Closure fasteners – Bolts – Multiple
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-04
2001-06-12
Pham, Teri (Department: 3627)
Closure fasteners
Bolts
Multiple
C292S032000, C081S015900, C206S710000, C206S711000, C206S456000, C211S041120, C118S500000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244634
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lock actuation devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to semiconductor film wafer cassette lock actuation devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Semiconductor film wafer cassettes are commonly used in the semiconductor industry for transporting semiconductor wafers or film frames that support semiconductor wafers from one semiconductor processing station to another. Additionally, the cassettes may be inserted into particular semiconductor wafer processing apparatus where individual semiconductor wafers may be manipulated and processed.
In many situations, these cassettes may have a locking mechanism for retaining one or more semiconductor wafers or film frames within the cassette while the cassette is being transported between semiconductor processing stations. The locking mechanism prevents the cassette contents from falling out. The loss of even one wafer or film frame can be economically significant. When a cassette is inserted into a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus, a lock actuation means within the apparatus will actuate or open the retaining locks, thus allowing the individual semiconductor wafers or film frames to be removed from the cassette for manipulation and processing, followed by later re-insertion by the apparatus.
A novel semiconductor film wafer cassette utilizing an opposing pair of retaining comb locking mechanisms or retaining comb locks, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,958, assigned to Micron Technology, Inc., and hereinafter incorporated by reference. In the following descriptions, terms and reference numbers consistent with those employed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,958 are used. Furthermore, FIGS. 1B and 7 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,958 are reproduced below as
FIGS. 1 and 2
and include additional details relevant to the descriptions below.
The semiconductor film wafer cassette
10
described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,958, and shown in
FIG. 1
, is generally comprised of a pair of opposing side panels
12
with inner surfaces
16
comprising slots
22
defined by tooth-shaped dividers
24
. Semiconductor wafers or film frames (not shown) are inserted into the slots
22
and retained in the slots
22
by an opposing pair of retaining comb locks
28
. The retaining comb locks
28
comprise slots
38
, tooth-shaped projections
36
, and hook-shaped lower flanges
34
. In the normal or wafer-retaining condition in which the retaining comb locks
28
are closed, the slots
38
and tooth-shaped projections
36
of the retaining comb lock
28
are skewed or displaced relative to the slots
22
and dividers
24
of the side panel
12
of the cassette
10
, so as to block the wafers or film frames from sliding out of slots
22
. The tooth-shaped projections
36
thereby retain the semiconductor wafers or film frames within the cassette
10
.
However, when a force opposing the downward biasing spring (not shown) of each of the retaining comb locks
28
is exerted upon the bottom surface
300
of each lower flange
34
(i.e., the actuation area
300
of the retaining comb locks
28
), the pair of retaining comb locks
28
may be yieldingly urged upward to a minimum upward displacement position such that the slots
38
and tooth shaped projections
36
of the two retaining comb locks
28
are aligned with the slots
22
and dividers
24
of the side panels
12
of the cassette
10
. This displaced position allows sliding removal of the film frames or wafers from the cassette
10
. The dual comb locks
28
provide a measure of security relative to a single lock, because their actuation areas
300
are separated from each other, and both locks
28
must be actuated to release a film frame or wafer. Accidental release of one comb lock
28
is insufficient to release a film frame or wafer.
As described above, this actuation or opening of the pair of retaining comb locks
28
will usually be performed by a lock actuation means within a particular semiconductor wafer processing apparatus. However, prior to inserting or providing the cassette
10
to a processing apparatus, it may be desirable to remove manually some or all of the semiconductor wafers or film frames from the cassette
10
or to insert additional semiconductor wafers or film frames into the cassette
10
. In order to remove or insert the semiconductor wafers or film frames, both retaining comb locks
28
of the cassette
10
must be temporarily actuated or opened. Thus, the security of having dual locks becomes a disadvantage, because it may take one hand to release each lock
28
(and keep it released), leaving no hand for handling the wafers or film frames.
One prior device for temporarily actuating or opening the retaining comb locks
28
of a cassette
10
is shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4
. As shown in
FIG. 3
, the device
100
is generally an inverted T-shaped bar comprising a base
102
and a raised center member
104
. The base
102
provides stability for the device
100
while the raised center member
104
contacts the two actuation areas
300
of the retaining comb locks
28
as shown in FIG.
4
. The device shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4
may, however, be relatively difficult to operate. In most cases, an operator must use two hands to operate the device
100
; one hand to hold the device
100
steady beneath the cassette
10
in alignment with both actuation areas
300
, and the other hand to lower the cassette
10
onto the device
100
such that both actuation areas
300
of the retaining comb locks
28
are engaged by the raised center member
104
. While the operator is lowering the cassette
10
onto the raised center member
104
of the device
100
, the operator must ensure that the device
100
is properly aligned, such that both retaining comb locks
28
are simultaneously actuated or yieldingly urged upward by the raised center member
104
.
Another device for temporarily actuating or opening the retaining comb locks
28
of a cassette
10
is shown in
FIGS. 5A-B
and
6
. The device
200
generally comprises a pair of structurally connected, parallel, symmetrically-opposed guide rails
202
, as shown in FIG.
5
A. As shown in
FIG. 5B
, the guide rails
202
(only one is shown; the other is a mirror image of the first) comprise a flange
204
, a slot
206
and an inclined portion
208
. The flanges
204
are adapted such that the bottom portion
302
of each of the side panels
12
of the cassette
10
may be inserted and slidably retained in the slot
206
. As shown in
FIG. 6
, as the bottom portion
302
of each cassette's side panel
12
is further inserted into the slot
206
, a portion of the actuation area
300
of the lower flange
34
of the retaining comb locks
28
engages and is yieldingly urged upwards by the relative vertical increase of the inclined portion
208
of the guide rail. This occurs simultaneously with both locks
28
, as the bottom portions
302
are inserted further into the parallel slots
206
. If the bottom portion
302
of the side panels
12
is inserted such that the actuation area
300
reaches point
210
of the inclined portion
208
, the retaining comb locks
28
will reach the minimum upward displacement and be in the actuated or open position. However, this device
200
, similar to the device
100
described above, may be relatively difficult to operate. Again, similar to the device
100
described above, an operator must generally use two hands to operate the device
200
; one hand to steady the device
200
, and the other hand to slidably insert the bottom portion
302
of each of the side panels
12
of the cassette
10
into the slots
206
of the opposing guide rails
202
. Furthermore, due to differences in the width of cassettes
10
, the distance between the parallel, opposing guide rails
202
may need to be varied to accommodate different cassettes.
Thus, there exists a need for a lock actuation device that is easy to use. There also exists a need for a lock actuation device that is relatively quick to operate, thus, sav
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Micron Electronics Inc.
Pham Teri
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