US3850296A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device and method for accommodating semiconductor wafers
Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co Ltd
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Filing: 1972-07-19
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Granted: 1974-11-26
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Expires: 1992-07-19
Abstract
Abstract The device includes a block-type holder for storing and transporting circular semi-conductor wafer disks, a covering element cooperating with the holder to enclose the wafers and having a top wall and side walls, and a pad of compressed foam material, sealed in a plastic bag and maintained compressed by atmospheric pressure on the plastic bag, positioned in the covering element above the wafers and confined by the convering element''s side walls. The holder is formed with at least one generally V-shaped longitudinal groove whose upwardly diverging walls are formed with longitudinally spaced, substantially parallel transverse V-grooves, corresponding transverse grooves in the two walls lying in the same transverse plane to receive respective wafers engaging surfaces of the transverse grooves at the wafer edges only, with the wafers in upright position. The covering element top wall is formed with a slit to receive a piercing tool to pierce the sealed plastic bag for expansion of the foam material pad into engagement with the wafers and with the top wall. The wafers may be supported to extend vertically or may be supported to extend at a slight inclination to the vertical. The wafers may be positioned in the holder and removed therefrom by a so-called air pincette, which is a suction tube in which suction may be successively applied or released at a work engaging end thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 T Hirata
- 👤 S Ohga
- 👤 T Kaya
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 10:54
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D43/00; B65D43/02; B65D25/00; B65D25/02; B65D25/10; B65D25/107; B65D81/00; B65D81/02; B65D81/05; B65D81/051
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
A device for storing and transporting circular semi-conductor wafer disks comprising, in combination, a block-type holder defining at least one generally V-shaped groove extending longitudinally thereof, each groove having opposing upwardly diverging walls and each wall being formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced parallel transverse grooves with outwardly diverging surfaces, corresponding transverse grooves in the two walls lying in the same transverse plane to receive respective wafers engaging surfaces of the transverse grooves at the wafer edges only, with the wafers in upright position; a covering element cooperable with said holder to enclose the wafers, and having a top wall and side walls; and a pad of compressed foam material, sealed in a plastic bag and maintained compressed by atmospheric pressure on the plastic bag, positioned in said covering element above wafers in said holder and confined by said side walls of said covering element; said top wall of said covering element being formed with a slit therein to receive a piercing tool to pierce said sealed plastic bag for expansion of said foam material pad into engagement with wafers in said holder and with said top wall.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
189 words
A device for storing and transporting circular semi-conductor wafer disks comprising, in combination, a block-type holder defining at least one generally V-shaped groove extending longitudinally thereof, each groove having opposing upwardly diverging walls and each wall being formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced parallel transverse grooves with outwardly diverging surfaces, corresponding transverse grooves in the two walls lying in the same transverse plane to receive respective wafers engaging surfaces of the transverse grooves at the wafer edges only, with the wafers in upright position; a covering element cooperable with said holder to enclose the wafers, and having a top wall and side walls; and a pad of compressed foam material, sealed in a plastic bag and maintained compressed by atmospheric pressure on the plastic bag, positioned in said covering element above wafers in said holder and confined by said side walls of said covering element; said top wall of said covering element being formed with a slit therein to receive a piercing tool to pierce said sealed plastic bag for expansion of said foam material pad into engagement with wafers in said holder and with said top wall.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device, as claimed in claim 1, in which said transverse planes are inclined to the vertical at an angle of substantially 5* whereby the wafers supported in the transverse grooves are similarly inclined to the vertical.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device, as claimed in claim 2, in which said holder has a bottom wall, said transverse grooves being inclined to a perpendicular to said bottom wall by substantially 5*.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A device, as claimed in claim 2, in which said holder has a bottom wall; said transverse planes extending substantially perpendicularly to said bottom wall; said holder being supported in a retainer with its bottom wall inclined to the horizontal by substantially 5*.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device, as claimed in claim 1, in which said pad is initially positioned against said top wall of said covering element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device, as claimed in claim 1, in which said pad is initially positioned in engagement with the upper edges of wafers in said holder.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
A device, as claimed in claim 1, including a receptacle having a bottom wall and upwardly extending side walls, said holder resting on said bottom wall and said covering element cooperating with said receptacle to enclose said holder and any wafers supported therein.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
A device, as claimed in claim 7, in which said receptacle has a rear wall and a pair of side walls; said covering element having a front wall closing the front end of said receptacle when said covering element is positioned on said receptacle to enclose said holder.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
68 words
A device, as claimed in claim 1, including a receptacle having a bottom wall, two side walls and a rear wall interconnecting said side walls; said bottom wall seating two said block-type holders; the side wall of said covering element being engageable with the side walls and said rear wall of said receptacle; said covering element having a front wall closing the open front end of said receptacle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
88 words
A device, as claimed in claim 1, including a receptacle having a bottom wall, two side walls and a rear wall; said receptacle side walls initially divering upwardly and outwaRdly and then extending perpendicularly to said receptacle bottom wall; said block-type holder being seated in said receptacle in engagement with the diverging side wall portions thereof; the side walls of said covering element engaging the side walls and rear wall of said receptacle, and said covering element having a front wall closing the open end of said receptacle.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of storing and transporting circular semi-conductor wafer disks comprising the steps of positioning a plurality of semi-conductor wafer disks in parallel upright relation in a holder; positioning, on the upper edges of the disks, a pad of compressed foam material, sealed in a plastic bag and maintained compressed by atmospheric pressure on the plastic bag; positioning a covering element having a top wall and side walls in engagement with said holder to enclose said disks; and then thrusting a piercing tool through a slit in the top wall of said covering element into said bag to pierce the latter for expansion of the foam material within the space between the upper edges of the wafers and the inner surfaces of said covering element.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of storing and transporting circular semi-conductor wafer disks comprising the steps of positioning a plurality of semi-conductor wafer disks in parallel upright relation in a holder; positioning, on the upper edges of the disks, a pad of compressed foam material, sealed in a plastic bag and maintained compressed by atmospheric pressure on the plastic bag; positioning a covering element having a top wall and side walls in engagement with said holder to enclose said disks; and then thrusting a piercing tool through a slit in the top wall of said covering element into said bag to pierce the latter for expansion of the foam material within the space between the upper edges of the wafers and the inner surfaces of said covering element.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
155 words
A method for storing and transporting circular semi-conductor wafer disks comprising the steps of positioning a plurality of semi-conductor wafer disks in parallel upright relation in a holder; providing a covering element having a top wall and side walls; positioning, in engagement with the inner surface of the top wall of the covering element, a pad of compressed foam material, sealed in a plastic bag and maintained compressed by atmospheric pressure on the plastic bag, with the plastic bag being confined by the side walls of the covering element; positioning the covering element with the pad positioned therein on the holder to enclose the disks; and then thrusting a piercing tool through a slit in the top wall of the covering element into said bag to pierce the same for expansion of the foam material within the space between the upper edges of the disks and the inner surface of said covering element top wall.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
155 words
A method for storing and transporting circular semi-conductor wafer disks comprising the steps of positioning a plurality of semi-conductor wafer disks in parallel upright relation in a holder; providing a covering element having a top wall and side walls; positioning, in engagement with the inner surface of the top wall of the covering element, a pad of compressed foam material, sealed in a plastic bag and maintained compressed by atmospheric pressure on the plastic bag, with the plastic bag being confined by the side walls of the covering element; positioning the covering element with the pad positioned therein on the holder to enclose the disks; and then thrusting a piercing tool through a slit in the top wall of the covering element into said bag to pierce the same for expansion of the foam material within the space between the upper edges of the disks and the inner surface of said covering element top wall.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-25 | 1978-05-27 | 1978-11-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-25 | 1982-05-27 | 1982-11-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-25 | 1986-05-27 | 1986-11-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |