EP0138473A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for integrated circuit processing
Assignee: HP Inc
•
Filing: 1984-09-28
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2004-09-28
Abstract
Abstract A standardized mechanical interface (SMIF) system for processing integrated circuits (IC) is disclosed that reduces particle contamination of IC wafers by as much as ten times over conventional clean room handling practice. The IC wafers are retained within small, clean, still-air enclosures (90,10) and are handled by mechanical arms (120) without physical intrusion by human operators. The level of SMIF system particle contamination is independent of the outside environment so that ICs can be processed in a non-clean facility.
Inventors
- 👤 David Lawrence Thrasher
- 👤 Barclay J. Tullis
- 👤 Ulrich Kaempf
- 👤 John Jamieson
- 👤 Mihir Parikh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 20:07
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/30; H10P72/34; H10P72/3404; H10P72/3406
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
81 words
A system suitable for processing integrated circuits, characterized by: first enclosure means (10) arranged to substantially surround or enclose at least a work station or part of a piece of integrated circuit processing equipment to provide a still-air environment; second enclosure means (90) for transporting integrated circuits in a still-air environment; and interface means (110) for coupling said first and second enclosure means together to prevent the intrusion of particle contamination from the air outside of the first and second enclosures.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
81 words
A system suitable for processing integrated circuits, characterized by: first enclosure means (10) arranged to substantially surround or enclose at least a work station or part of a piece of integrated circuit processing equipment to provide a still-air environment; second enclosure means (90) for transporting integrated circuits in a still-air environment; and interface means (110) for coupling said first and second enclosure means together to prevent the intrusion of particle contamination from the air outside of the first and second enclosures.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system according to claim 1 further characterized by:- manipulator means (30) coupled to the first enclosure means for moving the integrated circuits within the first enclosure means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system according to claim 2 characterized in that said manipulator means (30) further comprises: an arm (120) passing through an opening in the first enclosure means; and bearing means (150) coupled to the first enclosure means and the arm for sealing said opening against the intrusion of particles.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system according to claim 3 further characterized by:- damping means (181) coupled between said arm (120) and said first enclosure means (10) for limiting the rate at which said arm can move.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
21 words
A system according to any one of claims 2 to 4 characterized in that said manipulator means comprises an air-tight glove.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
20 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims further characterized by a cassette (80) for carrying integrated circuits.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 6 further characterized by retaining means (85) for holding the integrated circuits within said cassette.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
26 words
A system according to either one of claims 6 and 7 characterized in that gripper means (130) is coupled to said arm for manipulating said cassette.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A systen according to any one of claims 6 to 8 further characterized by cassette storage means (320) for storing a cassette in a still-air environment.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
25 words
A system according to any of the preceding claims further characterized by means (70) for transporting integrated circuits between the first and second enclosure means.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
25 words
A system according to any of of the preceding claims further characterized by box storage means (300) for storing one or more second enclosure means.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
27 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims further characterized by alignment means for orienting the second enclosure means relative to the first enclosure means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 12 further characterized by clamping means (220) for holding said first and second enclosure means in said alignment means.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
43 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims further characterized by particle-filter openings (11, 91) in said first and second enclosure means to allow continuous equalization between internal and external air pressure of each of said first and second enclosure means.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
29 words
A system according to any of the preceding claims further characterized by air filtration means coupled to the first enclosure means for removing particles from said first enclosure means.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
26 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims further characterized by means (183) coupled to the first enclosure means for directly holding integrated circuits.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
47 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said interface means comprises first and second closure means (60, 100) arranged to mate one with the other and for independently sealing the first and second enclosure means respectively from particle contamination as aforesaid.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
39 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims further characterized by interlock means (330) for moving integrated circuits from a particle contaminated environment into said second enclosure means without introducing particle contamination into the second enclosure means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
100 words
A system according to claim 18 characterized in that said interlock means (330) comprises: a main chamber (335); an access chamber (340) for receiving the integrated circuits from the contaminated environment; an air-tight closure (341) between the main chamber and the access chamber; second interface means for coupling said main chamber and said second enclosure means while substantially excluding the intrusion of particle contamination from air outside of the main chamber and the second enclosure means; and air filtration means (355) coupled to the main chamber for removing particles from said main chamber introduced when said air-tight door is opened.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
A system according to claim 19 further characterized in that manipulator means (350) is provided in the main chamber and sealed against the intrusion of particle contamination from air outside of the main chamber for manually manipulating the integrated circuits within the main chamber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.