# US 11,443,969 B2 · Automated substrate holder loading device

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- Number: US 11,443,969 B2
- Document ID: US11443969B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/489,392
- Filed: 2018-02-19
- Published: 2020-01-02
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-16
- Assignees: Atotech Deutschland GmbH
- Applicants: Atotech Deutschland GmbH
- Inventors: Rüdiger Pretscher; Daniel Buchberger
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11443969B2

## CPC

- H10P 72/3306: {Horizontal transfer of a single workpiece}
- H10P 72/3404: {Storage means}
- B65G 47/91: incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers
- C25D 17/06: Suspending or supporting devices for articles to be coated
- H02K 7/1166: {comprising worm and worm-wheel (structural association with bearings specially adapted for worm gear drives H02K7/081)}
- H02K 37/24: Structural association with auxiliary mechanical devices
- H10P 72/0476: {comprising at least one plating chamber}
- H10P 72/3402: {Mechanical parts of transfer devices}
- H10P 72/3411: {involving loading and unloading of wafers}
- H10P 72/7602: {the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance}
- H10P 72/78: using vacuum or suction, e.g. Bernoulli chucks
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53})

## Abstract

The present invention refers to a substrate holder loading device to be used in a clean room and a clean room treatment device containing such substrate holder loading device. Furthermore, the present invention refers to a method of loading a substrate holder with a first substrate, more preferably with a first and a second substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Substrate holder loading device,
wherein the substrate holder loading device contains a substrate holder guiding element, a drive unit, a movement mechanism, a substrate holder handling element, a pressing tool, and an opening mechanism,
wherein the drive unit is connected to the movement mechanism,
wherein the movement mechanism is connected to the substrate holder handling element,
wherein the movement mechanism is adapted to transmit the propulsion from the drive unit to the substrate holder handling element to provide a rotation of the substrate holder handling element along an axis essentially parallel to a surface of the substrate, wherein the substrate holder handling element is adapted to rotate by about 180°,
wherein the substrate holder handling element is adapted to reversibly fasten a substrate holder and wherein the substrate holder handling element contains the opening mechanism,
wherein the opening mechanism is adapted to automatically open and close the substrate holder, and
wherein the movement mechanism contains a stepping gear or wherein the drive unit is a step motor, or wherein both the movement mechanism contains a stepping gear and the drive unit is a step motor
wherein the pressing tool adapted to press at least two parts of the substrate holder together, wherein the pressing tool contains at least one sliding element, wherein the at least one sliding element is in conjunction with at least one vacuum element adapted to extract fine particles set free at the at least one sliding element.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Substrate holder loading device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one substrate holder guiding element is selected from the group of limit stops, which are adapted to contact the edge of the substrate holder, and protruding elements adapted to fit into a counterpart of the substrate holder.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Substrate holder loading device according to claim 1, wherein the opening mechanism is based on mechanical, pressure or magnetic means.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Substrate holder loading device according to claim 1, wherein the input shaft of the stepping gear, the output shaft of the stepping gear, or both contain a globoid worm gear.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

Substrate holder loading device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate holder handling element contains a vacuum gripper to reversibly attach to a part of the substrate holder.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

Substrate holder loading device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing tool is adapted to press at least two parts of the substrate holder together while the opening mechanism is active.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

Substrate holder loading device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate holder handling element contains an outer shell.