, its manufacturing method, and a truing apparatus, a method for manufacturing a grinding wheel and a wafer edge grinding apparatus using the same. The grinding wheel truing tool of the present invention compensates a groove of a fine-grinding wheel for fine-grinding a wafer edge, and includes a truer having an edge of the same angle as a slanted surface of the groove of the fine-grinding wheel and a cross-sectional shape corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of the groove. The present invention uses the truing tool to easily process the groove of the grinding wheel for fine-grinding the wafer edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Siltron, Inc.
    Inventors: Yong-Dug Kim, Gye-Je Cho, Mun-Suk Yong, Hwan-Yun Jung, Kyung-Moo Lee, Dong-Hwan Hyun, Jae-Young Kim
  • Patent number: 9186759
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a part by forging, the method including: measuring geometrical characteristics of the forged part; comparing a measured shape with a theoretical shape that is to be obtained for the part; deducing therefrom zones that are not in compliance with the theoretical shape and also thicknesses of material that need to be removed from the zones that are not in compliance; and polishing the zones of the forged part that are not in compliance to remove the deduced thicknesses of material by using a controlled abrasive band. The control of the abrasive band takes account of at least one parameter representative of wear of the abrasive band during polishing of zones that are not in compliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Beryl Cassandre Anne Mereaux, Benjamin Teboul
  • Patent number: 9180559
    Abstract: A method comprising: (a). providing a device comprising: a movable table having a movement gage; a gage for measuring a dimension of one or more bearing blanks; and a machining tool for machining the one or more bearing blanks; (b). prompting a user to input one or more process variables; (c). supplying the one or more bearing blank into the device; (d). moving the bearing blank to a table grinding position; and (e). measuring the dimension of the one or more bearing blanks using the gage; (f). measuring a distance moved by the movable table so that a reference measurement is provided; and (g). comparing the measurement of step (e) to the reference measurement of step (f).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: NSK Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Jose Cabral, John Clark, Takeshi Aiba