International Business Machines Corporation

Anthony D Wutka

Joseph M Mosley

Javathu K Hassan

Mark Budman

Robert V Jenness

Lloyd H Massman

Carl V Rabstejnek

Robert L Judge

A flexible cable assembly for coupling an electronic apparatus, having a port for receiving personal computer cards in accordance with the PCMCIA standard, to at least one peripheral device, said flex cable assembly comprises a personal computer card connector, in accordance with the PCMCIA standard, for connecting into a corresponding port in the electronic apparatus, and a flexible cable connected to the personal computer card connector. The personal computer card connector also comprises an interface to said at least one peripheral device. In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the flex cable assembly can also couple a first electronic apparatus, to a second electronic apparatus, each having a port for receiving personal computer cards in accordance with the PCMCIA standard. This flex cable assembly comprises (1) a first PCMCIA card connector for connecting into a corresponding port in either the first or second electronic apparatus; (2) a second PCMCIA card connector for connecting into a corresponding port in either the first or second electronic apparatus; and (3) a flex cable coupled between the first and second personal computer card connectors.

All flex PCMCIA-format cable

This specification deals with electro-optic controls for stopping and orienting of a semiconductor wafer being transported along a track on an air film. At one or more locations along the track the characteristics of the air film are changed by electronic controls responding to optical pickups sensing the position and orientation of a semiconductor wafer entering the particular location on the air film to first stop the wafer in the general proximity of the location, then center the wafer in the location and after the wafer is centered, quickly rotate the wafer until it assumes the desired orientation. All this is done without edge contact of the wafer by any solid objects.

Controls for semiconductor wafer orientor

Apparatus for positioning a workpiece and tool in a precise location relative to each other by positioning in a predetermined site the workpiece, and then positioning the tool in a precise predetermined position relative to the site in minimum total time. The apparatus comprises a closed loop position and velocity sensitive servo system connected to the workpiece, the servo system including positioning apparatus for positioning the workpiece in a predetermined site. A position indicator determines the actual position to the workpiece relative to a fixed reference and emits a signal output which is compared, in an error generator, with the desired position of the workpiece relative to the reference. The difference signal, from the error generator, is applied to the positioner and is used to bring the workpiece into the site. The positioner is provided with velocity feedback which cooperates with the positioning signal from the error generator to drive the workpiece into the predetermined site. Thereafter the error between the actual position address and the desired position address, although very small, is fed to second apparatus for positioning the tool a very small amount to precisely position the tool relative to the workpiece.

Precision tool and workpiece positioning apparatus with ringout detection

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Coral Springs, FL, United States of America

Anthony D Wutka