EP0290218A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for retaining wafers
Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates Inc
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Filing: 1988-05-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-05-03
Abstract
Abstract A device for releaseably holding a workpiece includes a resilient collet which is pivotally attached to a base. Several fingers for holding the workpiece extend from the collet. The fingers are pivoted by actuating a member which elastically deforms the collet and causes the fingers to pivot from a position for engaging the workpiece to a position for releasing the workpiece and vice-versa. In one application, the base is a platen for supporting a wafer in a semiconductor processing system and a plurality of such platens and a corresponding plurality of the holding devices are arranged around the periphery of the disk. A counterweight ring is attached to the ring-shaped collet to counter-balance the moment generated by the centrifugal force of the wafer pressing against the fingers as the disk is rotated.
Inventors
- 👤 Eric L. Mears
- 👤 Richard J. Hertel
- 👤 Robert V. Brick
- 👤 Carl James Holt Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 22:40
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/76; H10P72/7604; H10P72/7608; H10P72/30; H10P72/34; H10P72/3411; H10P72/7618; H10P72/7621; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T279/00; Y10T279/24; Y10T279/243; Y10T279/31
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A device for releaseably holding a workpiece, said device comprising: a base; a resilient member having a plurality of finger members extending therefrom, each of said finger members being separated by a portion of said resilient member, said resilient member being attached to said base; and means for selectably moving said finger members into and out of engagement with said workpiece, said means for moving including means for elastically deforming said resilient member to move said finger members.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
78 words
A device for releaseably holding a workpiece, said device comprising: a base; a resilient member having a plurality of finger members extending therefrom, each of said finger members being separated by a portion of said resilient member, said resilient member being attached to said base; and means for selectably moving said finger members into and out of engagement with said workpiece, said means for moving including means for elastically deforming said resilient member to move said finger members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device as in claim 1 wherein said resilient member is pivotally attached to said base, elastic deformation of said resilient member by said means for deforming causing said finger members to pivot.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as in claim 1 wherein said finger members are coated with a material selected to reduce particle generation or to improve the grip of said fingers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device as in claim 1 wherein said resilient member is a simple closed loop.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device as in claim 4 wherein said simple closed loop comprises a conical ring.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device as in claim 4 wherein said simple closed loop comprises a generally annular ring.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device as in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said base comprises means for supporting said workpiece.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as in claim 7 wherein said workpiece is flat and wherein said means for supporting said workpiece comprises a platen having a flat surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device as in claim 8 wherein said finger members have an inner surface for contacting said flat workpiece inclined a few degrees relative to the normal to said flat surface of said platen.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device as in claim 9 wherein said fingers have a portion of said inner surface curved to match the outer peripheral edge of said flat workpiece.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as in claim 8 wherein said finger members do not contact any portion of said flat surface of said workpiece when engaging said workpiece.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device as in claim 11 wherein said finger members are dimensioned relative to said flat workpiece so that said finger members do not extend above the top surface of a flat workpiece being supported by said platen.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
77 words
A device as in claim 8 wherein said platen possesses a plurality of openings extending from the surface of said platen through said platen and further including means for extending a corresponding plurality of lifting members through said openings above said flat surface for lifting said flat workpiece from said platen and for retracting said plurality of said lifting members through said openings to a position beneath said surface for lowering a flat workpiece onto said platen.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as in claim 2 wherein said means for elastically deforming comprises means for pressing against said resilient member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as in claim 15 wherein said means for pressing comprises an actuating member and means for driving said actuating member against said annular ring.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
72 words
A device for releaseably holding a workpiece, said device comprising: a base; a resilient member having a plurality of finger members extending therefrom; means for pivotally attaching said resilient member to said base; and means for elastically deforming said resilient member to pivot said finger members from a first position to a second position, said finger members being positioned for engaging said workpiece in one of said first and said second positions.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
72 words
A device for releaseably holding a workpiece, said device comprising: a base; a resilient member having a plurality of finger members extending therefrom; means for pivotally attaching said resilient member to said base; and means for elastically deforming said resilient member to pivot said finger members from a first position to a second position, said finger members being positioned for engaging said workpiece in one of said first and said second positions.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device as in claim 16 wherein said means for pivotally attaching comprises an elastomeric member positioned between said base and said means for supporting.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device as in claim 17 wherein said elastomeric member is attached to said base.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device as in claim 18 wherein said elastomeric member possesses a groove for receiving an edge of said resilient member.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device as in claim 19 wherein said resilient member has the form of a simple closed loop.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
A device as in claim 16 further comprising a counterweight member attached to said resilient member, said counterweight member being selected to counter-balance the pivoting moment generated by a workpiece held by said device when said device is being rotated.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device as in claim 16 wherein said base comprises a platen for supporting a flat workpiece.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
95 words
A device for releasably retaining a disk-shaped workpiece on a platen having a central axis normal to the top surface of said platen, said device comprising: a platen; a plurality of finger members; and means for attaching said finger members to said platen so that a portion of each of said finger members extend above the surface of said platen and for moving said finger members from a closed position to an open position, said portions of said finger members being closer to said central axis in said closed position than in said open position.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
95 words
A device for releasably retaining a disk-shaped workpiece on a platen having a central axis normal to the top surface of said platen, said device comprising: a platen; a plurality of finger members; and means for attaching said finger members to said platen so that a portion of each of said finger members extend above the surface of said platen and for moving said finger members from a closed position to an open position, said portions of said finger members being closer to said central axis in said closed position than in said open position.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device as in claim 23 wherein said finger members are dimensioned so that in said closed position said finger members do not contact the top flat surface of said workpiece.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method of loading and retaining wafers on a platen comprising: moving said fingers of said device of claim 23 to said open position; placing a wafer on said platen of said device; and moving said fingers of said device to said closed position.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
37 words
A batch processing apparatus comprising: means for supporting a plurality of devices as in claim 2, 16 or 21 at a fixed distance from an axis; and means for rotating said means for supporting about said axis.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
A batch processing apparatus as in claim 26 wherein said means for supporting said plurality of said devices comprises a disk.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
A batch processing apparatus as in claim 26 further including means for rotating said means for supporting about a second axis perpendicular to said first axis.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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