Door opener and substrate processing apparatus provided therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11378337-B2
Application number	US-202016827012-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2020
Priority date	Mar 28, 2019
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a door opener to open a door of a cassette with substrates, the opener having a first wall to engage with the cassette and having a first opening to transfer the door and the substrates and a second wall opposite the first wall and having a second opening to transfer substrates. The door opener may have a closure device to hold the door of the cassette and having first and second sides and moveable in a chamber formed between the first and second wall. The opener may have a first actuator to move the closure device in a first direction from a first closing position where the first side closes against the first wall to a second closing position where the second side closes against the second wall, and from the second closing position to a transport position in between the first and second closing positions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A door opener constructed and arranged to open a door of a cassette with substrates, the opener comprising:
a first wall configured to engage with the cassette and provided with a first opening to transfer the door and substrates of the cassette;
a second wall opposite the first wall and provided with a second opening to transfer substrates; and,
a closure device configured to hold the door of the cassette and moveable in a chamber formed between the first and second wall,
wherein the first opening and the second opening are on the opposite sides of the chamber,
wherein the opener is provided with a first actuator constructed and arranged to move the closure device with the door in a first direction:
from a first closing position where a first side of the closing device substantially closes against the first wall to a second closing position where the second side of the closing device substantially closes against the second wall; and,
from the second closing position to a transport position in between the first and second closing positions, and

wherein the door opener is constructed and arranged with space between the first and second wall to move the closure device with the door of the cassette held thereby in between the first and second wall in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

2. The door opener according to claim 1 , wherein the second side of the closing device in the second closing position substantially covers the second opening.

3. The door opener according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second openings are aligned with each other.

4. The door opener according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second side are opposite the closing device.

5. The door opener according to claim 1 , wherein the closing device is a rigid structure with the first and second side rigidly connected.

6. The door opener according to claim 1 , wherein the opener comprises a second actuator constructed and arranged to move the closure device from the transport position to a storage position in the chamber.

7. The door opener according to claim 6 , wherein the second actuator moves the closure device through the chamber in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

8. The door opener according to claim 1 , wherein the opener comprises a gas feed constructed and arranged to provide a gas in the chamber.

9. The door opener according to claim 1 , wherein the opener comprises a gas discharge constructed and arranged to discharge gas from the chamber.

10. The door opener according to claim 1 , wherein said opener comprises a gas feed constructed and arranged to provide a stream of gas into said cassette.

11. The door opener according to claim 1 , wherein a flexible seal is provided to one or more of the first wall, second wall, a first surface and a second surface.

12. A substrate processing apparatus provided with the door opener according to claim 1 , the apparatus further comprising a substrate handling robot provided in a substrate handling room and the first and second wall of the door opener form a wall of the substrate handling room, wherein the apparatus comprises a nitrogen purge system constructed and arranged to provide a purge flow in the substrate handling room.

13. A method of opening a door of a cassette with substrates, the method comprising:
moving the cassette with substrates against a first wall provided with a first opening;
grabbing the door of the cassette with a closing device provided with first and second sides;
moving the closure device with the door of the cassette in a first direction from a first closing position where the first side substantially closes against the first wall to a second closing position where the second side substantially closes against a second wall with a second opening opposite the first wall and the second side substantially covers the second opening in the second closed position;
moving the closure device with the door of the cassette in the first direction from the second closing position to a transport position in between the first and second closing positions; and
moving the closure device with the door of the cassette in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction from the transport position to a storage position in a chamber between the first and second wall.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the method comprises providing a gas in the chamber with a gas feed.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the method comprises discharging gas from the chamber with a gas discharge.

16. A door opener constructed and arranged to open a door of a cassette with substrates, the opener comprising:
a first wall configured to engage with the cassette and provided with a first opening to transfer the door and substrates of the cassette;
a second wall opposite the first wall and provided with a second opening to transfer substrates; and,
a closure device configured to hold the door of the cassette and moveable in a chamber formed between the first and second wall,
wherein the first opening and the second opening are on the opposite sides of the chamber,
wherein the opener is provided with a first actuator constructed and arranged to move the closure device with the door in a first direction:
from a first closing position where a first side of the closing device substantially closes against the first wall to a second closing position where the second side of the closing device substantially closes against the second wall; and
from the second closing position to a transport position in between the first and second closing positions, and

wherein the opener comprises a second actuator constructed and arranged to move the closure device from the transport position to a storage position in the chamber.

17. The door opener according to claim 16 , wherein the second side of the closing device in the second closing position substantially covers the second opening.

18. The door opener according to claim 16 , wherein the first and second openings are aligned with each other.

19. The door opener according to claim 16 , wherein the first and second sides are opposite the closing device.

20. The door opener according to claim 16 , wherein the closing device is a rigid structure with the first and second side rigidly connected.

21. The door opener according to claim 16 , wherein the second actuator moves the closure device through the chamber in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

22. The door opener according to claim 16 , wherein the opener comprises a gas feed constructed and arranged to provide a gas in the chamber, wherein the opener comprises a gas discharge constructed and arranged to discharge the gas from the chamber, and the gas feed is constructed and arranged to provide a stream of gas into said cassette.

23. A substrate processing apparatus provided with the door opener according to claim 16 , the apparatus further comprising a substrate handling robot provided in a substrate handling room and the first and second wall of the door opener form a wall of the substrate handling room, wherein the apparatus comprises a nitrogen purge system constructed and arranged to provide a purge flow in the substrate handling room.

24. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
a door opener constructed and arranged to open a door of a casset

Assignees

• Asm Ip Holding Bv

Inventors

• Fluit Jeroen

Classifications

• H10P72/0452 Primary

  characterised by the layout of the process chambers · CPC title

• F27D3/0084 Primary

  Charging; Manipulation of SC or SC wafers · CPC title

• F27D3/12

  Travelling or movable supports or containers for the charge · CPC title

• E05D15/56

  with successive different movements {(raising wings before being turned E05F7/02)} · CPC title

• E05F15/652

  operated by screw-and-nut mechanisms · CPC title