US 11,398,395 B2Granted

Substrate container with latching mechanism having two cam profiles

AssigneeEntegris, Inc.

InventorsMark Vincent Smith, Christopher Strickhouser

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Abstract

A door of a substrate container includes a latching mechanism for operating at least two latch members. The substrate container can be a front opening substrate container or a bottom opening substrate container. The latching mechanism can include a rotatable cam having a first rotational profile out of phase with a second rotational profile such that when the cam is rotated to operate the latch mechanism from the disengaged position to the engaged position, a first latch member engages a first corresponding slot in a door frame prior to a second latch member engaging a second corresponding opening provided in the door frame such that the latch members are operated in a staggered manner. This staggered latching configuration allows for the application of a load provided by the system to be used in the most efficient manner per latch arm or per set of latch arms.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A substrate container comprising:

a container body defining a door frame, the door frame having a plurality of openings;
a door received in the door frame a perimeter;
and
a latching mechanism disposed within the door, the latching mechanism operable between a disengaged position and an engaged position, the latching mechanism comprising
a first latch arm coupled directly to a rotatable cam according to a first rotational engagement, the first latch arm including a first latch member configured to be received in a first corresponding opening in the door frame when the latching mechanism is in the engaged position,
a second latch arm coupled directly to the rotatable cam according to a second rotational engagement, the second latch arm including a second latch member configured to be received in a second corresponding opening in the door frame when the latching mechanism is in the engaged position,
wherein the first rotational engagement and the second rotational engagement are out of phase such that when the cam is rotated to operate the latch mechanism from the disengaged position to the engaged position, the first latch member engages the first corresponding opening in the door frame at a point in time before the second latch member engages the second corresponding opening provided in the door frame.

4 more elements

A door for use with a substrate container, the door comprising:

a latch mechanism including a rotatable cam;
a first latch arm coupled directly to the rotatable cam according to a first rotational engagement, the first latch arm including a first latch member configured to move from an unlatched position to a latched position;
a second latch arm coupled directly to the rotatable cam according to a second rotational engagement, the second latch arm including a second latch member configured to move from an unlatched position to a latched position;
wherein the first rotational engagement and the second rotational engagement are out of phase such that when the cam is rotated to operate the latch mechanism from the disengaged position to the engaged position, the first latch arm moves in a direction that is approximately orthogonal to a direction of movement of the second latch arm, and the first latch member transitions to the engaged position at a point in time before the second latch member transitions to the engaged position.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/339,589Filed 13 Dec 2017 · us provisional application
Priority: 16 Dec 2016
Published: US 2019/0295875 A126 Sep 2019
Granted: 26 Jul 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

H10P 72/1914
Closed carriers: characterised by locking systems
E05C 9/06
Arrangements of simultaneously actuated bolts or other securing devices at well-separated positions on the same wing: with three or more sliding bars
E05C 9/10
Arrangements of simultaneously actuated bolts or other securing devices at well-separated positions on the same wing: actuating mechanisms for bars
H10P 72/1916
Closed carriers: characterised by sealing arrangements