US6062798A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multi-level substrate processing apparatus
Assignee: Azenta Inc
•
Filing: 1996-06-13
•
Granted: 2000-05-16
•
Expires: 2016-06-13
Abstract
Abstract A substrate processing apparatus having a substrate transport and substrate processing chambers. The substrate transport has a transport chamber and a transport mechanism. The transport mechanism has a rotatable drive, an arm pivotably connected to the drive to pivot in vertical directions, and a substrate holder pivotably connected to an end of the arm by an articulating wrist. The arm can vertically move the substrate holder up and down. The substrate processing chambers are stationarily connected to the transport chamber at two different vertical levels.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard S. Muka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:26
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/30; H10P72/33; H10P72/3302; H10P72/04; H10P72/0451; H10P72/0452; H10P72/0458; H10P72/3304; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S414/00; Y10S414/135; Y10S414/139
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a substrate transport having a transport chamber and a transport mechanism for transporting substrates into and out of the transport chamber; and substrate processing chambers stationarily connected to the transport chamber, a first one of the processing chambers being vertically orientated in a plane above a second one of the processing chambers, the first and second processing chambers being separately and independently connected to the transport chamber and forming separate and independent isolated substrate processing areas therein, wherein the transport mechanism can separately transport substrates into and out of the first and second processing chambers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
100 words
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a substrate transport having a transport chamber and a transport mechanism for transporting substrates into and out of the transport chamber; and substrate processing chambers stationarily connected to the transport chamber, a first one of the processing chambers being vertically orientated in a plane above a second one of the processing chambers, the first and second processing chambers being separately and independently connected to the transport chamber and forming separate and independent isolated substrate processing areas therein, wherein the transport mechanism can separately transport substrates into and out of the first and second processing chambers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the transport mechanism comprises a rotatable drive and an arm pivotably connected to the drive, the arm comprising two serially connected arm sections arranged to pivot in vertical directions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as in claim 2 where the transport mechanism further comprises a substrate holder connected to an end of the arm by an articulating wrist.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the wrist is adapted to pivot relative to the arm in at least two different directions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the transport mechanism comprises a vertically pivotable arm with a substrate holder at an end of the arm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as in claim 5 further comprising means to maintain the substrate holder in a horizontal position as the arm is vertically pivoted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the processing chambers include a third one of the processing chambers being located in a first horizontal plane with the first processing chamber, the second processing chamber being located in a second vertically offset horizontal plane.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the transport mechanism comprises: a rotatable drive; a first arm pivotably connected to the drive, the arm having a first arm section pivotably connected to a second arm section; and a first substrate holder pivotably connected to the second arm section, wherein at least one of the arm sections pivotably moves in a vertical direction when it is pivoted.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the substrate holder is connected to the second arm section by an articulating wrist that pivots in two different directions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as in claim 8 further comprising means for maintaining the substrate holder in a substantially horizontal position when the arm is moved.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the first and second arm sections are constrained to parallel pivotal movement relative to each other and the first arm is constrained to vertical pivotal movement relative to the rotatable drive.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the arm is adapted to move the substrate holder to different vertical positions relative to the drive.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as in claim 8 further comprising a second arm similar to the first arm and a second substrate holder connected to an end of the second arm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as in claim 13 wherein the drive includes two rotatable drive sections, each drive section being connected to one of the arms.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as in claim 8 further comprising means for controlling relative movement of the drive, arm sections and substrate holder relative to each other.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as in claim 15 wherein the means for controlling includes a position sensor at a joint between the drive and the arm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as in claim 15 wherein the means for controlling includes a joint driver at a joint between the drive and the arm.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as in claim 15 wherein the arm sections have channels therein for a portion of the means for controlling to pass through the channels.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as in claim 18 further comprising seals at a joint between the drive and the arm and at a joint between the arm sections to keep the channels sealed at the joints.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
70 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the transport mechanism comprises: a first arm having two arm sections pivotably connected to each other to move in parallel vertical directions when they are pivoted relative to each other; and a substrate holder movably mounted to one of the arm sections by an articulating wrist, the wrist pivoting in at least one direction to maintain the substrate holder in a horizontal position.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein the wrist is constrained to pivot in only two directions.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein one of the arm sections is pivotably connected to a horizontally rotatable drive.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein the arm sections move the substrate holder to different vertical positions when pivoted relative to each other.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as in claim 20 further comprising a second arm similar to the first arm and a second substrate holder connected to an end of the second arm.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as in claim 24 further comprising two rotatable drive sections, each drive section being connected to one of the arms.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as in claim 20 further comprising means for controlling relative movement of the arm sections and substrate holder relative to each other.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as in claim 26 wherein the means for controlling includes position sensors at a joint between the arm sections and at a joint between the arm and the substrate holder.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as in claim 26 wherein the means for controlling includes joint drivers at joint between the arm sections and at a joint between the arm and the substrate holder.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
113 words
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a substrate transport having a transport chamber and a substrate transport mechanism; substrate processing chambers stationarily connected to the transport chamber, the processing chambers being located in at least two vertically different horizontal planes with at least one of the horizontal planes having at least two of the processing chambers, wherein at least two of the processing chambers located in the vertically different horizontal planes are individually and independently connected to the transport chamber and form separate and independent isolated substrate processing areas therein; and a controller for moving the substrate transport mechanism to insert and remove substrates from the processing chambers at the vertically different horizontal planes.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
113 words
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a substrate transport having a transport chamber and a substrate transport mechanism; substrate processing chambers stationarily connected to the transport chamber, the processing chambers being located in at least two vertically different horizontal planes with at least one of the horizontal planes having at least two of the processing chambers, wherein at least two of the processing chambers located in the vertically different horizontal planes are individually and independently connected to the transport chamber and form separate and independent isolated substrate processing areas therein; and a controller for moving the substrate transport mechanism to insert and remove substrates from the processing chambers at the vertically different horizontal planes.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus as in claim 29 wherein the substrate transport mechanism has an arm with a substrate holder, the arm moving the substrate holder into and out of the transport chamber at the two horizontal planes.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as in claim 30 wherein the arm is connected to a horizontally rotatable drive that angularly rotates the arm and the substrate holder about the drive.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as in claim 31 wherein the substrate transport mechanism has joints and wherein the controller is connected to joint drivers at the joints.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus as in claim 32 wherein the controller maintains the substrate holder in a substantially horizontal position.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as in claim 33 wherein the controller controls movement of the drive, the arm and a wrist between the arm and the substrate holder to move the substrate holder substantially straight into and out of the substrate processing chambers.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as in claim 34 wherein the arm has two arm sections pivotably connected to each other and pivotably connected to the drive to only pivotably vertically move relative to the drive.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as in claim 35 further comprising sensors connected to the controller for signaling the position of the drive, the arm sections and the substrate holder relative to each other.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
32 words
A substrate processing apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the first and second processing chambers are located on the transport chamber such that the first and second processing chambers are spaced apart.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus as in claim 29, wherein the substrate transport mechanism comprises: a drive; two arms pivotably connected to the drive to pivot in vertical directions, each arm having at least two arm sections; and two substrate holders, each one of the holders being connected to a separate one of the arms.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as in claim 38 wherein the drive includes two drive sections, each drive section having one of the arms pivotably connected thereto.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as in claim 39 wherein the drive sections rotate the arms independently of each other.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as in claim 39 wherein the drive rotates the two drive sections about a center axis of the drive for moving the arms from one side of the drive to an opposite side.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as in claim 38 wherein the two arms are pivotably connected to the drive to pivot only in vertical directions.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as in claim 38 further comprising means for maintaining substrate holders in horizontal positions.
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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) | 2003-05-16 | 2003-11-15 | 2004-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-05-16 | 2007-11-15 | 2008-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-05-16 | 2011-11-15 | 2012-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |