US4986729A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Wafer transfer apparatus
Assignee: Proconics International Inc
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Filing: 1990-01-29
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Granted: 1991-01-22
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Expires: 2010-01-29
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for placing a first element at a location on a second element, there being associated with the location some known variation in the shape of the second element, the apparatus including a support member for supporting the first element while the member is translated toward the second element along a placement direction, a transporter for moving the support member or the second element along a transport direction transverse to the placement direction, a sensor for sensing the relative alignment of the support member with the known variation in shape along the transport direction, the sensor including a scanning element that is detachably engageable by the support member, and a holder for storing the scanning element when the scanning element is not in use.
Inventors
- 👤 Cord W. Ohlenbusch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 14:48
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/50; H10P72/53; H10P72/30; H10P72/34; H10P72/3411; H10P72/38
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
Apparatus for placing a first element at a precise location on a second element, there being associated with said precise location some known variation in the shape of said second element, said apparatus comprising a support member means for supporting said first element and for translating said first element toward said second element along a placement direction, transport means for changing the relative displacement between said support member and said second element along a transport direction transverse to said placement direction, sensing means for sensing the relative alignment of said support member with said known variation in shape along said transport direction, said sensing means including a scanning element that is detachably engageable by said support member, and a holder for storing said scanning element when said scanning element is not in use, said holder being located at a position at which said support member can transfer said scanning element to and receive said scanning element from said support member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
Apparatus for placing a first element at a precise location on a second element, there being associated with said precise location some known variation in the shape of said second element, said apparatus comprising a support member means for supporting said first element and for translating said first element toward said second element along a placement direction, transport means for changing the relative displacement between said support member and said second element along a transport direction transverse to said placement direction, sensing means for sensing the relative alignment of said support member with said known variation in shape along said transport direction, said sensing means including a scanning element that is detachably engageable by said support member, and a holder for storing said scanning element when said scanning element is not in use, said holder being located at a position at which said support member can transfer said scanning element to and receive said scanning element from said support member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensing means comprises an energy beam that is directed along a path that interacts with said variation in shape so that the transmittance of said beam along with path varies with changes in relative alignment of said support member and said second element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said sensing means comprises an energy-beam source that is mounted on said support member and is adapted and positioned to direct said energy beam along said path.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said sensing means comprises an energy beam detector that is mounted on said support member and is adapted and positioned to detect the amount of said beam transmitted along said path.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said scanning element comprises a reflector adapted and positioned, when engaged by said support member, to reflect said energy beam along said path from said source to said detector so that said energy beam interacts with said variation in shape.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein there are two said reflectors on said scanning element positioned so that one reflector reflects said beam from said source to the other reflector, which in turn reflects it to the detector, said beam interacting with said variation in shape between said reflectors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said support member is a vacuum engagement paddle having vacuum openings on a first paddle surface for engaqing semiconductor wafers, said source and detector are carried on an opposite second paddle surface, and said scanning plate has a first scanning plate surface that is engageable by said vacuum openings.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said scanning plate is wider than said paddle, and said reflectors are transverse to and extend outward from said first scanning plate surface beyond said second paddle surface when said element is engaged by said paddle, said path is spaced from said second paddle surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a boat for receiving wafers from said paddle, said boat having an inner dimension that is less than the width of said scanning plate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein there are a plurality of said variations in shape on said second element along said transport direction, and said transport means is adapted to move said support member or said second element so as to cause said sensing means to successively move past each of said plurality of variations in shape.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
84 words
The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising first processing means for storing information on the relative alignment of said support member and variations in shape as said transport means moves said sensing means past said variations, and second processing means for processing said stored alignment information and determining therefrom the positions required of said first transport means in order for said support member when moving along said placement direction to place a said first element at each of said plurality of variations of shape.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first element is a semiconductor wafer, said support member is adapted to support said wafer, said variation in shape comprises a receptacle for said wafer at said precise location on said second element, and said sensing means includes at least one source for producing an energy beam and at least one detector for detecting said energy beam.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said second element is a boat for a plurality of said wafers, said receptacles comprise wafer-supporting slots, said slots are spaced along said transport direction, and said apparatus further comprises placement means for moving said support member and sensing means with respect to said boat along said placement direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said placement means further comprises means for successively moving said support member back and forth along said placement direction with respect to said boat to place said wafers one at a time in said slots.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
97 words
The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising position measuring means for measuring the position along said transport direction of said boat, measurement control means for activating said transport means to move said plurality of slots past said support member and said sensing means, first processing means for processing the outputs of said position measuring means and said sensing means to determine a plurality of alignment locations along said transport direction at which said support member and slots are so aligned that wafers moved along said placement direction by said support member would be received by said slots.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
70 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising wafer loading control means for activating said transport means to change the relative displacement between said support member and said boat so that said support member and said boat are successively aligned at each of said alignment locations and for activating said placement means at each of said locations to move a said wafer carried by said support member into a said slot.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein there are two said slots in said boat for each said wafer, and wherein said sensing means comprises two energy beam sources and two energy beam detectors located on said support member, each said source direction a beam that intersects one of said slots in said pair of said slots.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
85 words
The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising position measuring means for measuring the position along said transport direction of said boat, measurement control means for activating said transport means to move said plurality of slots past said support member and said sensing means, first processing means for processing the outputs of said position measuring means and the outputs of both said detectors of said sensing means to determine a plurality of locations along said transverse direction at which said energy beams and slots are aligned.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said transport means changes the relative displacement between said support member and said second element by moving said second element.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said transport means comprises a trolley upon which said second element rests.
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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) | 1994-01-21 | 1994-07-23 | 1995-01-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-01-21 | 1998-07-23 | 1999-01-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-01-21 | 2002-07-23 | 2003-01-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |