Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
A surface grinding apparatus comprising a support stand (4), at least one workpiece holding chuck table (6) rotatably mounted on the support stand (4), a rotatably mounted grinding wheel (8) for grinding the surface of a workpiece (W) held on the chuck table (6), chuck table rotating means (76) for rotating the chuck table (6) and wheel rotating means (116) for rotating the grinding wheel (8), wherein when grinding the surface of the workpiece (W) held on the chuck table (6) with the grinding wheel (8), the grinding sheel (8) is rotated and the chuck table (6) is also rotated to rotate the workpiece (W) held on the chuck table (6).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
111 words
A surface grinding apparatus comprising a support stand (4), at least one workpiece holding chuck table (6) rotatably mounted on the support stand (4), a rotatably mounted grinding wheel (8) for grinding the surface of a workpiece (W) held on the chuck table (6), chuck table rotating means (76) for rotating the chuck table (6) and wheel rotating means (116) for rotating the grinding wheel (8), wherein when grinding the surface of the workpiece (W) held on the chuck table (6) with the grinding wheel (8), the grinding sheel (8) is rotated and the chuck table (6) is also rotated to rotate the workpiece (W) held on the chuck table (6).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A surface grinding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the grinding wheel (8) is of an annular shape as a whole and the central axis (118) of rotation of the grinding wheel (8) is disposed generally parallel to the central axis of rotation of the chuck table (6).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A surface grinding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the support stand comprises a rotatably mounted support table (4), and table rotating means (76) is provided for rotating the support table (4).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
132 words
A surface grinding apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the grinding wheel (8) is mounted for movement in the direction of its central axis (118) of rotation, wheel moving means (108) is provided for moving the grinding wheel (8) in the direction of its central axis (118) of rotation, and when grinding the surface of the workpiece (W) held on the chuck table (6) with the grinding wheel (8), the support table (4) is stopped at a predetermined angular position so that the workpiece (W) held on the chuck table (6) has a predetermined relationship with the grinding wheel (8), and the grinding wheel (8) is moved toward the chuck table (6) by the wheel moving means (108) to thus gradually increase the grinding depth of the surface of the workpiece (W).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
A surface grinding apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the workpiece is nearly disc-shaped, and when . the support table (4) is stopped at the predetermined angular position, the workpiece (W) is positioned with respect to the grinding wheel (8) so that the outer peripheral edge of the grinding wheel (8) passes through the substantial center of the workpiece (W).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
A surface grinding apparatus according to claim 3 wherein when grinding the surface of the workpiece (W) held on the chuck table (6) with the grinding wheel (8), the support table (4) is continuously rotated by the table rotating means (76) to permit passage of the workpiece (W) held on the chuck table (6) beneath the grinding wheel (8).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
131 words
A surface grinding apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the grinding wheel (8) is mounted for movement in a direction generally perpendicular to its central axis (118) of rotation, wheel moving means (104) is provided for moving the grinding wheel (8) in the direction generally perpendicular to its central axis (118) of rotation, and when grinding the surface of the workpiece (W) held on the chuck table (6) with the grinding wheel (8), the support table (4) is stopped at a predetermined angular position and the grinding wheel (8) is moved from the peripheral edge toward the center of the workpiece (W) held on the chuck table (6) by the wheel moving means (104) to thus gradually grind the surface of the workpiece (W) from its peripheral edge toward its center.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
A surface grinding apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the workpiece (W) is nearly disc-shaped and the grinding wheel (8) is moved by the wheel moving means (104) up to the position where its outer peripheral edge passes through the substantial center of the surface of the workpiece (W).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
A surface grinding apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the support table (4) is provided with a plurality of workpiece holding chuck tables (6) at circumferentially spaced positions and the chuck table rotating means (76) includes one common driving source and a plurality of drive connecting means disposed between the common driving source and each of the plurality of chuck tables (6) respectively.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A surface grinding apparatus according to claim 9 wherein each of the plurality of drive connecting means has clutch means for controlling connection and release.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A surface grinding apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the clutch means is a pneumatic clutch controlled by pressurized air.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
A surface grinding apparatus according to claim 10 wherein one workpiece unloading and loading station (A) and a plurality of grinding stations (B, C, D) are defined at circumferentially spaced positions of the support table (4) and a grinding wheel (8) is provided in each of the plurality of grinding stations (B,C, D).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
88 words
A surface grinding apparatus according to claim 12 wherein while each of the plurality of chuck tables (6) exists at least in either of the plurality of grinding stations (B, C, D), the clutch means is connected and each of the plurality of chuck tables (6) is rotated, whereas while each of the plurality of chuck tables (6) exists at least in the workpiece unloading and loading station (A), the clutch means is released and the rotation of each of the plurality of chuck tables (6) is stopped.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
-A surface grinding apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the support table (4) is continuously rotated by the table rotating means (76), whereby each of the plurality of chuck tables (6) is continuously moved through the workpiece unloading and loading station (A) and the plurality of grinding stations (B, C, D).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
A surface grinding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the workpiece (W) is a semiconductor wafer.