Entegris, Inc.

Fluoroware, Inc.

Entergris, Inc.

Tokyo Electron Limited

Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.

Gregory W Bores

Michael C Zabka

Dennis J Krampotich

David L Nyseth

Barry Lee Gregerson

Shigenori Ozaki

Anthony Mathius Tieben

John A Leys

Akitake Tamura

Todd M Ulschmid

Michael J Schleicher

Hisashi Gomi

Suraj Kalia

Toshimitsu Fuji

Ralph Henderer

Haruki Takeuchi

A cap for a fluid container includes a main body, an actuator ring slidable along the main body and having an annular groove, and a plurality of latches having secure and release states and that may be placed in the release state by contact with the actuator ring. A closure system for a fluid container includes the cap, and a lip attached to a fluid container that is engaged by the latches of the cap. The lip may be integral with a fluid container or part of an adapter that is connected to the fluid container. A method of automated handling of a container includes engaging an annular groove of an actuator ring of a cap using a robotic arm, driving the actuator ring, and removing the cap from the container. The method may further include transporting the container via engagement of the robotic arm with the cap.

Automatable closure

This disclosure relates generally to a containment system for containing a fluid. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a fitment for attaching a liner within a container and providing a fluid path from the liner to an outside of the containment system. The liner and at least a part of the fitment provide the wetted surfaces for the containment system, while the fitment has a portion that can be joined to an outer container that, for example, provides rigidity and light protection. The fitment may be a two-piece fitment with a liner fitment to which the liner may be joined, and a retainer that may be joined to a container, where the liner fitment and the retainer are joined to one another, for example by a mechanical connection. The liner and liner fitment may be fluoropolymers or other non-reactive polymers. The container and retainer may be UV-blocking polymers.

Multi piece fitment for a fluid container

A bottom opening pod utilizing magnetic coupling for securing one or more cassettes within. The pod includes magnetic couplers that provide magnetic coupling between the cassette(s) and the bottom door of the pod. The magnetic couplers may include magnetic elements disposed on a base of the cassette and on the bottom door of the pod. The magnetic coupling secures the cassette(s) to the bottom door without imposition of separation forces between the housing and the bottom door of the pod.

Bottom opening pod with magnetically coupled casssettes

A cap for a fluid container includes a cap body including a base surface at a first end and an opening at a second end. The cap body is engageable with the fluid container. The base surface includes a first engagement structure. The cap includes a first aperture in the base surface. The cap further includes a key code body including a second engagement structure engageable with the first engagement structure. The key code body includes a key code ring. A removable closure member includes a plurality of engagement surfaces and a sealing surface disposed opposite the plurality of engagement surfaces. The removable closure member includes a sealing mechanism including a sealing member on the sealing surface. The sealing member is engageable with a portion of the base surface that defines the first aperture.

Removable closure with a key code body for a fluid container

Container

A front opening wafer carrier formed principally of plastic and comprising an enclosure portion and door has a path to ground with respect to the wafers, the path to ground effectuated by the door. The base 'ground' may be provided at the machine interface upon which the carrier sits, or through the robotic arm that grasps, operates and moves the door.

Front opening wafer carrier with path to ground effectuated by door

A front opening wafer carrier formed principally of plastic and comprising an enclosure portion () and a door () has a path to ground with respect to the wafers (), the path to ground effectuated by the door (). The base 'ground' may be provided at the machine interface upon which the carrier sits, or through the robotic arm that grasps, operates and moves the door ().

A front-opening wafer transport module has a container portion with transparent shell and a central support structure which includes a machine interface exposed at the bottom of the module and integral wafer support columns extending upwardly in the container portion for supporting wafers. Additionally, the side walls of the shell have recessed portions with engagement members that cooperate with engagement members on removable handles. The handles utilize detents to lock into place in the recesses on the side walls of the carrier. Attachment of the handles to the side walls is accomplished without breaks between the interior and exterior of the module and without separate fastners.

Transport module

A wafer container has an open front defined by a frame for receiving a door. The frame has slots on opposite sides. The door utilizes two latching linkages that extend, lift, lower and retract two latching portions from the edge portion of each opposite side of the door and into and out of latch receptacles on the frame. Each latching mechanism utilizes a sliding plate with a handle connected thereto and exposed on the front of the door. The sliding plate has a pair of lifting linkages cooperating with a pair of latching linkages. Moving the handles outwardly extends the latching portions into the latching receptacles, then pulls the door inwardly to seal the door to the container portion. The sliding plate includes a rack portion engaged with a pinion accessible from the front of the door by a latch key whereby the mechanism can be operated robotically.

Transport module with latching door

A wafer container having a container portion with an open front for receiving and removal of wafers includes a door with a cushion system that utilizes a unique wafer restraint system and structural features to provide maximum protection for the wafers and preventing rotation of said wafers. A feature of the door is that the front of the door covers have a pair of latch cavities on the outwardly facing side of the door. The latch cavities for receiving two latch mechanisms with latch members that extend out the upper and lower peripheral edge of the door. The latch mechanisms are covered by a pair of door panels that utilize hooks that attach to the peripheral edge of the door and further attach with posts near the vertical midsection. The latch cover at the peripheral side edge and at the vertical midsection of the door provides stiffness and resistance to bending of the door. In a preferred embodiment, the attachment of the door panel at the peripheral edge utilizes hook members on the door panel that extend through slots on the peripheral side. Press fit connectors and aperture combinations are preferably utilized to connect the edge of the latch panel approximate the mid-portion of the door.

Wafer container cushion system

A wafer shipper for stacked wafers provides significantly improved resistance to shock and impact as well as flexibility and tolerance in wafer capacities and guidance in optimal amount of packing material. The shipper has a base and a top cover both of which have a nominal wall that primarily forms all of the features of the respective components. The base has four sides, four corners, and arcuate wall segments defining a wafer stack pocket. The sides are formed of a downwardly extending nominal wall portion and an upwardly extending lip. Both adjoin a nominal wall defining a planar surface that extends around the base and forms a seat for the top cover. The planar surface adjoins the arcuate wall segments and also adjoins the floor of the wafer stack pocket that is also part of the nominal wall. Impact forces that are received on the corners and/or sides of the top cover are transferred to the base through the top cover to upright portions on the opposite side of the base from where the impact occurs providing a significant improvement in the robustness of the container as well as significant improvement in the protection provided to the wafers, as well as much better resistance to unlatching upon such impact. The invention further includes a mold for a wafer carrier utilizing separate inserts for converting from a first size pocket to a second size pocket. Suitably sized blanks may be inserted in said slots when the mold is to be used for the first size wafer carrier and the blanks may be removed when the mold is utilized for the second size.

Shock resistant variable load tolerant wafer shipper

A low tolerance build-up wafer carrier and method for assembling the same for supporting semiconductor wafer disks and for interfacing with processing equipment. Press-fit fasteners are used to assemble composite carriers and attach equipment interface portions to the carrier. Each press-fit fastener comprising a first fastener portion integral with a first element and a second fastener portion integral with a second element. The first and second fastener portions interferingly engaging each other when pressed together thereby connecting first and second elements without significant tolerance build-up. A further embodiment of the invention is to provide a wafer carrier having interface contact portions positioned to accept carrier contact portions, from processing equipment, through a guide plate or kinematic coupling. The interface contact portions acting to align the carrier and prevent tolerance build-up due to the flexing of the guide plate.

Growing community of inventors

Prior Lake, MN, United States of America

Gregory W Bores