IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0971714
(2004-10-22)
|
등록번호 |
US-7347329
(2008-03-25)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Burns,John
- Fuller,Matthew A.
- King,Jeffery J.
- Forbes,Martin L.
- Smith,Mark V.
- Zabka,Michael
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Patterson, Thuente, Skaar & Christensen, P.A.
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
14 인용 특허 :
17 |
초록
▼
A carrier for transporting silicon semiconductor wafers during semiconductor wafer processing operations including an enclosure, a door and a flange structured to interface with a machine so that the carrier can be lifted by the machine. A lift saddle connects the flange to the container so that the
A carrier for transporting silicon semiconductor wafers during semiconductor wafer processing operations including an enclosure, a door and a flange structured to interface with a machine so that the carrier can be lifted by the machine. A lift saddle connects the flange to the container so that the load on the flange is transferred to a part of the enclosure other than the top of the enclosure to prevent distortion of the enclosure to maintaining seal integrity between the enclosure and the door.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A carrier for transporting semiconductor wafers, the carrier comprising: a container portion comprising a top, a bottom, lateral sides with sidewalls, and a back wall defining an enclosure closed except for an open front, the container portion configured for supporting the wa
What is claimed is: 1. A carrier for transporting semiconductor wafers, the carrier comprising: a container portion comprising a top, a bottom, lateral sides with sidewalls, and a back wall defining an enclosure closed except for an open front, the container portion configured for supporting the wafers horizontally; a U-shaped lift saddle and robotic flange extending over the top of the container portion and extending down the sides of the container portion with the robotic flange located above the top of the container portion, the lift saddle including a pair of straps, each strap having a plurality of spaced apart fastening structures, the sidewalls of the container portion having a plurality of strap engagement brackets, each fastening structure selectively engagable with a separate one of the strap engagement brackets to attach the U-shaped lift saddle and robotic flange to the sidewalls of the enclosure portion, wherein the U-shaped saddle with the robotic flange is not rigidly attached to the top or bottom of the container portion such that lifting of the container portion by the robotic flange will transfer loading to the sidewalls of the container portion rather than the top of the container portion thereby minimizing distortion of the container portion. 2. The carrier as claimed in claim 1, in which the pair of straps of the lift saddle are configured as handles shaped to accommodate manual lifting of the carrier. 3. The carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the U-shaped saddle and robotic flange have a guide and the container portion comprises a guide rail formed in the top, the guide rail received in the guide slot, and being arranged such that only when an excessive load is applied to the U-shaped lift saddle and robotic flange via the flange, that the U-shaped saddle and robotic flange will engage the guide rail at the guide slot to transfer loading to the top of the container portion whereby excessive loading of the U-shaped lift saddle and robotic flange through the straps extending down the sidewalls is prevented. 4. A method of maintaining seal integrity while transporting silicon semiconductor wafers in a carrier having an enclosure with a front opening and a door during semiconductor wafer processing operations, the seal being between the enclosure and the door, the enclosure having a top, a pair of opposing lateral sides and a bottom, the method comprising the steps of: operably connecting a flange to a lift saddle, the flange being structured to interface with a machine operated end effector such that the carrier can be lifted by the machine via the flange; operably connecting the lift saddle and robotic flange to each of the pair of lateral sides of the enclosure at a plurality of spaced apart locations on each lateral side and not rigidly attaching the lift saddle and robotic flange to the top of the enclosure whereby distortion of the enclosure is minimized under loading thus maintaining seal integrity between the enclosure and the door. 5. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising the step of removably connecting the lift saddle and robotic flange to the enclosure. 6. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising the steps of providing the lift saddle with handles shaped to accommodate manual lifting of the carrier and manually lifting the carrier by grasping the handles. 7. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising the steps of providing a guide slot in the lifting saddle and robotic flange; providing a guide rail in the top of the enclosure, and arranging the guide slot and the guide rail such that only if an excessive load is applied to the lift saddle via the flange the guide slot will contact the guide rail transferring loading to the top of the carrier whereby excessive loading of the lift saddle is prevented. 8. A carrier for transporting silicon semiconductor wafers during semiconductor wafer processing operations, the carrier comprising: a front opening container comprising an enclosure and an openable door, the enclosure having a top, lateral sides and a bottom; means for interfacing with a machine operated end effector, the means including a robotic flange and lifting saddle not rigidly attached to the top of the container such that the carrier can be lifted by the machine via the means for interfacing; and means for interconnecting the means for interfacing to the enclosure such that the load on the flange is transferred to a part of the enclosure other than the top of the container whereby distortion of the enclosure is minimized thus maintaining seal integrity between the enclosure and the door. 9. The carrier as claimed in claim 8, in which the interfacing means is located above the top of the enclosure. 10. The carrier as claimed in claim 8, in which the interconnecting means is operably connected to the lateral sides of the enclosure. 11. The carrier as claimed in claim 10, in which the interconnecting means is operably connected to each lateral side at two different locations on each lateral side. 12. The carrier as claimed in claim 10, in which the interconnecting means further comprises means for manual grasping to accommodate manual lifting of the carrier. 13. The carrier as claimed in claim 10, further comprising means for preventing excessive loading of the interconnecting means. 14. The carrier as claimed in claim 13, in which the means for preventing excessive loading comprises a guide slot operably connected to the flange and a guide rail formed in the top of the enclosure, the guide slot and the guide rail being arranged such that if an excessive load is applied to the lift saddle via the flange the guide slot will contact the guide rail.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.