Patent US3875675A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5207578A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5207578A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Heat processing apparatus of vertical type
Assignee: Tokyo Electron Ltd
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Filing: 1992-02-06
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Granted: 1993-05-04
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Expires: 2012-02-06
Abstract
Abstract A heat processing apparatus of the vertical type includes a box which has a process tube in the upper half thereof and a space in the lower half thereof. A cap for the process tube can be moved up and down between an upper position where the cap closes the process tube while holding a wafer boat on it and a lower position in the space where it opens the process tube. Clean air is supplied into the space through a dust removing filter located on one side of the space and exhausted from the space through the other side of the space. The air thus exhausted is collected by a gas processing system, which serves to remove harmful components from the air thus collected. A scavenger is arranged enclosing the open bottom of the process tube. Gas remaining in the process tube after the heat process is sucked by the scavenger and collected by another gas processing system.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazunari Sakata
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 13:39
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0431; H10P72/0434; F; F27; F27B; F27B17/00; F27B17/0016; F27B17/0025; C; C30; C30B; C30B31/00; C30B31/06; C30B31/16; H10P72/0402; F27B11/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
246 words
A heat processing apparatus of the vertical type comprising: an apparatus box having at the lower end portion thereof an opening through which an object to be processed are carried in and out of the box; door for opening and hermetically closing the opening of the box; a process tube having an open bottom and located in the upper half of the box; heaters enclosing the process tube; a space formed in the lower half of the box and under the process tube, and connected to the opening of the box; a cap for closing the open bottom of the process tube and supporting the object at the time of heat process; an elevator arranged in the box and serving to move the cap up and down between a position where the open bottom of the process tube is closed and another position in the space where the open bottom is opened; drive means for driving the elevator; supply means for supplying a clean gas into the space and provided with a first port by which the supply means is connected to the space; exhausting means for exhausting outside the box the clean gas which has passed through the space, and provided with a second port communicated with the space, said second port being located on that side of the cap which is opposed to the first port of the supply means; and collecting means for drawing and collecting the gas introduced by the exhausting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
246 words
A heat processing apparatus of the vertical type comprising: an apparatus box having at the lower end portion thereof an opening through which an object to be processed are carried in and out of the box; door for opening and hermetically closing the opening of the box; a process tube having an open bottom and located in the upper half of the box; heaters enclosing the process tube; a space formed in the lower half of the box and under the process tube, and connected to the opening of the box; a cap for closing the open bottom of the process tube and supporting the object at the time of heat process; an elevator arranged in the box and serving to move the cap up and down between a position where the open bottom of the process tube is closed and another position in the space where the open bottom is opened; drive means for driving the elevator; supply means for supplying a clean gas into the space and provided with a first port by which the supply means is connected to the space; exhausting means for exhausting outside the box the clean gas which has passed through the space, and provided with a second port communicated with the space, said second port being located on that side of the cap which is opposed to the first port of the supply means; and collecting means for drawing and collecting the gas introduced by the exhausting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said exhausting means has a member for forcedly exhausting the gas to promote gas exhaustion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said gas forcedly-exhausting member is a fan.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive means is housed in the box and separated from the space by a partition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said exhausting means includes an exhaust duct for introducing the gas and said exhaust duct extends outside from the top of the box.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said supply means has a member for forcedly supplying the gas to promote gas supply.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said gas forcedly-supplying member is a fan.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said supply means has a filter at the first port.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
272 words
A heat processing apparatus of the vertical type comprising: an apparatus box having at the lower end portion thereof an opening through which an object to be processed are carried in and out of the box; a door for opening and hermetically closing the opening of the box; a process tube having an open bottom and located in the upper half of the box; heaters enclosing the process tube; a space formed in the lower half of the box and under the process tube, and connected to the opening of the box; a cap for closing the open bottom of the process tube and supporting the object at the time of heat process; an elevator arranged in the box and serving to move the cap up and down between a position where the open bottom of the process tube is closed and another position in the space where the open bottom is opened; drive means for driving the elevator; supply means for supplying a clean gas into the space and provided with a first port by which the supply means is connected to the space; first exhausting means for exhausting outside the box the clean gas which has passed through the space, and provided with a second port communicated with the space, said second port being located on that side of the cap which is opposed to the first port of the supply means; collecting means for drawing and collecting the gas introduced by the first exhausting means; and second exhausting means for exhausting a remaining gas in the process tube, and arranged adjacent to the open bottom of the process tube.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
272 words
A heat processing apparatus of the vertical type comprising: an apparatus box having at the lower end portion thereof an opening through which an object to be processed are carried in and out of the box; a door for opening and hermetically closing the opening of the box; a process tube having an open bottom and located in the upper half of the box; heaters enclosing the process tube; a space formed in the lower half of the box and under the process tube, and connected to the opening of the box; a cap for closing the open bottom of the process tube and supporting the object at the time of heat process; an elevator arranged in the box and serving to move the cap up and down between a position where the open bottom of the process tube is closed and another position in the space where the open bottom is opened; drive means for driving the elevator; supply means for supplying a clean gas into the space and provided with a first port by which the supply means is connected to the space; first exhausting means for exhausting outside the box the clean gas which has passed through the space, and provided with a second port communicated with the space, said second port being located on that side of the cap which is opposed to the first port of the supply means; collecting means for drawing and collecting the gas introduced by the first exhausting means; and second exhausting means for exhausting a remaining gas in the process tube, and arranged adjacent to the open bottom of the process tube.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said first exhausting means has a member for forcedly exhausting the gas to promote gas exhaustion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said drive means is housed in the box and separated from the space by a partition.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said first exhausting means includes an exhaust duct for introducing the gas and said exhaust duct extends outside from the top of the box.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said supply means has a member for forcedly supplying the gas to promote gas supply.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said supply means has a filter at the first port.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said second exhausting means includes a scavenger enclosing the lower end portion of the process tube.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said scavenger has a cooling member opposed to the lower end portion of the process tube to prevent this portion of the process tube from being overheated.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said cooling member is shaped like a ring and that face of said cooling member which is opposed to the lower end portion of the process tube has a clearance relative to this portion of the process tube.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said second exhausting means has a member for forcedly exhausting the remaining gas to promote gas exhaust.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising collecting means for collecting the gas introduced by the second exhaust means and removing harmful components from the gas thus collected.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-05-03 | 1996-11-02 | 1997-05-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-05-03 | 2000-11-02 | 2001-05-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-05-03 | 2004-11-02 | 2005-05-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |