Inventor’s Corner

Air cleaner

The invention is an air cleaner having a minus ion generator (A), a positive electrode (B), guide fins (C), a fan (D) and a filter (E).

The minus ion generator (A) carries a high minus voltage, and the positive electrode (B) carries a high plus voltage.

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The minus ion generator (A) has a heater (F), and the air cleaner may have an absorbing sheet (G) positioned close to a positive electrode (B). The minus ion generator is spaced apart from the positive electrode by a distance not less than half of the maximum distance between walls of the room.

The high plus voltage is not less than 4,000 Volts, and therefore, according to the inventor, the air cleaner should sterilize and remove such contaminants as dust, bacteria and viruses in a host of environments, namely hospitals, where mass infections appear due to pathogens.

Patent number: 6,494,934 B2
Date granted: Dec. 12, 2002
Inventor: Fumio Fukushima of Security System Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)


Garment locker

The combination garment hanger/storage apparatus is constructed of two up-standing lockers (A, B) that are connected by two frames (C, D).

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The upper frame (C) is equipped with hooks (E) for hanging worn garments, while several shelves (F) accommodate boots or packaged clean garments. The apparatus also has ventilation apertures (G) in the top panel and in the shelves of the locker units to promote air circulation and to reduce total weight of the apparatus so that it can be moved in the cleanroom gowning area.

The apparatus can be fabricated of such materials as stainless-steel, which does not produce particle contamination.

Patent number: 6,401,947 B1
Date granted: June 11, 2002
Inventors: Dennic Hu and Thomas Chen of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (Hsin Chu, Taiwan)


Air-cleaning apparatus

The apparatus removes impurities from the air and includes a first filter (A) for removing solid substances in a flow passage within a housing (B); a first cooler (C) for cooling the air to no higher than its dew-point temperature; a wet-type impurity removing mechanism (D) for capturing gaseous substances in the air; a second cooler (E); and a second filter (F).

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The wet-type impurity removing mechanism includes a first liquid atomizer (G) that has several nozzles (H) for spraying. Nozzles are arranged facing inward and in the direction of the airflow passage. First and second condensing and capturing assemblies (I) are adjacent to the first atomizer. The first condensing and capturing assembly is upstream, while the second condensing and capturing assembly is downstream.

The apparatus also includes two liquid supply tanks (J), a liquid reservoir (K), a blower (L), a heating coil (M) and a second atomizer (not shown) that captures any remaining gaseous substances.

According to the inventors, the device is suited for semiconductor manufacturing environments, namely large-scale integration (LSI), where contamination can significantly impact electrical properties of microelectronic devices.

Patent number: 6,497,757 B2
Date granted: Dec. 24, 2002
Inventors: Hidetoshi Wakamatsu, Mikio Matsuki, Norio Tanaka and Hiroshi Ogata of Oki Electric Co. Ltd. (Tokyo)

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