Dockable interface airlock between process enclosure and interprocess transfer container
US5451131A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 19, 1992 |
| Grant date | Sep 19, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 19, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/53191
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Disclosed is a manufacturing system having isolated islands of "clean room" environment connected by inter-process transfer containers for transfering in-process workpieces. The system has airlock transfer ports between the process enclosures and the inter-process transfer containers. The make and break airlock transfer ports have facing sealable doors in the process enclosure and the transfer container. These doors are in air sealable facing recesses of the process enclosure and the transfer container. At least one peripheral gasket surrounds the recesses and the pair of doors. This provides a substantially clean room environment in the airlock. The sealable door in the interprocess transfer container is fabricated of a ferromagnetic material and is seated on a ferromagnetic gasket, while the sealable door in the process enclosure has a controllable electromagnetic clamp. After establishment of an airtight seal between the two recesses, the doors are opened by activating the electromagnetic clamp in the process enclosure door to pull the ferromagnetic door in the interprocess transfer container away from the ferromagnetic gasket. The results in the simultaneous opening of the of t…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.