Patents by Inventor Luke W. Bonecutter

Luke W. Bonecutter has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11404297
    Abstract: A load port system includes an isolation compartment coupled to an equipment front end module (EFEM). Reactive gas is to be removed from the isolation compartment. The load port system further includes an elevator disposed in the isolation compartment. The elevator is coupled to an elevator arm that extends from the isolation compartment into the EFEM through an opening to raise and lower a carrier opener within the EFEM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Luke W. Bonecutter, David T. Blahnik, Paul B. Reuter
  • Patent number: 11171029
    Abstract: A carrier door opener includes one or more connector devices configured to interface with a door of a substrate carrier located at a load port. The carrier door opener further includes an outer surface forming a groove and a load port seal seated in the groove. The load port seal is configured to seal against a first portion of a planar surface of a panel of the load port around a panel opening formed by the panel. A second portion of the planar surface of the panel is configured to seal to a factory interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: David T. Blahnik, Paul B. Reuter, Luke W. Bonecutter, Douglas B. Baumgarten
  • Patent number: 10950476
    Abstract: A load port includes a panel including a back surface configured to face a front side of a housing of a factory interface. A groove formed in the back surface extends along an outer portion of the panel. The groove includes a flared base region and a neck region that extends to the flared base region. The load port further includes a seal seated in the groove. The seal is configured to engage the front side of the housing responsive to the panel being coupled to the front side of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Luke W. Bonecutter
  • Publication number: 20210057249
    Abstract: A load port system includes an isolation compartment coupled to an equipment front end module (EFEM). Reactive gas is to be removed from the isolation compartment. The load port system further includes an elevator disposed in the isolation compartment. The elevator is coupled to an elevator arm that extends from the isolation compartment into the EFEM through an opening to raise and lower a carrier opener within the EFEM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Luke W. Bonecutter, David T. Blahnik, Paul B. Reuter
  • Patent number: 10832928
    Abstract: Embodiments provide systems, apparatus, and methods for an improved load port that includes a frame supporting a dock and a carrier opener; an elevator operable to raise and lower the carrier opener; an isolation compartment within which the elevator is operable to move, the isolation compartment including a volume isolated from a volume of an equipment front end module (EFEM); and a purge supply within the isolation compartment operable to purge the isolation compartment of reactive gas trapped within the isolation compartment. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Luke W. Bonecutter, David T. Blahnik, Paul B. Reuter
  • Publication number: 20200043770
    Abstract: A carrier door opener includes one or more connector devices configured to interface with a door of a substrate carrier located at a load port. The carrier door opener further includes an outer surface forming a groove and a load port seal seated in the groove. The load port seal is configured to seal against a first portion of a planar surface of a panel of the load port around a panel opening formed by the panel. A second portion of the planar surface of the panel is configured to seal to a factory interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: David T. Blahnik, Paul B. Reuter, Luke W. Bonecutter, Douglas B. Baumgarten
  • Publication number: 20200043769
    Abstract: A load port includes a panel including a back surface configured to face a front side of a housing of a factory interface. A groove formed in the back surface extends along an outer portion of the panel. The groove includes a flared base region and a neck region that extends to the flared base region. The load port further includes a seal seated in the groove. The seal is configured to engage the front side of the housing responsive to the panel being coupled to the front side of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventor: Luke W. Bonecutter
  • Patent number: 10453726
    Abstract: An electronic device manufacturing system includes a factory interface that has a load port. The load port may include a panel having an opening therein and a carrier door opener that seals the opening when the door is closed. The carrier door opener may have a groove along an outer portion of the door. The groove may have a cross-sectional shape of a triangular prism frustum. A hollow O-ring may be seated in the groove and is configured to engage the panel when the carrier door opener is closed against the panel. Methods of assembling a factory interface for an electronic device manufacturing system are also provided, as are other aspects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: David T. Blahnik, Paul B. Reuter, Luke W. Bonecutter, Douglas B. Baumgarten
  • Patent number: 10453727
    Abstract: An electronic device manufacturing system includes a factory interface that has a load port. The load port may include a panel having a back surface. The back surface may have a groove extending along an outer portion of the panel. The groove may include a neck region and a flared base region. The neck region may have a rectangular cross section that extends to a flared base region. A bulb seal or a rectangularly-shaped seal may be seated in the groove and may be configured to seal an interface between the load port and the factory interface. Methods of assembling a factory interface for an electronic device manufacturing system are also provided, as are other aspects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Luke W. Bonecutter
  • Publication number: 20190189484
    Abstract: Embodiments provide systems, apparatus, and methods for an improved load port that includes a frame supporting a dock and a carrier opener; an elevator operable to raise and lower the carrier opener; an isolation compartment within which the elevator is operable to move, the isolation compartment including a volume isolated from a volume of an equipment front end module (EFEM); and a purge supply within the isolation compartment operable to purge the isolation compartment of reactive gas trapped within the isolation compartment. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Luke W. Bonecutter, David T. Blahnik, Paul B. Reuter
  • Patent number: 10262884
    Abstract: Embodiments provide systems, apparatus, and methods for an improved load port that includes a frame supporting a dock and a carrier opener; an elevator operable to raise and lower the carrier opener; an isolation compartment within which the elevator is operable to move, the isolation compartment including a volume isolated from a volume of an equipment front end module (EFEM); and a purge supply within the isolation compartment operable to purge the isolation compartment of reactive gas trapped within the isolation compartment. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Luke W. Bonecutter, David T. Blahnik, Paul B. Reuter
  • Publication number: 20180130685
    Abstract: Embodiments provide systems, apparatus, and methods for an improved load port that includes a frame supporting a dock and a carrier opener; an elevator operable to raise and lower the carrier opener; an isolation compartment within which the elevator is operable to move, the isolation compartment including a volume isolated from a volume of an equipment front end module (EFEM); and a purge supply within the isolation compartment operable to purge the isolation compartment of reactive gas trapped within the isolation compartment. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Luke W. Bonecutter, David T. Blahnik, Paul B. Reuter
  • Publication number: 20180130686
    Abstract: An electronic device manufacturing system includes a factory interface that has a load port. The load port may include a panel having an opening therein and a carrier door opener that seals the opening when the door is closed. The carrier door opener may have a groove along an outer portion of the door. The groove may have a cross-sectional shape of a triangular prism frustum. A hollow O-ring may be seated in the groove and is configured to engage the panel when the carrier door opener is closed against the panel. Methods of assembling a factory interface for an electronic device manufacturing system are also provided, as are other aspects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: David T. Blahnik, Paul B. Reuter, Luke W. Bonecutter, Douglas B. Baumgarten
  • Publication number: 20180130687
    Abstract: An electronic device manufacturing system includes a factory interface that has a load port. The load port may include a panel having a back surface. The back surface may have a groove extending along an outer portion of the panel. The groove may include a neck region and a flared base region. The neck region may have a rectangular cross section that extends to a flared base region. A bulb seal or a rectangularly-shaped seal may be seated in the groove and may be configured to seal an interface between the load port and the factory interface. Methods of assembling a factory interface for an electronic device manufacturing system are also provided, as are other aspects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventor: Luke W. Bonecutter