Patent US5485802A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5485802A
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Method and apparatus for pulling monocrystals from a melt
Assignee: Balzers und Leybold Deutschland Holding AG
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Filing: 1994-01-18
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Granted: 1996-01-23
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Expires: 2014-01-18
Abstract
Abstract A crucible is situated in a vacuum chamber and provided with a feeder for granulate material, heating elements for melting the material, and a crystal puller above the crucible. Measuring elements provide signals for a controller including a fuzzy processor utilizing an empirically determined data field to output a signal for the material feeder.
Inventors
- 👤 Burkhard Altekruger
- 👤 Roland Gesche
- 👤 Martin Flachsel
- 👤 Joachim Aufreiter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 16:14
CPC Classifications
C; C30; C30B; C30B15/00; C30B15/02; C30B15/20; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T117/00; Y10T117/10; Y10T117/1024; Y10T117/1032; Y10T117/1056
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
Method for pulling monocrystal from a melt, said method comprising providing a crucible, feeding material to be melted to said crucible, heating said material in said crucible to form a bath of molten material, pulling said molten material from said crucible to form a monocrystal, providing an empirically determined data field including at least two parameters from a first group and at least one parameter from a second group, said first group comprising bath temperature, bath level, and crystal diameter, said second group comprising material feed rate, pulling rate, and heater power, measuring said at least two parameters from said first group, and controlling said at least one parameter from said second group by means of a fuzzy processor so that said at least two measured parameters from said first group and said at least one parameter from said second group conform to said empirically determined data field.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
148 words
Method for pulling monocrystal from a melt, said method comprising providing a crucible, feeding material to be melted to said crucible, heating said material in said crucible to form a bath of molten material, pulling said molten material from said crucible to form a monocrystal, providing an empirically determined data field including at least two parameters from a first group and at least one parameter from a second group, said first group comprising bath temperature, bath level, and crystal diameter, said second group comprising material feed rate, pulling rate, and heater power, measuring said at least two parameters from said first group, and controlling said at least one parameter from said second group by means of a fuzzy processor so that said at least two measured parameters from said first group and said at least one parameter from said second group conform to said empirically determined data field.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
Method as in claim 1 wherein said second group comprises said feed rate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method as in claim 1 wherein said empirically determined data field comprises three parameters.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method as in claim 3 wherein said empirically determined data field comprises bath level, bath temperature, and material feed rate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method as in claim 4 wherein said empirically determined data field further comprises crystal diameter and pulling rate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
Method as in claim 4 wherein said empirically determined data field further comprises heater power.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
Method as in claim 1 wherein said empirically determined data field consists of three parameters, whereby said data field can be represented as a surface in three dimensional space.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
Method as in claim 7 wherein said data field consists of bath level, bath temperature, and material feed rate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
162 words
Apparatus for pulling monocrystal from a bath of molten material, said apparatus comprising a crucible, feed means for feeding material to be melted to said crucible, heating means for melting said material in said crucible to form a bath of molten material, pulling means for pulling said molten material from said crucible to form a monocrystal, memory means containing an empirically determined data field including at least one parameter from a first group and at least one parameter from a second group, said first group comprising bath temperature, bath level, and crystal diameter, said second group comprising material feed rate, pulling rate, and heater power, measuring means for measuring said at least one parameter from said first group, and fuzzy processing means for controlling said at least one parameter from said second group so that said at least one measured parameter from said first group and said at least one parameter from said second group conform to said empirically determined data field.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
162 words
Apparatus for pulling monocrystal from a bath of molten material, said apparatus comprising a crucible, feed means for feeding material to be melted to said crucible, heating means for melting said material in said crucible to form a bath of molten material, pulling means for pulling said molten material from said crucible to form a monocrystal, memory means containing an empirically determined data field including at least one parameter from a first group and at least one parameter from a second group, said first group comprising bath temperature, bath level, and crystal diameter, said second group comprising material feed rate, pulling rate, and heater power, measuring means for measuring said at least one parameter from said first group, and fuzzy processing means for controlling said at least one parameter from said second group so that said at least one measured parameter from said first group and said at least one parameter from said second group conform to said empirically determined data field.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said empirically determined data field comprises said material feed rate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said empirically determined data field comprises three parameters.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said empirically determined data field comprises bath level, bath temperature, and material feed rate.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-01-22 | 1999-07-24 | 2000-01-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-01-22 | 2003-07-24 | 2004-01-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-01-22 | 2007-07-24 | 2008-01-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |