US5679059A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Polishing aparatus and method
Assignee: Ebara Corp
•
Filing: 1995-11-28
•
Granted: 1997-10-21
•
Expires: 2015-11-28
Abstract
Abstract A polishing apparatus for polishing a surface of a workpiece includes a housing unit, a partition wall partitioning an interior of the housing unit into a first chamber and a second chamber, a polishing section disposed in the first chamber and having a turntable with an abrasive cloth mounted on an upper surface thereof and a top ring positioned above the turntable for supporting the workpiece to be polished and pressing the workpiece against the abrasive cloth, and a cleaning section disposed in the second chamber and cleaning the workpiece which has been polished. The polishing apparatus further includes a transferring device for transferring the workpiece which has been polished from the polishing section to the cleaning section through an opening and an exhaust system for exhausting ambient air from each of the polishing section and cleaning section separately and independently.
Inventors
- 👤 Toyomi Nishi
- 👤 Tetsuji Togawa
- 👤 Harumitsu Saito
- 👤 Manabu Tsujimura
- 👤 Hiromi Yajima
- 👤 Kazuaki Himukai
- 👤 Shoichi Kodama
- 👤 Yukio Imoto
- 👤 Riichiro Aoki
- 👤 Masako Watase
- 👤 Atsushi Shigeta
- 👤 Shiro Mishima
- 👤 Gisuke Kouno
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 16:45
CPC Classifications
B; B24; B24B; B24B37/00; B24B37/34; B24B37/345; H; H10; H10P; H10P52/00; B08; B08B; B08B1/00; B08B1/30; B08B1/32; B08B1/36; B08B15/00; B08B15/02; B24B27/00; B24B27/0023; B24B51/00; B24B55/00; B24B55/12; F; F24; F24F; F24F3/00; F24F3/12; F24F3/16; F24F3/167; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0402; H10P72/0406; H10P72/0411; H10P72/0416; H10P72/0451; H10P72/0468; H10P72/0472
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 89
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
A polishing apparatus for use within a clean room for polishing a surface of a workpiece, said polishing apparatus comprising: a housing unit; a partition wall partitioning an interior of said housing unit into a first chamber and a second chamber, said partition wall having a first opening for allowing the workpiece to pass therethrough; a polishing section for polishing the workpiece, said polishing section being disposed in said first chamber; a cleaning section for cleaning and drying the workpiece which has been polished, said cleaning section being disposed in said second chamber; a transferring device for transferring the workpiece which has been polished from said first chamber to said second chamber through said first opening; and exhaust means for exhausting ambient air from said interior of said housing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
A polishing apparatus for use within a clean room for polishing a surface of a workpiece, said polishing apparatus comprising: a housing unit; a partition wall partitioning an interior of said housing unit into a first chamber and a second chamber, said partition wall having a first opening for allowing the workpiece to pass therethrough; a polishing section for polishing the workpiece, said polishing section being disposed in said first chamber; a cleaning section for cleaning and drying the workpiece which has been polished, said cleaning section being disposed in said second chamber; a transferring device for transferring the workpiece which has been polished from said first chamber to said second chamber through said first opening; and exhaust means for exhausting ambient air from said interior of said housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said polishing section comprises a turntable with an abrasive cloth mounted on an upper surface thereof and a top ring positioned above said turntable for supporting the workpiece and pressing the workpiece against said abrasive cloth.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said exhaust means comprises means for exhausting ambient air from said first chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said exhaust means comprises means for exhausting ambient air from each of said first chamber and said second chamber separately and independently.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cleaning section comprises a cleaning unit for cleaning the workpiece while supplying cleaning solvent thereto and a drying unit for drying the workpiece which has been cleaned.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said drying unit comprises a spin dryer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a shutter for opening and closing said first opening of said partition wall.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
72 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a loading section for receiving a cassette containing a plurality of workpieces; an unloading section for receiving a cassette which receives the workpiece which has been cleaned; a transferring section for removing a workpiece from a cassette at said loading section and transferring such removed workpiece; and said loading section, said unloading section, and said transferring section being disposed in said second chamber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said housing unit has a cassette delivery opening for delivering a cassette to said at least one of said loading section and said unloading section.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said partition wall has a second opening, and means for adjustment of ambient air flow through said second opening is provided at said second opening.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
72 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a wall provided around said turntable and extending horizontally and partitioning said first chamber into an upper chamber and a lower chamber; and wherein said exhaust means comprises first duct means including ducts communicating with said upper chamber and said lower chamber, respectively, and each having a respective valve and a main duct connected to said ducts and communicating with an external environment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said exhaust means comprises second duct means including a duct communicating with said cleaning section and having a valve, and a main duct connected to said duct and communicating with an external environment.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a filtering unit including a fan and filtering means disposed on a ceiling section above said second chamber; and duct means for circulating ambient air in said second chamber through said filtering unit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said duct means comprises a duct header disposed at a lower part of said second chamber and having a plurality of openings, and a duct which connects said filtering unit and said duct header, and means for adjustment of ambient air flow is provided at said openings of said duct header.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said filtering unit comprises a chemical filter disposed at an ambient air intake side of said fan.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said filtering unit further comprises a plurality of openings for introducing make-up air into said second chamber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said exhaust means forms air flow so as to produce internal pressures which decrease from high to low in the order of a clean room in which said polishing apparatus is installed, said second chamber, and said first chamber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
