Conveying element and conveyor means for conveying wafer receptacles, and method

US6732855B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignees

• Motorola, Inc. · US
• Semiconductor 300 GmbH & Co. KG · DE
• Infineon Technologies AG · DE

Inventors

• Michael Lering · Bubenreuth, DE
• Volker Tegeder · Osterburken, DE
• Clinton Haris · Lunenburg, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 8, 2000
• Grant date: May 11, 2004
• Expiry date: Feb 9, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B65G13/065
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A conveyor element (10) for conveying wafer receptacles between a conveyor (12) and a loading station (11) of a manufacturing system in the semiconductor industry has a lifting mechanism (13) to move the wafer receptacle from a first position of the conveyor (12) or the loading station (11) into a second position of the conveyor (12) or of the loading station (11) substantially in a vertical direction. Rollers (14) are provided to move the wafer receptacle from the second position of the conveyor (12) along a substantially horizontal direction to the second position of the loading station (11) or from the second position of the loading station (11) to the second position of the conveyor (12).