Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
  • B65D85/30—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure
  • B65D85/38—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure for delicate optical, measuring, calculating or control apparatus
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
  • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L21/673—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere using specially adapted carriers or holders; Fixing the workpieces on such carriers or holders
  • H01L21/6735—Closed carriers
  • H01L21/67376—Closed carriers characterised by sealing arrangements
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
  • B65D85/30—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
  • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L21/673—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere using specially adapted carriers or holders; Fixing the workpieces on such carriers or holders
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
  • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L21/67011—Apparatus for manufacture or treatment
  • H01L21/67126—Apparatus for sealing, encapsulating, glassing, decapsulating or the like

Definitions

• This invention relates to containers, and more particularly to sealable containers for semiconductor wafers.
• Semiconductor wafers are subjected to numerous steps during processing. This usually entails transporting a plurality of wafers between workstations or facilities for processing. Semiconductor wafers are delicate and easily damaged by physical contact or shock and by static electricity. Further semiconductor manufacturing processes are extremely sensitive to contamination by particulates or chemical substances. Consequently, in order to reduce the deleterious effect of contaminants on wafers, specialized containers have been developed to minimize the generation of contaminants and to isolate wafers from contaminants exterior to the containers. These containers typically include a removable door with gasketing or other means for providing a tight seal of the door with the container body.
• Wafer carriers are typically made from thermoplastic materials.
• Early containers for example the container disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,346, were made of highly moldable plastics such as polyethelene.
• Later containers such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,159, held rigid h-bar carriers, and are often made from polycarbonate with molded in slots and with softer, more resilient, covers such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,658 for example.
• Each of U.S. Patent Nos. 4,248,346; 5,273,159; and 5,586,658 are hereby fully incorporated herein by reference.
• Some of the prior containers have a door to enclosure portion seal and also have the capability to sealingly engage to process equipment.
• Standard Mechanical Interface where the door closes an open bottom of the container portion
• FOUPs Front Opening Unified Pods
• FOSBs Front Opening Shipping Box
• a problem with this approach is "divergent column buckling" of the distal portion, wherein the free end of the distal portion buckles radially inward throughout one tangential segment of the seal, but buckles radially outward at a different tangential segment.
• Such a scenario allows for the seal to leak at the transition point between the inward and outward buckling.
• What is needed in the industry is a better performing and longer lasting seal structure for sealing a door with the enclosure of a wafer container.
• a wafer container includes an enclosure portion with a door frame defining an opening for insertion and removal of wafers and a door fittable in the door frame to seal the enclosure portion.
• a continuous elastomeric seal extends around the door inward of the periphery. The seal is positioned on a sealing surface proximate the perimeter of the door and may be partially inset in a radial groove in the door.
• the elastomeric seal has an inset portion, a bridging portion coupled therewith extending radially outward with respect to the axis of the door, and a sealing head coupled with the bridging portion.
• the sealing head includes a foot portion projecting from the bridging portion toward the sealing surface of the door, and a head portion extending in a direction generally opposite the foot relative to the bridging portion.
• the door frame has a seal engaging structure, such as a rib extending around the door frame, so that when the door is seated in the door frame, the bridging portion of the elastomeric seal contacts the seal engaging structure.
• the seal engaging structure displaces the bridging portion axially toward the sealing surface and causes the head of the sealing head to rotate radially and contact the seal engaging structure.
• the displacement action also affirmatively sets the foot of the sealing head in contact with the sealing surface of the door.
• the frame can be dimensioned such that when the door is seated, the bridging portion of the elastomeric seal is compressed interstitiaUy between the sealing surface of the door and the sealing surface of the door frame.
• An advantage of the present invention is that a dual seal is effected on each side of the elastomeric seal.
• With respect to the interface between the seal and the sealing surface on the door there is a sealing line of contact between the foot of the sealing head and the sealing surface of the door, as well as a sealing line of contact between an outer corner of the inset portion and the sealing surface of the door.
