Patent Application
20250231362
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to trays and more specifically, a universal tray to carry optical waveguides.
In many workpiece processing systems, the workpieces are transported in a carrier or tray. For many applications, the workpiece size and shape is standardized. Thus, one type of tray is able to accommodate all of these workpieces.
However, there is currently a trend to create optical waveguides. These optical waveguides are typically fabricated on a glass substrate. Optical waveguides have sensitive embedded optical nanostructures on the front and back surfaces that cannot be touched. The size and shape of the final substrate is non-standard. For example, some optical waveguides are manufactured for large frames, while other optical waveguides are made for smaller frame sizes. Thus, a back-end line dedicated to the manufacturing of optical waveguides has to be capable of handling several types of form factors without contaminating the nanostructures.
Consequently, manufacturers design unique trays for each type of optical waveguide. These trays may have the JEDEC standard size, which may be roughly 330 mm by 160 mm. but include differently sized and shaped pockets to hold each optical waveguide without touching any of the nanostructures. In some embodiments, there may be 8 pockets disposed on each tray, which are arranged as two rows of four pockets, where the pockets are roughly 60 mm by 40 mm.
This creates a significant burden for production as a wide range of trays and fixtures are stocked to accommodate the different formats.
Therefore, it would be beneficial if there was a universal tray that could be used to accommodate optical waveguides of different sizes and shapes. Further, it would be advantageous if this tray could also be stacked and optionally also be used for shipping.
A tray for carrying workpieces, such as optical waveguides, is disclosed. The tray includes a plurality of openings, each opening having a plurality of fingers extending toward the center of the opening. The top surface of each finger is sloped downward and comprises an elastomer. In this way, the workpieces contact the fingers along their edges and any nanostructures disposed on the workpiece are not contacted. Further, in some embodiments, the tray is stackable and includes a retention mechanism located on the bottom side of the tray. The retention mechanism on a first tray serves to secure the workpiece disposed on a second tray positioned directly below the first tray. The tray may optionally be used for shipping and other purposes.
According to one embodiment, a universal tray for holding a plurality of workpieces is disclosed. The universal tray comprises a frame comprising a plurality of openings; a plurality of fingers surrounding each of the plurality of openings, the plurality of fingers extending toward a center of a respective opening; and wherein an elastomer is disposed on a top surface of each of the plurality of fingers and wherein a top surface of the elastomer is sloped downward as it extends toward the center of the respective opening. In some embodiments, the plurality of fingers are an integral part of the frame such that the plurality of fingers extend from the frame. In some embodiments, hollow inserts are disposed around the plurality of openings, and the plurality of fingers extend from the hollow inserts. In some embodiments, the elastomer comprises an elastomer layer molded onto the top surface of the plurality of fingers, wherein the elastomer layer is tapered such that the elastomer layer is thicker at a proximal end near the frame than at a distal end of each finger. In some embodiments, a downward support extends downward from the frame to engage with a top surface of a frame of an adjacent tray. In certain embodiments, retention mechanisms are disposed in a volume between the plurality of fingers and a bottom of the downward support to retain a workpiece disposed on an adjacent frame. In certain embodiments, the retention mechanisms comprise a plurality of flexures extending inward toward the center of the respective opening from the downward support. In certain embodiments, the retention mechanisms comprise elastomer disposed on a bottom surface of each of the plurality of fingers. In certain embodiments, the elastomer comprises an elastomer layer molded onto the bottom surface of the plurality of fingers, wherein the elastomer layer is tapered such that the elastomer layer is thicker at a proximal end near the frame than at a distal end of each finger. In certain embodiments, the retention mechanisms are aligned with the plurality of fingers.
According to another embodiment, a kit for use with optical waveguides is disclosed. The kit comprises a universal tray; and a flip tray, comprising a frame with openings; a plurality of fingers extending into the openings; and an elastomer disposed on a bottom surface of each of the plurality of fingers, wherein each finger includes an upwardly sloped region; wherein the flip tray is operable to mount to a top surface of the universal tray to form an assembly, wherein the assembly is configured to be flipped such that an optical waveguide previously disposed on the universal tray is now disposed on the upwardly sloped region of each finger of the flip tray. In some embodiments, the universal tray comprises a frame comprising a plurality of openings; and a plurality of fingers surrounding each of the plurality of openings, the plurality of fingers extending toward a center of a respective opening; wherein a top surface of each finger is sloped downward as it extends toward the center of the respective opening; and wherein the plurality of openings in the flip tray are aligned with the plurality of openings in the universal tray.
According to another embodiment, a universal tray for holding a plurality of workpieces is disclosed. The universal tray comprises a frame comprising a plurality of openings; a plurality of elastomer fingers surrounding each of the plurality of openings, each elastomer finger extending toward a center of a respective opening; and wherein a top surface of each elastomer finger is sloped downward as it extends toward the center of the respective opening. In some embodiments, each elastomer finger is thicker at a proximal end near the frame than at a distal end of the elastomer finger. In some embodiments, the frame comprises smaller holes disposed around each of the plurality of openings, and wherein a bottom of each elastomer finger comprises one or more plugs that are operable to be inserted into the smaller holes to hold each elastomer finger in place. In some embodiments, a downward support extends downward from the frame to engage with a top surface of a frame of an adjacent tray and retention mechanisms are disposed in a volume between the plurality of elastomer fingers and a bottom of the downward support to retain a workpiece disposed on an adjacent frame. In certain embodiments, the retention mechanisms comprise a tapered bottom surface of each elastomer finger.
For a better understanding of the present disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein by reference and in which:
As described above, in certain systems, it is desirable to have a tray that can accommodate a plurality of differently sized optical waveguides.
In certain embodiments, the plurality of openings in the frame 110 are each sized to accommodate exactly one optical waveguide 10. In this embodiment, hollow inserts 130, also made from a polymer, may be disposed around each of the plurality of openings. The hollow inserts 130 may be shaped as hollow rectangles. Each hollow insert 130 may be dimensioned so as to create openings 120 having a size of roughly 60 mm by 40 mm. Of course, the openings 120 may have different dimensions.
In another embodiment, the frame 110 may include larger openings. In this embodiment, the hollow inserts 130 may fit into a larger opening and include additional structures that divide the larger opening into two or more openings 120 that each accommodate one optical waveguide 10. In both embodiments, the hollow inserts 130 each comprise a plurality of fingers 135 that extend toward the center of a respective opening 120. In some embodiments, there may be four fingers 135 associated with each opening 120, each located roughly at the center of each of the four sides of the respective opening 120. In another embodiment, there may be four fingers 135 each located at a corner of the respective opening 120 and extending toward the center. In another embodiment, there may be three fingers. In other embodiments, there may be more than four fingers 135.
In other embodiments, a hollow insert may not be used. Rather, the frame 110 is created with a plurality of openings 120. In this embodiment, the fingers 135 may be part of the frame 110 and extend into the openings 120.
The fingers 135 may be rectangular prisms, having a length between 8 mm and 25 mm, a width between 2.5 mm and 5 mm, and a thickness between 0.5 mm and 4 mm. In some embodiments, the fingers 135 may all have the same dimensions. In other embodiments, one or more of the fingers 135 may have a different size than the other fingers 135.
In another embodiment, the fingers 135 may be sloped and the elastomer layer 140 may have a constant thickness. In both embodiments, a resulting top surface, which is the elastomer, is sloped.
Because the elastomer layer 140 is sloped, the entirety of the finger 135 is not in contact with the optical waveguide 10. Rather, only a small portion of the edge of the optical waveguide 10 is actually resting on the elastomer layer 140. In this way, the risk of contacting one of the nanostructures on the back surface of the substrate is reduced. Further, the optical waveguide 10 is held in place by frictional force of the elastomer and/or by the interatomic bonds between the optical waveguide 10 and the elastomer layer 140.
While
For example,
Elastomer fingers 230, best seen in
In other words, the elastomer finger 230 is held in place by pressing the plug 231 into one or more of the smaller holes on the frame 210. The sloped portion 234 extends toward the center of the opening 220. The optical waveguide 10 then rests on the sloped portion 234.
