The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 23, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 11, 1996
Nobuaki Mitamura, Takefu, JP;
Toshiharu Uesugi, Sabae, JP;
Atsushi Iwasaki, Vancouver, WA (US);
Shinobu Takeyasu, Urawa, JP;
Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A heater mechanism for a crystal pulling apparatus is disclosed. Electrodes made of copper or the like and disposed under a heater are connected to the heater via graphite members. A cover member is attached to each graphite member, so that the downwardly extending portion of the cover member surrounds the outer surface of the graphite member. Accordingly, a leak or splash of a melt is prevented from contacting the electrodes. The length of each graphite member is equal to or greater than the distance between the bottom surface of the heater and the top surface of a melt spill tray which distance is measured when the heater mechanism is raised The cover member is vertically slidable along the outer surface of each graphite member. Thus, even when a material melt leaks out from a crucible, the electrodes of the heater mechanism can be protected from a fusion damage or the like which would be otherwise caused by the leak of the melt.