초록 ▼

A plurality of latches are employed for detachably holding a semiconductor wafer to a ring support during processing. Each latch is rotatably mounted on a post which is secured to the ring so that it can move to engage and disengage the wafer, alternately clamping and releasing it from the ring. Eac

A plurality of latches are employed for detachably holding a semiconductor wafer to a ring support during processing. Each latch is rotatably mounted on a post which is secured to the ring so that it can move to engage and disengage the wafer, alternately clamping and releasing it from the ring. Each latch has two opposed rollers, one to engage and disengage the wafer and the other to engage the ring. The latches should be freely rotatable into and out of engagement with the wafer. The ring usually has two pairs of opposed dimples such that each roller is in registration with each of the opposed dimples of each pair when it rotates from the engaged to the disengaged position and visa versa. The dimple in registration with the roller when engaged the wafer is sufficiently deep so that the roller does not touch the ring when clamped to the wafer. In that position, the opposing dimple is dimensioned so that the opposite roller in registration therewith engages the bottom of the dimple, tilting the latch to engage and clamp the wafer to the ring.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A latch for releasably holding a semiconductor wafer to a wafer supporting device comprising:a latch body having a transverse opening extending there through,a mounting device extending through the opening,a ball bearing having an inner and an outer race, mounted for rotation on the mounting devi

1. A latch for releasably holding a semiconductor wafer to a wafer supporting device comprising:a latch body having a transverse opening extending there through,a mounting device extending through the opening,a ball bearing having an inner and an outer race, mounted for rotation on the mounting device,a spacing device on the mounting device for engaging only the top of the inner race of the ball bearing,a biasing member engaged between the outer race of the ball bearing and the latch body biasing the inner race of the ball bearing against the spacing device. 2. The latch in accordance with claim 1, including a securing device on the bottom of the mounting device to secure the latch to a wafer supporting device. 3. The latch in accordance with claim 1, including a retainer device on the mounting device for resisting detachment of the mounting device from the latch body under the influence of the biasing member. 4. The latch for releasably securing a semiconductor wafer to wafer supporting means in accordance with any one of claims 1 , 2 and 3 , includinga rolling device rotatably mounted on the latch body on opposite sides of the mounting device. 5. The latch for releasably securing a semiconductor wafer to the wafer supporting device in accordance with claim 1, in which the mounting device comprises,a post detachably engagable with the supporting device, anda pin detachably mounted to the top of the post. 6. The latch for releasably securing a semiconductor wafer to the wafer supporting device in accordance with claim 5, includinga retainer device on the mounting device for resisting detachment of the mounting device from the latch body under the influence of the biasing member. 7. The latch for releasably securing a semiconductor wafer to the wafer supporting device in accordance with claim 6, includinga rolling device rotatably mounted on the latch body on opposite sides of the mounting device. 8. The latch for releasably securing a semiconductor wafer to the wafer supporting device in accordance with claim 6, includingthreads on the bottom of the post for threadably engaging the post to the wafer supporting device, in which the retainer device is mounted on the post intermediate the threads and the latch body. 9. The latch for releasably securing a semiconductor wafer to the wafer supporting device in accordance with claim 1, in whichthe inner race is normally rotatable on the mounting device, and abuts and is urged against the spacing device by the biasing member, andthe outer race is normally rotatable relative to the inner race, and is rotatable regardless its relative rotatability to the inner race. 10. The latch for releasably securing a semiconductor wafer to a wafer supporting device in accordance with claim 1 in whichthe mounting device can be detached from the wafer supporting device by rotating the mounting device from its end opposite the wafer supporting device. 11. The latch for releasably securing a semiconductor wafer to the wafer supporting device in accordance with claim 5, in whicha coupling device is engagable to both the pin means and post to attach the pin to the post and prevent rotation of the pin with respect to the post. 12. The latch for releasably securing a semiconductor wafer to the wafer supporting device in accordance with claim 5, in whichthe post is provided with an internal recess communicating with the top of the post,a first portion on the bottom of the pin adapted to slidably seat within the recess in the top of the post,a radially enlarged second portion on the pin adjacent to the first portion, the ball bearing being rotatably mounted on the second portion, anda coupling device engagable with both the post and the first portion of the pin which prevents rotation of the pin with respect to the post. 13. The latch for releasably securing a semiconductor wafer to the wafer supporting means device in accordance with claim 12, includinga radially enlarged step at the end of the second por tion opposite the first portion engagable only with the top of the inner race of the ball bearing,a head on the pin on the side of the step opposite the second portion extending radially outwardly to a position above but spaced away from the outer race of the ball bearing. 14. The latch for releasably securing a semiconductor wafer to the wafer supporting device in accordance with claim 1, in whichthe biasing member is spring engaged to the ball bearing and the body portion of the latch. 15. The latch for releasably securing a semiconductor wafer to the wafer supporting device in accordance with claim 14, includinga radially enlarged flange on the outer race of the ball bearing,the spring is engaged to the enlarged flange. 16. A latch for releasably holding a semiconductor wafer to a ring-support comprising:latch body having a pair of spaced apart, opposing walls defining a recess open at the top of the body and a radially reduced transverse passage communicating with the recess and the bottom of the body and defining a bottom to the recess;a post extending from the recess downwardly through the transverse passage in the body, the post having a blind passage in and communicating with its top;a pin detachably mounted to the post,a coupling device engagable with both the pin and the post to prevent rotation of the pin with respect to the post,a first portion on the pin adapted to seat in the blind passage;a radially enlarged second portion on the pin above the first portion;a ball bearing mounted on the second portion having an inner race and an outer race, the inner race being rotatable on the second portion,a radially enlarged spacer device on the second portion of the pin opposite the first portion,a head on the pin on the side of the spacer means device opposite the second portion extending radially outwardly to a position above but spaced away from the outer race of the ball bearing,a radially extending flange on the outer race of the bearing;a spring extending between the flange on the outer race of the ball bearing downwardly to the bottom of the recess in the latch body normally biasing the ball bearing against the spacer means device when the pin is mounted in the blind passage in the top of the post. 17. The latch for releasably holding a semiconductor wafer to a ring-support in accordance with claim 16 includinga retainer device on the post for resisting detachment of the post from the latch body under the influence of the spring. 18. The latch for releasably holding a semiconductor wafer to a ring-support in accordance with claim 17 includinga roller device rotatably mounted on the latch body on opposite sides of the recess in the latch body. 19. A latch for releasably holding a semiconductor wafer to a wafer supporting device comprising:a latch body,a mounting device for rotatably mounting the latch body on the wafer supporting device, the mounting device including,a ball bearing having an inner race and an outer race, the inner race being secured to the mounting device,the outer race being rotatably secured to the inner race,a resilient member between the ball bearing and the latch body normally biasing the ball bearing away from the latch body, anda first retainer device on the mounting device for preventing the separation of the ball bearing from the mounting device. 20. The latch for releasably holding asemiconductor wafer to the wafer supporting device in accordance with claim 19, includinga second retainer means device on the mounting means for preventing the latch body from separating from the mounting means device. 21. The latch for releasably holding a semiconductor wafer to the wafer supporting device in accordance with claim 19, in whichthe mounting device comprises a pin and a post, the post being detachably secured to the wafer supporting devicethe ball bearing being mounted on the pin,the pin and the post being detachably coupled to each other such that the post rotates with rotation of the pin. 22. Th e latch for releasably holding a semiconductor wafer to the wafer supporting device in accordance with claim 21, includinga second retainer device attached to the mounting device for preventing the latch body from separating from the mounting device.