Substrate storage racks for semiconductor processing systems
AssigneeASM IP Holding B.V.
InventorsGurupkar Nerwal, Senthil Sivaraman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A substrate storage rack for a semiconductor processing system includes a bottom plate, a top plate, and a column assembly. The top plate is spaced apart from the bottom plate, the column assembly connects the top plate to the bottom plate, and a ball member is compressively seated within the column assembly. The ball member protrudes from the column assembly in a direction toward the top plate to support a substrate within the substrate storage rack and on the ball member. Semiconductor processing systems and methods of making substrate storage racks are also described.
Claims19
A substrate storage rack, comprising:
- a bottom plate;
- a top plate spaced apart from the bottom plate;
- and
- a column assembly connecting the top plate to the bottom plate and compressively seating therein a ball member, wherein the ball member protrudes from the column assembly in a direction toward the top plate to support thereon a substrate within the substrate storage rack, wherein the column assembly comprises:
- a column member having a column portion and a seating portion, the column portion extending longitudinally between the bottom plate the and the top plate, the seating portion extending laterally from the column portion;
- and
- a clamp member having a base portion and a clamping portion, the base portion extending longitudinally along the column portion of the column member, the clamping portion extending laterally from the base portion of the clamp member,
- wherein the clamping portion compressively fixes the ball member against the seating portion within a pocket defined between the clamping portion of the column member and the seating portion of the clamp member.
A substrate storage rack, comprising:
- a bottom plate;
- a top plate spaced apart from the bottom plate;
- and
- a column assembly connecting the top plate to the bottom plate and compressively seating therein a ball member, wherein the ball member protrudes from the column assembly in a direction toward the top plate to support thereon a substrate within the substrate storage rack, wherein the column assembly comprises:
- a column member sheet body having column member sheet thickness;
- and
- a clamp member sheet body having a clamp member sheet thickness, wherein the column member sheet thickness of the column member sheet body is greater than the clamp member sheet thickness of the clamp member sheet body.
A method of making a substrate storage rack, comprising:
- forming a column member with a column portion and a seating portion extending laterally from the column member using a column member sheet body;
- forming a clamp member with a base portion and a clamping portion extending laterally from the base portion using a clamp member sheet body;
- supporting a ball member on the seating portion of the column member;
- registering the clamp member to the column member using the ball member;
- compressing the ball member between the seating portion of the column member and the clamping portion of the clamp member;
- and
- fixing the ball member in compression between the seating portion of the column member and the clamping portion of the clamp member by fastening the base portion of the clamp member to the column portion of the column member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.