The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 07, 1988
Filed:
Feb. 06, 1986
Seagate Technology, Scotts Valley, CA (US);
Abstract
A step-dwell transport apparatus and method for use in an in-line controlled environment processing system is disclosed. The transport apparatus employs a plurality of shuttles arranged in series along two parallel rails. Each shuttle carries one or more planar objects through a process chamber, which contains several in-line processing stations. One of the rails guides a queue of abutting shuttles through the process chamber, while the other rail serves as a return path for another queue of abutting shuttles. The shuttles move along each rail, with locomotion along the rail being provided by a pneumatic cylinder and linkage that periodically pushes forward the trailing shuttle in the queue. Transfer mechanisms are provided at each end of the apparatus to transfer individual shuttles from the end of one rail to the beginning of the other rail. Shuttles are supplied to and withdrawn from the process chamber one at a time through in-line air locks.