Package making – Means to open or erect receptacle – Means to remove separate closure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-01
2001-04-17
Vo, Peter (Department: 3721)
Package making
Means to open or erect receptacle
Means to remove separate closure
C053S382100, C053S381100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06216421
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates generally to devices and systems for manipulating carrying cassettes and more particularly to seating and unseating cassette lids from cassettes of the type used to transport disks.
BACKGROUND ART
There are a variety of types of cassettes for storing disks, such as disks that are coated with magnetic recording material or laser recordable material for storing data, audio information, video information, and the like. Some cassettes are specifically designed for use in automated transfer systems. For example, a cassette may be used to transfer magnetic disks (“hard disks”) from one station of an automated system to another station. Other cassettes are designed for shipping disks from one facility to another.
An example of a cassette for handling disks is shown in FIG.
1
. The cassette
10
includes opposed lengthwise walls
12
and
14
and opposed widthwise walls
16
and
18
. Projections
20
along the interior circumference of the lengthwise walls form slots
22
. Disks, such as magnetic recording disks, are retained in parallel spaced-apart relation by the projections
20
. A cassette lid
24
includes a pair of downwardly depending flaps
26
and
28
. The configuration of the flaps and the widthwise walls
16
and
18
of the cassette
10
allow the lid to be fastened to the cassette. Typically, the lid is snap-fit to the cassette, but a friction-fit may be substituted. Optionally, the cassette may have a bottom cover that is removable to expose the lower edges of the stored disks. Thus, an elevator blade may extend upwardly through the cassette to individually lift disks to and from the cassette.
While cassettes operate well for their intended purposes, there are concerns relating to use of the cassettes. In a single working shift, a person within a fabrication area may be required to manually seat and unseat a number of lids from cassettes. In the example cassette
10
of
FIG. 1
, the cassette lid
24
is securely fit to the cassette
10
in order to minimize the risk of the lid inadvertently being removed when disks within the cassette may be exposed to an “unclean” area. Particles that settle on a magnetic disk or semiconductor wafer will negatively impact manufacturing yields. A secure fit is assured by forming the lid of a pliable material that has a strong material memory. That is, the flaps may be deformed outwardly by applying sufficient force at the bottom of the flaps, but the cassette lid will return to its original condition when the outward force is removed. Thus, the flaps snap onto the widthwise walls
16
and
18
of the cassette. One concern is that the repetitive seating and unseating of cassette lids may cause prolonged stress pains to the body of the fabrication personnel. A significant force must be applied to the lid in order to deform the lid. Another concern is that the seating and unseating of lids will cause particle generation. Even though the cassettes and cassette lids are formed of low or non-particulating material, minute particles may be generated as the flaps forcibly slide into and out of position.
An automated seating and unseating apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,617 to Allen et al. The apparatus utilizes pneumatic pressure to mechanically remove a cassette lid. Fingers are moved downwardly from above the cassette to a position adjacent to the bottoms of the flaps to be removed. The fingers are then shifted into a position to apply outward force to the flaps. The outward force deforms the lid, allowing the apparatus to be moved upwardly. After the lid is sufficiently high to clear the cassette, the cassette is repositioned or the disks are removed from the cassette.
The automated apparatus of Allen et al. operates well for a mass production area that includes the necessary electrical and pneumatic utilities. However, the apparatus is not well suited for applications that require portability and applications in which the required utilities are not available. What is needed is a stand-alone device and method for seating and unseating cassette lids from cassettes. What is further needed is such a method and device that do not impose significant bodily stress on an operator and do not generate contamination particles during operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method and a system for seating and unseating cassette lids from cassettes include two upright guides that are spaced apart to project between a cassette and a pair of flaps of a cassette lid. When downward force is applied to the cassette lid, the lid deforms as the flaps slide along the exterior surfaces of the upright guides. The release of the downward pressure causes the lid to raise, while the cassette remains in place. Thus, the lid is no longer fitted to the cassette. The reverse process may be used to reseat the lid.
The device includes a base and the two upright guides. The guides have upper extents with inwardly facing surfaces that are spaced apart by a distance slightly greater than the length of the cassette. Outwardly facing surfaces of the guides are spaced apart by a distance slightly less than the distance between the flaps of the cassette lid. Consequently, when the cassette is positioned between the two guides, the guides project between the cassette and the two lids.
The outwardly facing surfaces have a sloped contour, with the surfaces diverging from each other with approach to the plane of the base. Preferably, the inwardly facing surfaces are substantially vertical. The height of the guides is greater than the distance between the bottom of the flap and the bottom of the cassette. As a result, the bottom of the cassette is suspended above the base until the unseating operation is initiated.
During the unseating operation, downward pressure is applied to the top of the cassette lid. Because the outwardly facing surfaces of the guides are sloped, the downward pressure on the lid will cause the flaps to extend horizontally while the cassette moves vertically. This frees the cassette from the means for fastening the cassette lid to the cassette. The fastening means is not critical to the invention, but may include friction-fit techniques and snapfit techniques.
When the bottom of the cassette reaches the surface of the base, the downward pressure on the cassette lid may be released, allowing the plastic deformation of the cassette to provide the force for moving the cassette lid relative to the cassette. In some applications, the base includes a raised guide support that is dimensioned to frictionally fit to the bottom of the cassette, ensuring that the cassette is not moved upwardly with the lid. The raised guide support may be designed to contact either or both of the inside or the outside of the wall that forms the bottom of the cassette.
The seating operation reverses the steps of the unseating operation. A cassette is rested in the cassette-receiving area of the base. This positions the cassette such that the widthwise ends are adjacent to the upright guides. A cassette lid is then positioned in alignment with the cassette, such that the flaps contact the outwardly facing surfaces of the guides. The center region of the lid is pressed downwardly into contact with the upper rim of the cassette. During the downward travel of the center region of the lid, the flaps will have a horizontal component of motion, in addition to a vertical component. Thus, the flaps will be spaced apart from the sides of the cassette. Then, the cassette and cassette lid are simultaneously moved upwardly until the flaps contact the widthwise sides of the cassette, causing the lid to be fastened to the cassette.
By controlling the motion of the flaps relative to the cassette, the seating and unseating operations are less likely to generate particles than if the operations are executed solely by hand. Moreover, the device and method are less likely to exert undue stresses on the individual who is assigned to removing or seating cassette lids.
While the device and method have been described with reference to a passive embodiment, ther
H-Square Corporation
Huynh Louis
McHugh Terry
Vo Peter
LandOfFree
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