Industrial Technology Research Institute

Horng-Kuang Fan

Gwo-Jou Huang

Jyh-Jone Lee

Jyhjone Lee

A latch mechanism for a wafer container includes a box sealable to a base plate to form an air-tight space for holding at least one wafer therein. The latch mechanism is located on the base plate and includes a U-shaped latch plate and a cam mechanism. The latch plate has a hook member at a front end thereof. The hook member includes a 7-shape hook with a bottom end pivotly engaged with the base plate and a top end pivotly engaged with the front end of the latch plate. The cam mechanism includes a cam and a linkage bar with a roller disposed therein. One end of the linkage bar attached to the latch plate. Another end of the linkage bar has a pin engaging with a slot formed in the cam. The pin and the roller form a positive and movable engagement with the cam. By turning the cam, the linkage bar and latch plate will have linear motion and trigger the hook to engage the box securely to the base plate or allow the box disengaging with the base plate. The cam has bulges on the circumference and are engageable with the roller for preventing the cam from counter rotating.

Latch mechanism for wafer container

Wafer pod

Disclosed is a wafer retaining mechanism comprising a box, and more than one link unit affixed to appropriate locations of the box, the link units being operative in coordination with a wafer cassette and a chassis for retaining securely the wafers received within the cassette. The links each comprises a sliding link, a lower link, a front link, an upper link, and associated pins.

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Horng-Kuang Fan