Did You Know...
...that when IBM conducted a market study of Chester Carlson's invention in 1959, the company concluded that it would take only 5000 units of his new product to saturate the market? IBM therefore declined to be part of the new product introduction. Too bad for IBM. Carlson's invention was the xerography process, and his new product was the beginning of the Xerox Corporation. It is estimated that every day, worldwide, 3,000,000,000 copies are made!!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8182192 | Equipment storage for substrate processing apparatus A substrate processing apparatus has a frame and a load port connected to the frame and adapted to mate a substrate transport container to the frame. The apparatus has transportable storage that is adapted to be removably connected to the frame and fit beneath the l... | 05/22/2012 |
| 8128333 | Substrate processing apparatus and manufacturing method for semiconductor devices A substrate processing apparatus comprises a storage container for storing multiple substrates and whose substrate loading and unloading opening is shut by a lid, a loading and unloading port for carrying the storage container into and out of the case, a placement u... | 03/06/2012 |
| 8057151 | Foup door positioning device for foup opener The FOUP door positioning device of a FOUP opener is compatible with all kinds of FOUPs, is inexpensive, and has a simple positioning-ping adjustment mechanism. In a state in which a flange portion (a portion having a taper 13) of a proximal end portio... | 11/15/2011 |
| 8029227 | Dust resistant load port apparatus and mini-environment system In a load port apparatus, a clearance is formed between an inner circumferential surface of an opening of the chamber and an outer circumferential surface of a door. The area of the clearance between the plate and the opening portion on a plane flush with an interio... | 10/04/2011 |
| 7976262 | FOUP opener This invention relates to a FOUP opener in which a FOUP is placed and the FOUP door of the FOUP can be detached so as to allow access to the interior of the FOUP. The FOUP opener includes a port door having an attaching/detaching mechanism for attaching and detachin... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7963737 | Apparatus and method for transferring substrate Provided are an apparatus and method for transferring substrates. The substrate transferring apparatus is provided with a plurality of blades capable of withdrawing wafers from inside a container. Withdrawing members are elevated within coupling holes formed in the ... | 06/21/2011 |
| 7934898 | High throughput semiconductor wafer processing A wafer processing system has a wafer loading system accommodating sufficient wafer carriers to substantially maximize the processing speed capability of the processing system. Wafer carriers are placed into and removed from the loading system by one or two overhead... | 05/03/2011 |
| 7887280 | Processing apparatus There is provided a processing apparatus capable of modifying an existing processing apparatus having a single loading port to one having dual loading ports by providing an additional loading port without increasing a foot print thereof and also capable of realizing... | 02/15/2011 |
| 7789610 | Methods for preventing/treating damage to sensory hair cells and cochlear neurons Methods for preventing or treating damage to sensory hair cells and cochlear neurons are disclosed. The methods comprise the administration of an effective amount of a compound of Formula I or Formula II. The method provides for the prevention/treatment of both hear... | 09/07/2010 |
| 7762755 | Equipment storage for substrate processing apparatus A substrate processing apparatus has a frame and a load port connected to the frame and adapted to mate a substrate transport container to the frame. The apparatus has transportable storage that is adapted to be removably connected to the frame and fit beneath the l... | 07/27/2010 |
| 7651311 | Substrate container opener and opener-side door drive mechanism thereof In this invention, a movable body movable in forward and backward directions and a connector fixed to an opener-side door are connected with each other by link members so as to constitute a parallel link mechanism, such that they can be angularly displaced relative ... | 01/26/2010 |
| 7611319 | Methods and apparatus for identifying small lot size substrate carriers In at least one aspect, a system is provided that includes (1) a substrate carrier having first docking features; and (2) a loadport having second docking features. The second docking features are adapted to block docking of substrate carriers that do not include th... | 11/03/2009 |
| 7604449 | Equipment front end module Equipment front end module (EFEM) systems and methods for handling workpieces at EFEMs are disclosed. An equipment front end module (EFEM) system has an enclosure and a robot within the enclosure. The enclosure has two or more load ports, each being adapted to recei... | 10/20/2009 |
| 7597523 | Variable lot size load port A variable lot size load port assembly includes a tool interface, an advance plate, and a seal plate. The tool interface extends generally in a vertical dimension and has a front surface, a back surface generally parallel to the front surface, and an aperture. An ad... | 10/06/2009 |
| 7585144 | Variable lot size load port A variable lot size load port assembly is described having a tool interface, a port door, a latch key, an advance plate, and an elevator. The tool interface extends generally in a vertical dimension and has an aperture. The port door has a closed position wherein th... | 09/08/2009 |
| 7578647 | Load port configurations for small lot size substrate carriers In a first aspect, an apparatus is provided for opening a substrate carrier door of a substrate carrier. The apparatus includes a supporting member adapted to (1) support the substrate carrier door at a load port; (2) allow removal of the door from the substrate car... | 08/25/2009 |
| 7568875 | Vacuum interface between a mini-environment pod and a piece of equipment In apparatus of the invention, a transport pod (1) can be coupled to an article-passing opening (11) of process equipment (9) in leaktight manner with sealing being provided by an interposed interface peripheral gasket (16). The pod door ... | 08/04/2009 |
| 7416998 | Air-curtain forming apparatus for wafer hermetic container in semiconductor-fabrication equipment of minienvironment system In a semiconductor-fabrication equipment of a minienvironment system, ambient air is prevented from entering a gap between an opening of the semiconductor-fabrication equipment and a wafer gateway of a hermetic container to prevent dust entrained in the ambient air ... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7374387 | Method and arrangement for emptying big bags A method and an arrangement are provided for emptying a Big Bag or similar transport container which is filled with pourable, especially pulverized goods which are not to come into contact with their surroundings, wherein the Big Bag is inserted in a sluice means ( | 05/20/2008 |
| 7360985 | Wafer processing apparatus including clean box stopping mechanism The semiconductor wafer processing apparatus includes a clean box having an opening, a lid for closing the opening, a door to be in contact with the lid and to detach the lid from the clean box, a first stopper adapted to move in conjunction with movement of the cle... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7350544 | Station for controlling and purging a mini-environment A SMIF type mini-environment (1) can be connected onto a purge station (2). The purge station comprises a leaktight purge compartment (2b) whose top face includes a closable transfer passage (2c) facing the bottom face (1... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7344349 | Pod cover removing-installing apparatus A pod cover removing-installing apparatus can open and close any covers for a variety of pods made by a various manufactures, can satisfy an allowable distortion error capable of being normally operated even if conditions such as temperature, humidity, and can remov... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7328561 | Apparatus for erecting boxes and setting them on a conveyor A sun wheel is centered on a sun axis between a magazine and a conveyor, a planet carrier is rotatable about the sun axis and defines a planet axis generally parallel to but offset from the sun axis, and a gripper shaft is journaled in the planet carrier at the plan... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7322177 | Machine for gathering ground strewn articles A machine for removing articles strewn on a tract of ground generally consisting of a wheel unit; a support frame mounted on the wheel unit, having device for advancing the machine along the tract of ground; an endless conveyor mounted on the support frame, having d... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7315766 | Component mounting apparatus and component mounting method In component mounting for executing a component feed operation and component holding and pickup operation, a recipe for the component holding and pickup operation that is an operational program for executing the component holding and pickup operation is received in ... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7282889 | Maintenance unit for a sensor apparatus Presented are methods, systems, and apparatuses for managing and maintaining an electronic device such as a sensor apparatus. ... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7278546 | Removable cover assembly with pivoting covers and hoisting pins A removable cover assembly for a refuse container has a frame with pivotable plastic covers and retractable hoisting pins, which can be utilized using the same hoisting apparatus as is used for the refuse container. ... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7257971 | Case with internal lock A lockable storage case includes a top cover pivotably coupled to a bottom cover through a spine. The top cover includes loops or an upper lock receiving member and a lower lock receiving member defining a top cover lock insertion path. The bottom cover includes loo... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7258520 | Methods and apparatus for using substrate carrier movement to actuate substrate carrier door opening/closing A system for opening a substrate carrier includes a substrate carrier having an openable portion. The substrate carrier also has an opening mechanism coupled to the openable portion. A substrate transfer location has a support adapted to support a substrate carrier.... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7255524 | Substrate cassette mapper A mechanism for mapping the contents of a cassette which is used for delivering substrates to a system for processing semiconductor and similar materials which is independent of load port or loading robot movement. The mapping mechanism includes a U-shaped probe hav... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7219823 | Electronic component feeding device and electronic component counting apparatus having the same This invention provides a low-cost electronic component feeding device which stabilizes a pickup position of an electronic component and does not require a highly accurate sprocket. A component feeding unit is fixed to an adjusting jig, a recognition camera moves to... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7204669 | Semiconductor substrate damage protection system A method and apparatus for preventing substrate damage in a factory interface. In one embodiment, a method for preventing substrate damage in a factory interface includes the steps of receiving an indicia of potential substrate damage, and automatically preventing s... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7198447 | Semiconductor device producing apparatus and producing method of semiconductor device A semiconductor device producing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a carrier-holding stage for placing a carrier; first, second and third stages each for holding first and second boats one at a time, each boat holding one or more substrates; a boat tran... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7192791 | Semiconductor wafer having an edge based identification feature A semiconductor wafer comprises a wafer formed of a semiconductor material having a peripheral edge portion and a repeating mark on the edge portion of the wafer to allow identification of the wafer. Also described is a method of identifying and tracking these semic... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7165303 | Disc cassette delidder and feeder system for data storage devices A disc cassette delidder and feeder system that includes a frame supporting; a feed-in conveyor with a movable conveyor portion, a delidder assembly attached to a lid elevator, a caddy grip and rotate assembly secured to a caddy elevator, and a re-lid assembly porti... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7163502 | Carton erecting apparatus Rotary transfer mechanism is mounted on a frame for removing a flat folded carton from a storage hopper to move the carton to a flight conveyor assembly and in cooperation therewith erect the carton to be in an open rectangular condition. The transfer mechanism incl... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7147424 | Automatic door opener A wafer carrier opener is provided. The wafer carrier opener may eliminate the use of two separate actuators by using a four-bar linkage mechanism. The wafer carrier opener includes a wafer carrier door receiver, a horizontally stationary member, and a link coupled ... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7134827 | Reduced footprint tool for automated processing of microelectronic substrates The present invention provides tools and methods of processing microelectronic substrates in which the tools maintain high throughput yet have dramatically lower footprint than conventional tools. In preferred aspects, the present invention provides novel tool desig... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7131478 | Component supply system An apparatus for supplying a component carrier in the form of a tape is provided. The component carrier has a number of cavities formed on one surface thereof for containing components. A pair of spaced first and second guide plates that function to guide one surfac... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7112027 | Pod cover removing-installing apparatus A pod cover removing-installing apparatus can open and close any covers for a variety of pods made by a various manufactures, can satisfy an allowable distortion error capable of being normally operated even if conditions such as temperature, humidity, and can remov... | 09/26/2006 |
