US4752219A — Wafer softlanding system and cooperative door ass…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 374 words

A wafer softlanding system for a processing furnace tube having a bottom and in which a furnace load of wafers is loaded during a load cycle and removed therefrom during an unload cycle, comprising: an elongated paddle having ends that defines an X direction along the direction of elongation of said paddle for receiving plural wafers to be processed in said processing furnace tube; a support; means coupled to said support for mounting said paddle to said support in a cantilevered fashion defining a remote and a mounted end; pivot means coupled to said support and cooperative with said mounting means for providing clockwise and counterclockwise θ movement of said cantilevered paddle about a θ axis; and combination phase determining and paddle raising/lowering means cooperative with said pivot means for selectively effecting a predetermined phased rotation of said ends of, and a raising/lowering in a Z direction of, said elongated paddle, said predetermined phased rotation being selectively adjustable to cause either end of said elongated paddle to lead the other end of the paddle selectively during the load cycle so that if in one case said mounted end leads the remote end during load, said elongated paddle rotates in said θ direction to lower the paddle in such a way that the mounted end approaches the bottom first with the remote end of the paddle lagging behind and approaching the bottom later, and if in the other case said remote end leads the mounted end during load, said elongated paddle rotates in said θ direction to lower the paddle in such a way that the remote end approaches the bottom first with the mounted end of the paddle lagging behind and approaching the bottom later, so that in both cases the corresponding end of the furnace load of wafers is thereby made to first softly contact the bottom in said processing furnace tube prior to the other end of said furnace load of wafers and in such a way that the cantilevered paddle is able to translate as a whole in said Z direction while it is able to rotate about said θ axis remaining always in spaced relation to the bottom of the tube and without contacting bottom in said processing furnace tube.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 374 words

A wafer softlanding system for a processing furnace tube having a bottom and in which a furnace load of wafers is loaded during a load cycle and removed therefrom during an unload cycle, comprising: an elongated paddle having ends that defines an X direction along the direction of elongation of said paddle for receiving plural wafers to be processed in said processing furnace tube; a support; means coupled to said support for mounting said paddle to said support in a cantilevered fashion defining a remote and a mounted end; pivot means coupled to said support and cooperative with said mounting means for providing clockwise and counterclockwise θ movement of said cantilevered paddle about a θ axis; and combination phase determining and paddle raising/lowering means cooperative with said pivot means for selectively effecting a predetermined phased rotation of said ends of, and a raising/lowering in a Z direction of, said elongated paddle, said predetermined phased rotation being selectively adjustable to cause either end of said elongated paddle to lead the other end of the paddle selectively during the load cycle so that if in one case said mounted end leads the remote end during load, said elongated paddle rotates in said θ direction to lower the paddle in such a way that the mounted end approaches the bottom first with the remote end of the paddle lagging behind and approaching the bottom later, and if in the other case said remote end leads the mounted end during load, said elongated paddle rotates in said θ direction to lower the paddle in such a way that the remote end approaches the bottom first with the mounted end of the paddle lagging behind and approaching the bottom later, so that in both cases the corresponding end of the furnace load of wafers is thereby made to first softly contact the bottom in said processing furnace tube prior to the other end of said furnace load of wafers and in such a way that the cantilevered paddle is able to translate as a whole in said Z direction while it is able to rotate about said θ axis remaining always in spaced relation to the bottom of the tube and without contacting bottom in said processing furnace tube.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 35 words

The softlander of claim 1, wherein said paddle mounting means includes a saddle housing for receiving said mounted end of said elongated paddle such that said remote end thereof extends therefrom in said cantilevered fashion.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 37 words

The softlander of claim 1, wherein said θ axis is located intermediate said ends of said cantilevered paddle in said X direction to effect said clockwise and counterclockwise θ movement of said ends of said cantilevered paddle.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 99 words

The softlander of claim 2, wherein said support includes a base plate, and first and second plates spaced from each other and individually fastened to and upstanding from said base plate, and wherein said saddle includes third and fourth upstanding plates fastened thereto and so spaced from each other as to individually confront a corresponding one of said first and second upstanding plates, and wherein said mounting means includes means coupled between said confronting ones of said first, second, third and fourth plates for hanging said third and said fourth plates to said first and said second plates, respectively.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 42 words

The softlander of claim 4, wherein said means for effecting clockwise and counterclockwise θ movement of said ends of said cantilevered paddle includes first and second eccentrics, respectively, coupled between said confronting ones of said first, second, third and fourth upstanding plates.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 52 words

