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:
Apr. 15, 2014
Filed:
Nov. 08, 2010
William T. Weaver, Austin, TX (US);
Jaime A. Carrera, Austin, TX (US);
Robert B. Vopat, Austin, TX (US);
Aaron Webb, Austin, TX (US);
Charles T. Carlson, Cedar Park, TX (US);
William T. Weaver, Austin, TX (US);
Jaime A. Carrera, Austin, TX (US);
Robert B. Vopat, Austin, TX (US);
Aaron Webb, Austin, TX (US);
Charles T. Carlson, Cedar Park, TX (US);
Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc., Gloucester, MA (US);
Abstract
A system for loading workpieces into a process chamber for processing in a matrix configuration includes a conveyor configured to transport multiple workpieces in a linear fashion. A workpiece hotel is configured to receive the multiple workpieces from the conveyor. The workpiece hotel comprises a matrix of cells arranged in N columns and M floors. A pick blade is configured to insert into the hotel and retract from the hotel in order to unload a plurality of substrates from a first floor into a single row of the pick blade, and to repeat the unloading operation to form a matrix comprising a plurality of rows of substrates disposed on the pick blade. In one example, the workpiece hotel has a staggered configuration that provides individual accessibility of each hotel cell.