Abstract: Self illuminated back and front lit shaped and two-sided signage. The signage includes a turning film having a structured surface for redirecting light and a diffuser providing for diffusion. The shape of the signage from a viewer's perspective provides the content, such as letters, to be conveyed to the viewer. Two-sided signage includes two signs arranged back-to-back, each including a turning film having a structured surface for redirecting light, a diffuser providing for diffusion, and a printed graphic. In the two-sided signage, the turning films receive light from an ambient light source and direct the light via the structured surfaces toward viewers of the two graphics in order to passively illuminate the signage. The two-sided signage can be shaped to provide content via the shape and graphics.

Abstract: A control system for transferring a sample from a source vessel to a target vessel generally includes a vessel unit, a primary transfer unit, an x-drive, a y-drive, a z-drive and a control unit for controlling the drives. The vessel unit includes a support plate for supporting the source vessel and the target vessel thereon and the transfer unit includes at least one transfer device for transferring the sample from the source vessel to the target vessel. The x-, y- and z-drives reciprocally translate one of the support plate and the transfer device in a respective x-direction, y-direction and z-direction, wherein the x, y and z directions define a three axis Cartesian coordinate system.

Abstract: A device for securing a refuse container to a tilt frame of a refuse hauling truck. The device comprising a latch assembly including at least two latch bars, pivotally mounted on the tilt frame for releasably engaging the container. The latch bars being pivotable between a container engaging position and a disengaged position. An actuator switch is used to activate an associated pneumatic system which pivots the latching bars to engage the container and prevent further movement of the container.

Abstract: A batch charger has a telescopic belt conveyor with a vertical take-up system for the belt when the conveyor retracts. The conveyor may pivot and/or shift laterally besides the furnace on a track. Fixed silos are positioned to refill an on conveyor bin while it is pivoting.

Abstract: A slide pack container housing a plurality of piled slide packs has a cut-off portion. The cut-off portion has a width slightly larger than the width of a slide contained in each slide pack. As a sucker of a package take-out apparatus draws one of the slide packs from the slide pack container through the cut-off portion, a sealed portion of the slide pack interfering with the edge of the cut-off portion is folded inward so that the slide pack is successfully taken out. The sucker transfers the slide pack to a separated unwrapping apparatus. The sucker releases the slide pack when the front edge of the slide pack is caught between paired rollers of the unwrapping apparatus. After a cutter makes a slit on the slide pack, the paired rollers transfer only a wrapping sheet to separate the wrapping sheet from the slide wrapped therewith.

Abstract: When a nozzle is selected, a piston rod (46) of a nozzle selecting cylinder (45) positioned at a lower end position unfailingly forms a gap (A) with an upper end of a nozzle elevating shaft (55) so that the piston rod of the cylinder (45) is not brought into contact with the nozzle elevating shaft at the time of nozzle selecting. Only when an elevating member (58) is lowered by a drive by an elevation drive motor (56), the piston rod (46) is brought into contact with the nozzle elevating shaft (55).

Abstract: A substrate processing equipment comprises two pod supporting stages and two independently operable pod door openers. Each pod supporting stage is capable of placing thereon a pod for containing substrates therein. Each pod door openers having means for permitting access to the substrates inside the pod placed on a corresponding pod supporting stage.

Abstract: Damage to a hook lift type of container handling system caused by torsional loading of a jib slidable within a tube or the like pivotably mounted on a frame carried by a vehicle is minimized by providing a secondary frame that is pivoted to the vehicle and which is made up of two spaced, parallel, tubular structures and a jib made up of two, parallel tube like structures telescopically, slidably received in the tube like structures of the second frame. The jib includes an upstanding hook and by reason of the spacing between the two tubes of both the jib and the secondary frame, a high resistance to torsional loading is provided, thereby eliminating damage as a result of torsional forces.

Abstract: A wafer stage chamber assembly is provided to isolate semiconductor substrates, a wafer stage device, and the process of making semiconductor wafers from the atmosphere so that the resulted wafers have an improved quality and meet certain wafer manufacturing specifications. The wafer stage chamber assembly includes a wafer stage chamber for sealing a wafer stage device from the atmosphere outside the wafer stage chamber, and at least one loader port for loading and unloading substrates into the wafer stage chamber. The wafer stage chamber is constructed of a chamber frame to enclose the wafer stage device, and a plurality of chamber walls including a front panel having the at least one loader port for loading and unloading a plurality of semiconductor substrates into the wafer stage chamber. The wafer stage chamber assembly also includes a top wall and a base frame.