71 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece to be polished is introduced into said first chamber through said second chamber, the workpiece which has been polished in said first chamber is transferred from said first chamber to said second chamber, and the workpiece which has been cleaned in said second chamber is discharged from said second chamber to a clean room in which said polishing apparatus is installed.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transferring device is operable to transfer the workpiece to be polished from said second chamber to said first chamber.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cleaning section comprises a plurality of cleaning devices providing a progressively higher degree of cleanliness of the workpiece and arranged in a direction counter to a direction of air flow in said second chamber.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
147 words
A polishing apparatus for polishing a surface of a workpiece, said polishing apparatus comprising: a housing unit; a partition wall partitioning an interior of said housing unit into a first chamber and a second chamber, said partition wall having a first opening for allowing a workpiece to pass therethrough; a polishing section for polishing the workpiece, said polishing section being disposed in said first chamber; a cleaning section for cleaning the workpiece which has been polished, said cleaning section being disposed in said second chamber; a loading and unloading section disposed in said second chamber for receiving a workpiece cassette; and a transferring device in said second chamber for transferring the workpiece from the cassette at said loading and unloading section to said polishing section and for transferring the workpiece after cleaning thereof at said cleaning section back to the cassette at said loading and unloading section.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
147 words
A polishing apparatus for polishing a surface of a workpiece, said polishing apparatus comprising: a housing unit; a partition wall partitioning an interior of said housing unit into a first chamber and a second chamber, said partition wall having a first opening for allowing a workpiece to pass therethrough; a polishing section for polishing the workpiece, said polishing section being disposed in said first chamber; a cleaning section for cleaning the workpiece which has been polished, said cleaning section being disposed in said second chamber; a loading and unloading section disposed in said second chamber for receiving a workpiece cassette; and a transferring device in said second chamber for transferring the workpiece from the cassette at said loading and unloading section to said polishing section and for transferring the workpiece after cleaning thereof at said cleaning section back to the cassette at said loading and unloading section.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
44 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said polishing section comprises a turntable with an abrasive cloth mounted on an upper surface thereof and a top ring positioned above said turntable for supporting the workpiece and pressing the workpiece against said abrasive cloth.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
The polishing apparatus as claimed in claim 21, further comprising exhaust means for exhausting ambient air from said interior of said housing unit.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said exhaust means comprises means for exhausting ambient air from said first chamber.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said exhaust means comprises means for exhausting ambient air from each of said first chamber and said second chamber separately and independently.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
72 words
A polishing apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising: a wall provided around said turntable and extending horizontally and partitioning said first chamber into an upper chamber and a lower chamber; and wherein said exhaust means comprises first duct means including ducts communicating with said upper chamber and said lower chamber, respectively, and each having a respective valve and a main duct connected to said ducts and communicating with an external environment.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
41 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said exhaust means comprises second duct means including a duct communicating with said cleaning section and having a valve, and a main duct connected to said duct and communicating with an external environment.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
47 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said exhaust means forms air flow so as to produce internal pressures which decrease from high to low in the order of a clean room in which said polishing apparatus is installed, said second chamber, and said first chamber.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
71 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the workpiece to be polished is introduced into said first chamber through said second chamber, the workpiece which has been polished in said first chamber is transferred from said first chamber to said second chamber, and the workpiece which has been cleaned in said second chamber is discharged from said second chamber to a clean room in which said polishing apparatus is installed.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
43 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said cleaning section comprises a plurality of cleaning devices providing a progressively higher degree of cleanliness of the workpiece and arranged in a direction counter to a direction of air flow in said second chamber.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
