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:
Oct. 24, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 18, 1998
Sho Masujima, Tokyo, JP;
Eisaku Miyauchi, Akita-ken, JP;
Toshihiko Miyajima, Akita-ken, JP;
Hideaki Watanabe, Akita-ken, JP;
TDK Corporation, , JP;
Abstract
A clean transfer method and an apparatus therefor capable of receiving, storing and transferring a transferred object by means of a vacuum clean box while eliminating arrangement of any vacuum evacuation means and transfer means in the vacuum clean box, as well as facilitating connection of the vacuum clean box to various processing units. The vacuum clean box is free of any vacuum evacuation means and transfer means and is provided with a first opening selectively closed with a first shutter and kept airtight when the first opening is closed with the first shutter. The vacuum clean box is airtightly connected to a sputter unit which is provided with a second opening selectively closed with a second shutter, when the first and second openings are closed with the first and second shutters, respectively, resulting in forming a closed space therebetween through which the first and second shutters are opposite to each other. Then, the first and second openings are released from the first and second shutters to permit the vacuum clean box and sputter unit to communicate with each other.