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In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a transport module suitable for 300 mm wafers has a cushioning system that attaches to the interior of an enclosure door. The system comprises a pair of upright parallel cushions, each comprising an elongate base portion with a plurality of integral finger

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a transport module suitable for 300 mm wafers has a cushioning system that attaches to the interior of an enclosure door. The system comprises a pair of upright parallel cushions, each comprising an elongate base portion with a plurality of integral fingers extending at an acute angle from the base members. Each sequential finger of each cushion engaging every other wafer. Each finger having an arm portion and a wafer engaging portion. The wafer engaging portion comprising a curved convex surface to provide minimal vertical line contact with the circumferential outer surface of the wafer without providing axial constrainment of the wafer. The base portions are attached to the inside facing door panels by a plurality of attachment portions each comprising a split shank portion that extends through the aperture and a plurality of flange portions on the ends of the split shank portions for securing the base portions to the inside panel. An O-ring may be positioned on the shank portion for sealing the connection. Additional extension members may extend intermediate the arm portions to provide a contact point laterally displaced from the base member such that when the wafer engagement portions are loaded by engagement with the wafers, the connection of the attachment portion to the interior door panel operates as a fulcrum to precisely control the positioning, holding force, and deflection of the fingers.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A wafer enclosure for holding a plurality of wafers in a horizontal stacked configuration, the enclosure having a wall with an inwardly facing surface, an outwardly facing surface, an attachment opening in said wall, said attachment opening having a diameter, a front opening for pa

[ We claim:] [1.] A wafer enclosure for holding a plurality of wafers in a horizontal stacked configuration, the enclosure having a wall with an inwardly facing surface, an outwardly facing surface, an attachment opening in said wall, said attachment opening having a diameter, a front opening for passing wafers to and from said enclosure, a door to close said front opening, and an elongate wafer engagement component for contacting the edge portions of wafers stacked in the enclosure, the wafer engagement component comprising a base portion that extends along the inwardly facing surface, an attachment portion integral with said base portion for insertion into said attachment opening, the attachment portion having a shank portion extending through the attachment opening and a flange portion at the end of said shank portion opposite the base portion for engagement with the outwardly facing surface and for retaining the attachment portion in the attachment opening thereby securing the wafer engagement component to the wall, the flange portion configured to allow insertion of the attachment portion into the attachment opening by deflecting laterally the flange portion, the wafer engagement component engaging the wall in at least three non-linearly positioned points for providing a stable foundation for the wafer engagement component on the wall. [13.] A wafer enclosure comprising an enclosure portion and a door, the enclosure portion with a front having a door frame defining a front opening for insertion and removal of wafers, the enclosure portion having a plurality of horizontally oriented slots vertically stacked for receiving a plurality of axially aligned horizontally oriented wafers, the door configured for closing the open front and latching to the door frame, the door having an interiorly facing side and a first upright cushion base portion and a second upright cushion base portion attached to the door at said interiorly facing side, each of the upright cushion base portions having a plurality of parallel wafer engaging fingers extending from said cushion base portion, each wafer engaging finger having a wafer engagement portion, the engagement of each sequential wafer alternating between the plurality of wafer engagement portions of the first upright cushion base portion and the plurality of wafer engagement portions of the second upright cushion base portion, wherein the wafer engagement portions of the fingers of the first upright cushion base are laterally spaced from the engagement portions of the fingers of the second base portions, the interiorly facing side of the door having a plurality of apertures, the cushion base portions each having at least one shaft extending from each of said base portions, each cushion base portion attached to the door by way of the shaft portions extending through said apertures. [14.] A wafer enclosure comprising an enclosure portion and a door, the enclosure portion with a front having a door frame defining a front opening for insertion and removal of wafers, the enclosure portion having a plurality of horizontally oriented slots vertically stacked for receiving a plurality of axially aligned horizontally oriented wafers, the door configured for closing the open front and latching to the door frame, the door having an interiorly facing side and a first upright cushion base portion and a second upright cushion base portion attached to the door at said interiorly facing side, each of the upright cushion base portions having a plurality of parallel wafer engaging fingers extending from said cushion base portion, each wafer engaging finger having a wafer engagement portion, each sequential wafer engagement portion of each wafer engaging finger of each respective cushion base portion engaging alternate ones of the axially aligned horizontally oriented wafers by the respective wafer engagement portions, wherein the wafers engaged by the first upright cushion base portion are different than the wafers engaged by the second upright cushion base portion, wherein each wafer engaging finger of each cushion extends laterally from the base in a first direction and wherein each wafer cushion base portion further comprises at least one integral extension member extending laterally from the base portion in the first direction, and wherein said extension member has an intermediate portion and a door contact portion opposite the base portion whereby when wafers engage said wafer engagement fingers the door contact portion bears against the door thereby precisely controlling the engagement of the wafer engagement fingers with the wafers. The wafer enclosure of claim 14, wherein each cushion has a plurality of integral extension members and wherein said plurality of wafer extension members are positioned intermediate pairs of wafer engagement fingers. [16.] A wafer enclosure comprising an enclosure portion and a door, the enclosure portion having a front with a door frame defining a front opening for insertion and removal of wafers, the enclosure portion configured for receiving a plurality of axially aligned horizontally oriented wafers, the door configured for closing the open front, the door having an interiorly facing side and a first upright cushion attached to the door, said first cushion having an elongate base portion attached to the door and a plurality of parallel wafer engaging fingers extending from said base portion in a first direction, each wafer engaging finger having a finger portion and a wafer engaging portion, the wafer engaging portion laterally displaced in a first direction from the base portion, the cushion further having a door contacting member displaced laterally in the first direction from the base portion for providing support to the wafer engagement fingers. The wafer enclosure of claim 16, further comprising another plurality of parallel wafer engaging fingers extending from said base portion in a second lateral direction opposite from the first. [18.] A wafer enclosure for holding a plurality of wafers in a horizontal stacked configuration, the enclosure having a wall with an inwardly facing surface, an outwardly facing surface, an attachment opening in said wall, said opening having a diameter, a front opening for passing wafers to and from said enclosure, a door to close said front opening, and an elongate wafer engagement component for contacting the edge portions of wafers stacked in the enclosure, the wafer engagement component comprising a base portion that extends along the inwardly facing surface, an attachment portion integral with said base portion for insertion into said attachment opening, the attachment portion having a shank portion extending through the opening and a flange portion at the end of said shank portion opposite the base portion for engagement with the outwardly facing surface and for retaining the attachment portion in the attachment opening thereby securing the wafer engagement component to the wall, the flange portion configured to allow insertion of the attachment portion into the attachment opening by deflecting laterally the flange portion, and an elastomeric o-ring position on the shank portion for providing sealing between the wafer engagement member and the wall. The wafer enclosure of claim 18, wherein the wafer engagement member is a wafer cushion.