EP0288455B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Box door actuated retainer
Assignee: ASYST TECHNOLOGIES
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Filing: 1985-12-23
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Granted: 1990-05-16
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Expires: 2005-12-23
Abstract
Abstract A transportable container, such as a box, for maintaining articles to be processed, such as semiconductor wafers, clean. The wafers or other articles to be processed are placed in a holder. A rigid base supports the holder within the container. A retainer is provided for retaining the articles in the holder. The rigid base and holder are retractable from the container into a clean environment whereby the articles can be processed without contamination. When the base is retracted, the retainer is automatically retracted from the articles so that the articles can be removed from the holder.
Inventors
- 👤 George Allan Maney
- 👤 W. George Faraco
- 👤 Mihir Parikh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 19:29
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/10; H10P72/19; H10P72/1911; H10P72/1912; H10P72/1914; H10P72/30; H10P72/34; H10P72/3406; H10P72/3408
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
A transportable container for articles to be processed, for use with passage means for passing said articles between locations, comprising: a box (90) defining a box opening; a box door (99) for being received by said box opening; holder means (80) for holding one or more articles (82), said holder means supported by said box door (99) and sized for passage through said box opening, said passage means passing said holder means through said box opening; characterised by retainer means (86), movably mounted adjacent to said holder means (80), for substantially retaining said one or more articles (82) held by said holder means (84); wherein said retainer means is supported by said box door (99) while said box door is received by said box opening; and wherein, in the course of passage of said holder means (80) through said box opening, said retainer means has a first component of movement in a direction substantially transverse to movement of said holder means (80).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
162 words
A transportable container for articles to be processed, for use with passage means for passing said articles between locations, comprising: a box (90) defining a box opening; a box door (99) for being received by said box opening; holder means (80) for holding one or more articles (82), said holder means supported by said box door (99) and sized for passage through said box opening, said passage means passing said holder means through said box opening; characterised by retainer means (86), movably mounted adjacent to said holder means (80), for substantially retaining said one or more articles (82) held by said holder means (84); wherein said retainer means is supported by said box door (99) while said box door is received by said box opening; and wherein, in the course of passage of said holder means (80) through said box opening, said retainer means has a first component of movement in a direction substantially transverse to movement of said holder means (80).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The container of claim 1 wherein said box retainer means (86) is disposed substantially within said interior region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The container of claim 1 wherein substantially during a passage of said holder means (80) through said box opening, said retainer means (86) moves between a first position and a second position; wherein said second position is transversely displaced farther from said holder means than said first position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The container of claim 3 wherein said holder means (80) substantially is supported by said box door (99) when said holder means is in said first position and said box door is received in said box opening.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
73 words
The container of claim 1 wherein said box defines an interior region; and wherein said retainer means (86) moves in a direction substantially toward said holder means (80) during passage of said holder means through said box opening (58) to said interior region; and wherein said retainer means moves in a direction substantially away from said holder (80) during passage of said holder means (80) through said box opening from said interior region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The container of claim 1 wherein said retainer means includes at least one first member (83, 84) pivotally coupled to said box.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The container of claim 6 wherein said box defines an interior region; and wherein said at least one first member (83, 84) is disposed substantially within said interior region.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The container of claim 6 wherein said at least one first member comprises at least one arm member (83, 84).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
The container of claim 1 wherein said box defines an interior region; and further comprising first liner means (5) defining a liner opening; wherein said first liner means is disposed substantially within said interior region between said box (90) and said holder means (80); and wherein said liner opening is sized for passage therethrough by said holder means (80).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The container of claim 9 wherein said first liner means (5) defines a liner opening substantially aligned with said box opening.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The container of claim 9 wherein said box has at least one vent port (91).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The container of claim 9 wherein said first liner means (5) comprises a flexible material which can substantially shrink or expand in volume in response to passage of air through said at least one vent port (91).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The container of claim 9 wherein said first liner means (5) comprises a flexible fluoroplastic material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The container of claim 9 and further comprising second liner means (6) disposed substantially between said box door (99) and said holder means (80).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
The container of claim 1 wherein said box (90) includes a first box perimeter edge (2) disposed adjacent to said box opening; and wherein said box door includes a first box door norirnotor orino (91 fnr substantially abutting against said first box perimeter edge (2) when said box is received in said box opening such that said abutting edges substantially form a seal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
76 words
The container of claim 1, wherein said box (90) includes a second box perimeter edge (1), said first and second box perimeter edges (1, 2) being displaced from one another in substantially parallel planes; and further comprising latch means (19) for latching said box (90) to said box door (99); wherein said latch means is disposed substantially between said first and second box perimeter edges when said box door (99) is received by said box opening.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
60 words
The container of claim 15 wherein said box door (99) is characterized by a substantially H-shaped cross-section; and wherein said box door includes a first box door perimeter edge (2) which forms a top of vertical sides of said H, and includes a second box door perimeter edge (3) which forms a bottom of the vertical sides of said H.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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