Special receptacle or package – Structural features for vertical stacking – i.e. – similar... – Having vertical projecting element or recess for interlock
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-15
2001-11-20
Castellano, Stephen (Department: 3727)
Special receptacle or package
Structural features for vertical stacking, i.e., similar...
Having vertical projecting element or recess for interlock
C206S821000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318556
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to containers for shipping electronics parts such as microchips and the like from a point of manufacture to a point of assembly into larger, more complex devices such as computers and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a tray arrangement which facilitates desiccation of the interior and/or the contents of the tray(s).
RELATED ART
In order to prepare semiconductor devices/items for shipping to a production facility wherein larger, complex electronic devices such as computers, control/guidance circuits and the like type of arrangements are assembled/built, it is necessary to thoroughly desiccate the items and/or the tray in which they are disposed (via an oven bake) strap the trays closed, seal the closed trays in bags or the like which are flushed with clean dry air, and then pack/support the bags in special containers which are also sealed and flushed.
This procedure involves a number of steps and different equipment including sources of dry clean gas (e.g. nitrogen) which can be used to flush out ambient air and to fill the bags/containers with a medium which ensures that the desiccated semiconductor items will remain free of moisture/contamination which may lead to deterioration/spoilage during transport and/or subsequent storage.
This method of packing/handling, however, increases the cost of the items inasmuch as much of the work involved is labor intensive and adds to the overall time involved in the producing and shipping the devices to customers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to overcoming the above-mentioned drawbacks and to abbreviating the packaging process so that items to be shipped can be desiccated in situ in the trays they are to be shipped in and quickly and easily sealed after the desiccating procedures have been completed.
In brief, in order to simplify the process of preparing and packaging of semiconductor chips and the like type of items for transport to customers who use the items in the production of larger devices such as computers and the like, the items are placed in the trays. An o-ring or the like type of gasket is disposed between adjacent trays (wherein the upper tray acts as lid for the lower one). This resilient member has a predetermined shape/configuration which maintains a gap between the trays sufficient to permit moisture to escape from the trays during baking in an oven. When the interiors of the trays are desiccated, the upper tray is strapped down on the lowers tray or trays, with sufficient force to deform the gasket to the degree that a hermetic seal is produced at each tray interface.
Stacks of trays can be thus baked, desiccated, cooled in a dry/desiccated atmosphere, and then strapped together to cause all but the upper tray to become hermetically sealed.
It is further possible with the invention to strap the trays shut while they are still warm, thus ensuring that when the stack cools to ambient temperature, the pressure within the sealed trays will be slightly sub-atmospheric thus obviating the need to evacuate same in the separate time consuming and cost inducing step.
To simplify the number of elements/parts which are necessary, it is deemed advantageous to use only trays and to leave the uppermost tray empty and use it only as a lid. This means that a lid or lids need never be searched for or provided in storage along with the trays. The reduction in invisible costs, inventory and associated costs are also benefits of using only trays in the stacks.
More specifically, a first aspect of the invention resides in a container arrangement for transporting items in a sealed desiccated condition, comprising: a first tray adapted to receive at least one item; a second tray which is adapted to seat on the first tray in a manner to close the upper open end of the first tray; a gasket member disposed between the first and second trays, the gasket having a predetermined configuration which: a) separates the first and second trays to the degree that fluid communication between the interior of the first tray and the ambient surroundings is facilitated, when a force less than a predetermined magnitude that required to deform and flatten the gasket, is applied to the second tray in a manner which tends to reduce the distance between first and second trays, and b) hermetically seals the interior of the second tray from the ambient atmosphere when a force having a magnitude equal to or greater than the predetermined magnitude, is applied to the second tray in a manner which reduces the distance between first and second trays.
In this arrangement the second tray is optionally replaced with a lid member. The first and second trays are so shaped and arranged to as to enable stacking one on the other.
A second aspect of the present invention resides in a method of desiccating an interior of a container arrangement comprising a stack of trays, comprising the steps of: maintaining a predetermined gap between each tray by interposing a gasket which has a predetermined configuration, between each of the trays; heating the interior of the stack of trays to expel moisture from the interior of the trays; compressing the gasket by pressing the trays together so as to deform the gasket and to establish a hermetic seal between each of the trays; and strapping the trays together thus maintaining the compression of each gasket and the formation of each hermetic seal.
This method can further comprise the step of cooling the stack of trays in a desiccating environment before the steps of pressing and strapping.
A further aspect of the invention resides in a method of desiccating an interior of a plurality of stacked trays comprising the steps of: disposing a gasket having a predetermined shape between each of the stacked of trays and maintaining, using the gasket, a clearance between the trays sufficient to permit fluid communication between an interior of each of the trays and the ambient surroundings; disposing the stack of trays in an oven and heating the interior of the trays to expel moisture therefrom; removing the stack of trays from the oven and strapping the stack in a manner which presses the stack together and compress each of the gaskets in a manner which establishes a hermetic seal between each tray.
This method can further comprise the step of allowing the stack of trays to cool in a desiccating environment prior to the step of strapping. The method also features the step of using an uppermost tray as a lid for the stack of trays therebelow.
Yet another aspect of the invention resides in a gasket for use with a container arrangement including a lid and a tray which is closed by the lid, or a stack of trays wherein each upper tray act as a lid for the next lower tray, comprising: an O-ring having shaped portions which, when a predetermined amount of force biasing the lid toward the tray is absent, separate the lid and the tray and provide fluid communication between an interior of the tray and surrounding atmosphere, and which when the predetermined force is applied to bias the lid toward the tray, deform, prevent the fluid communication, and enable the O-ring to establish a hermetic seal between the lid and the tray.
In accordance with this aspect of the invention the shaped portions of the O-ring comprise ribs which are formed intermittently along the length of the O-ring and which, until deformed by the predetermined force, separate the lid and the tray and provide gaps through which fluid flow is possible. Alternatively, the O-ring can have an essentially serpentine configuration and be such that the shaped portions comprise curved portions of the essentially serpentine configuration which exist in the O-ring before the predetermined force is applied.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1985904 (1935-01-01), Murch
patent: 4231489 (1980-11-01), Malone
patent: 4706839 (1987-11-01), Spence
patent: 5303824 (1994-04-01), Kohn
patent: 5390811 (1995-02-01), Ogino et al.
patent: 5520302 (1996-05-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 5644899 (1997-07-01), True
Advanced Micro Devices , Inc.
Castellano Stephen
McDermott & Will & Emery
LandOfFree
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