US4624557A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Photomask carrier and container for photomask carrier
Assignee: Advanced Semiconductor Products Inc
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Filing: 1985-02-13
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Granted: 1986-11-25
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Expires: 2005-02-13
Abstract
Abstract An injection-molded photomask carrier includes a base with a round opening of sufficient size and shape to permit light to pass through during a photolithographic process; at least three wall members joined to, upstanding from and framing the periphery of the base to support the edges of a photomask or a photomask/pellicle array resting on the base; a flange projecting inwardly from one of the walls, and a clip on the side of the base opposite the flange for movable engagement with the portions of the photomask or photomask/pellicle combination at its edges. A container for the carrier is complementary in size and shape to the carrier, injection-molded, and includes an injection-molded cover for the container.
Inventors
- 👤 Ray Winn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 23:20
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F1/00; G03F1/66; G03B; G03B27/00; G03B27/32; G03B27/52; G03B27/62; G03B27/6271; G03B27/6278; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70691; G03F7/70733; G03F7/70741
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
270 words
An injection-molded photomask carrier including a base having a round opening of sufficient size and shape to permit light to pass through in a photolithographic process; at least three wall members joined to, upstanding from and framing the periphery of said base, said wall members having sufficient thickness to protect and support the edges of a photomask or a photomask/pellicle combination resting on said base; flange means projecting inwardly from one of said wall members, and spaced from and substantially parallel to said base, for engaging a first portion of the periphery of a photomask placed between said flange means and said base, said flange means being spaced a sufficient distance from said base to permit a photomask whose periphery is between said flange means and said base to tilt away from said base without disengaging at its periphery from said flange means; means on the side of said base opposite said flange means for movably engaging with, and disengaging from a second portion of the periphery of said photomask and, in combination with said flange means, for holding said photomask on said base; cavity means in at least one of said wall members, and extending below the plane of said base a sufficient distance to permit reaching beneath a photomask resting on said base and lifting said photomask away from said base; means on the periphery of said wall members for engaging said carrier with and disengaging said carrier from alignment means in a photolithographic device; a plurality of holes for receiving means for modifying the depth of the carrier's mask-receiving well; and a substantially uniplanar bottom carrier surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
270 words
An injection-molded photomask carrier including a base having a round opening of sufficient size and shape to permit light to pass through in a photolithographic process; at least three wall members joined to, upstanding from and framing the periphery of said base, said wall members having sufficient thickness to protect and support the edges of a photomask or a photomask/pellicle combination resting on said base; flange means projecting inwardly from one of said wall members, and spaced from and substantially parallel to said base, for engaging a first portion of the periphery of a photomask placed between said flange means and said base, said flange means being spaced a sufficient distance from said base to permit a photomask whose periphery is between said flange means and said base to tilt away from said base without disengaging at its periphery from said flange means; means on the side of said base opposite said flange means for movably engaging with, and disengaging from a second portion of the periphery of said photomask and, in combination with said flange means, for holding said photomask on said base; cavity means in at least one of said wall members, and extending below the plane of said base a sufficient distance to permit reaching beneath a photomask resting on said base and lifting said photomask away from said base; means on the periphery of said wall members for engaging said carrier with and disengaging said carrier from alignment means in a photolithographic device; a plurality of holes for receiving means for modifying the depth of the carrier's mask-receiving well; and a substantially uniplanar bottom carrier surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
231 words
The carrier of claim 1 further comprising removable frame means for reducing the circumference of said base, said frame means having an outer circumference substantially equal to the circumference of said base; said frame means including means at the outer edge of one frame side for engagement with said flange means, and means on the opposing frame side for capture by said movable engaging means on said carrier, said frame means including openings at least partially coincident with at least one of said plurality of holes in said base, said frame including flange means projecting inwardly from one of its sides, spaced from and substantially parallel to said base, for engaging a first portion of the periphery of a photomask placed between said flange means and said frame side, said frame side being spaced a sufficient distance from said base to permit a photomask whose periphery is between said flange means and said base to tilt away from said base without disengaging at its periphery from said flange means; and means on the side of said frame opposite said frame flange means for movably engaging with, and disengaging from a second portion of the periphery of a photomask resting on the said base inside said frame, said engaging means and said flange means on said frame cooperating to hold said photomask inside said frame and on said base of said carrier.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
140 words
A kit comprising the carrier of claim 1 and a complementary, injection-molded container and container cover for said carrier, said container having a width substantially similar to the width of said carrier, and having means inside said container for holding the front and back of said carrier and any photomask or photomask/pellicle combination resting on the base of said carrier, away from the inner wall surfaces of said container, said container having a slanted opening with a complementary slant-profile cover closing thereon, said slant-profile cover having a living, injection-molded hinge at one end and an injection-molded snap-fit hook at its other end, said container having a projection adjacent the opening of said container of a size and shape complementary with said snap-fit hook for snap-fit engagement with said hook when said container cover closes over the opening in said container.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
The kit of claim 3 wherein said container has at least one removable insert for narrowing its width and for adapting the interior of said container to receive carriers of narrower width than the width of the container opening without said insert in place inside said container.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
The kit of claim 3 wherein the height of said container with said container cover in place over the opening of said container is substantially similar to the height of said carrier, whereby said carrier is closely confined when placed within said container and said container cover is closed over the opening in said container.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
238 words
