Did You Know...
...that Thomas Edison's patent application on his phonograph was approved by the Patent Office in just seven weeks? In contrast, it took Gordon Gould, the inventor of the laser, 30 years to obtain his patent -- finally awarded in 1988!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8033780 | Apparatus for inverting heavy loads and method of using same An apparatus is provided for inverting heavy objects, the apparatus including: a retaining assembly, including two opposing retaining members each having rotational pins extending from the ends thereof, the rotational pins all reside together in a cross plane extend... | 10/11/2011 |
| 7312849 | Substrate alignment apparatus and method, and exposure apparatus A substrate alignment apparatus which aligns and fixes a substrate on a substrate stage includes a chucking pad fixed on the substrate stage to chuck and fix the substrate, a moving unit which moves the substrate with respect to the substrate stage such that a mark ... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7295314 | Metrology/inspection positioning system A metrology/inspection system moves the imaging and/or measuring equipment of the system relative to a wafer. Accordingly, measurement or inspection of the wafer does not require that the wafer be mounted on a precision stage. This allows the wafer to be at rest on ... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7289215 | Image control in a metrology/inspection positioning system A metrology system includes a positioning system that produces linear and rotational motion between an imaging system and the wafer. The imaging system produces signals representing the image of the wafer in the field of view of the imaging system. A control system ... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7241103 | Method and system for adjusting a position of an object According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for adjusting a position of an object to compensate for tilt includes providing a rotatable base supporting an object and directing the object relative to the base such that the position of the object is... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7223063 | Method and system for adjusting a position of an object According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for adjusting a position of an object to compensate for tilt includes providing a rotatable base supporting an object and directing the object relative to the base such that the position of the object is... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7189049 | Robot unit The present invention relates to a method for rapid transfer of a work object in both the horizontal and vertical directions using a robot unit (10) having a gripping mechanism (12) preferably from one workstation (3) to another (4), the ... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7136165 | Substrate alignment apparatus and method, and exposure apparatus A substrate alignment apparatus which aligns and fixes a substrate on a substrate stage includes a chucking pad fixed on the substrate stage to chuck and fix the substrate, a moving unit which moves the substrate with respect to the substrate stage such that a mark ... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7004717 | Plate cassette loader for platesetter A plate cassette loader for a platesetter comprises a cassette holder for receiving a cassette, containing a stack of plates. A cassette inverter then rotates this cassette to a feed position in which the plates can be fed into the imaging engine of the platesetter.... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6917420 | Rotational stage with vertical axis adjustment A stage system is disclosed for supporting and positioning a semiconductor wafer for inspection in an optical metrology device. A chuck for supporting a wafer is mounted to the stage system. The stage system can move the chuck along two linear orthogonal axes. A rot... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6913133 | Transfer and tilt apparatus A transfer device has an undercarriage with two or more carriage portions which are movable along a travel path between a first location and a second location. The carriage portions carrying at least one work piece support. A linkage extending between the carriage p... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6764713 | Method of processing a wafer using a compliant wafer chuck A method of processing a wafer includes placing a wafer atop a wafer chuck, wherein the chuck has a base and an upper body in which the upper body is coupled to the base by a flexible coupling that allows the upper body to tilt relative to the base. The wafer is eng... | 07/20/2004 |
| 6728596 | Wafer prealigner with phase sensitive detection The system and method herein provide a prealigner that has reduced sensitivity to distorting ambient light influences in the environment of a prealigner integrated in a metrology apparatus. A modulated signal is produced by a photo detector in response to modulated ... | 04/27/2004 |
| 6666323 | Loader/unloader of printed circuits 1-Loader/unloader of printed circuits that includes a chassis (1) that carries a storage tray (2), a conveyor belt (4) and a mechanism for transferring the printed circuits (3) from the storage tray to the conveyor belt and vice versa. The transfer mechan... | 12/23/2003 |
| 6648585 | Retractable device for flipping a workpiece, Particularly a mattress of other cushion structure A material handling method and apparatus for flipping a workpiece. The method involves raising a retracted arm out of the worksurface to pivot the workpiece up and away from an edge of the worksurface. The workpiece is then slid in the direction of the ed... | 11/18/2003 |
| 6634484 | Transfer and tilt apparatus A transfer device has an undercarriage with two or more carriage portions which are movable along a travel path between a first location and a second location. The carriage portions carrying at least one work piece support. A linkage extending between the... | 10/21/2003 |
| 6561750 | Tilting platform for roll testing automotive vehicles A tilting platform for roll testing automotive vehicles rotates the automotive vehicle so that data can be collected to determine various roll characteristics of the vehicle. The tilting platform includes a support platform that is pivotally attached to a... | 05/13/2003 |
| 6050771 | Pallet workstation accumulator An accumulator for handling pallets in a pallet workstation provides a continuous through-put of panels through the pallet workstation. The accumulator includes a base, which is positioned between a pallet stack holder and a conveyor, and an articulating ... | 04/18/2000 |
| 5964564 | Method and apparatus for detecting cross-slotted objects An apparatus for displacing and detecting cross-slotted objects includes a cradle mounted to a frame, the cradle being sized and shaped to hold a tray of objects in slots. As the cradle rotates on the frame, a displacing assembly is deployed at the rear o... | 10/12/1999 |
| 5947677 | Cassette transfer mechanism The cassette transfer mechanism of the present invention comprises a cassette chamber for housing a cassette storing a plurality of substrates, a liftable stand capable of moving up and down in the cassette chamber, a cassette holder having a bottom-surfa... | 09/07/1999 |
| 5857827 | Cassette chamber A cassette chamber according to the present invention comprises a housing defining a space stored with a cassette for holding a plurality of objects of treatment, a lift base having a rotatable shaft and located in the housing for up-and-down motion, an a... | 01/12/1999 |
| 5738483 | Lift and invert mechanism A mechanism for lifting from an operating position, inverting, and returning to the operating position a workpiece. The mechanism includes two drive devices, a linear drive which provides a continuous lifting force to a vertically movable member, and rota... | 04/14/1998 |
| 5733582 | Apparatus for support of large shipping containers during foaming Apparatus for supporting a large oceanic type shipping container while applying fluid foam insulation to the container. The apparatus utilizes a stationary frame which supports a housing, the housing having an open ended foaming chamber in which a mandrel... | 03/31/1998 |
| 5641265 | Manipulating device for handling, in particular for orientating, workpieces, tools or the like A manipulating device for handling, in particular for orientating, workpieces, tools or the like, includes a workpiece head provided with a device for supporting at least one workpiece, a tool or the like, having at least one characteristic axis and drive... | 06/24/1997 |
| 5638878 | Log debarking apparatus An improved log debarking apparatus characterized by a pair of shafts with cleated wheels for supporting and rotating a log under a rosser type debarking tool. The improved log debarking apparatus further has a plurality of log lifters movably supported a... | 06/17/1997 |
| 5582503 | Bottled water transfer device A hand cart is adapted to lift an upright water bottle from a support surface of a first height, carry the bottle to a water dispenser of a second height, invert the bottle, and lower a mouth of the bottle into a receiving opening of the dispenser. A scis... | 12/10/1996 |
| 5560191 | Jumbo bale rotating table for a hay baler A hay bale turntable for angularly rotating a rectangular jumbo size hay bale 90° about its longitudnal axis while lowering the bale as it is received from a baler chamber to the surface of the earth is formed by a rigid bale support frame connected with... | 10/01/1996 |
| 5538389 | Bin positioning device A box tilter that comprises a movable chassis and a container-supporting frame directly hinged to the chassis. The actuating force for lifting and tilting the container is provided by a hydraulic cylinder connected in retractable pulling relation between ... | 07/23/1996 |
| 5524535 | Method and apparatus for high speed decoration of bottles Bottles are decorated while advanced by intermittent motion to each of a plurality of decorating stations where a squeegee presses a decorating screen into line contact with a surface of the bottle which has a speed the same as the speed of which the deco... | 06/11/1996 |
| 5395205 | Part loading apparatus having harmonically driven shuttle and pivotal part supporting frame A part loading apparatus is disclosed for transporting a workpiece from a first position generally in a first plane to a second position generally in a second plane for transfer to another work station. The part loading apparatus includes a rail for trans... | 03/07/1995 |
| 5358372 | Sheet block inverter A sheet block inverter is described in which successive blocks of sheets received along an infeed plane are successively inverted prior to being received on a discharge conveyor. A sheet block receiving magazine receives a sheet block along the infeed pla... | 10/25/1994 |
| 5291984 | Device for uprighting containers from a position with their axis horizontal to a position with their axis vertical A device for uprighting containers from a position with their axis horizontal to a position with their axis vertical comprises a circular plate (3) fixed to the end of a shaft (5) of horizontal axis by a support structure (4) arranged to undergo stepwise ... | 03/08/1994 |
| 5244330 | Bottler loader and method A bottle loader and method for loading bottles onto shelves on a rack. The bottle loader has a carrier car rotatably supported on a frame. The bottles are placed in a vertical position and urged onto the carrier car. The bottles are then rotated on the ca... | 09/14/1993 |
| 5238354 | Semiconductor object pre-aligning apparatus A prealigner for semiconductive wafers is described. The prealigner includes mechanism for holding the wafer in a non-slip manner and motive means for adjusting the position of its engagement with the wafer as necessary to make the geometric center of the... | 08/24/1993 |
| 5209629 | Pile-handling apparatus An apparatus for handling palletized piles of sheet-shaped materials including a first carriage having a fork tower with upper and lower forks which are actuated to grip the pile. The fork tower swings about a horizontal axis and rotates about a vertical ... | 05/11/1993 |
| 5169275 | Automatic slab turner Handling apparatus for metal slabs comprising a slab turner and a transfer cart. The slab turner receives the metal slab and transfers it to a bunk on the cart which tilts the slab so that one surface of the slab is upward. The cart moves the slab through... | 12/08/1992 |
| 5163333 | Back and trunk positioning and shape sensing apparatus An apparatus for positioning and holding an individual in a prescription posture followed by a determination of the surface contour of the posterior trunk. The positioning utilizes an array of adjustable pads arranged in rows. The shape sensing is accompl... | 11/17/1992 |
| 5152655 | Material handling apparatus A load rotator assembly rotates and positions loads which are transferred between vehicles which move along aisles. The load rotator assembly includes a carriage which sequentially receives loads from one of the vehicles. A carriage drive assembly rotates... | 10/06/1992 |
| 5141388 | Apparatus for turning a package An apparatus for turning over a package (9) through 180° out of a first position (I) on a supply conveyor (6) into a second position (II) on a removal conveyor (12), a frame (2) mounted on the floor (1) being provided to support a propulsion unit provide... | 08/25/1992 |
| 5125791 | Semiconductor object pre-aligning method A prealigner for semiconductor wafers is described, together with a method for prealigning. The prealigner includes mechanism for holding the wafer in a non-slip manner and motive means for adjusting the position of its engagement with the wafer as necess... | 06/30/1992 |
