Transport module with latching door

A transport module for wafers comprising a container portion with a door opening and a door sized to close said door opening and to be received thereby, the container portion having a latching slot adjacent to the door opening, the door comprised of:

• a) a door enclosure with a periphery, an open interior, and a slot at the periphery, the slot positioned adjacent the receiving slot when the door;
• b) a partially rotatable member controllable from exterior the enclosure and rotatably mounted inside the enclosure;
• c) a latching linkage positioned inside the enclosure with a first end connecting to the rotatable member and a second end extendable outwardly in a first direction through said slot as the rotatable member partially rotates, the latching linkage having a lifting portion positioned intermediate the first end and the second end;
• and
• d) a lifting linkage with a first end connecting to the rotatable member and a second cooperative lifting portion positioned adjacent the first lifting portion, the second lifting portion moveable in a direction parallel to the first direction, one of the first lifting portion and the second lifting portion having a ramp and the other having a ramp engagement portion whereby when the second lifting portion moves with respect to the first lifting portion the ramp engagement portion rides on the ramp and the lifting linkage is moved in a second direction substantially normal to the first direction.

A transport module comprising a door and a container portion, the container portion having a front side, a closed left side, a closed right side, a closed top, a closed bottom with an equipment interface, a closed back side, an open interior, a plurality of wafer support columns in the interior for holding wafers in a stacked axially aligned arrangement, and a door frame on the front side leading to the open interior, the door frame having four latch receptacles, the door having a periphery sized for said door frame, a left side with an open interior and a right side with an open interior, the left side having a pair of latching slots alignable with respective latching receptacles on the door frame, the right side having an additional pair of latching slots alignable with respective latching receptacles on the door frame, the door further comprising on each of the left side and the right side a rotatable cammed member and two sets of latching linkages in each of the respective open interiors, each rotatable member having two sets of cam guides with a set of latching linkages corresponding to and engaged with each set of cam guides, each set of latching linkages comprising a first latching linkage engaged with the first cam guide and extending to one of the latching slots, and a cooperating lifting linkage extending parallel to said first latching linkage, the lifting linkage having a ramped portion and the latching linkage having a ramp engaging portion, the cam guides configured such that when the door is in the door frame and when the rotatable portion is rotated through a first arc, the lifting linkage moves outward in a first direction through the latching slot into the corresponding latching receptacle and the lifting linkage moves substantially there along, whereby when the rotatable portion is moved through a second adjacent arc the latching linkage remains relatively still with respect to said first direction and the lifting linkage moves with respect to said latching linkage whereby the ramp wedges under the ramp engagement portion and the latching arm is urged in a second direction substantially normal to the first direction.

A wafer transport module comprising:

• a) a container portion for holding wafers, the container portion having a generally rectangular door frame defining a door opening, the door frame having a latch receptacle;
• b) a door placeable in the door frame to cover the door opening, the door having an open interior and comprising:
• i) an enclosure having an inner facing panel and an outer facing panel, an outer seating portion sized for engaging with the generally rectangular door frame, the outer seating portion having a opening adjacent to the latch receptacle when the door is placed in the door frame;
• ii) a cammed member in the open interior at least partially rotatable from exterior of the door and having a first cam guide and a second cam guide;
• iii) a latch linkage with two ends, one end having a cam follower engaged to the first cam guide and the other end having a latch portion extending to the opening in the outer seating portion, the lifting linkage having a first lifting portion intermediate the two ends, the first cam guide configured to extend the latch portion outwardly with respect to the door in a first direction into the latch receptacle;
• and
• iv) a lifting linkage with a cammed end having a cam follower engaged to the second cam guide, the lifting linkage having a cooperating second lifting portion engageable with said first lifting portion, the first lifting portion and the second lifting portion arranged in an overlapping relationship, one of said first lifting portion and said second lifting portion having a ramp and the other of said first lifting portion and said second lifting portion having a ramp engagement surface, the second cam guide configured to move the lifting linkage with respect to the latch linkage whereby the ramp engagement portion rides on the ramp to move the latch linkage in a second direction substantially normal to the first direction when the latching portion is in the latch receptacle.

A wafer transport module comprising:

• a) a container portion for holding wafers in a horizontal arrangement, the container portion having an open front and a latch receptacle on the container portion at the open front;
• and
• b) a door placeable to close the open front, the door comprising:
• i) a latching linkage having a latching portion extendable outwardly in a first direction towards the latch receptacle;
• and
• ii) a lifting linkage adjacent the latch linkage and moveable in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction, at least one of the lifting linkage and the latching linkage having a ramp such that when the other of the lifting linkage and the latching portion moves with respect to the ramp, the ramp causes the latching linkage to be moved in a second direction substantially normal to the first direction.

A wafer transport module comprising:

• a) a container portion for holding wafers in a horizontal arrangement, the container portion having an open front and a latch receptacle on the container portion at the open front;
• and
• b) a door placeable to close the open front, the door having a latching mechanism comprising:
• i) a latching linkage having a latching portion moveable in a first direction, whereby the latching portion may be moved into and out of the latch receptacle;
• ii) a lifting linkage slideably engaging the latching linkage;
• and
• iii) a ramp connected to one of the latching linkage and the lifting linkage, wherein when the lifting linkage moves parallel to the latching linkage the other of the latching linkage and the lifting linkage engages the ramp, whereby the latching portion is guided in a second direction, substantially normal to the first direction.