An injection-molded, substantially one-piece photomask carrier including a base having an opening of sufficient size and shape to permit light to pass through in a photolithographic process; means joined to, upstanding from and framing the periphery of said base, said means having sufficient strength to protect and support the edges of a photomask or a photomask/pellicle combination resting on said base; means formed by injection molding on the periphery of said framing means for engaging said carrier with, and disengaging said carrier from alignment means in a photolithographic device; means projecting inwardly from one of said framing means for engaging a first portion of the periphery of a photomask or a photomask/pellicle combination between said engaging means and said base, said engaging means being spaced a sufficient distance from said base to permit a photomask whose periphery is between said engaging means and said base to tilt away from said base without disengaging said first portion from said engaging means; means on the side of said base opposite said engaging means for movably engaging with, and disengaging from a second portion of the periphery of said photomask or said photomask/pellicle combination and, in combination with said engaging means, for holding said photomask or photomask/pellicle combination on said base; said carrier having a plurality of areas of substantially differing thicknesses precisely formed during injection molding, and a plurality of areas that are substantially flat, formed during said injection molding.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
238 words
An injection-molded, substantially one-piece photomask carrier including a base having an opening of sufficient size and shape to permit light to pass through in a photolithographic process; means joined to, upstanding from and framing the periphery of said base, said means having sufficient strength to protect and support the edges of a photomask or a photomask/pellicle combination resting on said base; means formed by injection molding on the periphery of said framing means for engaging said carrier with, and disengaging said carrier from alignment means in a photolithographic device; means projecting inwardly from one of said framing means for engaging a first portion of the periphery of a photomask or a photomask/pellicle combination between said engaging means and said base, said engaging means being spaced a sufficient distance from said base to permit a photomask whose periphery is between said engaging means and said base to tilt away from said base without disengaging said first portion from said engaging means; means on the side of said base opposite said engaging means for movably engaging with, and disengaging from a second portion of the periphery of said photomask or said photomask/pellicle combination and, in combination with said engaging means, for holding said photomask or photomask/pellicle combination on said base; said carrier having a plurality of areas of substantially differing thicknesses precisely formed during injection molding, and a plurality of areas that are substantially flat, formed during said injection molding.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The photomask carrier of claim 6 further comprising cavity means in said framing means, and extending below the plane of said base a sufficient distance to permit reaching beneath a photomask or photomask/pellicle combination resting on said base and lifting said photomask or photomask/pellicle combination away from said base.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
74 words
The photomask carrier of claim 6 further comprising cavity means in said framing means, and extending below the plane of said base a sufficient distance to permit reaching beneath a photomask or photomask/pellicle combination resting on said base and lifting said photomask or photomask/pellicle combination away from said base; and means on the periphery of said framing means for engaging said carrier with and disengaging said carrier from alignment means in a photolithographic device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
65 words
A kit comprising the carrier of claim 6 and a complementary container and container cover for said carrier, said container having a width approximating the width of said carrier, and means inside said container for holding the front and back of said carrier and any photomask or photomask/pellicle combination resting on the base of said carrier, away from the inner wall surfaces of said container.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
193 words
An injection-molded, substantially one-piece photomask carrier including a base having an opening of sufficient size and shape to permit light to pass through in a photolithographic process; means joined to, upstanding from and framing the periphery of said base, said framing means having sufficient strength to protect and support the edges of a photomask or a photomask/pellicle combination resting on said base; means formed by injection molding on the periphery of said framing means for engaging said carrier with, and disengaging said carrier from alignment means in a photolithographic device; means projecting inwardly from one of said framing means for engaging a first portion of the periphery of a photomask placed between said engaging means in said base, and means on the side of said base opposite said engaging means for movably engaging with, and disengaging from a second portion of the periphery of said photomask and, in combination with said engaging means, for holding said photomask or photomask/pellicle combination on said base; said carrier having a plurality of areas of substantially differing thicknesses precisely formed during injection molding, and a plurality of areas that are substantially flat, formed during said injection molding.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
193 words
An injection-molded, substantially one-piece photomask carrier including a base having an opening of sufficient size and shape to permit light to pass through in a photolithographic process; means joined to, upstanding from and framing the periphery of said base, said framing means having sufficient strength to protect and support the edges of a photomask or a photomask/pellicle combination resting on said base; means formed by injection molding on the periphery of said framing means for engaging said carrier with, and disengaging said carrier from alignment means in a photolithographic device; means projecting inwardly from one of said framing means for engaging a first portion of the periphery of a photomask placed between said engaging means in said base, and means on the side of said base opposite said engaging means for movably engaging with, and disengaging from a second portion of the periphery of said photomask and, in combination with said engaging means, for holding said photomask or photomask/pellicle combination on said base; said carrier having a plurality of areas of substantially differing thicknesses precisely formed during injection molding, and a plurality of areas that are substantially flat, formed during said injection molding.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
A kit comprising the carrier of claim 10 and a complementary container and container cover for said carrier, said container having a width approximating the width of said carrier, and means inside said container for holding the front and back of said carrier and any photomask or photomask/pellicle combination resting on the base of said carrier, away from the inner wall surfaces of said container.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
56 words
A kit comprising the carrier of claim 10 and a complementary container and container cover for said carrier, said container having means inside said container for holding the front and back of the carrier and any photomask or photomask/pellicle combination resting on the base of said carrier, away from the inner wall surfaces of said container.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
A kit comprising the carrier of claim 10 and a complementary container and container cover for said carrier, said container having means inside said container for holding the front and back of said carrier, or said carrier and any photomask or photomask/pellicle combination resting on the base of said carrier, or any photomask/pellicle combination, away from the inner wall surfaces of said container.
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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) | 1989-11-24 | 1990-05-26 | 1990-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-11-24 | 1994-05-26 | 1994-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-11-24 | 1998-05-26 | 1998-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |