Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for a compact box opener suitable for opening a compact box containing therein a reticle. The embodiments provide: a flowthrough deck; a plurality of location guides on the flowthrough deck suitable to mate with guides on a base of the compact box; a plurality of vacuum ports on the plurality of location guides capable of retaining the guides on the base; a lid opening arm having a suction cup at an end thereof, wherein the suction cup is capable of gripping a lid of the compact box and opening the lid by an actuation of the lid opening arm; rotary-actuated arms that are raised for initial actuation within the drawer above a rim of the compact box and which, when actuated, rotate jaws at an end of each of the rotary-actuated arms inward over the rim and downward to a height below a lower plane of the reticle; and at least one angular notch in each of the jaws suitable to grip a radiused edge of the reticle.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for providing an o-ring gripper. The embodiments may include an end effector, comprising: a housing; a movable stripping bar mechanically associated with the housing; a plurality of modules at least partially within the housing; and at least two interleaved angular jaws, wherein each of the at least two jaws provides at least two of the at least four fingers, and wherein an increase in angle between the at least two jaws effects an expansion of an area bounded by each of the at least four fingers; wherein a movement of the stripper bar distally from the housing strips the o-ring from the retention groove for placement.

Abstract: A lamination apparatus, system, and method. The apparatus, system and method are for a lamination press for laminating at least one laminating film to a subject, which may include: an upper press comprising a gel plate, an upper vacuum chamber, and tooling suitable to apply the laminating film; a lower press suitable to maintain the subject to receive the laminating film, and comprising a lower vacuum chamber, an air bearing stage, and servo-positioned tooling; and an aligner that applies the servo-positioned tooling to maintain positional balance and alignment of the subject by the air bearing stage during the laminating while enabling vertical flexure of the lower press, wherein the positional balance and alignment is substantially continuously monitored by a controller.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for providing an end effector. The end effector may be capable of accommodating semiconductor wafers of varying sizes, and may include: a wafer support; a bearing arm capable of interfacing with at least one robotic element, and at least partially bearing the wafer support at one end thereof; a plurality of support pads on the wafer support for physically interfacing with a one of the semiconductor wafers; and a low friction moving clamp driven bi-directionally along a plane at least partially provided by the bearing arm, wherein the low friction moving clamp retractably applies force to a proximal edge of the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for providing a floating end effector for grasping small precision parts. The end effector includes at least one end effector module having at least: tooling for grasping a part for pickup and placement; a module shaft connected on a first end to the tooling, and having a second end opposite the tooling; and at least two air bearing associated with the second end, wherein the at least two air bearings in combination impart degrees of freedom to the tooling in at least x and y axes and in theta.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for providing an automated contact cutter. The contact cutter includes a contact reel holder for holding therein a bandoleer comprising a plurality of stamped contacts; at least an inlet roller comprising an inlet pin, a turn roller, and a receiving roller mechanically connected by at least one motor drive belt to a drive motor, wherein the inlet roller is capable of receiving an end portion of the bandoleer onto the inlet pin for loading; a cutter between the turn roller and the receiving roller that is capable of cutting ones of the stamped contacts from the bandoleer for picking by a pick and place robot; and a comb capable of combing at least the bandoleer and cut and partially cut ones of the stamped contacts.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for providing a clamping system for a part associated with a pallet. The apparatus, system and method may include: two opposing jaws on the pallet, each comprising a gripper for gripping the part, and a jaw base. The jaw base may include: gearing that synchronizes actuation of the opposing jaws; and a roller distal from the gripper. The part-clamp may also include: a centering spring that compresses to put pressure against the other of the opposing jaws; and a cam off the pallet, comprising a cam shaft that drives a cam face into the rollers to actuate the two grippers.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for providing a variable swath end effector. The variable swath end effector may include: two arms, each for retaining a portion of a retained element; two pairs of bearing rails, each pair being uniquely mechanically associated with a one of the two arms, wherein a level of one pair of bearing rails is staggered from a second level of the other pair of earing rails in a perpendicular axis, and wherein the staggered pairs of bearing rails are interleaved with each other; and a motor capable of driving a belt in mechanical association with each of the two arms, wherein actuation of the motor drives the belt to synchronously move each of the two arms across a respective one of the pairs of bearing rails to vary the swath between the two arms.

Abstract: A lamination apparatus, system, and method. The apparatus, system and method are for a lamination press for laminating at least one laminating film to a subject, which may include: an upper press comprising a gel plate, an upper vacuum chamber, and tooling suitable to apply the laminating film; a lower press suitable to maintain the subject to receive the laminating film, and comprising a lower vacuum chamber, an air bearing stage, and servo-positioned tooling; and an aligner that applies the servo-positioned tooling to maintain positional balance and alignment of the subject by the air bearing stage during the laminating while enabling vertical flexure of the lower press, wherein the positional balance and alignment is substantially continuously monitored by a controller.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for a wedge clamp suitable to provide self extracting grips for an end effector suitable to hold semiconductor wafers, or other substrates such as rectangular panels. The apparatus, system and method may include two inner jaws at least mechanically associated with a robotic base; two outer arms associated with the inner jaws via at least one arms cam; and a plurality of wedge clamps. Each of the wedge clamps may comprise: a spring; a cam loaded on the spring; and a cam travel path into which the cam is slidably associated. A contraction of the inner jaws and a consequent arms camming of the outer arms applies pressure to a circumferential edge of the semiconductor wafer such that the circumferential edge depresses each of the cams along its respective cam travel path and against its respective one of the springs. The jaws close may synchronously about a center point of the substrate, thereby keeping it centered.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for a substrate flipper capable of accommodating substrates of varying sizes. The apparatus, system and method may include a base housing providing at least a portion of a rotating feature; an arm enclosure rotatably associated with the rotating feature and providing at least one arm actuator, and at least one gripper actuator; two arms at two substantially distal points with respect to one another along the arm enclosure, each of the two arms being communicatively associated with the at least one arm actuator; and a gripper associated with each of the two arms distal from the arm enclosure, communicatively associated with the at least one gripper actuator and capable of gripping one of the substrates upon actuation of the gripper. The actuation of the at least one arm actuator effectuates a change in distance between central longitudinal axes of each of the two arms.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for providing an optical coupler. The optical coupler may be a miniature fiber optic coupler, which may include: a housing having dimensions of less than 4 mm×4 mm×4 mm; an input into the housing capable of receiving a fiber optic sending line; a sending line prism having dimensions of less than 2 mm×2 mm within the housing in optical communication with the sending line; a receiving line prism having dimensions of less than 2 mm×2 mm in optical communication with the sending line prism at a corresponded angle in a range of 30 to 60 degrees and capable of receiving a signal incoming on the sending line and redirecting the received signal; and a receiving line in optical communication with the receiving line prism and capable of receiving and outputting the redirected received signal.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for a wafer leveling rim, and for installing a wafer leveling rim. The leveling rim for a semiconductor wafer may include: a thin, substantially rigid receiver ring suitable to receive a circumferential rim of the semiconductor wafer; and a substantially flexible containment ring removably associated with the rigid receiver ring. Thereby, the rigid receiver ring imparts rigidity to a circumferential shape of the semiconductor wafer, and the containment ring retains the semiconductor wafer within the rigid receiver ring.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for providing an end effector. The end effector may be capable of accommodating semiconductor wafers of varying sizes, and may include: a wafer support; a bearing arm capable of interfacing with at least one robotic element, and at least partially bearing the wafer support at one end thereof; a plurality of support pads on the wafer support for physically interfacing with a one of the semiconductor wafers; and a low friction moving clamp driven bi-directionally along a plane at least partially provided by the bearing arm, wherein the low friction moving clamp retractably applies force to a proximal edge of the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for providing a stationary chuck for positionally maintaining an associated inprocess wafer. The stationary chuck may include a base plate having, on an upper surface thereof, a plurality of machined concentric ridges that form a series of concentric circular zones; a silicon carbide coating on the upper surface of the base plate; and a plurality of silicon carbide inlays capable of being bonded onto the silicon carbide coating in the concentric circular zones.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for providing a manufacturing gripping nozzle. The apparatus, system and method for gripping an in-process component during processing may include: a chuck; at least two walls extending from the chuck; at least two peripheral guides having a size and shape correspondent to a periphery of the component and placed atop the at least two walls distal from the chuck, wherein the at least two peripheral guides are capable of positionally maintaining the periphery during the processing; and at least one Bernoulli cup within a cavity bounded by the chuck, the at least two walls, and the component, wherein the at least one Bernoulli cup non-contactedly grips the component.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for a moveable bearing stage that allows for highly refined alignment and placement, and particularly planar alignment and placement, of component or devices through the use of robotics.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for a moveable bearing stage that allows for highly refined alignment and placement, and particularly planar alignment and placement, of component or devices through the use of robotics.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for providing an end effector. The end effector may be capable of accommodating semiconductor wafers of varying sizes, and may include: a wafer support; a bearing arm capable of interfacing with at least one robotic element, and at least partially bearing the wafer support at one end thereof; a plurality of support pads on the wafer support for physically interfacing with a one of the semiconductor wafers; and a low friction moving clamp driven bi-directionally along a plane at least partially provided by the bearing arm, wherein the low friction moving clamp retractably applies force to a proximal edge of the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for a moveable bearing stage that allows for highly refined alignment and placement, and particularly planar alignment and placement, of component or devices through the use of robotics.