초록 ▼

A modular sorter is disclosed in which modular sections maybe easily added and removed to add and remove load port assemblies as required by a particular wafer fabrication run. In one embodiment, a modular sorter according to the present invention include a two-wide modular section defining a minien

A modular sorter is disclosed in which modular sections maybe easily added and removed to add and remove load port assemblies as required by a particular wafer fabrication run. In one embodiment, a modular sorter according to the present invention include a two-wide modular section defining a minienvironment for the sorter, a wafer handling robot a pair of aligners and a centralized controller. The modular section of this embodiment includes a pair of side-by-side load port assemblies for receiving a container or open cassette and presenting the cassette to the minienvironment of the sorter for processing of the wafers therein. The present invention further includes a removable end panel. When it is desired to add additional modular sections to the sorter, the end panel is removed and replaced by a connector frame. The connector frame allows additional modular sections, including either one load port assembly or two load port assemblies, to be attached to the original modular section. All of the power and control components for the modular sections are preferably located in the centralized controller. Upon attachment of the additional modular section, the power and signal connections for the additional section are plugged into the controller. The controller then recognizes the additional section and changes the overall operation scheme to now operate as a three-wide sorter or a four-wide sorter.

대표청구항 ▼

A modular sorter is disclosed in which modular sections maybe easily added and removed to add and remove load port assemblies as required by a particular wafer fabrication run. In one embodiment, a modular sorter according to the present invention include a two-wide modular section defining a minien

A modular sorter is disclosed in which modular sections maybe easily added and removed to add and remove load port assemblies as required by a particular wafer fabrication run. In one embodiment, a modular sorter according to the present invention include a two-wide modular section defining a minienvironment for the sorter, a wafer handling robot a pair of aligners and a centralized controller. The modular section of this embodiment includes a pair of side-by-side load port assemblies for receiving a container or open cassette and presenting the cassette to the minienvironment of the sorter for processing of the wafers therein. The present invention further includes a removable end panel. When it is desired to add additional modular sections to the sorter, the end panel is removed and replaced by a connector frame. The connector frame allows additional modular sections, including either one load port assembly or two load port assemblies, to be attached to the original modular section. All of the power and control components for the modular sections are preferably located in the centralized controller. Upon attachment of the additional modular section, the power and signal connections for the additional section are plugged into the controller. The controller then recognizes the additional section and changes the overall operation scheme to now operate as a three-wide sorter or a four-wide sorter. on defining a transition section, and the third region defining an outlet section of the adapter which terminates in the original slit-shaped outlet opening, wherein the linear cutting aids are applied to the outlet section. 7. An adapter according to claim 6 wherein the outlet section substantially has the shape of a trapezoid in a plane defined by the flow direction of the mixture and a direction of the slit-shaped outlet opening, nonparallel, opposite sides of the trapezoid defining an angle which diverges in the flow direction by between 40° and 90°. 8. An adapter according to claim 7 wherein the angle is in a range between 60° and 70°. 9. An adapter according to claim 6 wherein the original slit-shaped outlet opening has a slit of a length which is 5 to 20 times greater than a width of the outlet region in a direction substantially perpendicular to the slit, and wherein a width of the adapter in the direction substantially perpendicular to the slit remains substantially constant from the original outlet opening to at least a first one of the cutting aids. 10. An adapter according to claim 6 wherein the original outlet opening and any subsequently formed new outlet openings each have a slit shape which is substantially one of a rectangular shape, a triangular shape and a pentagonal shape. 11. An adapter according to claim 6 wherein the original slit and the newly generated slit each have a width perpendicular to the slit which tapers from lateral sides of the slit towards a center of the slit. 12. An adapter according to claim 6 including a flow divider arranged in the transition section. 13. A discharge apparatus comprising a two-component cartridge, a static mixer terminating in a discharge orifice, and an adapter for a shaped dispensing of a viscid mixture which flows from the discharge orifice in a flow direction into the adapter, the adapter including an upstream end formed to be connected to the mixer so that an interior of the adapter; is in flow communication with the orifice, first and second wall portions which diverge from the upstream end in the flow direction to a downstream end of the adapter defining an original slit-shaped outlet opening, and linear cutting aids on an outside of the adapter which are at least approximately parallel to the original slit-shaped outlet opening and along which the wall portions can be severed to create a new slit-shape outlet opening which has a lesser length than the original slit-shape outlet opening. 14. An adapter for mounting on a mixer so that mixed fluid from the mixer flows into the adapter for discharging a shaped flow of the fluid, the adapter comprising an upstream section adapted to be connected to the mixer and defining a flow passage for flowing the mixture in a flow direction from the upstream end to a downstream end of the adapter, first and second, opposing wall sections which extend over at least a portion of a length of the adapter divergingly in the flow direction to define an original adapter outlet opening forming an elongated slit disposed between the opposing walls portions for forming the shaped liquid flow and discharging it from the elongated slit, and a plurality of cutting aids on an exterior surface of the adapter arranged substantially parallel to the original outlet opening and spaced therefrom in a direction opposite the flow direction for facilitating severing parts of the adapter including the original outlet opening and forming a new outlet opening which has a lesser length than the original outlet opening. , 19970900, Kearful, 248/217.4; US-5716161, 19980200, Moore et al., 403/406.1; US-5772551, 19980600, Mabie, 474/256; US-5868537, 19990200, Latal et al., 411/418; US-5907891, 19990600, Meyer, 024/453; US-5909991, 19990600, Manion et al., 411/377; US-5934729, 19990800, Baack, 296/039.1; US-5992654, 19991100, Dente, Jr., 211/090.01; US-6305892, 20011000, Qiao, 411/508 1, wherein the adjustable parameters include one or more parameters selected from the group comprising processing time, temperature, solution composition, and solution volume. 3. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the film processor is a small solution volume batch processor that uses less than 1000 ml of processing solution per roll of 24 exposure 35 mm film. 4. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the film processor is a small solution volume continuous processor that uses less than 500 ml of processing solution per roll of 24 exposure 35 mm film. 5. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing profiles produce stable film densities. 6. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing profiles produce film contrasts that are greater than 25% and less than 130% of those achieved in a standard chemical process. 7. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the total wet processing times of the processing profiles are less than 450 seconds. 8. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing profiles are preloaded in the film processor. 9. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing profile for the family member is retrieved using a code associated with the film. 10. The method claimed in claim 9, wherein the processing profiles are specified by a film manufacturer. 11. The method claimed in claim 9, wherein the processing profiles are downloaded to the film processor. 12. The method claimed in claim 9, wherein the code is a DX code located on a film cassette. 13. The method claimed in claim 9, wherein the code is a magnetic code located on the film. 14. The method claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: d) scanning the processed film to produce a digital image; and e) processing the digital image to correct for differences between the processed film and a film processed using a standard chemical process. 15. The method claimed in claim 14, further comprising the step of transmitting the corrected digital image to an output device. 16. The method claimed in claim 15, further comprising the step of printing the corrected digital image. 17. The method claimed in claim 15, further comprising the step of displaying the corrected digital image. 18. The method claimed in claim 14, further comprising the step of storing the corrected digital image. 19. The method claimed in claim 18, further comprising the step of transmitting the corrected digital image to an output device. 20. The method claimed in claim 19, further comprising the step of printing the corrected digital image. 21. The method claimed in claim 19, further comprising the step of displaying the corrected digital image. 22. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein different members of the film family are chemically and physically identical and are associated with different processing profiles, whereby different speed/grain characteristics are produced for the different film family members. 23. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing profiles produce stable densities, system film contrast that is between 25% and 130%, and system film speed loss that is no greater than 0.15 logE of the contrast and speed, respectively, of a standard chemical process for the film family, and wherein at least one of the processing profiles will not produce stable densities, system contrast or speed within the range noted above with at least one member of the film family. 24. A method of processing photographic film images, comprising the steps of: a) providing a film processor having a plurality of adjustable parameters for a given process for processing a family of photographic films; b) defining a plurality of processing profiles having different values of the adjustable parameters for different members of the film family which will produce stable densities, system film contrast that is between 25% and 130%, and system film speed loss that is no greater than 0.15 logE of the contrast and speed, respectively, of a standard che