The softlander of claim 5, wherein said means for effecting clockwise and counterclockwise θ movement of said ends of said cantilevered paddle further includes a first shaft journaled to said first and said second upstanding plates, and wherein said first and said second eccentrics are mounted for rotation with said first shaft.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 52 words

The wafer softlander of claim 6, wherein said means for effecting clockwise and counterclockwise θ movement of said ends of said cantilevered paddle includes means coupled to said first shaft for adjusting said predetermined phased rotation of said first and said second eccentrics relative to an angular orientation of said first shaft.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 32 words

The wafer softlander of said claim 7, wherein said predetermined phased rotation of said eccentrics controls the clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of said ends of said elongated paddle in a θ direction.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 51 words

The wafer softlander of claim 4, wherein said means for effecting clockwise and counterclockwise θ movement of said ends of said cantilevered paddle further includes a linear bearing plate assembly fastened to said saddle and mounted for reciprocating motion between said first and said second upstanding plates along said Z direction.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 39 words

The wafer softlander of claim 9, wherein said means for effecting clockwise and counterclockwise θ movement of said ends of said cantilevered paddle includes a second shaft fastened to said saddle and fastened to said linear bearing plate assembly.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 233 words

A wafer softlanding system for a processing furnace tube, comprising: an elongated paddle that defines an X direction along the direction of elongation of said paddle for receiving plural wafers to be processed in said processing furnace tube; a support; means coupled to said support for mounting said paddle to said support in a cantilevered fashion, said paddle mounting means including a saddle housing for receiving an end of said paddle such that the other end thereof extends therefrom in said cantilevered fashion; wherein said support includes a base plate, further includes first and second plates spaced from each other and individually fastened to and upstanding from said base plate, wherein said saddle includes third and fourth upstanding plates fastened thereto and so spaced from each other as to individually confront a corresponding one of said first and second upstanding plates, and wherein said mounting means includes means coupled between said confronting ones of said first, second, third and fourth plates for hanging said third and said fourth plates to said first and said second plates respectively; and means coupled to said support and cooperative with said mounting means for selectively pushing and pulling preselected portions of said cantilevered paddle selected to be spaced apart along said X direction so that the cantilevered paddle is able to translate as a whole in Z while it is able to rotate about a θ axis.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 233 words

A wafer softlanding system for a processing furnace tube, comprising: an elongated paddle that defines an X direction along the direction of elongation of said paddle for receiving plural wafers to be processed in said processing furnace tube; a support; means coupled to said support for mounting said paddle to said support in a cantilevered fashion, said paddle mounting means including a saddle housing for receiving an end of said paddle such that the other end thereof extends therefrom in said cantilevered fashion; wherein said support includes a base plate, further includes first and second plates spaced from each other and individually fastened to and upstanding from said base plate, wherein said saddle includes third and fourth upstanding plates fastened thereto and so spaced from each other as to individually confront a corresponding one of said first and second upstanding plates, and wherein said mounting means includes means coupled between said confronting ones of said first, second, third and fourth plates for hanging said third and said fourth plates to said first and said second plates respectively; and means coupled to said support and cooperative with said mounting means for selectively pushing and pulling preselected portions of said cantilevered paddle selected to be spaced apart along said X direction so that the cantilevered paddle is able to translate as a whole in Z while it is able to rotate about a θ axis.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 32 words

The softlander of claim 11, wherein said selectively pushing and pulling means includes first and second eccentrics respectively coupled between said confronting ones of said first second, third and fourth upstanding plates.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 42 words

The softlander of claim 12, wherein said selectively pushing and pulling means further includes a first shaft journaled to said first and said second upstanding plates, and wherein said first and said second eccentrics are mounted for rotation with said first shaft.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 40 words

The wafer softlander of claim 13, wherein said selectively pushing and pulling means includes means coupled to said first shaft for adjusting the phase of said first and said second eccentrics relative to the angular orientation of said first shaft.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 24 words

The wafer softlander of claim 14, wherein said relative phase of said eccentrics controls the tilting of said paddle in θ about said axis.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 41 words

The wafer softlander of claim 11, wherein said selectively pushing and pulling means further includes a linear bearing plate assembly fastened to said saddle and mounted for reciprocating motion between said first and said second upstanding plates along said Z direction.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 30 words

The wafer softlander of claim 16, wherein said selectively pushing and pulling mounting means includes a second shaft fastened to said saddle and fastened to said linear bearing plate assembly.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1991-06-21	1991-12-21	1992-06-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1995-06-21	1995-12-21	1996-06-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1999-06-21	1999-12-21	2000-06-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Wafer softlanding system and cooperative door assembly

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