Dockable interface airlock between process enclosure and interprocess

Abstract

Disclosed is a manufacturing system having isolated islands of 'clean room' environment connected by inter-process transfer containers for transfering in-process workpieces. The system has airlock transfer ports between the process enclosures and the inter-process transfer containers. The make and break airlock transfer ports have facing sealable doors in the process enclosure and the transfer container. These doors are in air sealable facing recesses of the process enclosure and the transfer container. At least one peripheral gasket surrounds the recesses and the pair of doors. This provides a substantially clean room environment in the airlock. The sealable door in the interprocess transfer container is fabricated of a ferromagnetic material and is seated on a ferromagnetic gasket, while the sealable door in the process enclosure has a controllable electromagnetic clamp. After establishment of an airtight seal between the two recesses, the doors are opened by activating the electromagnetic clamp in the process enclosure door to pull the ferromagnetic door in the interprocess transfer container away from the ferromagnetic gasket. The results in the simultaneous opening of the of the process enclosure door and the ferromagnetic interprocess transfer container door, while avoiding contamination inside either of the containers.