Overhead substrate handling and storage system
AssigneeGlobalfoundries Inc.
InventorsWilliam J. Fosnight, Eric Christensen, Leslie Marshall, Ryan John Gallagher, Stephanie Waite, Gabriel Gaxiola
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Abstract
A material handling system includes an overhead rack defining a plurality of storage positions. The overhead rack defines at least one interior window devoid of storage locations. First and second side rails are disposed above the overhead rack. A first cross rail is movably coupled to the first and second side rails. A first transport vehicle movably is coupled to the first cross rail and operable to descend below the overhead rack through the at least one interior window.
Claims27
-23. (canceled)
A material handling system, comprising:
- an overhead rack defining a plurality of storage positions, said overhead rack having an outer perimeter;
- at least one interior window defined in said overhead rack within an interior region of said overhead rack inside of said outer perimeter of said overhead rack;
- and
- at least one transport vehicle that is adapted to access a first load port of a first tool, wherein said first load port is positioned below said at least one interior window.
A material handling system, comprising:
- an overhead rack defining a plurality of storage positions, said overhead rack having an outer perimeter;
- a plurality of interior windows defined in said overhead rack within an interior region of said overhead rack inside of said outer perimeter of said overhead rack;
- a plurality of load ports that are adapted to receive a wafer carrier, wherein each of said plurality of load ports is positioned below one of said plurality of interior windows, and wherein said plurality of load ports are arranged in a non-linear relationship;
- and
- at least one transport vehicle that is adapted to access at least some of said plurality of load ports.
A material handling system, comprising:
- an overhead rack defining a plurality of storage positions, said overhead rack having an outer perimeter;
- a plurality of interior windows defined in said overhead rack within an interior region of said overhead rack inside of said outer perimeter of said overhead rack;
- a plurality of load ports that are adapted to receive a wafer carrier, wherein each of said plurality of load ports is positioned below one of said plurality of interior windows, and wherein said plurality of load ports are arranged in a non-linear relationship and wherein at least one of said plurality of ports is adapted to receive a wafer pod that does not open to external atmosphere for loading or unloading wafers to or from said wafer pod;
- and
- at least one transport vehicle that is adapted to access at least some of said plurality of load ports and adapted to rotate a wafer pod when accessing said at least some of said plurality of load ports, such that said wafer pod may be aligned at any angle relative to a reference surface of the accessed tools.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.