Claims
- 1. A processor for processing articles comprising:
an enclosure for providing a substantially enclosed workspace therewithin; an interface section located adjacent an interface end of the enclosure, the interface section including at least one interface port through which sealed article containers contain articles are loaded or unloaded to or from the processor; an article inventory subassembly disposed within the interface section for holding a plurality of sealed article containers; a container docking subassembly receiving sealed article containers from the article inventory subassembly for opening and closing the containers without exposing the articles to ambient atmospheric conditions within the interface section; an article transfer subassembly cooperating with the article containers through an open end thereof exposed by the container docking subassembly for extracting the articles from the article containers; at least one processing station, the processing station having an access opening which opens to the work space to allow installation and removal of articles relative to the at least one processing station; at least one conveyor for conveying the articles to and from the at least one processing station and the article transfer subassembly.
- 2. A semiconductor processor according to claim 1 wherein the processor includes an input/output subassembly within the interface section and adjacent to the at least one interface port.
- 3. A semiconductor processor according to claim 2 wherein the input/output subassembly includes an elevator for receiving a sealed article container.
- 4. A semiconductor processor according to claim 3 wherein the elevator comprises a vertical guide track and an elevator lift plate slideably engaged on the guide track.
- 5. A semiconductor processor according to claim 2 wherein the input/output subassembly includes a loading plate for receiving a sealed article container.
- 6. A semiconductor processor according to claim 3 wherein the input/output subassembly includes a loading plate for receiving a sealed article container, and the loading plate and the elevator lift plate are provided with cooperating features that permit the loading plate to translate through the elevator lift plate.
- 7. A semiconductor processor according to claim 5 wherein the loading plate is rotatable about a vertical axis.
- 8. A semiconductor processor according to claim 1 wherein the article inventory subassembly includes a plurality of container shelves adapted for receiving the sealed wafer containers.
- 9. A semiconductor processor according to claim 8 wherein the container shelves are mounted on arms that radially extend from a central horizontal hub.
- 10. A semiconductor processor according to claim 1 wherein the article inventory subassembly comprises:
a plurality of arms radially extending from a central horizontal hub; a container carrier mounted on each arm opposite the central horizontal hub; at least one container shelf disposed on each container carrier and adapted to receive a sealed wafer container.
- 11. A semiconductor processor according to claim 1 wherein the container docking subassembly includes a robotic conveyor for receiving the sealed article containers from the article inventory subassembly.
- 12. The semiconductor processor according to claim 1 including a robotic arm having:
a first segment mounted on a carriage; a second segment connected to a first segment for pivotal motion at an elbow joint; and a third segment connected to the second segment and adapted to engage a sealed wafer container.
- 13. A semiconductor processor according to claim 11 wherein the container docking subassembly includes a hatch interface which forms a vacuum lock when the sealed article container is in an engaged position therewith.
- 14. A semiconductor processor according to claim 13 wherein the container docking subassembly includes a container transfer which operatively transfers the sealed article container between the robotic conveyor and the hatch interface.
- 15. A semiconductor processor according to claim 14 wherein the container transfer includes a container docking plate adapted to engage the sealed article container.
- 16. A semiconductor processor according to claim 1 wherein the article transfer subassembly includes engagement arms having engagement arm article supports thereon which directly engage and simultaneously move a plurality of semiconductor articles from and to the article container.
- 17. A semiconductor processor according to claim 2 wherein the engagement arms are mounted to a carriage for rotation about a horizontal axis.
- 18. A semiconductor processor according to claim 16 wherein the article transfer subassembly includes an article support having a plurality of slots which directly receive the plurality of semiconductor articles from the engagement arms.
- 19. A processing system for processing articles provided with a container having a container opening, the system comprising:
a wall; a container docking station for holding the container, on a first side of the wall; an article transfer station on a second side of the wall; an opening in the wall; a hatch cover covering the opening in the wall; a container door holder on the hatch cover for holding the container door; an actuator assembly attached to the hatch cover, for moving the hatch cover to and away from the opening in the wall; a seal between the container and the wall; and an extractor in the article transfer station, with the extractor extendible from the article transfer station through the opening in the wall, to pick up articles in the container and move the articles into the article transfer station.
- 20. The system of claim 19 further comprising an inventory section on the first side of the wall.
- 21. The system of claim 19 further comprising an enclosure enclosing a working space, with the article transfer station located in the working space, and further comprising a processing station in the working space, and a robot conveyor in the working space movable between the processing station and the transfer station.
- 22. The system of claim 19 wherein the extractor comprises a comb mounted on a carriage.
- 23. The system of claim 19 wherein the extractor comprises a first comb, and second comb within the first comb, and a comb driver for moving the first and second combs relative to each other.
- 24. The system of claim 23 wherein the second comb is attached to a carriage assembly, and with a first set of teeth on the first comb and a second set of teeth on the second comb, the first comb movable by the comb driver from a first position, where the first and second sets of teeth are aligned with each other, to a second position, where the first and second sets of teeth are at least partly offset from each other.
- 25. The system of claim 19 where the extractor includes an engagement arm, and a first actuator attached to the engagement arm for moving the engagement arm through the opening in the wall and into and out of the container, to move articles into and out of the container, and the extractor further including a second actuator for rotating the engagement arm, to move articles.
- 26. A system for removing articles from a container and for processing the articles in a clean environment, comprising:
a processing section within an enclosure; an opening through the wall: a docking station outside of the enclosure, at the opening through the wall; a hatch interface within the enclosure, and including a hatch cover covering the opening in the wall; a hatch cover actuator attached to the hatch, for moving the hatch to and away form the opening through the wall; an extractor within the enclosure and movable through the opening in the wall, when the hatch cover is removed from the opening.
- 27. The system of claim 26 further comprising an interface plate attached to the hatch cover, and a key and a container door holder extending outwardly from the interface plate, to engage a container door.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This Application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/994,737 filed Dec. 19, 1997, and now pending, which is a Continuation-in-Part of Ser. No. 08/851,480, filed May 5, 1997, now abandoned, which is a Continuation-in-Part of Ser. No. 08/622,349, filed Mar. 26, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,797, which is a Continuation-in-Part of each of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/236,424, filed Apr. 28, 1994, and now U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,421; Ser. No. 08/415,927 filed Mar. 31, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,517; and Ser. No. 08/415,240, filed Apr. 3, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,320. U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/851,480; 08/622,349; 08/236,424; and 08/994,737 are incorporated herein by reference. Priority to these applications is claimed under 35 U.S.C. § 120.
Continuations (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09924999 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
Child |
10180793 |
Jun 2002 |
US |
Parent |
08994737 |
Dec 1997 |
US |
Child |
09924999 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (5)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08851480 |
May 1997 |
US |
Child |
08994737 |
Dec 1997 |
US |
Parent |
08622349 |
Mar 1996 |
US |
Child |
08851480 |
May 1997 |
US |
Parent |
08236424 |
Apr 1994 |
US |
Child |
08622349 |
Mar 1996 |
US |
Parent |
08415927 |
Mar 1995 |
US |
Child |
08622349 |
Mar 1996 |
US |
Parent |
08415240 |
Apr 1995 |
US |
Child |
08622349 |
Mar 1996 |
US |