Wafer pick out apparatus

An apparatus for storing a plurality of articles, each having a surface portion, and conveying selected ones of the articles to a desired position, said apparatus comprising:

• means for storing said articles spaced from each other with a gap between adjacent articles;
• means for conveying said articles to said desired position, said conveying means including a pair of endless conveyance members running between the storing means and the desired position;
• means operative to at least partially enter said storing means for moving a selected one of said articles from the storing means to a predetermined position with respect to said conveying means, said operative means being positioned and shaped to fit between the pair of endless conveyance members;
• and
• said operative means comprising a retainer unit movable in a first direction into and out of the gaps between said articles in said storing means and in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction to a position which slightly lifts said selected one of said articles prior to again moving in said first direction.

An apparatus for storing a plurality of articles, each having a substantially planar surface portion, and conveying selected ones of the articles to a desired position, said apparatus comprising:

• a storage bin having a plurality of article-holding grooves defined therein and arranged in spaced vertical registration for storing said plurality of articles in a vertical columnar arrangement with each article being receivable by a respective article-holding groove such that successive articles are spaced from each other by virtue of the space between adjacent article-holding grooves to define a gap between adjacent articles, said storage bin being open on at least one side thereof to expose the plurality of article-holding grooves and the articles received therein;
• means for conveying said articles to said desired position, said conveying means including a pair of endless conveyance members disposed in parallel spaced apart relationship and extending between said storage bin and the desired position;
• a retainer unit disposed between said pair of endless conveyance members, said retainer unit having a substantially planar top surface and being provided with a suction chamber, the top surface of said retainer unit having an aperture provided therein communicating with said suction chamber;
• first means for moving said retainer unit horizontally in a first bidirectional path so as to dispose said retainer unit at least partially within said storage bin for reception within a space defined between adjacent article-holding grooves at one extent of said first bidirectional path and to dispose said retainer unit outwardly with respect to said storage bin in a retracted position at the other extent of said first bidirectional path;
• second means for moving said retainer unit vertically in a second bidirectional path;
• said retainer unit being selectively disposable at least partially within said storage bin with the aperture in the top surface thereof located in vertical registration below any desired one of the article-holding grooves for receiving an article mounted in said one article-holding groove on the top surface of said retainer unit;
• means to apply suction to said aperture in the top surface of said retainer unit via said suction chamber for holding the article mounted in said one article-holding groove on the top surface of said retainer unit;
• said retainer unit being movable vertically in said second bidirectional path upwardly with respect to said storage bin to raise the article held on the top surface thereof a sufficient amount to clear a surface of said storage bin defining the lower boundary of said one article-holding groove in response to the actuation of said second moving means;
• said retainer unit then being movable horizontally in said first bidirectional path to dispose said retainer unit in the retracted position at the other extent of said first bidirectional path and locating said article held by the top surface of said retainer unit over said pair of endless conveyance members outwardly with respect to said storage bin;
• and
• the article being released from the top surface of said retainer unit in response to deactivation of said suction-applying means for subsequent conveyances thereof to the desired position by said pair of endless conveyance members.