Abstract: The method of joining together the ends of ducts made of melt processible fluoropolymers such as Teflon PFA, which are characterized by a high degree of chemical inertness and a continuous service temperature in the range of 300.degree. to 500.degree. F. The joining of the ends together is accomplished by the use of infrared heat emanating from an infrared heat source with temperatures in the range of 1250.degree. to 2000.degree. F. and spaced from the ends of the duct by approximately 1/4" to 2 inches for a period of time approximately up to one minute which may be gauged by the appearance of the duct end as it becomes visibly molten to a depth of approximately 1/2". The infrared heater is then removed and the ducts are put together under almost no pressure and the ducts are held briefly, in one form, less than a minute, to quickly establish a joint that becomes at least as strong and expectedly stronger than the original ducts.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring the process of a plurality of batches or semiconductor wafers or memory disks through a series of process operations and process carriers for use therein. Each batch is placed in a carrier in which it is transported to the locations where the processing operations are performed. Each carrier is provided with a transponder tag coded to be responsive to within reading range of a reader unit which transmits a radio frequency signal to the transponder tag and reads and decodes a phase modulated signal returned by the transponder tag to uniquely identify the carrier that is positioned within the range of the reader unit. Further control apparatus receives information from the reader units to permit the monitoring process of semiconductor wafer or memory disk batches through multiple processing operations.

Abstract: A robotic accessible wafer shipper assembly comprises a shipper base, a wafer carrier which supports the disks within the base, and a shipper cover which mates with the base and wafer carrier in latching attachment. The base, carrier and cover are provided with certain specific design features which allow them to be handled, as a completely assembled package, by its constituent components and is assembled and disassembled entirely by robotics.

Abstract: A carrier for silicon wafers and the like for use in processing wafers, the carrier having side components and end components, the side components being tubular rails with wafer spacing and supporting teeth projecting therefrom, the side rails being of tubular plastic and having rigid inserts or rods embedded therein, the end components of the carrier being generally panel shaped and having rigid inserts or panels embedded therein, the inserts, in either rod form or panel form being formed of rigid material which is highly stable and resistant to the influences of high temperatures and strong chemicals to maintain its shape and structural integrity and formed of any of a number of materials such as quartz, ceramics, glass, and metals resistant to corrosion such as stainless steel.

Abstract: An improved tubing connector assembly for coupling flexible tubing and forming a fluid tight seal is described. The tubing connector assembly includes a connector threadably engaging a nut to fully enclose a ferrule and a collet. Due to the surface interactions between the components of the invention, the ferrule and collet are axially compressed to grasp the tubing and obtain a very strong mechanical grip.

Abstract: A remote recognition system for monitoring the progress of a plurality of batches of semiconductor wafers or memory disks through a series of processing operations based on bar code recognition technology. Each batch is placed in a carrier in which it is transported to various locations where processing operations are performed. Each carrier is provided with an optically visible bar code tag, coded to be responsive to within reading range of a bar code reader unit which transmits a modulated light beam signal to the coded bar code tag and reads and decodes the light beam reflected back and collected by an optical receiver to uniquely identify the carrier that is positioned within range of the reader unit. Information from the reader units to permit monitoring the progress of semiconductor wafer or memory disk batches through multiple processing operations is received by further control apparatus.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring the process of a plurality of batches of semiconductor wafers or memory disks through a series of processing operations. Each batch is placed in a carrier in which it is transported to the locations where the processing operations are performed. Each carrier is provided with a transponder tag coded to be responsive to within reading range of a reader unit which transmits a radio frequency signal to the transponder tag and reads and decodes a phase modulated signal returned by the transponder tag to uniquely identify the carrier that is positioned within range of the reader unit. Further control apparatus receives information from the reader units to permit the monitoring process of semiconductor wafer or memory disk batches through multiple processing operations.

Abstract: A robotic accessible wafer shipper assembly comprises a shipper base, a wafer carrier which supports the disks within the base, and a shipper cover which mates with the base and wafer carrier in latching attachment. The base, carrier and cover are provided with certain specific design features which allow them to be handled, as a completely assembled package, by its constituent components and is assembled and disassembled entirely by robotics.

Abstract: A carrier for large glass panels or substrates coated with material being processed into flat panel displays, the carrier including end panels with planar portions offset endways outwardly of the carrier to permit access to the end most panels in the carrier, a multiplicity of sidewall segments spaced from each other and spaced around the periphery of said end wall panels to define three sidewalls of the carrier, leaving one side open for access into the interior of the carrier, the sidewall segments having grooves and ribs for receiving and supporting the edges of the glass panels, the sidewall segments being welded to the end walls in an integral one piece structure, the wall segments having mounting panels at their ends, the mounting panels and the end walls having oblong annular ribs extending along the peripheries of the end walls and being welded together for rigidly attaching the sidewall segments to the end walls in an integral one piece construction.

Abstract: A pressurizable chemical vessel for storing and transporting fluid chemicals and delivering the contents under pressure to the point of the use is comprised of an outer housing, an inner fluid container, and an energy absorbing filler therebetween. The outer housing consists of an upper canister and a canister base removably attached thereto. The entire assembly is desirably of nonmetallic construction and the vessels are designed to be securely stackable for storage and transport. The neck of the chemical vessel is adapted to receive a detachable pressurizable fluid delivery assembly of known design.

