Asyst Technologies, Inc.

Brooks Automation Gmbh

Siltech Corporation

Muratec Automation Co., Ltd.

Crossing Automation, Inc.

Other

Entegris, Inc.

Azenta Us, Inc.

Azenta, Inc.

Kimball Electronics Indiana, Inc.

Aysts Technologies, Inc.

Asyai Technologies, Inc.

Anthony C Bonora

Roger G Hine

Michael Krolak

Richard Howard Gould

William John Fosnight

Raymond S Martin

Mihir Parikh

Jerry A Speasl

Frederick T Rosenquist

Sudhir Jain

Joshua T Oen

Michael D Brain

Julian D Warhurst

Frank Hunt

Bruce S Zandi

Lingchen Sun

Mark R Davis

Robert R Netsch

Theodore W Rogers

Robert T Caveney

Robert W Carlson

Joshua W Shenk

George A Maney

Jeff P Henderson

Brian Compian

Edward J Cortez

Gilles Guerre

Robert P Wartenbergh

Karl Lorenz

Robert E Lorenzini

Michael Ng

Barney H Huang

Michael A Neads

Andrew W O'Sullivan

Bruce A Richardson

David G Duff

Richard J Garcia

W George Faraco, Jr

Kenneth C Struven

Perry Alan Peterson

Norma B Riley

Gary Gallagher

Lawrence A Wise

Justo Graciano

David Adams

Jeffrey R Kerr

Robert B MacKnight

Edwin Noma

Patrick Sullivan

Krishna D Swamy

Mike Cookson

John D Kyffin

J Mark DiPaola

Ted Rogers

D Wayne Nobles, Jr

Walter Torbert

John F Grilli

Bruce C Rhine

Terry Mosier

N Kedarnath

Christopher Gomes

Jay Tatro

Fred T Rosenquist

An automated cryogenic storage system includes a freezer and an automation system to provide automated transfer of samples to and from the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to a rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor. The automation module includes a rack puller that is automatically positioned above an access port of the freezer. The rack puller engages with a sample rack within the freezer, and elevates the rack into an insulating sleeve external to the freezer. From the insulating sleeve, samples can be added to and removed from the sample rack before it is returned to the freezer.

Automated cryogenic storage system

An end effector for transferring a tray is described. The end effector includes an end effector base attached to a vertical drive column of a tray engine. The end effector further includes a slide having multiple arms that are attached to the end effector base to support the tray, when present. The arms of the slide enable the tray to slide along a length of the end effector base. The arms face each other and extend along the length of the end effector base.

End effector with slides for transferring trays

A semiconductor wafer transport apparatus includes a frame, a transport arm movably mounted to the frame and having at least one end effector movably mounted to the arm so the at least one end effector traverses, with the arm as a unit, in a first direction relative to the frame, and traverses linearly, relative to the transport arm, in a second direction, and an edge detection sensor mounted to the transport arm so the edge detection sensor moves with the transport arm as a unit relative to the frame, the edge detection sensor being a common sensor effecting edge detection of each wafer simultaneously supported by the end effector, wherein the edge detection sensor is configured so the edge detection of each wafer is effected by and coincident with the traverse in the second direction of each end effector on the transport arm.

Wafer aligner

A storage system and methods for operating a storage system are disclosed. The storage system includes a plurality of storage shelves, and each of storage shelves has a shelf plate for supporting a container. Each of the storage shelves is coupled to a chain to enable horizontal movement and each is further coupled to a rail to enable guiding to one or more positions. A motor is coupled to a drive sprocket for moving the chain. The rail has some sections that are linear and some sections that are nonlinear. The sections are arranged in a loop. Example configurations of the storage system include one or more of stationary shelves, extended horizontal tracks for a hoist, a conveyor at a level of the storage system, and a manual loading station. The hoist, with an extended horizontal track interfaces with the manual loading station.

Integrated systems for interfacing with substrate container storage systems

A linear axis robotic structure including a Z-tower. A vertical drive is configured within the Z-tower, and a vertical drive mechanism is adapted to integrate with the vertical drive for linear movement along the Z-tower along a Z-axis. A first section arm is adapted to attach to the vertical drive mechanism and having a horizontal orientation, wherein the first section arm is configured for linear movement along the Z-tower with movement of the vertical drive mechanism. A first linear drive is configured within the first section arm. A first linear drive mechanism is adapted to integrate with the first linear drive for linear movement along the first section arm along a Y-axis. A first gripper is adapted to attach to the first linear drive mechanism and adapted for linear movement along the Y-axis with movement of the first linear drive mechanism.

Over and under linear axis robot

A workpiece container stores at least one workpiece having a bottom surface and a peripheral edge. In one embodiment, a workpiece support structure is located within the container enclosure, which forms multiple vertically stacked storage shelves within the enclosure. Each storage shelf includes, in one embodiment, a first tine and a second tine for supporting the workpiece in a substantially horizontal orientation. The bottom surface and peripheral edge of a workpiece seated on a storage shelf extends beyond the outer edge of both the first tine and the second tine. An end effector may engage these extended portions or 'grip zones' of the workpiece.

Workpiece support structures and apparatus for accessing same

A tray engine includes a vertical drive column, a rotation mechanism for rotating the vertical drive column, and an end effector attached to the vertical drive column. The end effector includes an end effector base attached to the vertical drive column. The end effector further includes a slide attached to the end effector base to support a tray, when present. The slide enables the tray to slide along a length of the end effector base. The tray engine includes a drive mechanism attached to the end effector base for moving along the length of the end effector base to enable the tray, when present, to slide linearly along the length and load or unload the tray to or from the slide.

Wafer tray sorter with door coupled to detector

Workpiece structures and apparatus for accessing same

A system comprising a load port and a transfer module. In one embodiment, the load port includes a plate having a first opening and a second opening, a first workpiece access port, a second workpiece access port and at least one storage location. The storage location(s) may be located either beneath the second workpiece access port or above the first workpiece access port. The transfer mosule, which is located adjacent the load port, includes a load arm for moving the workpiece containers between the first workpiece access port, the second workpiece access port, any of the storage shelves and a material transport system.

Loader and buffer for reduced lot size

Tray engine with slide attached to an end effector base

An electricity generation system (EGS) is provided that can be deployed at a point-of-use site (e.g. residence, business, etc.). In one implementation, the EGS includes a generator for generating electricity (where the generator includes a Stirling engine that uses gaseous fuel for a combustion fuel source), an interface for interfacing with an electrical infrastructure of the site as well as a power grid, and a controller for controlling the operation of the EGS. The EGS may be used in conjunction with the power grid, and may selectively provide electricity to the electrical infrastructure based upon instructions from a utility provider that manages the power grid, based upon an electrical load imposed on the electrical infrastructure, based upon the electrical capacity provided by the power grid, based upon cost considerations, etc. By taking some or all of these considerations into account, the EGS can adapt its behavior to fit changing conditions.

Point-of-use electricity generation system

Growing community of inventors

Portola Valley, CA, United States of America

Anthony C Bonora