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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7896602 | Workpiece stocker with circular configuration An improved stocker configuration for storing workpieces in a fabrication facility is disclosed, employing workpiece compartments arranged stationarily around a robot handling assembly. The robot handler can be designed with three degrees of freedom, to improve spee... | 03/01/2011 |
| 7618226 | Semiconductor substrate transfer apparatus and semiconductor substrate processing apparatus equipped with the same A semiconductor substrate transfer apparatus for transferring semiconductor substrates from a first container to a second container, includes: multiple end effectors; at least one robot arm with which the multiple end effectors are independently rotatably joined; an... | 11/17/2009 |
| 7575408 | Work conveying method and conveying apparatus employing the conveying method Plural wok pairs composed of a plurality of works are stored in work storing means. A movable sensor 45 fitted to a conveyance robot 5 detects the position of one of the work pairs in the work storing means, and the work gripping means 25 takes ... | 08/18/2009 |
| 7377737 | Storage lift A storage lift has two shelving columns that support storage goods carriers (5). A vertical conveyor is located between the two shelving columns and at least one of the shelving columns has a loading and removal opening. A light grille (9, 10) and face... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7363195 | Methods of configuring a sensor network A sensor network collects time-series data from a process tool and supplies the data to an analysis system where pattern analysis techniques are used to identify structures and to monitor subsequent data based on analysis instructions or a composite model. Time-seri... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7335158 | Surgical devices for imposing a negative pressure to stabilize the cardiac tissue during surgery The invention is devices and techniques which use a negative (suction) pressure or vacuum, applied through a surgical instrument, to fix the position of a portion of the surface of a beating heart so that a surgical procedure can be more easily performed. The device... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7308779 | Method and device for packing tubes Tubes (T), coming from a production line, are supplied by means of a grouping unit (1). The grouping unit comprises a conveyor belt (10), with product holders (11) and the tubes are supplied in groups by means of a stepping motor (12). A ... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7296963 | Multi-row passive component carrier tape A carrier tape for a tape and reel machine includes at least one edge having a plurality of sprocket openings therein. The carrier tape also includes a first row of aperture cavities and a second row of aperture cavities. Electrical components are contained in the f... | 11/20/2007 |
| 7289230 | Wireless substrate-like sensor A wireless substrate-like sensor is provided to facilitate alignment and calibration of semiconductor processing systems. The wireless substrate-like sensor includes an optical image acquisition system that acquires one or more images of targets placed within the se... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7283255 | Wireless substrate-like sensor A wireless substrate-like sensor is provided to facilitate alignment and calibration of semiconductor processing systems. The wireless substrate-like sensor includes an optical image acquisition system that acquires one or more images of targets placed within the se... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7270510 | Device and method for transporting wafer-shaped articles An apparatus for treating wafer-shaped articles includes at least one linear arranged array of a plurality of at least two process units wherein in each such process unit one single wafer-shaped article can be treated, a cassette-holding unit for holding at least on... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7260448 | Substrate holding device A substrate holding device includes: holding members configured to hold substrates, the holding members being arranged along a predetermined arranging direction and being movable along the arranging direction; an interlocking mechanism interlocking the holding membe... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7244088 | FOUP door transfer system A device (12) picks up at least one semi-conductor wafer (11) from a container (14) of wafers fitted on one side (15) of an aperture (13) in the transfer station (10) of a semi-conductor wafer processing plant. The device is... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7229240 | Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method When the processing temperature in a heater should be changed between lots, for example, a foremost substrate in a subsequent lot is transported to a position close to the heater such as a substrate holding part, and is held in standby thereat until adjustment of a ... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7230441 | Wafer staging platform for a wafer inspection system A wafer staging platform for a wafer inspection system for inspecting of semiconductors or like substrates and method of handling wafers. The platform and related method is designed to reduce the amount of time needed to exchange wafers on a processing tool. The sta... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7216909 | Breakaway mandrel for transporting disks An end-effector that loads disks into a pallet of a sputtering machine, for example, has a two-piece mandrel with a rigid inner core and a plastic outer sleeve slideably axially mounted on the core. The sleeve is attached to the core with a coupling providing a pred... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7217076 | Semiconductor material handling system The semiconductor material handling system is an EFEM that may either mount to the front end of a processing tool or be integrated into the processing tool. The EFEM is built from a unified frame that the EFEM components, such as a wafer engine and a SMIF pod advanc... | 05/15/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7206663 | Calibration cassette pod for robot teaching and method of using A calibration cassette pod for robot teaching and a method of using the calibration cassette pod are described. In the calibration cassette pod, a cassette pod body and a cassette pod door are first provided wherein the cassette pod body is constructed of a top pane... | 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 |
| 7179044 | Method of removing substrates from a storage site and a multiple substrate batch loader A substrate handling robot includes an arm drive mechanism. A first arm is connected to the arm drive mechanism. A multiple substrate batch loader is connected to the first arm. A second arm is also connected to the arm drive mechanism. A single plane end effector i... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7175024 | Configurable insert for a manufacturing carrier A manufacturing carrier has an insert that can be configured and reconfigured for a wide variety components. The carrier has a frame configured to be transported by a conveyor, an insert and at least one positioner. The insert has pin holes arranged in a matrix. The... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7165711 | Substrate alignment method and apparatus A substrate that is not lying flat on its substrate tray can present significant process problems when a vacuum pickup attempts to pick up the substrate and fails due to the lack of a proper bond forming between the pickup and the substrate. The substrate left behin... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7165308 | Dual disk transport mechanism processing two disks tilted toward each other Various apparatus and methods are provided for handling and transporting pairs of gap merge disks. A transfer member is provided in one embodiment which engages the outer perimeter of a pair of disks at three locations. The transfer member is configured to induce an... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7163110 | Adjustable cassette for accommodating substrates and method for adjusting same An adjustable cassette (1) for accommodating substrates includes a frame (10), a pair of supporting plate (20) with a plurality of retaining members (208) facing each other, and an adjusting means for joining of the supporting plates to t... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7151366 | Integrated process condition sensing wafer and data analysis system A process condition measuring device and a handling system may be highly integrated with a production environment where the dimensions of the process condition measuring device are close to those of a production substrate and the handling system is similar to a subs... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7149643 | Integrated process condition sensing wafer and data analysis system A process condition measuring device and a handling system may be highly integrated with a production environment where the dimensions of the process condition measuring device are close to those of a production substrate and the handling system is similar to a subs... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7114908 | Method and apparatus for stacking semiconductor wafers An apparatus for stacking semiconductor wafers comprises a housing configured to releasably maintain a plurality of semiconductor wafers in fixed positions relative to the housing. The apparatus also includes a transfer guide proximate to the housing, the transfer g... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7115891 | Wafer mapping device and load port provided with same A wafer mapping device that recognizes the existence of wafers along with the descending and opening of a front door (2a) of a closed type clean container (2) in a state where the front door of the closed type clean container for mounting and ho... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7109509 | Device for the detection of substrates stacked with a specific spacing For a device for the detection of substrates stacked at an opening of a wall element, there existed the problem of constructing the detection device in such a way that the detection of the position of the substrates can be performed more flexibly with respect to the... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7054713 | Calibration cassette pod for robot teaching and method of using A calibration cassette pod for robot teaching and a method of using the calibration cassette pod are described. In the calibration cassette pod, a cassette pod body and a cassette pod door are first provided wherein the cassette pod body is constructed of a top pane... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7033126 | Method and apparatus for loading a batch of wafers into a wafer boat A receiver frame loads and unloads a batch of semiconductor wafers onto wafer holders in a wafer boat. The wafer holders extends continuously about the perimeter of an overlying wafer. The receiver frame is provided with a plurality of supporting arms which are immo... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7017910 | Card game A game, including a plurality of Message Cards. In another aspect, a method of playing a card game, including providing a plurality of Message Cards to each player and each player in his or her turn providing one or more Message Cards from his or her hand to one or ... | 03/28/2006 |
| 7011484 | End effector with tapered fingertips An apparatus for transporting a flat object from one position to another position. The apparatus includes an end effector having a base portion and at least one finger extending from the base portion. The finger having a top surface and a bottom surface, and the fin... | 03/14/2006 |
| 7001130 | Robotic rack loading apparatus and method Robotic rack loading apparatus and method include features and loading steps that provide essentially damage free rack loading of automotive panel assemblies into a specially designed rack. The rack includes dunnage elements containing sets of slots with lead-in upp... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6984839 | Wafer processing apparatus capable of mapping wafers A wafer processing apparatus on which a pod having an opening is detachably mounted is provided with a door unit and a mapping unit provided with a transmitting type sensor having an emitter and a detector forming a slot therebetween. The emitter and the detector ar... | 01/10/2006 |
| 6945258 | Substrate processing apparatus and method A cleaning processing system including a wafer transfer device, a wafer detecting sensor for detecting a wafer, a memory for storing the position and direction of an extra wafer present inside the cleaning processing system when the power supply is cut off, an alarm... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6942738 | Automated semiconductor processing system An automated semiconductor processing system has an indexer bay perpendicularly aligned with a process bay within a clean air enclosure. An indexer in the indexer bay provides stocking or storage for work in progress semiconductor wafers. Process chambers are locate... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6935201 | Measurement configuration including a vehicle and method for performing measurements with the measurement configuration at various locations A measurement device, i.e. a metrology tool, and a vehicle are combined to provide a mobile metrology in a fabrication facility. Peripheral equipment such as a device transfer unit, for, e.g., FOUPs in semiconductor manufacturing, an electronic control system with, ... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6934661 | Wafer edge detector A method for detecting wafer flat shift, and an apparatus (500) having two sensors (506a) and (506b) in a power supply circuit (600) for wafer fabrication equipment, the sensors (506a) and (506b) ... | 08/23/2005 |