• Another advantage is that the rotation action eliminates the potential of divergent column buckling because there is no axial compression of the sealing head. Rather, the sealing action of the sealing head is accomplished by the predictable and repeatable rotation of the head of the sealing head. Also, there will tend to be less sticking in absence of compression of the sealing head because the contact force between the seals and the surface is reduced.
• a further advantage of preferred embodiments of the invention is that the seal can be easily replaced when it is worn out or when different sealing characteristics are desired.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a front-loading wafer container according to the invention
• FIG. 2 is an interior view of the door of the wafer container of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 is an top perspective view of an embodiment of a bottom-loading wafer carrier according to the invention
• FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an elastomeric seal according to the invention positioned on a wafer container door;
• FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of an elastomeric seal according to the present invention.
• FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an elastomeric seal according to the present invention depicting the engagement of the seal between the door and the door frame of a wafer container;
• FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an elastomeric seal according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention depicting the engagement of the seal between the door and the door frame of a wafer container;
• FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of the bottom-loading wafer carrier of FIG. 3;
• FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the wafer carrier of the present invention, depicting the elastomeric seal and seal engaging portion in undeflected and deflected positions;
• FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of another alternative embodiment of the wafer carrier of the present invention, depicting the elastomeric seal and seal engaging portion in undeflected and deflected positions;
• FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of still another alternative embodiment of the wafer carrier of the present invention, depicting the elastomeric seal and seal engaging portion in undeflected and deflected positions
• FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of yet another alternative embodiment of the wafer carrier of the present invention, depicting the elastomeric seal and seal engaging portion in undeflected and deflected positions
• FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of yet another alternative embodiment of the wafer carrier of the present invention, depicting the elastomeric seal and seal engaging portion in undeflected and deflected positions.
• a wafer container 20 commonly known as a transport module generally includes enclosure portion 22 and door 24.
• Enclosure portion 22 generally includes shell 26 defining interior space 28 for enclosing a plurality of wafers 30.
• Shell 26 has a pair of opposing side walls 32, 34, top 36, bottom 38, and back 40.
• Open front 42 opposes back 40 and is defined by door frame 44 which receives door 24 for hermetically sealingly enclosing interior space 28.
• door frame is not limited to a separate structure from enclosure portion 22 nor additional structure on or integral with enclosure portion 22. Rather “door frame” is defined to be simply the portion of the enclosure portion 22 which receives the door 24.
• Enclosure portion 22 may also include a robotic lifting flange 46 on top 36, manual handles 48 on side walls 32, 34, and a kinematic coupling having grooves 49 on the exterior surface of bottom 38.
• Door 24 generally includes chassis portion 50 and exterior panels 52 and presents an interior surface 54 and an exterior surface 56.
• Door 24 presents an axis annotated in the Figures as "Al” and the closure portion presents an axis annotated in the Figures as "A2.”
• axes Al and A2 should be axially aligned. When door 24 is inserted into door frame 44, door 24 moves in an axial direction.
• radial is used herein, it refers to direction or orientations normal to the axis Al or A2.
• Door sealing surface 58 extends around a portion of door interior surface 54 adjacent perimeter 60 of door 24.
• Door 24 generally has one or more latching mechanisms 62 in chassis portion 50, operable through key holes 63, for latching door 24 securely in place in door frame 44.
• Latching mechanisms 62 may operate as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,427 to David L. Nyseth and owned by the owner of the instant invention, hereby fully incorporated herein by reference.
• Door 24 may further have door guides 64 at each corner 66 for accurately locating and positioning door 24 in door frame 44.
• wafer cushions 68 having resilient fingers 70 for engaging one of the plurality of wafers 30 may be provided on interior surface 54 of door 24.
• wafer container 20 also generally includes enclosure portion 22 and door 24.
• Enclosure portion 22 generally includes side walls 72, 74, 76, 78, and top 80 which opposes an open bottom 82.
• open bottom 82 is defined by door frame 44 which receives door 24 for hermetically sealingly enclosing interior space 28.
• Door 24 in the embodiment of FIGs. 3 and 8 includes chassis portion 50 and presents an interior surface 54 and an exterior surface 56. Again, door sealing surface 58 extends around a portion of the door interior surface 54 adjacent the perimeter 60 of the door 24.
