Wafer carrier box hinge

A hinge in combination with a container of the type having two sections and used to hold semi-conductor wafers used in computer chip fabrication, the hinge comprising:

• a. a first arm with a socket and a second arm with a socket, the sockets in confronting, axial relationship;
• b. a pair of channels extending radially from the sockets along the respective arms, the channels forming a slot for receiving ends of a pintle;
• c. a tab, the tab coextensive with the first and second arms, the tab having a camming surface;
• d. a third arm and a fourth arm;
• the third and fourth arm supporting a pintle having a center portion and ends;
• wherein the first arm, the second arm and the tab are attached to a first section of the container and the third arm and the fourth arm are attached to a second section of the container;
• and,
• wherein the center portion of the pintle is temporarily deflected as the pintle is moved in the slot toward the sockets during assembly of the hinge.

A semi-conductor wafer container comprising:

• a. a first section, the first section having a first sidewall attached to a plurality of sidewalls and a top wall, a first hinge part attached to the first sidewall, the first section having a first arm and a second arm, the first arm, and second arm projecting outwardly in a generally perpendicular direction from the first sidewall in a collateral alignment;
• the first and second arms having opposing channels which define a slot, the slot generally perpendicular with the longitudinal axes of the first and second arms, the channels sized to slidingly accept pintle ends moving therealong;
• b. a second section, the second section having a second sidewall attached to a plurality of sidewalls and a bottom wall, a second hinge part attached to the second sidewall, the second section having a third arm and a fourth arm, the third arm and the forth arm projecting outwardly in a generally perpendicular direction from the second sidewall, the third and forth arms supporting a pintle having a center portion and ends;
• wherein container sections may be assembled to each other by sliding the pintle ends of the second hinge part along the channels of the first hinge part.

A method of making a hinged container for semi-conductor wafers, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. injection molding a first section of a container, the container having a first sidewall attached to a plurality of sidewalls and a top wall, a first hinge part attached to the first sidewall, the first section having a first arm, a second arm, and a tab, the first arm, second arm and tab projecting outwardly in a generally perpendicular direction from the first sidewall in a collateral alignment;
• the first and second arms having opposing channels which define a slot, the slot generally transverse to the longitudinal axes of the first and second arms, the channels sized to sliding accept pintle ends moving therealong;
• the tab including pintle engagement surfaces;
• b. injection molding a second section of a container, the container having a second sidewall attached to a plurality of sidewalls and a bottom wall, a second hinge part attached to the second sidewall, the second section having a third arm and a fourth arm, the third arm and the forth arm projecting outwardly in a generally perpendicular direction from the second sidewall in a collateral relation, the third and forth arms supporting a pintle having a center portion and ends;
• c. assembling the first and second sections together.