W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

Gore Enterprise Holdings, Inc.

Bye/oasis

Douglas B McKenna

Nelson A George

Michael G Sutsko

Edwin G Dauber

Michael S Winterling

Christopher D Laramore

Donald R Briner

Celia R Ingram

Margaret A Goldwater

Carole A Baczkowski

Evelyn C Yurcovic

A gas absorption rebreather canister containing at least one sheet embodying adsorbent material inside and a portion of the sheet spaced apart by a separating means. The sheet being arranged so that expelled gases entering the canister pass along the canister interior substantially parallel with a surface of the sheet. The sheets can be formed with an internal screen positioned between two gas-permeable, liquid-water resistant membranes and the adsorbent material positioned within interstices between the screen members. Also, the sheets can comprise a sheet of expanded porous PTFE having a microstructure of nodes interconnected with fibrils, said sheet containing gas adsorbent material. The sheet can be covered on each side by a sheet of expanded porous PTFE. This device effectively contains the adsorption material within the sheets even when exposed to liquid water. The result is a rebreather device that is safer, more efficient, and easier to use than any presently on the market.

Rebreather adsorbent system

The present invention is an improved container and interface for transporting or otherwise handling contamination-sensitive materials, such as semi-conductor wafers during processing. The container of the present invention employs a door-within-a-door design, allowing the container to connect with different interfaces on a single side. Employing a container of the present invention, manufacturers may connect a single container to different tools or mini-environments employing incompatible interfaces without the need to use different containers or to access the contents of a single container from different directions. The present invention is particularly useful in instances where a single interface standard, e.g., SEMI Standard SMIF interfaces, has not been uniformly adopted in a facility. The present invention also provides means which allow either a cassette container or a cassette to be directly placed on an indexer and subsequent indexing to the correct location This is also useful in instances where a facility has not uniformly adopted SMIF technology, and requires the flexibility to load both cassettes and SMIF containers on the same tool.

Multiple interface door for wafer storage and handling container

An improved clean environment container for semiconductor wafers that can have more than one port for interfacing with a clean environment. The multiple ports permit interfacing with more than one type of clean environment interface. A diagonal seal surface provides a tight clean seal around the container door and the interface between the door and the clean environment, maintaining utmost cleanliness.

Semiconductor wafer transport container

The present invention is an improved sorbent filter for use in both particulate filtration and absorption of gaseous contaminants in a variety of applications, such as for filtration in a computer disk drive. The filter of the present invention provides previously unavailable levels of combined particulate filtration and contaminant sorption while being capable of ready reconditioning (such as through washing with D.I. water).

Nonparticulating adsorbent recirculating filter

An improved filter unit suitable for use in a variety of clean air filtration applications is taught. The filter unit employs continuous microporous filtration membranes, such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, to deliver exceptional filtration efficiencies on the order of 99.99999% at 0.1 .mu.m with minimal pressure drop produced across the filter. Additionally, the filter unit of the present invention has the further advantage of avoiding many previous deficiencies in HEPA and ULPA filter units, such as filter contamination from shedding particles and/or out-gassing, and limitations on chemicals to which the filter can be exposed without deterioration. As a result, the present invention provides a cleaner and more durable filter that can be used to address growing contamination problems in many different industries, such as electronics and pharmaceuticals.

ULPA filter

An improved air diffusion panel, and method of construction and use, is provided which is particularly suitable for use in clean and ultra-clean environments, such as clean rooms and mini-environments facilities. The preferred diffusion panel of the present invention includes a diffusion membrane of a continuous mass of porous polytetrafluoroethylene bonded to one or more support screens of polymer mesh. The composite membrane and screens are mounted in a unique frame which eases the time and effort required for construction of the panels and which can be mounted to reduce vibration of the panel and leakage around its edges. This improved air diffusion panel also significantly filters small and sub-micron particles, resists chemical attack, and blocks liquid droplets.

Diffusion panel for use in ultra-clean environments and method for

Retractable clean room or glove box gloves are described in which the retractable property is imparted by a series of longitudinal elastic strips located in the sleeve of the glove.

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Dover, DE, United States of America

Douglas B McKenna