Abstract: A wafer container has an open front defined by a door receiving frame and a door sized for the door receiving frame. The door receiving frame has slots on opposite sides and the door utilizes latching linkages and lifting linkages cooperate to extend, lift, lower and retract the latching portions from the door into and out of latch receptacles on the door receiving frame. The door may also have passive wafer cushions or active wafer engaging arms which extend inwardly toward the wafers to secure said wafers when the door is in place. The latching linkages, lifting linkages, and where desired the retaining arms are linked to rotatable cammed members in the interiors if the door. The cammed member utilizes cammed surfaces configured to first extend the latching portions in a first direction into the latching receptacles and to then move the latching portions in a second direction normal to the first direction to pull the door inwardly and to seal the door to the container portion.

Abstract: A modular tubing support and constrainment device for supporting and constraining tubing comprising a plurality of modular support trays, a module connector portion and a clamping portion. The modular support trays each incorporate a bottom portion for supporting the tubing and side constrainment portions to significantly constrain the amount of snaking by the tubing. The modular support trays further incorporate a plurality of apertures which are used by the module connector portions to connect and join the modular support trays into a continuous single unit. The apertures are also used by the clamping portion so that the clamping block may be secured to the modular support tray. The clamping block has an arcuate bore therethrough that is sized to fit snugly about and constrain the tubing. The bore may be lined with an elastomeric material to provide extra tube gripping potential.

Abstract: A composite sanitary fitting in which an inner body portion is secured within a overmolded stiffening sleeve which provides strength and rigidity to the fitting. The main body is comprised of a plastic such as PFA and the outer stiffening sleeve is comprised of a more rigid durable plastic such as PEEK. The main body portion has a flange portion which at the connecting end. The stiffening sleeve has an U-shaped portion extends around three sides of the flange locking the sleeve on the body portion.

Abstract: A device for storing and transporting electronic devices such as semiconductor chips, comprising: a frame having a top side, a bottom side, a periphery, and a window within the periphery, a thin film covering the window, the thin film having on its top surface an adhesive layer, the adhesive layer being adapted to hold a plurality of electronic devices, the electronic devices being attachable to the adhesive layer at any location on the thin film within the window, and the electronic devices being uncovered, a recess in the bottom side, and a raised flange around the window on the top side wherein the raised flange of one of the devices mates with the recess of another device, thereby allowing the devices to be stacked. The adhesive properties of the adhesive layer may be greatly reduced by exposure to electromagnetic radiation such as heat (infrared) or ultraviolet, thereby releasing the electronic device.

Abstract: The present invention is a shipping container for safely storing articles such as semiconductor wafers. The shipping container has two sidewalls sealingly connected to two end walls to form a generally rectangular interior wafer confinement area. A top cover and a bottom cover are removably attached to the container to protect the wafers during shipping and storage and provide access to the wafers for processing. The wafers are securely held in place in the carrier by a cushioning means to prevent damage to the wafers. Furthermore, the wafers are locked into place to prevent contamination by the wafers generating particles in the wafer confinement area by rubbing against the carrier. The cushioning means for accommodating the flexing of the cover supports and suspends wafers in the wafer confinement area. The cushioning means extends from the top cover and has a plurality of wafer engaging edges. Each edge is formed in a convex arcuate shape with respect to a centerline of the carrier.

Abstract: A tray for storing an integrated circuit component has an upper side and an array of terminals on a bottom side, four side walls, and four corners. The tray has a substantially planar base having a top surface and a bottom surface and a periphery. A plurality of pocket areas are formed in the top surface of the base within the periphery, each pocket area adapted to hold an integrated circuit component and to center the integrated circuit component within the pocket area. Each pocket area further comprising a plurality of corner guides with component engagement members contacting and supporting the integrated circuit component at the four principal corner portions thereof and the corner guides preventing further contact between the integrated circuit component and the base. The component engagement members supporting the integrated circuit component at its intersection of the side surfaces and bottom surface. The component engagement members comprise an angled guide-in portion and a seating surface portion.

Abstract: A wafer container for transporting or holding wafers in a horizontal axially aligned arrangement has minimal four point regions of wafer support at the edge portion of the wafers. A preferred embodiment has a first container portion and a closeable door. The first container portion has a first molded portion of a static dissipative material having an upright door frame with integral planar top portion. An integral bottom base portion with an equipment interface also extends from the door frame. A second molded portion has a transparent shell which connects to the door frame, to the planar top portion, and to the bottom base portion. Separately molded wafer support columns connect to the top planar portion and to the bottom base portion and include vertically arranged shelves with upwardly facing projection providing minimal point or point region contact with the wafers.

Abstract: A container for semiconductor wafers is disclosed which has a multiplicity of C-shaped wafer holders for individually securing each wafer. Each wafer holder has an open side for receiving and releasing wafers, a closed side with a support portion for supporting the wafer holder in the container. A pair of resilient arcuate arms, each with seating portions and manipulation arms, extend more than 180.degree. around the wafer for retaining the wafers in any orientation.

Abstract: A wafer container has an open front defined by a door frame and a door sized for the door frame. The door receiving frame has slots on opposite sides and the door utilizes latching portions that extend and retract from the edge portion of the door into and out of the slots for latching and unlatching the door on the door receiving frame. The door also has wafer engaging arms which extend inwardly toward the wafers to secure said wafers when the door is in place. The retractable latching portions and wafer retaining arms are linked to a rotatable cammed member in the interior of the door. The cammed member utilizes cammed surfaces configured to first latch the door and to then extend the wafer retaining arms.

Abstract: A plastic container for storing and shipping semiconductor wafers comprising a wafer carrier of substantially rigid and transparent material supporting the wafers and maintaining the wafers in spaced relation to each other, top and bottom covers for the wafer carrier formed of stiff but resiliently flexibly yieldable material, the wafer carrier having upper and lower enlarged rim portions extending around the peripheries of the top and bottom of the wafer carrier and being embraced by enlarged peripherally extending rim portions of the top and bottom covers, the top and bottom covers having partially cylindrical panels with elongate beads or ridges formed thereon to engage and maintain the edges of the wafers spaced from the partially cylindrical surfaces, offset tabs on the wafer carrier and top and bottom covers facilitating of flexibly lifting small portions of the covers off the wafer carriers and then progressively disengaging the covers from the wafer carriers; a package comprising a multiplicity of cov

Abstract: A composite, drum type container for storing and dispensing corrosive fluids comprises an inner plastic liner of polyethylene and an outer plastic shell. The end walls of the outer shell are substantially dome-shaped to add strength to the container, and the top end wall is further reinforced by an inclined offset wall, ribs, and inwardly protruding portions of the sidewall, to prevent deformation. A separate pressure plate adds to the strength of the dome-shaped bottom end wall. A recess or well in the bottom end wall and pressure plate allows complete removal of the contents of the container.

Abstract: A plastic container for handling, storing and shipping semiconductor wafers comprising a wafer carrier supporting the wafers and maintaining the wafers in spaced relation to each other, a plurality of rows of resiliently flexible tabs of progressively increasing and decreasing widths formed on the partially cylindrical top and bottom surfaces of the wafer carrier, the top and bottom surfaces formed of stiff but resiliently flexibly yieldable material, supporting ribs on the bottom surface extending longitudinally of the bottom and parallel to the rows thereon, the width of the tabs being shorter at the ends of the rows and wider in the middle to engage and maintain the edges of the wafers spaced from the top and bottom surfaces while allowing for flexing and bowing of the top and bottom surfaces from the pressure of the covers and weight of the wafers.

Abstract: A plastic container for storing and shipping semiconductor wafers comprising a wafer carrier of substantially rigid and transparent material supporting the wafers and maintaining the wafers in spaced relation to each other, top and bottom covers for the wafer carrier formed of stiff but resiliently flexibly yieldable material, the wafer carrier having upper and lower enlarged rim portions extending around the peripheries of the top and bottom of the wafer carrier and being embraced by enlarged peripherally extending rim portions of the top and bottom covers, the top and bottom covers having partially cylindrical panels with elongate beads or ridges formed thereon to engage and maintain the edges of the wafers spaced from the partially cylindrical surfaces, offset tabs on the wafer carrier and top and bottom covers facilitating of flexibly lifting small portions of the covers off the wafer carriers and then progressively disengaging the covers from the wafer carriers; a package comprising a multiplicity of cov

Abstract: A standardized mechanical interface (SMIF) pod for use in conjunction with SMIF systems is disclosed. The pod is utilized for transporting article, such as semiconductor wafers or the like, between locations such as SMIF processing stations. The pod includes a box having an open end and a box door which sealably engages and closes the open end. The box contains a removable carrier which seats on the box door and which has an open side for insertion and removal of the articles. The pod features a latching mechanism in the box door utilizing a star wheel with tips that rotate and extend out of slots in the box door into slots in the interior sidewalls of the box. The tips then move vertically downward to sealingly engage the box door to the box. The star wheel embraces a concentric cammed hub having angled cam surfaces engaged by cam follower pins extending radially inward from the star wheel.

Abstract: A plastic coupling for plastic tubing having a groove annulus formed between a first circumferential groove on the outer periphery of the enlarged diameter portion of a connection tube and a second circumferential groove on the inner periphery of a cap nut 5 when the cap nut 5 is mounted on a joint body, and an enlargeable split ring having an internal diameter smaller than the external diameter of the enlarged diameter portion and loosely fitted into the second groove, the split ring being adapted to slide on the enlarged diameter portion to the first groove until the split ring falls within the first groove and is located within the groove annulus when the cap nut is mounted on the joint body.

Abstract: A capacitive proximity monitoring device for corrosive atmosphere environments comprising a capacitance field element or sensing element disposed in such a corrosive atmosphere environment and being made of conductive plastic resistant for such a corrosive atmosphere environment. The field element may be a functional part of a functional device that performs a function with respect to the presence of the liquid being sensed; and in some cases the field element is nonfunctional with respect to the liquid, but functional and sensing the capacitance and determining the presence or absence of liquid.

Abstract: Apparatus identifying an instrumentality such as a person's hand or an article of merchandise, wherein the instrumentality carries a tag incorporating a transponder generating and transmitting a radio frequency identification signal in response to a radio frequency transmitted inquiry, a nest comprising an identifying station and incorporating a proximity sensor sensing the presence of the instrumentality at the identifying station and producing an indication of the presence or absence of the instrumentality, the identifying station comprising a radio frequency sensor portion generating a radio frequency transmitted inquiry transmitted to the transponder in response to sensing the presence of the instrumentality and receiving the radio frequency identification signal from the transponder, the proximity sensor terminating generation of the radio frequency transmitted inquiry when a clear and reliable output indication identifying the tag has been produced, and the proximity sensor also preventing, after produc

Abstract: The invention disclosed is a three-way weir valve. The valve housing has a common flow duct and two additional flow ducts, all connectable to external flow lines. A weir with two valve seats on opposite sides of the weir separates the common flow duct from the two additional flow ducts. Two coaxial diaphragms are arranged to engage with the weir valve seats. The common flow duct communicates with one flow duct over one of the weir valve seats and communicates with the other flow duct over the other weir valve seat. The two diaphragms are engaged with compressors connected to pistons engaged in pneumatic cylinders. An air line connects the two pneumatic cylinders. One diaphragm and compressor are biased towards engagement with its other weir valve seat resulting in a normally closed position. The other diaphragm is biased away from engagement with its weir valve seat resulting in a normally open position.

Abstract: A capacitive proximity monitoring device for corrosive atmosphere environments comprising a capacitance field element or sensing element disposed in such a corrosive atmosphere environment and being made of conductive plastic resistant for such a corrosive atmosphere environment. The field element may be a functional part of a functional device that performs a function with respect to the presence of the liquid being sensed; and in some cases the field element is nonfunctional with respect to the liquid, but functional and sensing the capacitance and determining the presence or absence of liquid.

Abstract: A plastic valve comprising a valve body, integral plastic valving duct means with rigid tubular plastic end portions for attachment to flow ducts carrying liquids to be valved, and a collapsible and distensible tubular plastic valving portion welded to the tubular end portions, the valving portion have sidewalls of plastic film laminae free of each other, but welded to each other at edges to form resilient side rib portions, squeezing linkages traversing flexible wall portions and applying squeezing pressure onto the flexible wall portions to close the flow passage therebetween, tiltable squeeze bars extending along the flexible wall adjacent the squeezing linkages and progressively deforming the flexible wall portions during application of squeezing pressure, camming impeller portions applying and relieving squeezing pressure against the squeezing linkages and squeeze bars and camming against the camming surfaces of the body portion as a driving head moves the impeller portions in the valve body portion.