Transfer system for wafer cassettes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12046497-B2
Application number	US-202217879651-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2022
Priority date	Aug 2, 2022
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

A transfer system for wafer cassettes includes a tray and a rail compatible with the tray. The tray includes a base plate, a through hole, a wall, and a pair of first positioning features. The through hole is disposed on a center of the base plate, in which the through hole has a first direction axis and a second direction axis perpendicular to the first direction axis. The wall extends from a surface of the base plate and surrounding the through hole, in which the wall separates the base plate into an interior region and an exterior region. The pair of first positioning features having a first level height are in the interior region and arranged parallel to the first direction axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transfer system for wafer cassettes, comprising:
a tray, comprising:
a base plate;
a through hole disposed on a center of the base plate, wherein the through hole has a first direction axis and a second direction axis perpendicular to the first direction axis;
a wall extending from a surface of the base plate and surrounding the through hole, wherein the wall separates the base plate into an interior region and an exterior region;
a pair of first positioning features having a first level height in the interior region and arranged parallel to the first direction axis;
a pair of second positioning features having a second level height in the interior region and arranged parallel to the first direction axis, wherein the first level height is greater than the second level height;
a pair of third positioning features having a third level height in the interior region and arranged parallel to the first direction axis;
a pair of fourth positioning features having a fourth level height in the interior region and arranged parallel to the first direction axis, wherein the third level height is greater than the fourth level height;
wherein a minimum distance between the each first positioning feature and the second direction axis is greater than a minimum distance between the each second positioning feature and the second direction axis,
wherein a minimum distance between the each third positioning feature and the first direction axis is greater than a minimum distance between the each fourth positioning feature and the first direction axis; and

a rail compatible with the tray.

2. The transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the first direction axis and the second direction axis intersect in a center of the through hole.

3. The transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the wall comprises a first inner surface, a second inner surface, a third inner surface, and a fourth inner surface,
wherein the second inner surface and the third inner surface respectively adjoin and are perpendicular to two sides of the first inner surface of the wall, and the second inner surface and the third inner surface are parallel to each other,
wherein the second inner surface and the third inner surface respectively adjoin and are perpendicular to two sides of the fourth inner surface of the wall, and the first inner surface and the fourth inner surface are parallel to each other,
wherein a distance between the second inner surface of the wall and the first direction axis is greater than the minimum distance between the each third positioning feature and the first direction axis.

4. The transfer system of claim 3 , wherein the pair of first positioning features are relatively disposed on two sides the first direction axis, and the pair of first positioning features are disposed on the first inner surface of the wall.

5. The transfer system of claim 4 , wherein each of the second positioning features relatively adjoins each of the first positioning features, and each of the second positioning features relatively is disposed on the second inner surface and the third inner surface of the wall.

6. The transfer system of claim 3 , wherein the pair of third positioning features are relatively disposed on two sides the first direction axis, and each of the third positioning features is relatively disposed on the second inner surface and the third inner surface of the wall.

7. The transfer system of claim 6 , wherein the pair of fourth positioning features are relatively disposed on two sides the first direction axis, and each of the fourth positioning features is relatively disposed on each of the third positioning features.

8. The transfer system of claim 3 , further comprising a fifth positioning feature having a fifth level height in the interior region and arranged between the pair of first positioning features, wherein the first level height and the second level height are greater than the fifth level height.

9. The transfer system of claim 8 , further comprising a recess in the fifth positioning feature.

10. The transfer system of claim 9 , wherein the first direction axis passes through a center of the fifth positioning feature and a center of the recess.

11. The transfer system of claim 9 , wherein the minimum distance between the each second positioning feature and the second direction axis is greater than a minimum distance between the recess of the fifth positioning feature and the second direction axis.

12. The transfer system of claim 8 , further comprising a sixth positioning feature having a sixth level height in the interior region,
wherein a distance between the fourth inner surface of the wall and the second direction axis is greater than a minimum distance between the sixth positioning feature and the second direction axis.

13. The transfer system of claim 12 , wherein the first direction axis passes through a center of the sixth positioning feature.

14. The transfer system of claim 12 , further comprising a first gap channel and a second gap channel,
wherein the first gap channel separates each of the third positioning features into two third portions and separates each of the fourth positioning features into two fourth portions,
wherein the second gap channel separates the fifth positioning feature into two fifth portions and separates the sixth positioning feature into two sixth portions.

15. The transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the pair of first positioning features, the pair of second positioning features, the pair of third positioning features, and the pair of fourth positioning features extend from the surface of the base plate.

16. The transfer system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of seventh positioning features having a seventh level height in the interior region and a plurality of eighth positioning features having an eighth level height in the interior region,
wherein the plurality of seventh positioning features are arranged adjacent to four corners of the wall, and the seventh level height is below the surface of the base plate,
wherein the plurality of eighth positioning features are arranged adjacent to four corners of the wall, and the eighth level height is below the surface of the base plate.

17. The transfer system of claim 1 , further comprising different types of first wafer cassettes in the transfer system, and the tray is compatible with the different types of first wafer cassettes.

18. The transfer system of claim 17 , further comprising a second wafer cassette in the transfer system,
wherein a length of the tray is the same as a length of the second wafer cassette, and a width of the tray is the same as a width of the second wafer cassette.

19. The transfer system of claim 1 , further comprising a radio frequency identification tag disposed on the base plate.

20. The transfer system of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of handle structures extending from the surface of the base plate and disposed in the exterior region.

Assignees

• Visera Technologies Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yen Yi-Feng
• Hsu Shih-Lung
• Teng Kuo-Hsing
• Tung Cheng-Hsiung

Classifications

• H10P72/3218

  Conveying cassettes, containers or carriers · CPC title

• H10P72/16 Primary

  Trays for chips · CPC title

• H10P72/1918

  characterised by coupling elements, kinematic members, handles or elements to be externally gripped · CPC title

• H10P72/37

  with orientating and positioning by means of a vibratory bowl or track · CPC title

• H10P72/10

  using carriers specially adapted therefor, e.g. front opening unified pods [FOUP] · CPC title