Dynamic electrical and fluid delivery system with indexing motion for batch processing chambers
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsAkshay Gunaji, Uday Pai, Timothy J. Roggenbuck, Sanjeev Baluja, Kalesh Panchaxari Karadi, Tejas Ulavi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Process assemblies and cable management assemblies for managing cables in tight envelopes. A processing assembly includes a top chamber having at least one substrate support, a support shaft, a robot spindle assembly, a stator and a cable management system. The cable management system includes an inner trough assembly and an outer trough assembly configured to move relative to one another, and a plurality of chain links configured to house at least one cable for delivering power to the process assembly.
Claims20
A cable management system comprising:
- an outer trough assembly comprising:
- an outer trough boundary having a semi-cylindrical shape with a central axis, an inner surface and an outer surface, and,
- an outer guide having a semi-cylindrical shape with a central axis, an inner surface and an outer surface, the central axis of the outer guide coaxial with the central axis of the outer trough boundary;
- and
- an inner trough assembly positioned within the outer trough assembly, the inner trough assembly comprising:
- a bottom plate having a top surface and a bottom surface,
- a base having a top surface and bottom surface, the bottom surface of the base connected to the top surface of the bottom plate,
- an semi-cylindrical inner guide connected to the base, the semi-cylindrical inner guide having an inner surface and an outer surface, the semi-cylindrical inner guide having an axis normal to the base, and
- a mounting bracket having a top portion and a bottom portion connected to the base, an inner surface and an outer surface, the top portion having a connector plate and a shaft coupling configured to receive a hollow support shaft,
- wherein a channel is formed between the inner surface of the outer guide of the outer trough assembly and the inner surface of the outer surface of the mounting bracket.
A processing assembly comprising:
- a top chamber having a at least one substrate support;
- a support shaft having a top end and a bottom end, the top end extending through the top chamber, the top end connected to the substrate support;
- a robot spindle assembly connected to the top chamber;
- a cable management system comprising:
- an outer trough assembly comprising:
- an outer trough boundary having a semi-cylindrical shape with a central axis, an inner surface and an outer surface, and,
- an outer guide having a semi-cylindrical shape with a central axis, an inner surface and an outer surface, the central axis of the outer guide coaxial with the central axis of the outer trough boundary;
- and
- an inner trough assembly positioned within the outer trough assembly, the inner trough assembly comprising:
- a bottom plate having a top surface and a bottom surface,
- a base having a top surface and bottom surface, the bottom surface of the base connected to the top surface of the bottom plate,
- an semi-cylindrical inner guide connected to the base, the semi-cylindrical inner guide having an inner surface and an outer surface, the semi-cylindrical inner guide having an axis normal to the base, and
- a mounting bracket having a top portion and a bottom portion connected to the base, an inner surface and an outer surface, the top portion having a connector plate and a shaft coupling configured to receive a hollow support shaft,
- a stator connected to a stator bracket, the stator bracket connected to the outer trough boundary of the an outer trough assembly;
- wherein a channel is formed between the inner surface of the outer guide of the outer trough assembly and the inner surface of the outer surface of the mounting bracket.
A cable management system comprising:
- an outer trough assembly comprising:
- an outer trough boundary having a semi-cylindrical shape with a central axis, an inner surface and an outer surface, and,
- an outer guide having a semi-cylindrical shape with a central axis, an inner surface and an outer surface, the central axis of the outer guide coaxial with the central axis of the outer trough boundary;
- and
- an inner trough assembly positioned within the outer trough assembly, the inner trough assembly comprising:
- a bottom plate having a top surface and a bottom surface,
- a base having a top surface and bottom surface, the bottom surface of the base connected to the top surface of the bottom plate,
- an semi-cylindrical inner guide connected to the base, the semi-cylindrical inner guide having an inner surface and an outer surface, the semi-cylindrical inner guide having an axis normal to the base, and
- a mounting bracket having a top portion and a bottom portion connected to the base, an inner surface and an outer surface, the top portion having a connector plate and a shaft coupling configured to receive a hollow support shaft,
- a hollow shaft extending from the shaft coupling
- a stator bracket connected to the outer guide, the stator bracket connected to the outer trough boundary;
- a stator positioned on the stator bracket, and a rotor positioned around the stator and connected to the inner trough assembly, the rotor and stator configured to cooperatively interact to cause the inner trough assembly to rotate within the outer trough assembly;
- a plurality of chain links configured to receive at least one cable within;
- and,
- a rotary fluid union within the mounting bracket configured to deliver fluid to a plurality of fluid tubes extending through the cavity of the shaft
- wherein a channel is formed between the inner surface of the outer guide of the outer trough assembly and the inner surface of the outer surface of the mounting bracket;
- wherein the outer trough assembly further comprises a semi-circular base plate connected to a bottom of the semi-cylindrical boundary;
- wherein the inner trough assembly further comprises a hard stop disposed on an outer surface of the shaft coupling, the hard stop configured to limit rotation of the inner trough assembly relative to the outer trough assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.