Abstract: A substrate retainer (110) is provided which presents a substantially uniform contact face (128) that can accommodate a large variation in the location of substrate registration thereon. The uniform contact face (128) is allowed to deflect and compress in order to eliminates the prospect of substrates (114) being damaged by or becoming inadvertently pinched within the substrate retainer (110) or from being pressed too hard by the uniform contact face (128). With this arrangement, no adhesives or tapes are utilized, so there is no attendant out gassing of volatile organic compounds to contaminate the microenvironment, or complications due to incompatibility of such adhesives and tapes with washing processes.

Abstract: A substrate container (1100) includes a shell (1105) defining an opening and a door (1505) for selectively sealing the opening. A cantilevered support tray (1120) supports a substrate (1115) within the shell (1105). The support tray (1120) includes a support collar (1300) for coupling the support tray (1120) to a support post (1215) such that the support tray (1120) is cantilevered from the support post (1215).

Abstract: Purge diffusers for use in systems for transporting substrates include: i) a purge diffuser core having an internal purge gas channel, one or more diffuser ports and an outer surface; ii) filter media secured to the outer surface of the purge diffuser core; and iii) a purge port connector for mounting the purge diffuser to a purge port of a substrate container for transporting substrates. The purge diffuser core may be a unitary article, may be formed by injection molding, and may include diverters internal to the internal purge gas channel.

Abstract: A substrate support assembly for a substrate container. The assembly may include a pair of substrate support columns each including a stack of a plurality of shelf members and a plurality of support rods inserted through the stack for securing the stack together. Each shelf member may include a blade portion having first and second opposing surfaces and an inner and outer periphery. Each surface of the blade portion may include a rib structure and a plurality of bosses positioned towards the outer periphery and extending from a forward portion to a rearward portion of the blade portion. Interlocking features may be defined on the rib structures. The stack of the shelf members may include each shelf member stacked with one or more adjacent shelf members via the rib structures, thereby interlocking each shelf member with the one or more adjacent shelf members via the interlocking features.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to racks for shipping loose or packaged glass sheets. A rack includes spaced-apart upright members that taper in thickness such that they are thicker at their lower ends compared to their upper ends. Base members extends outwardly and generally perpendicularly from respective upright members. The base members also taper such that they become thicker moving outwardly from the upright members. An acute or right angle is formed between innermost surfaces of the upright members and uppermost surfaces of the base members. The rack, when used alone, is self-standing as if an L-frame like rack and is arrangeable back-to-back with another rack of the same type to form a mutually-supporting A-frame like rack. The racks are easily loadable onto/removable from rail cars, trucks, and/or the like. Racks include features accommodating forks of a forklift/fork truck, further facilitating their movement.

Abstract: Racks for shipping loose or packaged glass sheets. A rack includes spaced-apart upright members that taper in thickness such that they are thicker at their lower ends compared to their upper ends. Base members extends outwardly and generally perpendicularly from respective upright members. The base members also taper such that they become thicker moving outwardly from the upright members. An acute or right angle is formed between innermost surfaces of the upright members and uppermost surfaces of the base members. The rack, when used alone, is self-standing as if an L-frame like rack and is arrangeable back-to-back with another rack of the same type to form a mutually-supporting A-frame like rack. The racks are easily loadable onto/removable from rail cars, trucks, and/or the like. Racks include features accommodating forks of a forklift/fork truck, further facilitating their movement.

Abstract: A wafer container with a latch mechanism that provides sealing for large wafer containers, such as for 450 mm wafers, accomplishes secure door closing and latching with reduced torque requirements for rotating the central rotatable cam plate. In various embodiments, a camming slot formed in the rotatable cammed plate is arcuate and defined by opposing cam surfaces which are selectively engaged by a cam follower, such as a roller, attached to a proximal end of a latch arm. The roller can include unitary axle portions that snap into the proximal end of the latch arm and is supported at both axial ends of the roller. The proximal end of the latch arm can include parallel extensions separated by a gap, and have guide in surfaces to deflect the extensions as the axle portions of the roller are forced into position thereby seating the roller at both axial ends.

