| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| 7611319 |
Methods and apparatus for identifying small lot size substrate carriers |
November 3, 2009 |
| In at least one aspect, a system is provided that includes (1) a substrate carrier having first docking features; and (2) a loadport having second docking features. The second docking features are adapted to block docking of substrate carriers that do not include the first docking fe |
| 7611318 |
Overhead transfer flange and support for suspending a substrate carrier |
November 3, 2009 |
| In a first aspect, a first apparatus is provided for use in supporting a substrate carrier. The first apparatus includes an overhead transfer flange adapted to couple to a substrate carrier body and an overhead carrier support. The overhead transfer flange has a first side and a seco |
| 7597183 |
Kinematic pin with shear member and substrate carrier for use therewith |
October 6, 2009 |
| A kinematic pin and a substrate carrier adapted to deter dislodgment of the substrate carrier from the kinematic pin are provided. A shear member on the kinematic pin interacts with a shear feature of the substrate carrier to deter lateral movement of the substrate carrier relative to |
| 7594789 |
Overhead transfer flange and support for suspending a substrate carrier |
September 29, 2009 |
| In a first aspect, a first apparatus is provided for use in supporting a substrate carrier. The first apparatus includes an overhead transfer flange adapted to couple to a substrate carrier body and an overhead carrier support. The overhead transfer flange has a first side and a seco |
| 7578647 |
Load port configurations for small lot size substrate carriers |
August 25, 2009 |
| In a first aspect, an apparatus is provided for opening a substrate carrier door of a substrate carrier. The apparatus includes a supporting member adapted to (1) support the substrate carrier door at a load port; (2) allow removal of the door from the substrate carrier; and (3) pivot |
| 7577487 |
Methods and apparatus for a band to band transfer module |
August 18, 2009 |
| A band to band transfer module according to the present invention may be used with a substrate carrier transport system, or other systems, to transfer substrate carriers (e.g., small lot substrate carriers) from one conveyor to another conveyor or between two points on the same conveyor. |
| 7552816 |
Break-away positioning conveyor mount for accommodating conveyor belt bends |
June 30, 2009 |
| A break-away mounting system for a continuous-motion, high-speed position conveyor system is disclosed. A support cradle may be suspended from a conveyor belt such that the support cradle maintains a fixed position and orientation relative to at least one point on the conveyor belt witho |
| 7540371 |
Break-away positioning conveyor mount for accommodating conveyor belt bends |
June 2, 2009 |
| A break-away mounting system for a continuous-motion, high-speed position conveyor system is disclosed. A support cradle may be suspended from a conveyor belt such that the support cradle maintains a fixed position and orientation relative to at least one point on the conveyor belt witho |
| 7537108 |
Methods and apparatus for transporting substrate carriers |
May 26, 2009 |
| According to a first aspect, a first conveyor system is provided that is adapted to deliver substrate carriers within a semiconductor device manufacturing facility. The first conveyor system includes a ribbon that forms a closed loop along at least a portion of the semiconductor device |
| 7527141 |
System for transporting substrate carriers |
May 5, 2009 |
| In a semiconductor fabrication facility, a conveyor transports substrate carriers. The substrate carriers are unloaded from the conveyor and loaded onto the conveyor without stopping the conveyor. A load and/or unload mechanism lifts the substrate carriers from the conveyor during un |
| 7506752 |
Methods and apparatus for transporting substrate carriers |
March 24, 2009 |
| According to a first aspect, a first conveyor system is provided that is adapted to deliver substrate carriers within a semiconductor device manufacturing facility. The first conveyor system includes a ribbon that forms a closed loop along at least a portion of the semiconductor device |
| 7506747 |
Break-away positioning conveyor mount for accommodating conveyor belt bends |
March 24, 2009 |
| A break-away mounting system for a continuous-motion, high-speed position conveyor system is disclosed. A support cradle may be suspended from a conveyor belt such that the support cradle maintains a fixed position and orientation relative to at least one point on the conveyor belt witho |
| 7506746 |
System for transporting substrate carriers |
March 24, 2009 |
| In a semiconductor fabrication facility, a conveyor transports substrate carriers. The substrate carriers are unloaded from the conveyor and loaded onto the conveyor without stopping the conveyor. A load and/or unload mechanism lifts the substrate carriers from the conveyor during un |
| 7503448 |
Break-away positioning conveyor mount for accommodating conveyor belt bends |
March 17, 2009 |