Abstract: A teaching tool for a robot arm for wafer reaction ovens is provided to anchor the robot arm with respect to a tray located inside a reaction oven. The teaching tool provides an upper flange for maintaining a spacing between a handle of the robot arm and a door of the oven, a position width for keeping the teaching tool aligning with a center line of the tray, and a lower tunnel aligning with the center line for allowing a blade of the robot arm to contact closely and horizontally from a lower position and thus for maintaining a position height between the blade and a floor of the reaction oven. By providing the teaching tool, easy blind calibration with multiple contact points between the robot arm and the oven can be performed so that possible efficiency down and cost up from an ill-calibration can be reduced to a minimum.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus that includes a preliminary chamber and a substrate transferring apparatus. The substrate transferring apparatus is disposed in the preliminary chamber for transferring substrate or substrates in and out of a cassette which accommodates the substrate or substrates. The cassette is allowed to be inserted into the preliminary chamber through a lower wall of the preliminary chamber from below.

Abstract: An object-carrying system for facilitating object transportation over various ground or floor surfaces includes a transport frame and a hoist means, which transport frame is adapted to be carried by a user such that articles loaded onto such frame may be easily transported. In a particular embodiment, the transport frame may be removably attachable to an object-carrying means for improved transportation of such object-carrying means over various ground or floor surfaces.

Abstract: An improved mounting system for mounting a forklift on a carrier vehicle where the forklift includes a frame, a mast connected to the frame, and a fork carriage having a pair of forks extending therefrom. The fork carriage is adapted to be vertically displaceable on the mast and laterally extendable relative to the mast. The carrier vehicle includes a mounting end with at least one fork receiver adapted to receive the pair of forks therein and to allow complete lifting of the forklift off of a ground surface by vertically displacing the fork carriage. At least one hook is attached to either the mast of the forklift or the mounting end of the carrier vehicle, and an engagement bar is secured to the other of the mast or the mounting end. The engagement bar is sized to be received within the at least one hook to thereby securely mount the forklift to the mounting end of the carrier vehicle. In one embodiment the at least one hook is two hooks rigidly attached to base portions of the mast.

Abstract: The processing status of a plurality of semiconductor wafers undergoing processing is positively identified by the use of indicator flags associated with cassettes containing the wafers. The flags are moved between at least two processing state indicating positions during processing of the wafers by a robotic arm that also transfers the wafers between the cassettes and a wafer processing station.

Abstract: A device for transporting cartridges comprises a housing for holding a plurality of cartridges in a temperature controlled environment. A transport system is also provided and has a grasping mechanism for grasping one of the cartridges. The transport system is further used to remove the cartridge from the housing and to place the cartridge into a scanner.

Abstract: A material distribution system for stick-like objects such as railroad spikes includes a rake for peeling the stick-like objects from the top of a pile, and transferring them to another location, for example, where they might be reached by a human operator. Use of the rake to peel the object from the top of the pile, with minimized downward pressure applied by the rake, minimizes the tendency of the objects to entangle with each other.

Abstract: A dual track handling assembly is provided for refuse collection equipment having a hopper for receiving refuse, which hopper is defined in part by a pair of oppositely disposed sidewalls. The assembly includes a pair of lower tracks, each of which is mounted on a sidewall in a generally parallel disposition to the other. The assembly also includes a pair of upper tracks each of which is mounted on a sidewall in a generally parallel disposition to the other. The pair of lower tracks define a plane that is substantially parallel to a plane defined by the pair of upper tracks. The assembly also includes a pair of lower track shoes which move in the lower tracks and a pair of upper track shoes which move in the upper tracks. The assembly also includes a carrier having a lower track end that is attached to a lower track shoe, an upper track end that is attached to an upper track shoe, and a lower side that is substantially parallel to the tracks within which said lower and upper track shoes are received.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method for transporting a first substrate and a second substrate relative to a cell. The cell contains a pedestal that is configured to interact with a single substrate. When swapping wafers in a cell, a first substrate is displaced from the pedestal to a remote location and a second substrate is inserted into the cell and onto the pedestal. The first substrate is then removed from the cell.

Abstract: A frame apparatus and system that provides the use of standard tractor-mounted agricultural and industrial work implements with a pickup truck or comparable flat-bed vehicle. Disclosed embodiments provide for the use of commercially available short-line front-end loaders and various effectors suitably adapted for use therewith. The system can be mounted and dismounted with implements attached, and connects to the host vehicle via a bed-mounted gooseneck hitch and frame- or bumper-mounted square hitch receiver.

Abstract: Bale collector comprising a roller bed with a number of horizontal rollers, which are positioned at right angles to a direction of travel and which are suitable for receiving thereon successive bales from a press outlet of a baling press and for having bales pushed backwards onto each other, whereby the roller bed comprises, viewed in the direction of travel, a front part and a rear part, which can swivel about a horizontal axis under control of control means which are coupled to the roller bed parts for moving a rear end of the rear roller bed part between an upper position at a height which allows conveyance of the rear end of the rear part of a bale over the rear part and from the rear part onto the ground, and a lower position of the rear end of the rear part at a height in which the rear part is inclined downwards with respect to the front part for allowing expedited conveyance of the bale from the rear part onto the ground.