Patent · US Expired

Wafer enclosure with door

US5957292A · kind A · utility

57Cited by
9References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 1, 1997
Grant dateSep 28, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 1, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/67373
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A sealable enclosure for wafers has a door with an easily accessible and disassembleable latching mechanism which utilizes a minimal number of moving parts. The door includes an enclosure with a cammed member rotatable on a post and in engagement with a pair of latching arms that extend, retract, move upwardly and downwardly or forwardly and rearwardly depending on whether the door is a front side door or a bottom door. The movement of the latching arms is accomplished by cammed portion of the cammed member configured to move cam follower portions of the latching arms in an axial direction with respect to the cammed member and in a radial direction. The latching arm pivots on a fulcrum within the enclosure. The latching mechanism is accessible through a panel that attaches by integral detents on the panel that cooperate with recesses on the interior edge walls of the door enclosure. The rotatable member has a slotted center and is secured on a T-shaped post extending from the enclosure by placement on the post in an insertion rotational position. When assembled the rotation of the cammed member is restricted to the operative range by stops on the enclosure.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.