36 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said cleaning section comprises a cleaning unit for cleaning the workpiece while supplying cleaning solvent thereto and a drying unit for drying the workpiece which has been cleaned.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said drying unit comprises a spin dryer.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising a shutter for opening and closing said first opening of said partition wall.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
33 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said partition wall has a second opening, and means for adjustment of ambient air flow through said second opening is provided at said second opening.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
42 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising: a filtering unit including a fan and filtering means disposed on a ceiling section above said second chamber; and duct means for circulating ambient air in said second chamber through said filtering unit.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
59 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said duct means comprises a duct header disposed at a lower part of said second chamber and having a plurality of openings, and a duct which connects said filtering unit and said duct header, and means for adjustment of ambient air flow is provided at said openings of said duct header.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
25 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said filtering unit comprises a chemical filter disposed at an ambient air intake side of said fan.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
25 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said filtering unit further comprises a plurality of openings for introducing make-up air into said second chamber.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
122 words
A unitary, composite apparatus for use within a clean room for polishing and then cleaning a workpiece, said apparatus comprising: a housing unit; a partition wall partitioning an interior of said housing unit into a first chamber and a second chamber, said partition wall having a first opening for allowing the workpiece to pass therethrough; a polishing section for polishing the workpiece, said polishing section being disposed in said first chamber; a cleaning section for cleaning the workpiece which has been polished and then drying the thus cleaned workpiece, said cleaning section being disposed in said second chamber; and a transferring device for transferring the workpiece which has been polished from said first chamber to said second chamber through said first opening.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
122 words
A unitary, composite apparatus for use within a clean room for polishing and then cleaning a workpiece, said apparatus comprising: a housing unit; a partition wall partitioning an interior of said housing unit into a first chamber and a second chamber, said partition wall having a first opening for allowing the workpiece to pass therethrough; a polishing section for polishing the workpiece, said polishing section being disposed in said first chamber; a cleaning section for cleaning the workpiece which has been polished and then drying the thus cleaned workpiece, said cleaning section being disposed in said second chamber; and a transferring device for transferring the workpiece which has been polished from said first chamber to said second chamber through said first opening.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
44 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said polishing section comprises a turntable with an abrasive cloth mounted on an upper surface thereof and a top ring positioned above said turntable for supporting the workpiece and pressing the workpiece against said abrasive cloth.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
39 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 39, further comprising exhaust means for forming an air flow so as to produce internal pressures which decrease from high to low in the order of said second chamber to said first chamber.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
28 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 39, further comprising exhaust means for exhausting ambient air from each of said first chamber and said second chamber separately and independently.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
36 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said cleaning section comprises a cleaning unit for cleaning the workpiece while supplying cleaning solvent thereto and a drying unit for drying the workpiece which has been cleaned.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
15 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 43, wherein said drying unit comprises a spin dryer.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
22 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 39, further comprising a shutter for opening and closing said first opening of said partition wall.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
72 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 39, further comprising: a loading section for receiving a cassette containing a plurality of workpieces; an unloading section for receiving a cassette which receives the workpiece which has been cleaned; a transferring section for removing a workpiece from a cassette at said loading section and transferring such removed workpiece; and said loading section, said unloading section, and said transferring section being disposed in said second chamber.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
33 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 46, wherein said housing unit has a cassette delivery opening for delivering a cassette to said at least one of said loading section and said unloading section.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
33 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said partition wall has a second opening, and means for adjustment of ambient air flow through said second opening is provided at said second opening.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
70 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 40, further comprising: a wall provided around said turntable and extending horizontally and partitioning said first chamber into an upper chamber and a lower chamber; and exhaust means comprising first duct means including ducts communicating with said upper chamber and said lower chamber, respectively, and each having a respective valve and a main duct connected to said ducts and communicating with an external environment.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
