Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Hinge – Including means to hold or retard hinged members against...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-22
2001-07-24
Knight, Anthony (Department: 3626)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Hinge
Including means to hold or retard hinged members against...
C016S289000, C016S306000, C251S193000, C049S386000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263542
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to doors for modules of semiconductor processing equipment, and more particularly to tolerance resistant and vacuum compliant door hinges having open assist features.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the manufacture of semiconductor devices, process chambers are interfaced to permit transfer of wafers, for example, between the interfaced chambers. Such transfer is via transport modules that move the wafers, for example, through slots or ports that are provided in the adjacent walls of the interfaced chambers. For example, transport modules are generally used in conjunction with a variety of substrate processing modules, which may include semiconductor etching systems, material deposition systems, flat panel display etching systems, etc. Due to the growing demands for cleanliness and high processing precision, there has been a growing need to reduce the amount of human interaction during and between processing steps. This need has been partially met with the implementation of transport modules which operate as an intermediate handling apparatus (typically maintained at a reduced pressure, e.g., vacuum conditions). By way of example, a transport module may be physically located between one or more clean room storage facilities where substrates are stored, and multiple substrate processing modules where the substrates are actually processed, e.g., etched or have deposition performed thereon. In this manner, when a substrate is required for processing, a robot arm located within the transport module may be employed to retrieve a selected substrate from storage and place it into one of the multiple processing modules.
As is well known to those skilled in the art, the arrangement of transport modules to “transport” substrates among multiple storage facilities and processing modules is frequently referred to as a “cluster tool architecture” system.
FIG. 1A
depicts a typical semiconductor process cluster architecture
100
illustrating the various chambers that interface with a transport module
106
. Transport module
106
is shown coupled to three processing modules
108
a
-
108
c
which may be individually optimized to perform various fabrication processes. By way of example, processing modules
108
a
-
108
c
may be implemented to perform transformer coupled plasma (TCP) substrate etching, layer depositions, and/or sputtering.
Connected to transport module
106
is a load lock
104
that may be implemented to introduce substrates into transport module
106
. Load lock
104
may be coupled to a clean room
102
where substrates are stored. In addition to being a retrieving and serving mechanism, load lock
104
also serves as a pressure-varying interface between transport module
106
and clean room
102
. Therefore, transport module
106
may be kept at a constant pressure (e.g., vacuum), while clean room
102
is kept at atmospheric pressure. The processing modules
108
a
-
108
c
are generally positioned very close to the transport module
106
, and each tends to block physical access to the transport module
106
by service personnel who need to access the transport module
106
via a cover
109
of the transport module
106
. Thus, in many cases there is only a narrow passageway extending between adjacent processing modules
108
a
-
108
c
to the transport module
106
. As a result, there is a significant limitation on the physical force that an operator can exert on a hatch
111
of the cover
109
, such as for opening the hatch
111
. Since ergonomic specifications assume that the service personnel are able to exert thirty pounds of force to open the hatch, the narrowness of the passageway may make it very difficult to open the hatch without mechanical or other non-human assistance.
One type of cover
109
is shown in
FIG. 1B
provided with the hatch
111
mounted on a fixed hinge
114
. The hatch
111
has a hatch sealing surface
116
designed to seal when it is parallel to a cover sealing surface
117
. The hatch
111
rotates on a pin
118
, but depending on various manufacturing tolerances, the final rotational movement of the hatch
111
may not position the hatch sealing surface
116
parallel to the cover sealing surface
117
. Thus, an angle X may result, such that an O-ring
119
between the hatch
111
and cover sealing surface
117
will be unevenly squeezed. As the hatch
111
moves further toward the cover
109
as a vacuum is drawn in the vacuum chamber that is to be closed by the cover
109
, the angle X may increase, and result in an improper seal.
In an attempt to avoid such problems with the non-parallel sealing surfaces
116
and
117
, and to comply with the ergonomic specifications, some have held a sealing surface
116
parallel to a cover sealing surface
117
using an air or hydraulic cylinder
121
which may raise or lower the hatch
111
out of or into sealing relationship with the cover
109
. As noted, the ergonomic specifications require that hatches weighing more than 30 pounds be provided with mechanical or other non-human assistance to open the hatch
111
. Thus, if the cylinder
121
reduces to less than thirty pounds the force that a human must exert to open the hatch
111
, the cylinder
121
meets these specifications. However, as shown in
FIG. 1C
, the cylinders
121
are generally mounted in positions near the hatch
111
, and may block access to a port
122
and to the inside of the vacuum chamber once the hatch
111
has been opened. Also, these cylinders
121
tend to be costly, and are generally used where it is desired to lift the entire cover
109
, rather than only the hatch
111
. Further, safety precautions may require that both hands of the service personnel be away from the hatch
111
during operation of the cylinder
121
. Because the hatch
111
may weigh thirty-five or fifty pounds, for example, once the hatch
111
has been opened, safety requirements provide that a latch must be used to prevent sudden closing of the hatch
111
.
To avoid the limitations of such cylinders
121
, some have pivotally mounted the entire cover
109
as shown, for example, in
FIG. 1D
, for motion from a closed (C) position to an open (O) position. However, in addition to having to move the greater weight of the cover
109
(e.g., 500 pounds) as compared to the lesser weight of the hatch
111
, the larger size cover
109
tends to block access to electrical panels
123
, for example.
In view of the forgoing, what is needed is a hatch for covers of modules of semiconductor processing equipment, where the hatch is mounted by hinges that are tolerance resistant, vacuum compliant, and have open-assist features.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Broadly speaking, the present invention fills these needs by providing a hatch for a cover of a module of semiconductor processing equipment, where the hatch is mounted by hinges that are tolerance resistant, vacuum compliant, and have open-assist features. The tolerance resistance may be provided by separating a hinge body from the hatch by a vacuum compliant connection which permits a sealing surface of the hatch to sealingly seat relative to a cover sealing surface notwithstanding manufacturing tolerances. Further, the open-assist feature may be provided in conjunction with the hinge body that mounts the hatch relative to a port defined in the cover.
These aspects of the present invention may be provided by a torsion rod mounted between the port and the hatch. The torsion rod is in torsion when the hatch is in a closed position relative to the port to assist port-opening motion of the hatch. Also, for example, one sleeve surrounds the torsion rod and is movable with the hatch. Friction hinge structures are between the cover and the one sleeve, the hinge structures being in a friction-engaging relationship with the one sleeve to resist port-closing motion of the hatch. Another sleeve surrounds the rod and is fixed to the cover. Additional friction hinge structures are between the hatch and the other sleeve, and
Larson Dean Jay
Sutton Thomas R.
Knight Anthony
Lam Research Corporation
Martine & Penilla LLP
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