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US 8,800,774 B2Granted
Workpiece support structures and apparatus for accessing same
AssigneeBrooks Automation, Inc.
InventorAnthony C. Bonora
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention comprises a workpiece container for storing at least one workpiece having a bottom surface and a peripheral edge. In one embodiment, a workpiece support structure is located within the container enclosure, which forms multiple vertically stacked storage shelves within the enclosure. Each storage shelf includes, in one embodiment, a first tine and a second tine for supporting the workpiece in a substantially horizontal orientation. The bottom surface and peripheral edge of a workpiece seated on a storage shelf extends beyond the outer edge of both the first tine and the second tine. An end effector according to the present invention may engage these extended portions or “grip zones” of the workpiece.
Claims18
A substrate container for storing at least one substrate, comprising:
- a container door for access into an inner region within an enclosure of the substrate container;
- and
- a housing assembly for encompassing a substrate, the housing assembly having:
- a plurality of side walls defining the enclosure, the side walls located on left and right sides of the container door when the container door is closed, the container door used to allow access of the housing assembly to the substrate when present for transporting the substrate;
- and
- a support structure disposed within the housing assembly, the support structure having a plurality of cantilevered support extensions extending into the inner region of the housing assembly, the plurality of cantilevered support extensions arranged as horizontally coplanar pairs, wherein cantilevered support extensions of different horizontal planes are vertically aligned, wherein each cantilevered support extension has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal and distal ends of each cantilevered support extension are located on opposite sides of the longest dimension of each cantilevered support extension, wherein each cantilevered support extension includes a first support pad at the distal end and a second support pad at the proximal end for supporting the substrate when present,
- wherein the access to the substrate when present is provided outside of each of the cantilevered support extensions, wherein the access is provided to the substrate when present from gaps extending between the cantilevered support extensions and the side walls of the enclosure, wherein the gaps facilitate vertical movement of arms of an end effector without contacting the support structure.
4 more elements
A substrate container for storing at least one substrate, comprising:
- an enclosure having a top, a bottom, and sides connecting the top and the bottom, the sides of the enclosure located on left and right sides of a container door when the container door is closed, the container door used to allow access to a substrate when present for transporting the substrate;
- and
- a substrate support structure defined within the enclosure, the substrate support structure having an array of support members extending from a peripheral region of the substrate container towards an interior region of the substrate container, wherein the support members are configured so that a transport mechanism for moving the substrate when present to and from the substrate container supports the substrate within gaps extending between the support members and the sides of the enclosure, wherein the gaps facilitate vertical movement of arms of the transport mechanism without contacting the substrate support structure, wherein each support member has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal and distal ends of each support member are located on opposite sides of the longest dimension of each support member, wherein the proximal end and the distal end are configured to allow between the proximal end and the distal end a portion of access by the transport mechanism to the substrate.
A substrate container comprising:
- a housing including a front door, a plurality of side walls, and a back side, the side walls located on left and right sides of the front door, the front door when closed faces the back wall;
- and
- a pair of tines coupled to the housing, the pair of tines extending in a first direction within the housing towards the front door, the tines for supporting a substrate when present within the housing, the substrate having a diameter extending in a direction perpendicular to a direction of access of the substrate from the housing, the tines having outer edges that face the side walls, the tines having support pads for contacting the substrate, the support pads including a first pair of support pads and a second pair of support pads, the first pair located at distal ends of the tines and the second pair located at proximal ends of the tines, wherein the distal ends and the proximal ends are located on opposite sides of the longest dimensions of the tines, the first pair located on a first side of the diameter of the substrate, the second pair located on a second side of the diameter of the substrate, the first and second sides located on opposite sides of the diameter, wherein the access is provided to the substrate from a region defined between the outer edges of the tines and the side walls of the housing, wherein the region facilitates vertical movement of arms of an end effector without contacting the tines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.