41 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 49, wherein said exhaust means comprises second duct means including a duct communicating with said cleaning section and having a valve, and a main duct connected to said duct and communicating with an external environment.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
42 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 39, further comprising: a filtering unit including a fan and filtering means disposed on a ceiling section above said second chamber; and duct means for circulating ambient air in said second chamber through said filtering unit.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
59 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 51, wherein said duct means comprises a duct header disposed at a lower part of said second chamber and having a plurality of openings, and a duct which connects said filtering unit and said duct header, and means for adjustment of ambient air flow is provided at said openings of said duct header.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
25 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 51, wherein said filtering unit comprises a chemical filter disposed at an ambient air intake side of said fan.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
25 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 51, wherein said filtering unit further comprises a plurality of openings for introducing make-up air into said second chamber.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
71 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the workpiece to be polished is introduced into said first chamber through said second chamber, the workpiece which has been polished in said first chamber is transferred from said first chamber to said second chamber, and the workpiece which has been cleaned in said second chamber is discharged from said second chamber to a clean room in which said polishing apparatus is installed.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
28 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said transferring device is operable to transfer the workpiece to be polished from said second chamber to said first chamber.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
43 words
The polishing apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said cleaning section comprises a plurality of cleaning devices providing a progressively higher degree of cleanliness of the workpiece and arranged in a direction counter to a direction of air flow in said second chamber.
Claim 61
Independent Claim
138 words
A method of polishing a surface of a workpiece, said method comprising: transferring a workpiece from a loading section to a polishing section disposed in a first chamber of a housing unit having an interior partitioned into said first chamber and a second chamber by a partition wall having therethrough an opening, said housing unit being located within a clean room; polishing a surface of said workpiece at said polishing section; transferring the thus polished said workpiece from said polishing section through said opening to a cleaning section disposed in said second chamber; cleaning and drying said polished workpiece at said cleaning section to thus form a clean and dry polished workpiece; transferring said clean and dry polished workpiece from said cleaning section to an unloading section; and exhausting ambient air from said interior of said housing unit.
Claim 62
Independent Claim
138 words
A method of polishing a surface of a workpiece, said method comprising: transferring a workpiece from a loading section to a polishing section disposed in a first chamber of a housing unit having an interior partitioned into said first chamber and a second chamber by a partition wall having therethrough an opening, said housing unit being located within a clean room; polishing a surface of said workpiece at said polishing section; transferring the thus polished said workpiece from said polishing section through said opening to a cleaning section disposed in said second chamber; cleaning and drying said polished workpiece at said cleaning section to thus form a clean and dry polished workpiece; transferring said clean and dry polished workpiece from said cleaning section to an unloading section; and exhausting ambient air from said interior of said housing unit.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as claimed in claim 58, wherein said polishing is carried out by pressing said workpiece by a top ring against an abrasive cloth mounted on an upper surface of a turntable.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method as claimed in claim 58, wherein said exhausting comprises forming an air flow so as to produce internal pressures that decrease from high to low in the order of a clean room in which said housing unit is installed, said second chamber and said first chamber.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as claimed in claim 58, further comprising exhausting ambient air from each of said first and second chambers separately and independently.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method as claimed in claim 58, wherein said first chamber is partitioned into upper and lower chambers, and further comprising exhausting ambient air from each of said upper and lower chambers through respective ducts, and discharging the thus exhausted ambient air to an external environment.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as claimed in claim 58, further comprising circulating ambient air in said second chamber through a filtering unit located in a ceiling of said second chamber.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as claimed in claim 58, further comprising transferring said polished workpiece at said cleaning section in a direction counter to a direction of air flow in said second chamber.
Claim 69
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of polishing a surface of a workpiece, said method comprising: transferring a workpiece from a cassette at a loading and unloading section in a second chamber to a polishing section disposed in a first chamber of a housing unit having an interior partitioned into said first chamber and said second chamber by a partition wall having therethrough an opening; polishing a surface of said workpiece at said polishing section; transferring the thus polished said workpiece from said polishing section through said opening to a cleaning section disposed in said second chamber; cleaning said polished workpiece at said cleaning section to thus form a clean polished workpiece; and transferring said clean polished workpiece from said cleaning section back to said cassette at said loading and unloading section.