Abstract: A disk shipper is configured so as to allow the disk contents to be handled either by their internal diameter or by their external diameter. The bottom of the disk shipper is further configured so as to be compatible with certain existing disk carriers in transferring the disk contents to the particular disk carrier and vice versa. Since the particular disk carrier with which the bottom of the disk shipper is compatible prohibits external diameter handling, the novel disk shipper bottom facilitates transposing the disks into a configuration that permits both external and internal diameter handling. Supporting members inside the disk shipper maintain the disks in axial alignment preventing relative motion of the disks during handling.

Abstract: A disk shipper and transfer tray are configured so as to allow the disk contents to be handled either by their internal diameter or by their external diameter. The transfer tray and the bottom of the disk shipper are further configured so as to be compatible with certain existing disk carriers in transferring the disk contents of the transfer tray or the bottom of the disk shipper to the particular disk carrier and vice versa. Since the particular disk carrier with which the transfer tray and the bottom of the disk shipper are compatible prohibits external diameter handling, the novel disk shipper bottom and transfer tray facilitate transposing the disks into a configuration that permits both external and internal diameter handling.

Abstract: A bottom loading wafer carrier box provides a cavity which appropriately may have a still and particulate free environment for a wafer carrier handling silicon wafers during their storage,transport, and transfer into and out of processing equipment for the manufacture of semiconductors. The box includes a housing enclosing the cavity with an open bottom suitable for receiving the wafer carrier into the cavity. A releaseable door is provided for sealing the open bottom from the ambient environment about the housing of the box. A cam bar is slideably connected to the outside of the housing and operably connected to a moveable slider extending within the cavity. The slider has a carrier catch adapted for retaining the wafer carrier within the cavity and a cushion to retain the wafers within the carrier and to reduce the effects of shock upon the wafers.

Abstract: A PFA Teflon carrier for silicon wafers being processed in hot baths in the production of integrated circuit chips with sidewalls having wafer spacing webs and grooves receiving the wafers in confronting and spaced relation. The sidewalls having outboard channel supports or stiffening bars extending substantially to the ends of the sidewalls and adjacent offsets in the sidewalls which connect to the end walls of the receptacle, one end wall being H-shaped and having a cross bar panel with elongate parallel stiffener bars thereon at the level of the bottom edge of the wafer confining panels in the sidewalls, the stiffener bars in the end walls having their ends spaced from the sidewalls.

Abstract: A shipping container for semiconductor substrate wafers including a rectangular receptacle having a plurality of outwardly extending aligned and opposing vertical rib members which are spaced on the interior opposing sides of the receptacle, and interchangeable upper and lower cover members having finger and post structure to support and space each of the wafers. The upper and lower cover members engage with the outer sides of the receptacle. The receptacle includes latching crossbars across offset ends of each side of the receptacle which engage with locking members extending from each end of the upper and lower cover members. The upper and lower cover members include a plurality of opposing fingers spaced the longitudinal distance of the covers which support the wafer at arcuate points on the wafer and a plurality of posts spaced in between the opposing fingers along the longitudinal distance of the covers which provide separation between each of the wafers.

Abstract: An all-plastic valve including a molded plastic housing, a molded plastic retaining nut, and a molded plastic valve stem.

Abstract: A shipping container for brittle substrates including a rigid outer container with a removable cover; a substrate carrier within the outer container and being slotted to carry the substrates on edge; and a substrate retaining cushion between the upper edges of the substrates and the cover of the outer container and including a resilient polyethylene panel with a corrugated shaped bottom to engage, locate and press downwardly upon the upper edges of each substrate and upstanding deformable ribs bearing against the cover and resiliently maintaining downward pressure through the panel on the substrates.

Abstract: A shipping container for silicone semiconductor wafers including an elongate receptacle with lid with interior wafer-locating ribs and resilient arcuately curved wafer supports positioned beneath and over the edges of the wafers and resiliently clamping such wafers in fixed position.

Abstract: Wafer tongs for grasping semiconductor wafers and the like are provided with a pair of jaws and at least one wafer-contacting stop limiting the reach of the jaws onto the surface of a wafer from the wafer edge. The stops may take the form of jaw guides which extend from one jaw towards the other to maintain alignment of the jaws. In one embodiment, the guides are carried by a clip movably attached to one jaw for forward or rearward movement thereon to adjust the reach of the jaws onto a wafer. The forward ends of the jaws may be resilient so as to engage and flatten against surfaces of the wafer to improve the grip of the jaws and reduce wafer breakage.

Abstract: An injection molded fluorocarbon resin plastic fitting for connection with plastic tubes preferably of fluorocarbon resinous material, the fitting including a sleeve with internal tube-receiving bore flared at the end of the sleeve, a plastic nut with a ferrule integral thereof and with a conical wedging shape identical to the wedging shape of the flared sleeve inner periphery, the flared inner periphery of the sleeve also having a sharp angled conical surface deforming the ferrule when tightened and embedding the ferrule in the tubing which is preferably grooved.