Patent US3923342A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3923342A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and method for handling frangible objects
Assignee: Motorola Solutions Inc
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Filing: 1974-06-10
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Granted: 1975-12-02
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Expires: 1994-06-10
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for handling frangible objects, such as semiconductor wafers, uses an air slide to load the wafers into a quartz wafer boat or other carrier positioned at the end of the air slide reliably without damaging the wafers or other objects. The wafer boat is positioned at the end of the air slide at an inclined angle such that the wafers are loaded into slots in the boat and remain in place by force of gravity. In order to prevent damage to the wafers as they are propelled into the slots by the air slide, a vacuum probe on a pedestal is positioned within the carrier at the end of the air slide to grasp the wafer as it enters the slot but before the wafer strikes the back of the slot. The wafer is then released from the vacuum probe and gently settles in place in the slot. The wafer boat is successively indexed to present successive slots to wafer receiving position off the end of the air slide. Use of this apparatus and method allows very rapid loading of semiconductor wafers into a wafer boat under automated conditions without damage to them.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank Michael Shannon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 20:49
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/30; H10P72/36; H10P72/3604; B; B65; B65G; B65G51/00; B65G51/02; B65G51/03; B65G65/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S414/00; Y10S414/135; Y10S414/136
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
Apparatus for loading frangible objects comprising: a. conveying means having an end from which the objects are propelled, b. a vacuum probe positioned adjacent the end of said conveying means to releasably grasp an object after it has been propelled off the end of said conveying means, c. a carrier having a plurality of slots each having a back surface into which the objects are to be loaded, said carrier being positioned around said vacuum probe and adjacent to the end of said conveying means, said conveying means terminating prior to entering said carrier, so that said vacuum probe releasably grasps an object after it has been propelled off the end of said conveying means as it moves into one of said slots prior to impact against said back surface, and d. means for successively indexing said carrier to move said slots successively into object receiving position adjacent to the end of said conveying means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
155 words
Apparatus for loading frangible objects comprising: a. conveying means having an end from which the objects are propelled, b. a vacuum probe positioned adjacent the end of said conveying means to releasably grasp an object after it has been propelled off the end of said conveying means, c. a carrier having a plurality of slots each having a back surface into which the objects are to be loaded, said carrier being positioned around said vacuum probe and adjacent to the end of said conveying means, said conveying means terminating prior to entering said carrier, so that said vacuum probe releasably grasps an object after it has been propelled off the end of said conveying means as it moves into one of said slots prior to impact against said back surface, and d. means for successively indexing said carrier to move said slots successively into object receiving position adjacent to the end of said conveying means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: e. means proximate to the end of said conveying meAns for sensing the presence of an object moving toward said carrier, and f. means, controlled by said means for sensing, for activating said vacuum probe.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus of claim 1 in which said conveying means is an air slide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus of claim 3 in which said frangible objects are semiconductor wafers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus of claim 4 in which the slots of said carrier are indexed at an angle of from about 10 to about 20 degrees with respect to said air slide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus of claim 1 in which said vacuum probe operates continuously at other times than when releasing a wafer grasped by it.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
146 words
A process for loading frangible objects into a carrier having a plurality of slots each having a back surface, from a conveying means having an end, which comprises: a. positioning the carrier adjacent to the end of the conveying means, with said slots in an indexed relationship with respect to said conveying means, and the conveying means terminating prior to entering the carrier, b. propelling a said frangible object off the end of the conveying means toward the carrier, c. applying force to a said frangible object after it has been propelled off the end of the conveying means and as it enters a said slot to stop said object before it strikes the back surface of said slot, and d. terminating the application of said force, whereby the frangible object is fed into one of said slots in a manner to prevent damage to it.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
146 words
A process for loading frangible objects into a carrier having a plurality of slots each having a back surface, from a conveying means having an end, which comprises: a. positioning the carrier adjacent to the end of the conveying means, with said slots in an indexed relationship with respect to said conveying means, and the conveying means terminating prior to entering the carrier, b. propelling a said frangible object off the end of the conveying means toward the carrier, c. applying force to a said frangible object after it has been propelled off the end of the conveying means and as it enters a said slot to stop said object before it strikes the back surface of said slot, and d. terminating the application of said force, whereby the frangible object is fed into one of said slots in a manner to prevent damage to it.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 7 in which said frangible objects are semiconductor wafers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 8 in which said force is applied by means of a vacuum.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 9 in which said conveying means is an air slide.
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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) | 1978-12-01 | 1979-06-02 | 1979-12-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-01 | 1983-06-02 | 1983-12-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-01 | 1987-06-02 | 1987-12-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |