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US5261167A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Vertical heat treating apparatus

Assignee: Tokyo Electron Ltd
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Filing: 1991-09-27
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Granted: 1993-11-16
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Expires: 2011-09-27
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Abstract

Abstract A vertical heat treating apparatus comprises a casing having an opening through which articles to be processed are loaded and unloaded, a heat treating furnace provided in the casing, a loading and unloading mechanism provided under the heat treating furnace so as to load the articles to be processed in and unload the same from the heat treating furnace, and a clean air flow forming unit provided in a space which is formed in the casing and in which the loading and unloading mechanism is provided so as to form a clean air flow conducted from one side of the casing to the opposite side thereof.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kazunari Sakata

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 19:41
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0431; H10P72/0434; F; F26; F26B; F26B21/00; F26B21/003; F26B21/20; H10P72/0402; H10P72/10; H10P72/19; H10P72/1922; H10P72/1924

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 109 words
A vertical heat treating apparatus comprising: a casing having one side, a second side opposed thereto and an opening through which articles to be processed are loaded and unloaded, said casing having a space formed therein; a heat treating furnace provided in said casing; loading and unloading means provided under said heat treating furnace in said space of said casing, for loading said articles to be processed in and unloading the same from said heat treating furnace; and clean air flow forming means provided in said space in said casing for forming a clean air flow conducted from said one side of said casing to the second side thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 109 words
A vertical heat treating apparatus comprising: a casing having one side, a second side opposed thereto and an opening through which articles to be processed are loaded and unloaded, said casing having a space formed therein; a heat treating furnace provided in said casing; loading and unloading means provided under said heat treating furnace in said space of said casing, for loading said articles to be processed in and unloading the same from said heat treating furnace; and clean air flow forming means provided in said space in said casing for forming a clean air flow conducted from said one side of said casing to the second side thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 39 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said casing has a lateral side, and said clean air forming means has doors provided on the lateral side of said casing, and air fans and air filters housed in the doors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 61 words
The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said filters has an air discharging side, and said clean air flow forming means includes a uniform pressure plate having an area larger than areas of said air filters and provided at said discharging side of each of said filters, for delivering air into said space in a substantially uniformly diffused manner.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 115 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said casing has one lateral side and a second lateral side opposite thereto; and wherein said clean air flow forming means comprises: a clean air discharging portion provided on said one lateral side of said casing and having air taking-inn means; a side duct provided on said second lateral side of said casing; a bottom duct for connecting said clean air discharging portion with said side duct; and air circulating means comprising said clean air discharging means, said side duct and said bottom duct, for circulating air from said clean air discharging means to said clean air discharging means itself through said side duct and said bottom duct.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 31 words
The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said side duct has discharge means for discharging, externally of said casing, the same amount of air as is taken in said side duct.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 34 words
The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said casing has a bottom face, and said bottom duct comprises said bottom face of said casing and a bottom plate disposed separated from said bottom face.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 33 words
The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said bottom plate has a depressed portion for receiving therein said loading and unloading means when said loading and unloading means is in an unloading state.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3944405A Cited
US4927438A Cited
US4832717A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-11-15 1997-05-17 1997-11-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-11-15 2001-05-17 2001-11-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-11-15 2005-05-17 2005-11-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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