Abstract: An article storage and dispensing apparatus and method in which articles made by series production are distributed from an article supplier into a storage compartment of predetermined dimensions for storage of articles in front and rear rows of article storage positions. An article distributor in the storage compartment has a carriage, a carriage drive which is configured to drive the carriage in a reversible horizontal carriage drive direction across at least part of the width of the storage compartment, and an article support mounted on the carriage and configured to receive articles from the article supplier above the support when the carriage is in a start position. An article dispenser is associated with the article support to dispense articles selectively in opposite horizontal dispensing directions transverse to the carriage drive direction off the front and rear ends of the support to drop into front and rear article rows.

Abstract: A wafer processing apparatus of an embodiment of the present disclosure may include an equipment front end module (EFEM), a wafer transfer chamber, a wafer processing chamber, and a wafer transfer arm. In addition, the EFEM may include an atmosphere control chamber configured to store a wafer carrier accommodating wafers, an upper air supplier configured to supply air into the atmosphere control chamber, an EFEM chamber under the atmosphere control chamber, a load lock arranged to be vertically overlapped by at least a portion of the EFEM chamber, and an EFEM arm configured to transfer the wafer carrier.

Abstract: A transfer system includes: a transfer chamber having a side wall provided thereon with a plurality of processing chambers in which a processing is performed on a substrate under a decompressed atmosphere, and configured such that the substrate is transferred in the decompressed atmosphere; a plurality of robots fixed in the transfer chamber and configured to transfer the substrate; and a movable buffer configured to hold the substrate and move in a horizontal direction along the side wall between the side wall and the robots in the transfer chamber. The robots exchange the substrate between the movable buffer and the processing chambers in cooperation with a movement of the movable buffer.

Abstract: A bin holding device includes two side elements vertically spaced to accommodate a storage bin between the two side elements. Each side element is provided with a bin supporting assembly comprising a bin support. The bin support comprises an upper bin interacting part configured to interact with the storage bin when the storage bin is accommodated in the bin holding device, such that a top edge of the accommodated storage bin is held at a predetermined level.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are related to an autonomously propelled waste receptacle including a top, a collapsible lid, a housing, an exterior, an interior, and a bottom. The housing includes a circuit board panel, a door, and doorway. The exterior includes a user interface, a plurality of sensors, at least one antenna, and a camera. The interior includes a bin, a trash compactor with a plurality of threaded rods connected to the collapsible lid, an upper can platform, and a bottom tech platform. The bottom includes a plurality of wheels used to drive the autonomously propelled waste receptacle. The collapsible lid also acts as a descending masher compacting trash within the interior bin and the bin is structured to rotate through the doorway to empty. The autonomously propelled waste receptacle may navigate using at least one of sensors, camera, WiFi communication, cellular communication, and GPS communication.

Abstract: A foldable ramp assembly for providing wheelchair and patient trolley access from ground level to the interior of a vehicle cabin whose floor includes a pan which is configured to receive and retain the ramp assembly when not deployed. The ramp assembly comprises an elongate section which, when the assembly is deployed, engages at one end with the ground and at its other end through a hinge mechanism with the vehicle pan. The elongate section of the ramp assembly includes along each side edge an upstanding rigid flange member of a height sufficient to prevent a wheel or wheels of a wheelchair or trolley travelling along the ramp assembly inadvertently passing over one or other side edge of the ramp assembly. The pan includes side channels which are inclined downwardly towards openings formed in an external surface of the vehicle cabin and which are dimensioned to receive said flange members when the ramp assembly is located within the inclined pan.

Abstract: A vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers having a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and a first wall and separating the cassette handling space from the wafer handling space. The first wall has at least one wafer transfer opening in front of which, at a side of the first wall which is directed to the cassette handling space, a wafer transfer position for a wafer cassette is provided. The cassette handling space comprises a cassette storage having a plurality of cassette storage positions and a cassette handler configured to transfer wafer cassettes between the cassette storage positions and the wafer transfer position. The cassette handler has a first cassette handler arm and a second cassette handler arm.

Abstract: There is provided a transport control system assigning multiple jobs to an overhead hoist transport (OHT) based on the availability of linkage transporting and the likelihood of transport congestion. The transport control system includes: a plurality of transports, each of the plurality of transports transporting a carrier with a wafer loaded thereon; and a transport control apparatus controlling the plurality of transports and determining one of the plurality of transports as a target transport to which multiple jobs are to be assigned. The transport control apparatus determines one of the plurality of transports as the target transport based on a first element, which is the availability of linkage transporting, and a second element, which is the likelihood of transport congestion.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber and units disposed above or on the chamber, at least one unit including a first groove. The substrate processing apparatus includes a lifting mechanism including at least one second groove, the lifting mechanism being configured to raise and lower each of the units. The units are configured to be raised and lowered in a state of being secured to the lifting mechanism, upon occurrence of a condition in which a fixing member is inserted into the first groove of the at least one unit and the second groove of the lifting mechanism.

Abstract: A transfer system includes a carrier and a storage shelf. The carrier transfers an object along a transfer path on or suspended from a ceiling. The storage shelf is disposed along the transfer path and stores the object transferred by the carrier. The storage shelf includes a placement portion having the object placed thereon. The placement portion moves up and down with respect to a transfer position Tat which the object is transferred between the placement portion and the carrier.

Abstract: A bin sweep auger unplugging system for unplugging a central unloading sump in a storage bin. The bin sweep auger unplugging system generally includes an auger having a driven shaft with auger fighting, a drive unit having a drive shaft, and a clutch connected between the drive shaft and the driven shaft. The clutch selectively transfers the rotation of the drive shaft to the driven shaft of the auger. The drive shaft includes a clump breakup component that breaks up the clump of granular material above the unloading sump when the drive shaft is rotated. The clutch is disengaged when breaking up a clump of granular material to prevent the rotation of the auger.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for processing dust- and substantially air-tight sacks (1) filled with flowable or free-flowing materials, and for separating the sack material from the sack contents via a collection device (8), wherein the device comprises a sack supply track (4) with a sack removal point (56), a manipulation device (6) with a lifting frame (9) for picking up the filled sacks (1), a sack slitting device (16) for opening the filled sacks (1), a collection device (8) for collecting the sack contents, an empty sack store (12), and an empty pallet store (13).

Abstract: A substrate processing system configured to process substrates includes a substrate transport assembly that encloses a controlled environment defined within a continuous transport volume and at least two process modules coupled to the substrate transport assembly. The substrate transport assembly is configured to transport substrates to and from the at least two process modules through the continuous transport volume. At least two gas boxes are configured to deliver gas mixtures to the at least two process modules. An exhaust duct configured to selectively evacuate the at least two process modules through the at least two gas boxes. Surfaces of the at least two gas boxes include perforations configured to allow gases to flow from the at least two gas boxes into the exhaust duct.

Abstract: A traffic barrel deploying and retrieving apparatus comprises a roller deck mounted on the tailgate of a flatbed utility truck. An aft-facing cage and a forward-facing cage are appended to the ends of the roller deck. The cages have proximal and distal walls each spaced apart by a gap into which a traffic barrel is received. The aft-facing cage stabilizes a barrel dropped into it as the barrel is left behind by the moving truck. The forward-facing cage includes swing arms and a pivotable and elevatable paddle whereby an operator uses a first swing arm to tip the barrel forward so that the paddle delves beneath it so that a second swing arm sweeps the barrel onto the paddle. The apparatus then elevates the paddle to the level of the roller deck so the retrieves barrel may be brought aboard the truck bed.

Abstract: System for positioning (DP) a plate handling device relative to a plate of a given shape, said device including a securing face (8) for being secured to a face of the plate: a tray (16) comprising a face for facing a face of the plate, a support (18) supporting the tray, pins (32) protruding from the face of the tray (16) and delimiting the external shape of the plate between them, a housing (28) in the tray (16) for mounting the handling device so that said securing face (8) of the handling device is oriented to the side of the face of the tray (16), the position of the housing (28) relative to the pins (32) ensuring positioning of the device relative to the plate.

Abstract: A system comprises a front opening universal pod (FOUP) configured to hold one or more semiconductor wafers and a load dock having a stage and a receiving portion extending above the stage. The FOUP is positioned on the stage. A fan filter unit (FFU) positioned above the load dock. An air flow optimizer device is disposed on the receiving portion and under the FFU. The air flow optimizer device has an inlet opening and an outlet opening and a channel extends between the inlet opening and the outlet opening.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a controller configured or programmed to perform at least one of a first control to make a maximum acceleration when moving a FOUP to a front end side smaller than a maximum acceleration when moving to a back end side, a second control to make a maximum deceleration when moving the FOUP to the front end side greater than a maximum deceleration when moving to the back end side, a third control to make the absolute value of the maximum deceleration when moving the FOUP to the front end side greater than the absolute value of the maximum acceleration, and a fourth control to make the absolute value of the maximum acceleration when moving the FOUP to the back end side greater than the absolute value of the maximum deceleration.

Abstract: An overhead hoist transport system includes a vehicle, a wafer box and a controller. The vehicle includes a combiner. The combiner includes at least one magnetic module. The magnetic module is fixed to a base plate. The magnetic module is downwardly protruded. The wafer box includes a header. The header includes a combining member configured to correspond to the magnetic module. The controller is configured to generate a control signal for controlling attachment and detachment operations between the combiner and the wafer box. The magnetic module includes a frame, a first permanent magnet, a second permanent magnet and a magnetic switch. The frame has an annular cross-sectional shape. The first permanent magnet is fixed to the frame. The second permanent magnet is rotatably arranged in the frame. The magnetic switch is configured to rotate the second magnet in response to the control signal.

Abstract: A wafer handling apparatus includes at least one load port, an image capturing device and a processor. The load port is configured to receive a wafer carrier. The image capturing device is configured to capture an image of the wafer carrier received in the load port before one or more wafers are inserted into the wafer carrier. The processor is communicably connected to the image capturing device and is configured to determine whether the wafer carrier is in a condition that is unsafe for wafer placement based on the image captured by the image capturing device.

Abstract: An article reversing/discharging box 1 includes a box main body 2 that accommodates scrap, hook members 3, 4 having insertion holes 3a, 4a through which forks of a forklift are inserted above the box main body 2, and a reversing mechanism 5 capable of reversing the box main body 2. The reversing mechanism 5 includes a bottom plate 6 integrally extending from a lower end of the movable hook member 4 along the bottom surface 2d, and a hinge 7 provided at a distal end portion of the bottom plate 6. When the forks are inserted into the insertion holes 4a of the movable hook member 4 and the forks are removed from the insertion holes 3a of the fixed hook members 3, the box main body 2 is turnable about the distal end portion of the bottom plate 6 by the hinge 7.