• Door 24 generally has one or more latching mechanisms 62 in chassis portion 50 for latching door 24 securely in place in door frame 44.
• Door 24 may further have door guides 64 at each corner 66 for accurately locating and positioning door 24 in door frame 44.
• Wafer support structure 84 having a plurality of wafer receiving shelves 86 is engaged on structures 88 on interior surface 54 of door 24.
• FIG. 4 depicts a cross sectional view of door 24 proximate perimeter 60.
• Door sealing surface 58 is bounded by periphery 90 of door 24 and inset radial groove 92.
• Elastomeric seal 94 extends around and inward of periphery 90 over seal engaging surface 58 and presents a pair of opposing edges 95, 95a.
• Elastomeric seal 94 generally includes an attachment portion 96 extending along inner edge 95 and a sealing head portion 97 extending along outer edge 95a.
• Elastomeric seal 94 has a greater dimension ⁇ R in a radial direction and a lesser dimension ⁇ Z in an axial direction.
• Bridging portion 98 extends between attachment portion 96 and sealing head portion 97 and generally includes a proximal portion 100 connected with attachment portion 96 and intermediate portion 102 connected with sealing head 97.
• Sealing head 97 generally includes head portion 106, which extends axially and away from door sealing surface 58, and foot portion 108 that extends toward and confronts door sealing surface 58. Bridging portion 98 and sealing head 97 in this embodiment have a generally t-shaped cross-section. Attachment portion 96 of elastomeric seal 94 is received in inset radial groove 92 of door 24 as depicted. Referring now to the cross-sectional view of FIG. 6, door 24 is engaged in door frame 44.
• door frame 44 is integral with enclosure portion 22 and generally includes a standoff structure 110 and a seal engagement protrusion 112 in the form of a continuous rib extending around the periphery of the door frame and extending into the recess 114 defined by outer flange wall 116. Seal engagement protrusion 112 presents frame sealing surface 118.
• Standoff structure 110 engages door interior surface 54, thereby axially locating frame sealing surface 118 relative to door 24 and establishing a depth of engagement for door 24 in door frame 44. It will be appreciated that standoff structure 110 may be suitably dimensioned or shimmed to control the contact force between elastomeric seal 94 and seal engagement protrusion 112.
• elastomeric seal 94 is not substantially compressed when door 24 is engaged in door frame 44; rather seal engagement protrusion 112 deflects bridging portion 98 of elastomeric seal 94.
• This engagement causes four separate sealing lines of contact between elastomeric seal 94, enclosure portion 22 and door 24.
• Head portion 106 of sealing head 97 deflects radially inward and contacts tangential perimeter 120 of seal engagement protrusion 112, forming first line of contact 122.
• Second line of contact 124 is formed between intermediate portion 102 of bridging portion 98 and frame sealing face 118.
• Third line of contact 126 is formed between foot portion 108 of sealing head 97 and door sealing surface 58.
• fourth line of contact 128 is formed between corner 130 of attachment portion 96 and door sealing surface 58.
• FIG. 7 An alternative embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 7.
• door frame 44 is substantially the same except that engagement protrusion 112 has a rounded knife edge engaging portion 132.
• Second line of contact 124 is therefore formed between nose 134 of rounded knife edge engaging portion 132 and intermediate portion 102 of bridging portion 98 with the other lines of contact in the same positions as before.
• elastomeric seal 94 may feature a plurality of protrusions 134, depicted in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5. Protrusions 134 project from attachment portion 96 at pre-determined intervals.
• Protrusions 134 fit into thru-slots 136 defined in radially extending lip 138 which bounds inset radial groove 92, to secure elastomeric seal 94 in place in inset radial groove 92. As depicted in FIG. 3, the number and placement of the thru-slots 136 and protrusions 134 may be asymmetric with respect to adjacent sections to affect an indexed installation of elastomeric seal 94.
• FIGS. 9 through 14 Various other preferred embodiments of elastomeric seal 94 according to the invention are depicted in FIGS. 9 through 14, both free standing and in engagement with various geometries for the engagement protrusions 134 and the deflected state shown in phantom.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Packaging Frangible Articles (AREA)
• Container, Conveyance, Adherence, Positioning, Of Wafer (AREA)
• Closures For Containers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

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ID=35197528

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• 2005
  • 2005-04-18 WO PCT/US2005/013166 patent/WO2005102871A2/en active Search and Examination
  • 2005-04-18 EP EP05736957A patent/EP1737762A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-04-18 JP JP2007508628A patent/JP4896007B2/ja active Active
  • 2005-04-18 KR KR1020067024107A patent/KR20070011518A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2005-04-18 CN CN2005800198331A patent/CN101432202B/zh active Active

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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