| A break-away mounting system for a continuous-motion, high-speed position conveyor system is disclosed. A support cradle may be suspended from a conveyor belt such that the support cradle maintains a fixed position and orientation relative to at least one point on the conveyor belt witho |
| 7455172 |
Break-away positioning conveyor mount for accommodating conveyor belt bends |
November 25, 2008 |
| A break-away mounting system for a continuous-motion, high-speed position conveyor system is disclosed. A support cradle may be suspended from a conveyor belt such that the support cradle maintains a fixed position and orientation relative to at least one point on the conveyor belt witho |
| 7433756 |
Calibration of high speed loader to substrate transport system |
October 7, 2008 |
| In a first aspect, a first method of calibrating a substrate carrier loader to a moving conveyor is provided. The first method includes the steps of (1) providing a substrate carrier loader adapted to load substrate carriers onto a moving conveyor; (2) aligning the substrate carrier |
| 7367446 |
Methods and apparatus for transporting substrate carriers |
May 6, 2008 |
| According to a first aspect, a first conveyor system is provided that is adapted to deliver substrate carriers within a semiconductor device manufacturing facility. The first conveyor system includes a ribbon that forms a closed loop along at least a portion of the semiconductor device |
| 7359767 |
Substrate carrier handler that unloads substrate carriers directly from a moving conveyor |
April 15, 2008 |
| In a first aspect, a substrate loading station is served by a conveyor which continuously transports substrate carriers. A substrate carrier handler that is part of the substrate loading station operates to exchange substrate carriers with the conveyor while the conveyor is in motion |
| 7346431 |
Substrate carrier handler that unloads substrate carriers directly from a moving conveyer |
March 18, 2008 |
| In a first aspect, a substrate loading station is served by a conveyor which continuously transports substrate carriers. A substrate carrier handler that is part of the substrate loading station operates to exchange substrate carriers with the conveyor while the conveyor is in motion |
| 7299831 |
Substrate carrier having door latching and substrate clamping mechanisms |
November 27, 2007 |
| In a first aspect, an automatic door opener is provided that includes (1) a platform adapted to support a substrate carrier; (2) a door opening mechanism adapted to open a door of the substrate carrier while the substrate carrier is supported by the platform; and (3) a tunnel. The tu |
| 7293642 |
Methods and apparatus for transporting substrate carriers |
November 13, 2007 |
| According to a first aspect, a first conveyor system is provided that is adapted to deliver substrate carriers within a semiconductor device manufacturing facility. The first conveyor system includes a ribbon that forms a closed loop along at least a portion of the semiconductor device |
| 7274971 |
Methods and apparatus for electronic device manufacturing system monitoring and control |
September 25, 2007 |
| In a first aspect, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes a medium readable by a computer. The computer readable medium has computer program code adapted to (1) create a band map that indicates an expected status of one or more positions along a |
| 7258520 |
Methods and apparatus for using substrate carrier movement to actuate substrate carrier door ope |
August 21, 2007 |
| A system for opening a substrate carrier includes a substrate carrier having an openable portion. The substrate carrier also has an opening mechanism coupled to the openable portion. A substrate transfer location has a support adapted to support a substrate carrier. The substrate tra |
| 7243003 |
Substrate carrier handler that unloads substrate carriers directly from a moving conveyor |
July 10, 2007 |
| In a first aspect, a substrate loading station is served by a conveyor which continuously transports substrate carriers. A substrate carrier handler that is part of the substrate loading station operates to exchange substrate carriers with the conveyor while the conveyor is in motion |
| 7234584 |
System for transporting substrate carriers |
June 26, 2007 |
| In a semiconductor fabrication facility, a conveyor transports substrate carriers. The substrate carriers are unloaded from the conveyor and loaded onto the conveyor without stopping the conveyor. A load and/or unload mechanism lifts the substrate carriers from the conveyor during un |
| 7230702 |
Monitoring of smart pin transition timing |
June 12, 2007 |
| A movable portion of a substrate carrier handler is extended into a transport path along which a substrate carrier transport system transports a substrate carrier, respective kinematic coupling events are detected between corresponding interface elements of the movable portion and th |
| 7221993 |
Systems and methods for transferring small lot size substrate carriers between processing tools |
May 22, 2007 |
| In a first aspect, a method of managing work in progress within a small lot size semiconductor device manufacturing facility is provided. The first method includes providing a small lot size semiconductor device manufacturing facility having (1) a plurality of processing tools; and ( |
| 7168553 |
Dynamically balanced substrate carrier handler |
January 30, 2007 |
| In a first aspect, a substrate loading station is served by a conveyor which continuously transports substrate carriers. A substrate carrier handler that is part of the substrate loading station operates to exchange substrate carriers with the conveyor while the conveyor is in motion |
| 7156221 |
Break-away positioning conveyor mount for accommodating conveyor belt bends |
January 2, 2007 |
| A break-away mounting system for a continuous-motion, high-speed position conveyor system is disclosed. A support cradle may be suspended from a conveyor belt such that the support cradle maintains a fixed position and orientation relative to at least one point on the conveyor belt witho |
| 7077264 |
Methods and apparatus for transporting substrate carriers |
July 18, 2006 |
| According to a first aspect, a first conveyor system is provided that is adapted to deliver substrate carriers within a semiconductor device manufacturing facility. The first conveyor system includes a ribbon that forms a closed loop along at least a portion of the semiconductor device |
| 7051870 |
Suspension track belt |
May 30, 2006 |
| Belt assemblies comprising a flexible belt having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of substantially T-shaped plates, each of the substantially T-shaped plates including a substantially horizontal portion and a substantially vertical portion, the substantially vertical portion of e |
| 7039501 |
Method for determining a position of a robot |
May 2, 2006 |
| Generally, a method of determining a position of a robot is provided. In one embodiment, a method of determining a position of a robot comprises acquiring a first set of positional metrics, acquiring a second set of positional metrics and resolving the position of the robot due to therma |
| 6955197 |
Substrate carrier having door latching and substrate clamping mechanisms |
October 18, 2005 |
| In a first aspect, an automatic door opener is provided that includes (1) a platform adapted to support a substrate carrier; (2) a door opening mechanism adapted to open a door of the substrate carrier while the substrate carrier is supported by the platform; and (3) a tunnel. The tu |
| 6709218 |
Robot blade for semiconductor processing equipment |
March 23, 2004 |
| The present invention generally provides a robot blade which provides a plurality of semi-conductive or conductive contacts disposed at least partially on the surface of the blade to support a substrate above the blade. The contacts are preferably located inwardly from the edge of the |
| 6582175 |
Robot for handling semiconductor wafers |
June 24, 2003 |
| A multi-set robot is provided that includes a first robot set having a first motor coupled to a first rotatable member that is rotatable about an axis; a second motor coupled to a second rotatable member that is rotatable about the axis; a first plurality of blades vertically spaced |
| 6573522 |
Locator pin integrated with sensor for detecting semiconductor substrate carrier |
June 3, 2003 |
| A storage surface for a semiconductor substrate carrier has substrate carrier sensors that are integrated with locator pins. Each locator pin includes a pin body mounted on, and extending upwardly from, the surface. The pin body has a slot formed at an upper portion of the pin body. A |
| 6556887 |
Method for determining a position of a robot |
April 29, 2003 |
| Generally, a method of determining a position of a robot is provided. In one embodiment, a method of determining a position of a robot comprises acquiring a first set of positional metrics, acquiring a second set of positional metrics and resolving the position of the robot due to therma |
| 6379095 |
Robot for handling semiconductor wafers |
April 30, 2002 |
| An apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers has an automatic robot for independently and simultaneously handling two wafers (W) at the same time on two separate transfer planes. The robot comprises a first arm assembly having a left and a right arm each mounted at one end for indepe |
| 6222337 |
Mechanically clamping robot wrist |
April 24, 2001 |
| The present invention generally provides a robot that can transfer a workpiece, such as a silicon wafer, at increased speeds and accelerations/decelerations. More particularly, the present invention provides a robot wrist for mechanically clamping a workpiece to a workpiece handling |
| 6056504 |
Adjustable frog-leg robot |
May 2, 2000 |
| An adjustable length frog-leg type wafer handler is provided. The wafer handler has two arms each having an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion may extend between a normal position and an extended position, and/or the upper portion may extend between an normal position |
| 5955858 |
Mechanically clamping robot wrist |
September 21, 1999 |
| The present invention generally provides a robot that can transfer a workpiece, such as a silicon wafer, at increased speeds and accelerations/decelerations. More particularly, the present invention provides a robot wrist for mechanically clamping a workpiece to a workpiece handling |
