Box for an optical stepper reticle
AssigneeVLSI Technology, Inc.
InventorsCharles G. Shaw, Edward R. Vokoun, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reticle box characterized by a generally rectangular base member having a base portion and four contiguous wall portions, a generally rectangular cover member which can be engaged with the base member to fully enclose a reticle, and a closing mechanism which causes resilient stand-offs attached to the base member and the cover member to firmly grip the reticle within the box. Mating peripheral seals are provided around portions of the base member and the cover member to prevent the influx of contaminants. The cover member is of unitary design with an integral frame portion, central cover portion, and hinge. The reticle box is preferably made from a non-static plastic material.
Claims18
A reticle box comprising:
- base means having stand-off means adapted to contact a first side of a reticle, said base means defining a perimeter and being substantially solid within said perimeter;
- cover means adapted to operationally engage said base means such that said base means and said cover means substantially fully enclose said reticle;
- and
- closing means operative to urge a portion of said cover means into firm contact with a second side of said reticle, whereby said reticle is inhibited from moving.
A reticle box comprising:
- base means adapted to contact a first side of a reticle;
- cover means adapted to operationally engage said base means such that said base means and said cover means substantially fully enclose said reticle, wherein said cover means comprises a frame portion which is slidingly engageable with said base means, a central cover portion, and hinge means coupling said central cover portion to said frame means, and wherein said frame portion, said central cover portion, and said hinge means are formed as an integral unit;
- and
- closing means operative to urge a portion of said cover means into firm contact with a second side of said reticle, whereby said reticle is inhibited from moving.
A reticle box comprising:
- base means adapted to contact a first side of a reticle;
- cover means adapted to operationally engage said base means such that said base means and said cover means substantially fully enclose said reticle, wherein said cover means comprises a frame portion which is slidingly engageable with said base means, a central cover portion, and hinge means coupling said central cover portion to said frame means;
- and
- closing means operative to urge a portion of said cover means into firm contact with a second side of said reticle, whereby said reticle is inhibited from moving;
- wherein said portion of said cover means which is urged into firm contact with a second side of said reticle comprises at least one resilient cover stand-off coupled to said central cover portion, wherein said cover stand-off flexes against said second side of said reticle when said closing means is activated.
A reticle box comprising:
- a generally rectangular base means having a base portion and four contiguous wall portions extending from said base portion, said base means being provided with a plurality of resilient base stand-offs extending from said base portion and adapted to engage a first surface of a reticle, where portions of said base means comprise a base perimeter seal;
- a generally rectangular cover means adapted to operationally engage said base means such that said base means and said cover means fully enclose said reticle, said cover means including a frame portion which is slidingly engageable with said base means, a central cover portion, and hinge means coupling said central cover portion to said frame means, where portions of said cover means comprise a cover perimeter seal, and a plurality of resilient cover stand-offs extending from said central cover portion;
- and
- closing means operative to urge said central cover portion towards said reticle such that said reticle is gripped between said plurality of base stand-offs and said plurality of cover stand-offs, and such that said base perimeter seal engages said cover perimeter seal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.