Wafer transport device
OwnerKenneth C. Millerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for transporting material, such as semiconductor wafers, between process modules coupled to a chamber. The transport apparatus includes a chamber; guide rails affixed to an outer surface of the chamber; one or more material transporters each including a motorized vehicle positioned outside the chamber and movable along the guide rails, a material carrier positioned inside the chamber, and magnetic levitation means for magnetically coupling the material carrier to the motorized vehicle through a nonmagnetic wall of the chamber; and a controller that controls the position of the motorized vehicle along the guide devices to move the material carrier to desired positions within the chamber.
Claims28
An apparatus for transporting material comprising:
- a chamber;
- two independently movable material transporters each including a motorized vehicle guided for movement outside the chamber, each including a material carrier disposed inside the chamber and having means for carrying material, and each including magnetic levitation means for magnetically coupling the material carrier below the motorized vehicle;
- guide means for guiding the movement of the motorized vehicles along the outside of the chamber on a top surface thereof, wherein the guide means includes means for permitting one material transporter to pass another material transporter in movement along the guide means;
- and
- control means for controlling the position of the motorized vehicle to move the material carrier to a desired position within the chamber.
A material transporter for transporting materials within a chamber, wherein a guide track is positioned outside the chambers on an upper surface of the chamber, said material transporter comprising:
- a motorized vehicle having self-contained motor and drive means and movable on top of the guide track outside the chamber, wherein the motorized vehicle includes wheels at a bottom side thereof that ride on the guide track;
- a material carrier disposed inside the chamber below the motorized vehicle and having means for carrying material;
- and
- magnetic levitation means for magnetically suspending the material carrier below the motorized vehicle and away from contact with the chamber during movement of the material transporter and for magnetically coupling the material carrier to the motorized vehicle for movement therewith.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.