Note that in both embodiments, the universal tray includes a frame that may be a standard size, which includes a plurality of openings. Surrounding each opening, there is a plurality of fingers, which extend toward the center of the respective opening. Further, in both embodiments, the fingers are sloped in the region that contacts the optical waveguide 10. Further, there is an elastomer on the surface of the fingers that contacts the optical waveguide 10 in both embodiments. Thus, in both embodiments, the optical waveguide 10 is contacted by the elastomer only near its edges, as the sloped fingers minimize contact with other parts of the waveguide. Further, because there is minimal contact between the fingers and the optical waveguide 10, the trays described herein may also be used for inspection.
Note that the trays shown in
Thus, in some embodiments, the trays described above include retention mechanisms, such that the trays are stackable and retain the optical waveguides 10 in position.
As explained above and best seen in
The retention mechanisms 320 are disposed in the volume between the finger 135 and the bottom of the downward support 310 and extend outward toward the center of the opening. The retention mechanism 320 may be sloped upward at an angle that may be between 1° and 10°. In this way, similar to the fingers, the retention mechanism 320 only contacts the top surface of the optical waveguide 10 at its outer edge. Thus, when a stackable tray 300 is placed on top of a second stackable tray 300, as shown in
This retention mechanism may be formed in a number of ways.
The use of the retention mechanism 320 allows the optical waveguide 10 to be held in place in the vertical direction and inhibits movement during transfer and shipping. Further, the sloped nature of the retention mechanism 320 ensures that the optical waveguides 10 are only contacted along the edges, minimizing potential damage and contamination.
In the embodiment shown in
Because the optical waveguides 10 are not secured in the upward direction, the frames described herein may also be utilized to flip the optical waveguide 10.
After the flip tray 400 is positioned on top of the stackable tray 300, the assembly is flipped such that the flip tray 400 is now beneath the stackable tray 300, as shown in
Thus, the universal tray and the flip tray form a kit that may be used to handle and manipulate optical waveguides.
The stackable tray 300 described earlier has other applications as well. Since the optical waveguides 10 are supported on the top surface and the bottom surface, the stackable trays 300 may also be used to transport and ship the optical waveguides 10.
Note that in another embodiment, the top cover 520 may be simplified. By incorporating an additional stackable tray 300 on top of the uppermost frame that holds an optical waveguide 10, the retention mechanism of this additional stackable frame is used to hold the optical waveguide 10 in place. In this embodiment, the top cover 520 is similar to the bottom cover 510, in that it may be a flat plate and contain engagement mechanisms to secure it to this top stackable tray 300.
Note that while the disclosure describes the use of the universal tray with optical waveguides, it is understood that this tray may be used with other types of workpieces and its utility is not limited to optical waveguides.
The system described herein has many advantages. First, by utilizing the downward sloped fingers with an elastomer top surface, the optical waveguides may be held in place without contacting the nanostructures disposed on either surface of the substrate. Further, since there is no contact on the top surface, visual inspection may be performed while the optical waveguides are positioned in the universal tray. Further, this configuration allows the optical waveguide to be flipped, as the pull off force is relatively low. Thus, a special flip tray may be used to allow processing of the bottom surface.
Additionally, the inclusion of a retention mechanism allows the optical waveguides to be held in place in the vertical direction as well. This has many benefits. First, large numbers of trays may be stacked on top of one another for movement through the manufacturing facility. Additionally, optical waveguides may be cleaned while in an assembly of stacked universal trays, as there are multiple openings and slots through which liquid may travel. This facilitates ultra or megasonic cleaning without having to transfer the optical waveguides to a different tray. Additionally, top, bottom and side covers may be used to encapsulate the assembly of stacked universal trays, allowing the assembly to be transported and shipped without moving to a different carrier.
The present disclosure is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein. Indeed, other various embodiments of and modifications to the present disclosure, in addition to those described herein, will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings. Thus, such other embodiments and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, although the present disclosure has been described herein in the context of a particular implementation in a particular environment for a particular purpose, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that its usefulness is not limited thereto and that the present disclosure may be beneficially implemented in any number of environments for any number of purposes. Accordingly, the claims set forth below should be construed in view of the full breadth and spirit of the present disclosure as described herein.
