Patents by Inventor David T. Blahnik

David T. Blahnik has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20180226284
    Abstract: Embodiments provide systems, apparatus, and methods for an improved load port operable to purge air trapped between the substrate carrier door and the carrier door opener. Embodiments include a docking tray adapted to receive a substrate carrier including a carrier door; a door opener adjacent the docking tray and adapted to couple to the carrier door and to open the carrier door, wherein the door opener includes a purge gas inlet port; at least one exhaust outlet port, and a ridge wall defining a perimeter channel in cooperation with a docked substrate carrier, wherein the ridge wall includes openings proximate the ports and wherein the door opener further includes a diverter structure disposed to direct purge gas from the inlet port to at least one of the openings in the ridge wall. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventor: David T. Blahnik
  • Publication number: 20180130685
    Abstract: Embodiments provide systems, apparatus, and methods for an improved load port that includes a frame supporting a dock and a carrier opener; an elevator operable to raise and lower the carrier opener; an isolation compartment within which the elevator is operable to move, the isolation compartment including a volume isolated from a volume of an equipment front end module (EFEM); and a purge supply within the isolation compartment operable to purge the isolation compartment of reactive gas trapped within the isolation compartment. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Luke W. Bonecutter, David T. Blahnik, Paul B. Reuter
  • Publication number: 20180130686
    Abstract: An electronic device manufacturing system includes a factory interface that has a load port. The load port may include a panel having an opening therein and a carrier door opener that seals the opening when the door is closed. The carrier door opener may have a groove along an outer portion of the door. The groove may have a cross-sectional shape of a triangular prism frustum. A hollow O-ring may be seated in the groove and is configured to engage the panel when the carrier door opener is closed against the panel. Methods of assembling a factory interface for an electronic device manufacturing system are also provided, as are other aspects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: David T. Blahnik, Paul B. Reuter, Luke W. Bonecutter, Douglas B. Baumgarten
  • Publication number: 20160218028
    Abstract: Wafer cassettes and methods of use that provide heating a cooling to a plurality of wafers to decrease time between wafer switching in a processing chamber. Wafers are supported on a wafer lift which can move all wafers together or on independent lift pins which can move individual wafers for heating and cooling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: Jason M. Schaller, Robert Brent Vopat, Paul E. Pergande, Benjamin B. Riordon, David T. Blahnik, William T. Weaver