Claim 70
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of polishing a surface of a workpiece, said method comprising: transferring a workpiece from a cassette at a loading and unloading section in a second chamber to a polishing section disposed in a first chamber of a housing unit having an interior partitioned into said first chamber and said second chamber by a partition wall having therethrough an opening; polishing a surface of said workpiece at said polishing section; transferring the thus polished said workpiece from said polishing section through said opening to a cleaning section disposed in said second chamber; cleaning said polished workpiece at said cleaning section to thus form a clean polished workpiece; and transferring said clean polished workpiece from said cleaning section back to said cassette at said loading and unloading section.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein said polishing is carried out by pressing said workpiece by a top ring against an abrasive cloth mounted on an upper surface of a turntable.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as claimed in claim 65, further comprising drying said clean polished workpiece at said cleaning section.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein said drying comprises spin drying said clean polished workpiece.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as claimed in claim 65, further comprising exhausting ambient air from said interior of said housing unit.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method as claimed in claim 69, wherein said exhausting comprises forming an air flow so as to produce internal pressures that decrease from high to low in the order of a clean room in which said housing unit is installed, said second chamber and said first chamber.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as claimed in claim 65, further comprising exhausting ambient air from each of said first and second chambers separately and independently.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein said first chamber is partitioned into upper and lower chambers, and further comprising exhausting ambient air from each of said upper and lower chambers through respective ducts, and discharging the thus exhausted ambient air to an external environment.
Claim 78
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as claimed in claim 65, further comprising circulating ambient air in said second chamber through a filtering unit located in a ceiling of said second chamber.
Claim 79
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as claimed in claim 65, further comprising transferring said polished workpiece at said cleaning section in a direction counter to a direction of air flow in said second chamber.
Claim 80
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of polishing a surface of a workpiece, said method comprising: transferring a workpiece from a loading section to a polishing section disposed in a first chamber of a housing unit having an interior partitioned into said first chamber and a second chamber by a partition wall having therethrough an opening, said housing unit being located within a clean room; polishing a surface of said workpiece at said polishing section; transferring the thus polished said workpiece from said polishing section through said opening to a cleaning section disposed in said second chamber; cleaning said polished workpiece and then drying the thus cleaned workpiece at said cleaning section to thus form a cleaned and dried workpiece; and transferring said cleaned and dried workpiece from said cleaning section to an unloading section.
Claim 81
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of polishing a surface of a workpiece, said method comprising: transferring a workpiece from a loading section to a polishing section disposed in a first chamber of a housing unit having an interior partitioned into said first chamber and a second chamber by a partition wall having therethrough an opening, said housing unit being located within a clean room; polishing a surface of said workpiece at said polishing section; transferring the thus polished said workpiece from said polishing section through said opening to a cleaning section disposed in said second chamber; cleaning said polished workpiece and then drying the thus cleaned workpiece at said cleaning section to thus form a cleaned and dried workpiece; and transferring said cleaned and dried workpiece from said cleaning section to an unloading section.
Claim 82
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as claimed in claim 75, wherein said polishing is carried out by pressing said workpiece by a top ring against an abrasive cloth mounted on an upper surface of a turntable.
Claim 83
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as claimed in claim 75, wherein said drying comprises spin drying said clean polished workpiece.
Claim 84
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as claimed in claim 75, further comprising exhausting ambient air from said interior of said housing unit.
Claim 85
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method as claimed in claim 78, wherein said exhausting comprises forming an air flow so as to produce internal pressures that decrease from high to low in the order of a said clean room in which said housing unit is installed, said second chamber and said first chamber.
Claim 86
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as claimed in claim 75, further comprising exhausting ambient air from each of said first and second chambers separately and independently.
Claim 87
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method as claimed in claim 75, wherein said first chamber is partitioned into upper and lower chambers, and further comprising exhausting ambient air from each of said upper and lower chambers through respective ducts, and discharging the thus exhausted ambient air to an external environment.
Claim 88
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as claimed in claim 75, further comprising circulating ambient air in said second chamber through a filtering unit located in a ceiling of said second chamber.
Claim 89
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as claimed in claim 75, further comprising transferring said polished workpiece at said cleaning section in a direction counter to a direction of air flow in said second chamber.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-10-20 | 2001-04-21 | 2001-10-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-10-20 | 2005-04-21 | 2005-10-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-10-20 | 2009-04-21 | 2009-10-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |