Clean Room Patents (Class 454/187)
  • Patent number: 6929062
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus regulates at least the temperature of at least one room to a predetermined temperature desired value (TRAUM SOLL) by ventilation with heated or cooled supply air. The air-conditioning apparatus has a supply air motor (15) which feeds the supply air through a supply air channel (10) to the room (1) to be air-conditioned, a cooling and/or heating device (30, 40 33) for the cooling or warming of the supply air, and an exhaust air motor (16) which draws the exhaust air from the room (1) to be air-conditioned through an exhaust air channel (11). The desired value (PAB SOLL) for the regulator of the exhaust air motor (16) forms a room excess pressure established with respect to the outside pressure (PA).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Inventor: Albert Bauer
  • Patent number: 6929985
    Abstract: A material not releasing gaseous organic substances during use is used as a filter medium and a sealing material for tightly sealing between the medium and a frame. Specifically, a synthetic paraffin not containing an aliphatic hydrocarbon having not more than 19 carbon atoms or less is used as a non-silicone type water repellent contained in a treatment agent for forming fibers into a cloth-like filter medium. A carboxylic acid ester having 400 or more molecular weight is used as a plasticizer and a phenolic compound having 300 or more molecular weight is used as an antioxidant to be added to the treatment agent and the sealing material. This enables that the gaseous organic substances are not present in a clean room, a semiconductor production apparatus or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Taisei Corporation
    Inventors: Sadao Kobayashi, Masayuki Imafuku, Yoshihide Wakayama
  • Patent number: 6923716
    Abstract: The invention provides an NBC protection and decontamination system, having a space delimited by an enclosure, the enclosure having a clean air inlet port and an air outlet, a decontamination unit attachable to the outside of the enclosure, the decontamination unit having a plenum and a chamber separated from the plenum by an air flow laminator. The system also includes at least one air inlet valve communicating with the air outlet of the enclosure and leading to the plenum and to at least one air exhaust valve made in the chamber, spaced apart from the air inlet valve. An opening is provided for controlled passage between the enclosure and the decontamination unit, and also an opening in the decontamination unit, for controlling the passage between the unit and the outside. There is also provided an NBC protection and contamination method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Beth-El Zikhron-Ya'Aqov Industries Ltd.
    Inventor: Samuel Koeger
  • Patent number: 6924877
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor exposure apparatus which includes a chamber for accommodating therein a main unit of the exposure apparatus, a gas controlling unit for controlling a gas in the chamber, a chemical filter for attracting a chemical substance in a controlling gas, and a dust removing filter for catching a dust particle in a controlling gas, wherein a gas blowing area of the chemical filter is smaller than that of the dust removing filter, wherein said chemical filter and said dust removing filter are disposed separately from each other. The chemical filter is mounted obliquely with respect to a direction of flow of a supplied gas. A gas rectifying device is disposed at a gas inlet side of the chemical filter and the dust removing filter. The chemical filter can be a pleat filter, and it is mounted so that the pleat thereof is orthogonal to the direction of flow of the supplied air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Nakano, Kiyoshi Arakawa
  • Patent number: 6916238
    Abstract: An area air delivery system for delivery of filtered air to an area occupiable by a user who can enter and leave the area, such as the head end of a bed, includes a canopy for at least partially surrounding the area to which air is to be supplied and defining the area which a user can enter and leave. An air diffuser positioned in the canopy includes a housing having an air impervious rear wall, air impervious side walls, and a perforated front wall forming a plenum in which a filter bag resides. The plenum is connected to a source of pressurized, preferably prefiltered, air so that pressurized air is supplied to the interior of the filter bag to diffuse through the filter bag into the plenum. Perforations in a predetermined area of the perforated front wall of the housing allow air to flow through the perforations and provide a substantially even flow of air from the perforated front wall of the diffuser into the canopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Inventor: David J. Korman
  • Patent number: 6910497
    Abstract: According to the invention, a semiconductor component manufacturing plant is constructed in a building having an upper storey and a lower storey separated from one another by a support slab and a false floor. The support slab has passageway openings, whilst the false floor consists of plates themselves having through passages. Vacuum generation means are disposed in an intermediate space situated between the support slab and the false floor which itself carries a process chamber situated in the upper space constituting a clean room. Suction means situated in the lower storey create a gaseous flow directed downwards from the clean room through the intermediate space to the lower storey. In this way, the false floor acts as a non-return mechanism for noise, thermal or chemical pollution coming from the vacuum generation means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventor: Roland Bernard
  • Patent number: 6896712
    Abstract: A biohazard safety enclosure or workstation particularly adapted for enclosing automated instrumentation includes a chamber defined by front, back, top, bottom, and opposed end walls; a HEPA filter across an air inlet opening into the chamber, and an airflow means to direct air horizontally through at least part of the chamber between the end walls. Preferably, the workstation has a second HEPA filter across an air outlet opening in the work chamber, with the airflow means including a conduit extending from the air outlet opening to the air inlet opening. A fan draws air through the conduit. A part of the filtered air is exhausted from the workstation and is replenished through a make-up air inlet into the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Flow Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond F. Ryan, John H. McNally
  • Patent number: 6897165
    Abstract: Environmental control equipment is provided for a developing apparatus for developing a light-exposed resist film with a developer in a wafer treating chamber. An air supply means, supplying air taken from outside into the wafer treating chamber, includes a chemical contaminant removal means for removing chemical contaminants from the air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masao Kataoka
  • Patent number: 6887293
    Abstract: The invention is a method of monitoring a filter for absorbing paint particles produced during spray painting with a spray gun in a paint spray booth coupled to an exhaust pump, the method includes the steps of: 1) installing a filter between the booth and exhaust pump; 2) determining the initial pressure drop across a filter prior to use of the spray booth; 3) determining the maximum allowable pressure drop for the filter prior to the requirement that spraying activities must be terminated by adding the initial pressure drop of the filter to the maximum allowable increase in pressure drop across the filter before the of spraying activities must be terminated; 4) providing a warning when a first portion of the maximum allowable pressure drop is reached; and 5) preventing the use of the spray gun when a second portion, greater than the first portion, of the maximum allowable pressure drop is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Glen Silva Abad, Ralph Edward Jaffke, Jorge Arthur Millan
  • Patent number: 6881685
    Abstract: An air-supply machine cleans outside air. The cleaned outside air is dehumidified by cooling by performing heat exchange between the cleaned outside air and an exhaust air from a lithography apparatus by a first heat-pipe. The dehumidified outside air is heated by performing heat treatment between the dehumidified outside air and an exhaust air from a vertical heat treatment apparatus by a second heat-pipe. The heated outside air is supplied to inside the housing of the vertical heat treatment apparatus. Thereby, the consumption of air in the clean room is reduced and the running cost of the clean room is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Taisei Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Suenaga, Sadao Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6869457
    Abstract: A clean room has an equipment installation area where an apparatus for treating an object to be treated such as a semiconductor wafer is installed, a process area 4 where the object is loaded in or unloaded from the apparatus, and an operation area where operations of the apparatus are executed. The equipment installation area, the process area and the operation area are arranged horizontally in the above-stated order and separated by partitions. These areas are air-conditioned independently of one another. The clean room is thus capable of preventing contamination of the object and a running cost of chemical filters in the clean room is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiaki Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 6866701
    Abstract: This invention provides systems and methods of supplying oxygen-enriched air to an enclosed space or compartment. The systems and methods may distill oxygen from ambient air by a molecular sieve pressure cycle mechanism, such as a pressure swing absorption, may generate oxygen from water using electricity or may use oxygen enriched air produced by membrane filtration. The invention helps people improve their wellness, productivity and comfort, improve performance of mental and/or physical tasks, increase their alertness, quality of life and pleasure, reduce their drowsiness, and aid in curing and preventing disease by increasing the percentage of oxygen in the enclosed space to a beneficial and safe level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Inventor: Udi Meirav
  • Patent number: 6858055
    Abstract: An air filter support system for a clean room has a number of filter support elements (10) supported by holding rods (12) secured to a supporting surface. A connector/hanger bracket (14) having a pair of perpendicular arms (20, 22) with apertures (24, 26,28) formed therein is secured to each holding rod. Grid members (16, 18) are laterally secured to the perpendicular arms by securing elements (38, 62, 64) passing through openings (40, 66, 68). Each of the grid members include sealing gaskets (34, 36, 70, 72) on top surfaces thereof to seal between grid members and filter elements. Aerodynamically shaped light fixtures (42, 52) are secured to lower portions of the grid members (16) to provide non-turbulent air flow into the clean room, while grid members (18) are aerodynamically shaped to provide non-turbulent air flow into the clean room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Inventor: Joseph A. McGill
  • Patent number: 6840974
    Abstract: A self-cleaning filter and cooling system are disclosed for filtering ambient air used to cool the interior of an equipment enclosure. The system includes an enclosure for housing predetermined equipment to be cooled, the enclosure including an air intake port and an exhaust port. The system includes a blower for causing ambient air to be inducted into the enclosure through the air intake port and expelled from the exhaust port. The system also includes a filter that includes a predetermined filter media that covers the air intake port and the exhaust port. The filter moves relative to the air intake port and the exhaust port. The enclosure and blower are configured so as to create a single air flow path for equipment cooling and for discharging exhaust through the filter media to dislodge any particulate matter entrapped in the filter media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Spirent Communications of Rockville, Inc.
    Inventor: George R. Bailey
  • Publication number: 20040266330
    Abstract: A clean room system is provided. The clean room includes a plurality of multi-level clean rooms and an air passage. The plurality of multi-level clean rooms has at least a lower clean room and an upper clean room above the lower clean room. The air passage permits air flow between the upper clean room and the lower clean room and smooths the air flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong-Han Kim
  • Publication number: 20040250519
    Abstract: A front opening unified pod for preventing the contamination of wafers due to outgassing. The front opening unified pod includes a front opening unified pod body and a cleaning apparatus. The front opening unified pod has an opening section and a base plate within the opening section and the base plate facing each other. The cleaning apparatus has at least an air-blasting element installed inside the front opening of the unified pod body. An air supplying system connected to the air-blasting element provides a stream of air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: JUNG-YUAN WU, KUO-HWA HUANG
  • Patent number: 6821310
    Abstract: A method and a device for air filtration, whereby air is drawn from the surroundings of a house through air filters including at least a portion of the wall of the house and is blown out to the surroundings in cleaned condition. Air is drawn through at least two different parallel coupled filter units, which clean the air in a corresponding number of ways. Predetermined fractions of total drawn-in air passes through the respective different filter units and thus are subjected to corresponding cleaning by the different filter units being adjusted to each other with respect to pressure drop. The differently cleaned fractions are mixed before exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Clair Finance AB
    Inventor: Anders Hedström
  • Patent number: 6817941
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a uniform airflow diffuser for utilization in a process chamber, such as a process chamber utilized in the manufacture of semiconductor chips. The uniform airflow diffuser is suitable for generating a back flow of air sufficient to cause the airflow to be distributed across the airflow diffuser. The resultant build-up in pressure in the plenum area may result in uniform airflow through a plurality of holes included in the airflow diffuser yielding substantially laminar airflow through the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventor: Michael S. Gatov
  • Patent number: 6811587
    Abstract: A biological hazard mitigation apparatus permitting a material handling operation in the vicinity of a work area includes a plenum pneumatically coupled and proximate to one side of the work area, a filter sized to trap biological hazards and including an exhaust port, a blower including an inlet port and an exhaust port, and ducting pneumatically coupling the exhaust port of the filter to the inlet port of the blower, wherein the filter is disposed in the plenum, and adjacent surfaces of the filter and the plenum are substantially equal in surface area. If desired, the ducting includes first and second ducts, permitting a silencer to be disposed between the first and second ducts. Methods for operating the apparatus are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Richard A Lorey, Michael A Pompeii, Dale W Sisson, William E. Blakley, II
  • Patent number: 6808546
    Abstract: A device for exhaust air processing of clean rooms has a least one fresh air supply and at least one exhaust air device connected to a work room. At least one processing device is arranged in the work room. At least one supply line and at least one exhaust air line are connected to the processing device. At least one first filter is arranged in the at least one exhaust air line of the processing device, wherein the at least one exhaust air line is connected at least to one of the supply line of the processing device and the fresh air supply line of the work room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: M+W Zander Facility Engineering GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Schottler
  • Publication number: 20040198215
    Abstract: Device and method for diffusing a protective flux. In order to protect one area of a service station, a more or less parallel air flow is created in the direction of the area. Above a threshold F, the air flow has a gradually increasing speed V22 and, below the threshold, the air flow speed V21 is more or less uniform along the length of a flow section in a plane P which is transverse to the direction of flow D. One possible configuration for an air flow diffusion device, which allows a confinement barrier to be created, consists of a diffusing wall comprising a main wall and a lateral wall. The main planar wall is adapted to diffuse a main laminar flow in the sterile area to be protected. The lateral wall is adapted to diffuse a lateral flow divergent from the main flow. A skirt is disposed to create an obstacle to the lateral flow and to accelerate the flow by of deflection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Pierre Bridenne, Pascale Coffinier
  • Publication number: 20040192186
    Abstract: Provided is a filtering system and method that incorporates a portable filter device. The portable filter has a front side and a back side. A medical gurney is positioned proximate the portable filter device. An air intake provided in the back side of the portable filter device and an air outlet diffusion plate provided in the front side of the portable filter device. A first filter is disposed across the air intake and a second filter is disposed behind the air outlet diffusion plate. Also provided is an air drawing device which draws air into the portable filter device through the first filter and sends air out of the filter device through the second filter. Filtered streams of air are then formed above and below a patient supporting area of the gurney, such that the filtered streams of air have a laminar flow. Rollers are provided for permitting the portable filter device to be moved across a floor surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: PRECISION AIR PRODUCTS CO.
    Inventors: Therese Bourgeois, Jerry Mithuen, A. Ray Boyd
  • Patent number: 6797028
    Abstract: There is provided in a standard ceiling system, having suspension rails or elements a movable air delivery diffuser resting on the suspension elements and a filter panel inserted into and retained between the suspension elements and the air delivery diffuser. The filter panel has a filter frame and an attached filter designed to be inserted into and retained on the suspension elements of the suspension ceiling. The filter frame has an inner face and an outer face with a filter media retained in the filter frame. The outer edges of the filter media are located and retained adjacent the filter frame inner face. The filter frame outer face has a flexible perimeter flange projecting outwardly from an uppermost portion of the filter frame outer face. This flexible perimeter flange can bend inwardly so as to be substantially flush with said frame outer face and can then flex back outward to engage the suspension elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Dean R. Duffy
  • Patent number: 6797029
    Abstract: In a process facility for producing semiconductor wafers, a third physical unit is configured between two physical units that produce mini environments. The third physical unit has a laminar flow at right angles to the laminar flows of the two physical units and is operated with a slightly higher flow velocity. According to the Bernoulli equation, the static pressure in the third physical unit is therefore lower than in the surrounding two physical units. Advantageously, therefore, no contamination from the more highly loaded one of the two physical units passes over into the lesser loaded one of the two physical units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Kay Lederer, Steffen Hornig
  • Publication number: 20040185769
    Abstract: An air velocity control unit includes first bars fixed using a frame. Second bars are disposed below the first bars. The second bars are alternatively arranged between the first bars. The second bars are connected with each other. The unit further includes a control member for moving the second bars upwardly and downwardly to control the air velocity. A connecting member connects the second bars to the control member. Clean air flows into a clean room by a controllable velocity in accordance with the upward and downward movement of the second bars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventors: Woo-Dong Sung, Dong-Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 6792852
    Abstract: A vacuum print system comprising: an outer shell to define an airtight inner space and having a closure door at a ceiling thereof; a printer provided in the airtight inner space; a worktable to supply a work to the printer provided in the airtight inner space operable to move; and an air exhaust system connected to the airtight inner space is disclosed. The worktable is operable to move between a sealing position and a work supplying position. The worktable at the sealing position divides the airtight inner space into two airtight compartments, a first compartment having the closure door, and a second compartment having the printer provided therein and the air exhaust system connected thereto. The worktable at the work supplying position supplies the work to the printer. Further, the closure door is operable to open to take the work in and out when the worktable is at the sealing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Noda Screen Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kawakita
  • Patent number: 6790249
    Abstract: Improvements are provided to enable an air-curtain portal to be used for the triage and decontamination of persons who may have been exposed to toxic gas vapour or particulate material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Smiths Detection-Toronto Ltd.
    Inventor: John H. Davies
  • Patent number: 6783427
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus comprises: a housing defining a chamber wherein articles to be polished are subject to polishing and cleaning operations; partition walls for dividing the chamber of the housing into a plurality of sections; and, an air exhaust device. The exhaust device comprises: air exhaust conduits which are fluidly connected to the sections in the housing to exhaust air from the sections; valves for closing and opening the air exhaust conduits, respectively; and, a controller for independently controlling the valves to regulate air flows exhausted through the conduits. The conduits have inlet openings located in a vicinity of spaces where any air pollutant is generated in the sections in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Soichi Isobe, Tadakazu Sone, Takuji Hayama, Manabu Tsujimura
  • Publication number: 20040166795
    Abstract: There is provided an airlock system utilizable with a protected Toxic Free Area (TFA) defined by an enclosure including spaced-apart first and second door arrangements, each door arrangement having an entrance and an exit and being divided by partitions into a plurality of sections, an airlock space coupled to, and bridging between, the first and second door arrangement, the exit of the second door being connectable to the protected TFA, while the first door arrangement having its entrance located outside the TFA, the arrangement being such that there is no direct airflow from the entrance of the first door arrangement to the exit of the second door arrangement. A method for facilitating entrance and egress from a Toxic Free Area (TFA) defined by an enclosure, without the danger of contamination of the protected TFA, is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventor: Karl-Hans Fuchs
  • Publication number: 20040163539
    Abstract: A method and device for gradually equalizing air or gas pressures between substrate processing chambers prior to transfer of a substrate between the chambers. The device comprises a gas flow restrictor provided in the chamber wall that separates the chambers. A door typically reversibly seals the gas flow restrictor. During substrate processing in one of the chambers, the gas flow restrictor is sealed to maintain a partial vacuum pressure in the chamber. Prior to opening the wafer transfer gate between the chambers, the gas flow restrictor door is opened to facilitate the gradual flow of air or gas from the higher-pressure chamber, through the gas flow restrictor to the lower-pressure chamber and substantially equalize the pressures in the respective chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Buh-Kuan Fang
  • Patent number: 6780213
    Abstract: A personal air cleaning apparatus which draws in, in a concentrated fashion, air present in a contaminated zone, and outwardly discharges the air to a clean zone after the air has been filtered. The apparatus includes a sucking/discharging unit having a suction port for sucking in contaminated air, and a discharge port for discharging filtered air, a filter for outwardly discharging air received from the sucking/discharging unit while supplying clean air via the sucking/discharging unit, a conduit for connecting the sucking/discharging unit to the filter, and a position determining member arranged around the conduit unit and adapted to allow the conduit unit to be bent without being folded, while fixing the position of the sucking/discharging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Inventors: Jo Won Chang, Oh Hyun Roh
  • Patent number: 6777355
    Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus for a semiconductor device comprises: a clean room for installing a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing and processing apparatuses; an external air cleaning device connected to a supply port of the clean room for supplying a cleaned-up outside air into the clean room; a common air duct section installed in the clean room; a first air cleaning and ventilating means connected to said common air duct section for cleaning and ventilating a part of the cleaned-up outside air to the common air duct section; individual air duct section branched off from the common air duct section and connected to each of said semiconductor manufacturing and processing apparatuses; and a second air cleaning and ventilating means interposed between the individual air duct section and each of the semiconductor manufacturing and processing apparatuses for cleaning and ventilating the air to be supplied to each of the semiconductor manufacturing and processing apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiro Kisakibaru, Isao Honbori, Yasushi Kato, Toshikazu Suzuki, Hirohisa Koriyama, Hayato Iwamoto, Hitoshi Abe
  • Patent number: 6770109
    Abstract: A substrate transport container having a carrier box including a container body and a door hermetically sealably covering an opening provided in the front of the container body. Partitions form a circulating flow path in the carrier box. The circulating flow path has a flow path in which air flows toward substrates and a flow path in which air flows toward a fan. A substrate carrying section is disposed in the flow path in which air flows toward the substrates to carry the substrates in such a way that the principal surfaces of the substrates are approximately parallel to the flow path in which air flows toward the substrates. A particle removing filter and a gaseous impurity trapping filter are placed on the upstream side of the substrate carrying section in the flow path in which air flows toward the substrates. A fan motor for driving the fan is incorporated in the carrier box to form an air current for circulating through the circulating flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Tanaka, Kazuo Okubo, Yoko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6770108
    Abstract: A filter housing for retaining a roomside replaceable filter is generally provided. In one embodiment, the filter housing includes one or more sidewalls defining an interior volume. Each sidewall includes a first section and an adjacent second section sealingly coupled thereto. A sealing member is coupled to the second section and extends into the interior volume. The sealing member is adapted to provide a gas-tight seal between with a replaceable filter and the filter housing. A hole is disposed through at least one of the first or second sections. The first section is sealed to the second section around a perimeter of the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Camfil Farr, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Cherry, Sr.
  • Publication number: 20040147215
    Abstract: Air distribution device (4) provided with an inlet opening (5a) and at least one outlet opening (8) for conveyance of air from a fresh air area (21) to at least one ventilation area (24) in an air volume (LV) limited by floor (1), walls (2) and ceiling (3), said fresh air area (21) being situated along the floor in the air volume (LV), the distribution device (4) being arranged to locally supply fresh air from the fresh air area (21) to a near zone of the respiratory organ of an individual in the air volume (LV).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventor: Bernt Nystrom
  • Publication number: 20040147214
    Abstract: An air feed system (1), comprising a filter (6) for removing dust in the air installed in an air feed pipe (4) for connecting an air feed part (2) to an object district (C) and a sterilizing part (10) having an electron beam irradiation unit (11) installed between the air feed part (2) and the filter (6); an air dezymotizing method, comprising the steps of removing dust in the air by the filter (6) in the air feed pipe (4) for connecting the air feed part (2) to the object district (C) and irradiating electron beam to the air circulating through the inside the air feed pipe (4) between the air feed part (2) and the filter (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventor: Yukihiko Oono
  • Publication number: 20040147216
    Abstract: A booth with a plurality of sides, a base, a top, and an air filter system, formed from materials that do not emit environmental irritants. The booth may be used in a wide range of places, such as offices, theaters, homes, concerts and sports arenas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Toni M Temple, Neal A. Pence, Erin Litzenberg, Sachi Hergesheimer, Ryan Hollinger
  • Publication number: 20040132399
    Abstract: A production system which can provide an operating environment consisting of a clean atmosphere when an environment which can prevent dust from entering is required in an operation such as processing, assembling or the like of a workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Yasukawa, Noboru Ueno, Haruhiro Tsuneta
  • Patent number: 6759334
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus which includes a chamber having an environment-controlled inside space, a stage disposed in the inside space of the chamber and for holding a substrate to perform a predetermined process to the substrate, a temporary storage for temporarily storing one or more substrates in a local environment being independent from the chamber inside, a robot for conveying a substrate between the stage and the temporary storage, and a controller for controlling the robot so that the substrate is stored into the temporary storage when the environment control of the chamber inside space is suspended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ken Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6758876
    Abstract: A method of using a substrate transport pod is provided, which is suitable for manufacturing semiconductor devices with copper wiring and low dielectric insulating film having dielectric constants of less than 3. The method is based on loading the substrates into a pod from an atmosphere of a first process, and circulating a gaseous atmosphere through interior of the pod in such a way to selectively remove at least one contaminant including moisture, particulate substances or chemical substances, and to expose the substrates to a controlled atmosphere intermittently or continually while the substrates are held in the pod before they are unloaded from the pod and introduced into a second process. For a pod that is used to house the substrates for the purpose of retaining or transporting, the pod has a pod main body and a door that provides a hermetic sealing seal, and the pod is made primarily of a materiel that has moisture absorption factor of less than 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Yoko Suzuki, Akira Tanaka, Takashi Kishi
  • Patent number: 6755734
    Abstract: Information from fan filter units and differential pressure gauges provided in a ceiling of a clean room is used to control directions and volumes of air flows blown from respective fan filter units. In order to improve a wind velocity distribution in the clean room, pressure in a ceiling chamber is made uniform and control of the FFU revolution speeds of fan filter units is made easy. In order to control directions of air flows in the clean room, damper adjusting mechanisms are provided under a grating floor of the clean room. Such arrangement enables optimizing an operating condition of the clean room and achieving energy saving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Yokoyama, Keiichi Ono, Fumiyuki Tamura
  • Publication number: 20040106370
    Abstract: In an air shower apparatus, an inlet duct guides the air so that the air is directed along a first flow axis of the air, and a variable condition area communicates fluidly with the air flowing out from the inlet duct at at least one side in a direction perpendicular to the first flow axis, to generate a fluctuation at the variable condition area in at least one of a pressure to be applied to the air flowing out from the inlet duct at the variable condition area and a mass flow rate of a supplemental air to be applied from the variable condition area onto the air flowing out of the inlet duct in a fluctuating direction oblique to the first flow axis so that a second flow axis of the air passing the variable condition area is frequently deflected from the first flow axis by the fluctuation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Inventors: Takeshi Honda, Yoko Shimizu, Hiroshi Matsuda, Hiroshi Mukai
  • Patent number: 6733557
    Abstract: An installation includes a worktop, a first wall and a device for the close protection of products arranged on the worktop, whereby the products are sensitive to contamination from the ambient environment. The products are protected by diffusion of a sterile air stream in a direction substantially perpendicular or parallel to the worktop. The device extends along the worktop and has a least one end adjoining the first wall so that there is an air gap between the end and the first wall. The end is formed by a porous second wall made of perforated material, extending substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the device, in such a way as to create in the gap a sterile air leakage directed outward away from the worktop, whereby the sterile air leakage counters any ambient air induction into the gap toward the worktop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: U.N.I.R. Ultra Proprre-Nutrition Industrie-Recherche
    Inventors: Didier Beudon, Pierre Bridenne
  • Patent number: 6726558
    Abstract: This invention provides systems and methods of supplying oxygen-enriched air to an enclosed space or compartment. The systems and methods may distill oxygen from ambient air by a molecular sieve pressure cycle mechanism, such as a pressure swing absorption, may generate oxygen from water using electricity or may use oxygen enriched air produced by membrane filtration. The invention helps people improve their wellness, productivity and comfort, improve performance of mental and/or physical tasks, increase their alertness, quality of life and pleasure, reduce their drowsiness, and aid in curing and preventing disease by increasing the percentage of oxygen in the enclosed space to a beneficial and safe level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Inventor: Udi Meirav
  • Patent number: 6726736
    Abstract: A system and method for reducing the emissions from a dust generation station, such as a metal cutting station, can be easily transported from location to location. The system uses a mobile carrier which supports a separator, such as a baghouse, as well as a telescopically adjustable duct. A hood, which is attached to the duct and serves to contain exhaust gases generated at the dust generating station, is capable of rotation about the hood pivot point. An exhaust fan serves to induce flow of the exhaust gas from the hood, through the duct and across the separator. A mobile, emission-free metal cutting system incorporates the system for reducing emissions as well as a mobile transport cutting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: International Mill Service, Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Koclejda, Michael Simek
  • Patent number: 6728099
    Abstract: An electrical component having a hybrid air cooling system. The electrical component comprises an air plenum that extends across the width of the component and a first set of air movers that is positionable in a first lateral position downstream of the air plenum within the component enclosure and a second set of air movers that is positionable in a second lateral position downstream of the air plenum within the component enclosure. The first and second sets of air movers each include at least two air movers arranged adjacent each other in series. When both positioned in the component enclosure, the first and second sets of air movers are arranged in parallel such that both serial and parallel air flows are provided within the component enclosure to dissipate heat generated therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Victoria M. Tsang, Michal P. Warzecha, Mike T. Strickler
  • Patent number: 6722971
    Abstract: A fan carrier defines one or more enclosures with each enclosure receiving a fan unit. A first wall of the carrier includes at least one air vent that can be covered by a fire mesh. A second wall is substantially perpendicular to the first wall. The first and second walls form two walls of an enclosure for a fan unit. The second wall extends outwardly from the enclosure to define ears with locating lugs for locating the fan unit in a housing of the computer system. A fan subassembly includes the fan carrier and at least one fan secured therein, whereby the fan assembly can be installed in the computer system much more easily that a fan without the carrier. The fan subassembly can be located adjacent a vented portion of a housing wall of the computer system in a gap in a flange of that housing wall. The ear of the fan carrier is configured to overly a portion of that flange adjacent the gap and with the lug being received in a hole in said portion of the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald Ronald Gough
  • Patent number: 6723151
    Abstract: A gas removal filter has an ion exchanger for adsorbing a gas and at least a pair of electric resistance measuring electrodes disposed on the ion exchanger. By measuring a change in the electric resistance between at least the pair of electric resistance measuring electrodes disposed on the ion exchanger, it is possible to estimate an ion exchange group consumption ratio of the ion exchanger. The ion exchange group consumption ratio of the ion exchanger can be detected in a short period of time, and a remaining adsorption capability of the ion exchanger can be known with ease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Tanaka, Yoko Suzuki, Takashi Kishi
  • Patent number: 6709475
    Abstract: An installation for processing wafers that includes fabrication units, which are located in a clean room, and includes a supply system for supplying and discharging operating substances for the fabrication units. The supply system has first supply lines and first discharge lines, in which operating substances that are heavier than the surrounding atmosphere are downwardly guided. The supply system has second supply lines and second discharge lines, in which the lighter operating substances are upwardly guided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Bernhard Heinemann
  • Patent number: 6702662
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for providing clean air in premises, wherein impure air is received or taken in into an air treatment device (1) from lower portions of the premises and cleaned or purified therein. A first partial flow (DS1) of air received or taken in into the air treatment device (1) is cooled, while a second partial flow (DS2) of air received or taken in into said air treatment device (1) is heated. The cooled air (KL) in the first partial flow (DS1) is brought to flow, through at least one cell body member (17) in at least one air discharge unit (15), slowly downwards without substantial co-ejection of surrounding air to define at least one zone of clean air (RZ) in the premises beneath the air discharge unit (15). The heated air (VL) in the second partial flow (DS2) is discharged, through an air discharge opening (16), in an upwards direction such that said heated air (VL) rises in the premises at low speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Inventor: Jan Kristensson