Carrier and support for work pieces
AssigneeIon Beam Applications S.A.
InventorVictor J. Balmer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for use in carrying and supporting a work piece before, during, and after a treatment process. The device can be used for both shipping and treating the work piece, and the device will not adversely affect the work piece during the treatment process. The device comprises at least one plate which has at least one relieved region for holding a work piece. The plate has a density the same as or very similar to the density of the work piece, so that the plate and work piece together have a substantially uniform density.
Claims17
A carrier and support device for use in radiation treatment processes, comprising:
- a plurality of stackable plates, each plate having a throughbore and having a lip adjacent to said throughbore for receiving a work piece, said work piece having a density, wherein said plate has generally the same density as the work piece, wherein a plurality of said workpieces can be simultaneously treated with radiation when the plurality of plates are stacked.
A carrier and support device for use in radiation processing, comprising:
- a plurality of plates having relieved regions for receiving work pieces, wherein said plates are made of aluminum and adapted to carry silicon wafers, said plates having edge portions adapted to engage other plates for plate-to-plate connection, said plates having a lip adjacent to said relieved regions;
- and
- a stack of said plurality of plates, said stack having a top and a bottom plate, said top and bottom plates having substantially continuous surfaces, wherein said silicon wafers can be substantially simultaneously treated with radiation when carried within said stacked plurality of plates.
A method of commercial sterilization, comprising the steps of:
- providing work pieces to be sterilized;
- providing a plurality of stackable plates, each plate having a for receiving work pieces;
- and
- subjecting the said plurality of stackable plates and the work pieces carried thereby to sterilization when said stackable plates are stacked together, wherein the at least one plate for receiving work pieces is made of a material having generally the same density as the work pieces.
A carrier and support device for use in radiation processing, comprising:
- a plurality of plates, each plate having relieved regions for receiving work pieces, said plates being substantially flat except for said relieved regions, said plates having four edges, wherein each edge is parallel to one other edge and perpendicular to the other two of said edges so that said edges form a shape that is substantially rectangular, wherein said edges are adapted for top to bottom plate-to-plate connection when said plates are stacked, said relieved regions having a shape substantially similar to that of said work pieces, wherein said relieved regions have a volume great enough to accommodate at least one of said work pieces, said work pieces having a density, wherein said plate has generally the same density as the density of the work pieces;
- a lip adjacent to each of said relieved regions, wherein said lip is adapted to support said work pieces;
- a stack of said plurality of plates, said stack having a top plate and a bottom plate, said top and bottom plates having substantially continuous surfaces, wherein said top and bottom plates are substantially the same shape and made of the same material as said plates for receiving work pieces;
- a plurality of threaded bores extending through each of said top and bottom plates and said receiving plates;
- and
- a plurality of screws inserted through each of said bores and connecting said top and bottom plates and said receiving plates, wherein said work pieces are subjected to substantially simultaneous radiation processing when said stack is subjected to radiation processing.
A carrier and support device for use in a radiation treatment processes, comprising:
- a plate having a plurality of throughbores, each throughbore having a lip for receiving and supporting a work piece so that workpiece is positioned with respect to the plate so that during sterilization for radiation uniform dosage is achieved throughout each workpiece, said work piece having a density, wherein said plate has generally the same density as the work piece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.