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:
Nov. 28, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 08, 1996
Teruya Morita, Ise, JP;
Masanao Murata, Ise, JP;
Hitoshi Kawano, Ise, JP;
Tsuyoshi Tanaka, Ise, JP;
Hiroyuki Oyobe, Ise, JP;
Toshiyuki Takaoka, Ise, JP;
Shinko Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A mechanical interface apparatus which is capable of loading semiconductor wafers stored in a sealed container into a processing apparatus without adversely affecting the surfaces of the semiconductor wafers due to exposure to external air or dust. When a sealed container 100 is placed on top of a processing apparatus 200, latch mechanisms 201 are activated to engage with a flange 103, so as to affix the container body 101. Then, valves 3 and 5 are opened to perform a gas purge, after which a drive mechanism provided inside a lock operating mechanism 220 is operated in order to withdraw lock arms 111 from concave portions 103a, thereby unlocking the bottom lid 110. Then, wafer cassettes 106 inside the container are lowered to a predetermined position by means of an in-apparatus elevator mechanism 202, and the wafer cassettes are loaded into the processing apparatus 200 by a cassette loading mechanism.