# US 2014/0151264 A1 · Wafer carrier and applications thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151264 A1 - Document ID: US20140151264A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/094,915 - Filed: 2013-12-03 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-04 - Inventors: Tian-Sing HUANG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151264A1 ## CPC - H10P 72/1921: {characterised by substrate supports} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A wafer carrier includes a body, a door and a plurality of stages. The body has at least a sidewall and a wafer receiving cavity for receiving at least a wafer, wherein the wafer receiving cavity extends into the body from an opening formed on the sidewall. The door is disposed out of the opening. The stages are in contact with the sidewall for supporting the body, respectively. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wafer carrier, comprising: a body having at least a sidewall and a wafer receiving cavity, wherein the wafer receiving cavity extends into the body from an opening formed on the sidewall; a door disposed out of the opening; and a plurality of stages in contact with the sidewall for supporting the body, respectively. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wafer carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body has a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and the stages comprises: a first stage in contact with the first sidewall; and a second stage in contact with the second sidewall, wherein the first stage and the second stage form a non-straight angle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The wafer carrier as claimed in claim 2, further comprises at least a wafer support member fixed on at least an interior wall of the wafer receiving cavity so that a wafer is substantially parallel to the first stage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wafer carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein any two of the stages are parallel to each other. ### Claim 5 A wafer transport system, comprising: at least a wafer carrier including: a body having at least a sidewall and a wafer receiving cavity, wherein the wafer receiving cavity extends into the body from an opening formed on the sidewall; a door disposed out of the opening; and a plurality of stages in contact with the sidewall for supporting the body, respectively; and a conveying device for transferring the wafer carrier among a plurality of wafer processing machines. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The wafer transport system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the body of the wafer carrier has a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and the stages comprises: a first stage in contact with the first sidewall; and a second stage in contact with the second sidewall, wherein the first stage and the second stage form a non-straight angle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The wafer transport system as claimed in claim 6, the wafer carrier further comprises at least a wafer support member fixed on at least an interior wall of the wafer receiving cavity so that a wafer is substantially parallel to the first stage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The wafer transport system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the body further has a third sidewall and a fourth sidewall, and the wafer carrier further comprises: a first handling flange disposed on the third sidewall; and a second handling flange disposed on the fourth sidewall. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The wafer transport system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the conveying device comprises an overhead transport vehicle for transferring the wafer carrier by linking with the first handling flange or the second handling flange. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The wafer transport system as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the wafer processing machines has a load port for receiving the first stage or the second stage. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The wafer transport system as claimed in claim 6, further comprises a buffer/stocker system disposed between adjacent two of the wafer processing machines, and joined with the conveying device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The wafer transport system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the buffer/stocker system comprises: a conveying port for receiving the first stage; and an overturning device for overturning the wafer carrier such that the conveying port receives the second stage instead of the first stage. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The wafer transport system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the overturning device is a robotic device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) The wafer transport system as claimed in claim 5, wherein any two of the stages are parallel to each other. ### Claim 15 A wafer transport system, comprising: at least a wafer carrier including: a body having a wafer receiving cavity; a door, is disposed out of the wafer receiving cavity; and a stage, for supporting the body; and an overhead transport vehicle for overturning the wafer carrier during transferring the wafer carrier such that the stage forms a non-zero angle with a horizontal plane. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The wafer transport system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the wafer carrier comprises a handling flange for linking with the overhead transport vehicle. ### Claim 17 A wafer the buffer/stocker system comprising: at least a wafer carrier including: a body having a wafer receiving cavity; a door disposed out of the wafer receiving cavity; and at least a stage for supporting the body; a conveying port for receiving the stage; an overturning device for overturning the wafer carrier such that the stage forms a non-zero angle with a horizontal plane; and a stocker area for storing the wafer carrier after it is overturned. ### Claim 18 A wafer transport method comprising: using a wafer carrier to support at least a wafer, wherein the wafer carrier includes: a body having a wafer receiving cavity; a door disposed out of the wafer receiving cavity; and a stage for supporting the body; using an overhead transport vehicle to transfer the wafer carrier among a plurality of wafer processing machines, and perform an overturning step to the wafer carrier such that an active surface of the wafer form a non-zero angle with a horizontal plane. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The wafer transport method as claimed in claim 18, wherein each of the wafer processing machines has a load port for receiving the stage, and the overturning step is performed at the time the wafer carrier leaves or arrives at the load port. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The wafer transport method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising using a wafer the buffer/stocker system to store the wafer, wherein the wafer the buffer/stocker system comprises: a conveying port for receiving the stage; an overturning device for overturning the wafer carrier such that an active surface of the wafer form a non-zero angle with a horizontal plane; and a stocker area for storing the wafer carrier after it is overturned.