Abstract: A wafer container with a latch mechanism that provides sealing for large wafer containers, such as for 450 mm wafers, accomplishes secure door closing and latching with reduced torque requirements for rotating the central rotatable cam plate. In various embodiments, a camming slot formed in the rotatable cammed plate is arcuate and defined by opposing cam surfaces which are selectively engaged by a cam follower, such as a roller, attached to a proximal end of a latch arm. The roller can include unitary axle portions that snap into the proximal end of the latch arm and is supported at both axial ends of the roller. The proximal end of the latch arm can include parallel extensions separated by a gap, and have guide in surfaces to deflect the extensions as the axle portions of the roller are forced into position thereby seating the roller at both axial ends.

Abstract: Systems and methods objectively manage review of design documents for engineered components to facilitate review of such documents at an appropriate level of scrutiny by assigned reviewers. Review assignment rules evaluate characteristics of the design documents to create a review assignment plan specific to each design document, facilitating application of a standard practice to the assessment such documents.

Abstract: A front opening wafer container suitable for large wafers such as 450 mm utilizes componentry with separate fasteners to lock the componentry together in an expedient manner providing robust connections and cost efficiencies. A container portion has an open front and receives on a bottom surface a base plate secured by twist lock connectors that also provide recesses for purge grommets. Kinematic coupling components readily and robustly lock onto the base plate. Interior wafer support components latch onto brackets on the side walls utilizing a separate locking insert with holding tabs and locking detents. A wafer retainer provides support and counters enhanced wafer sag associated with 450 mm wafers when the door is installed and seated.

Abstract: A purge tower assembly for a substrate container. The assembly may include a purge interface body, including a base portion and a top portion, for mounting to a bottom plate of a substrate container. The base portion may include a substantially tubular base sidewall and the top portion may have a top sidewall positioned on the top edge of the base portion. The top portion may include an inlet nozzle for mounting through a rearward inlet in the bottom plate. The inlet nozzle may have a substantially tubular sidewall extending upwardly from the top sidewall and defining an interior of the inlet nozzle. The base portion and the top sidewall may define an offset conduit portion disposed connected to the base portion and the inlet nozzle, the base portion and the inlet nozzle in fluid communication via the offset conduit portion.

Abstract: A substrate support assembly for a substrate container. The assembly may include a pair of substrate support columns each including a stack of a plurality of shelf members and a plurality of support rods inserted through the stack for securing the stack together. Each shelf member may include a blade portion having first and second opposing surfaces and an inner and outer periphery. Each surface of the blade portion may include a rib structure and a plurality of bosses positioned towards the outer periphery and extending from a forward portion to a rearward portion of the blade portion. Interlocking features may be defined on the rib structures. The stack of the shelf members may include each shelf member stacked with one or more adjacent shelf members via the rib structures, thereby interlocking each shelf member with the one or more adjacent shelf members via the interlocking features.

Abstract: A wafer container utilizes a rigid polymer tubular tower with slots and a “getter” therein for absorbing and filtering moisture and vapors within the wafer container. The tower preferably utilizes a purge grommet at the base of the container and may have a check valve therein to control the flow direction of gas (including air) into and out of the container and with respect to the tower. The tower is sealingly connected with the grommet. The tower may have a getter media piece rolled in an elongate circular fashion forming or shaped as a tube and disposed within the tower and may have axially extending. The media can provide active and/or passive filtration as well as having capabilities to be recharged. Front opening wafer containers for 300 mm sized wafers generally have a pair of recesses on each of the left and right side in the inside rear of the container portions.

Abstract: An improved system and method for purging a microenvironment to desired levels of relative humidity, oxygen, or particulates through the implementation of a purge gas delivery apparatus and method that provides even distribution of the purging gas within the microenvironment. A substrate container has a tower therein with a fluid flow passageway extending the length of the tower. Apertures with porous media between the aperture and fluid flow passageway regulate the volume and pressure of air discharging at each aperture. Alternatively, the tower may be formed of a porous tubular polymeric material. A sleeve may direct the discharge purge gas in the interior.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to racks for shipping loose or packaged glass sheets. A rack includes spaced-apart upright members that taper in thickness such that they are thicker at their lower ends compared to their upper ends. Base members extends outwardly and generally perpendicularly from respective upright members. The base members also taper such that they become thicker moving outwardly from the upright members. An acute or right angle is formed between innermost surfaces of the upright members and uppermost surfaces of the base members. The rack, when used alone, is self-standing as if an L-frame like rack and is arrangeable back-to-back with another rack of the same type to form a mutually-supporting A-frame like rack. The racks are easily loadable onto/removable from rail cars, trucks, and/or the like. Racks include features accommodating forks of a forklift/fork truck, further facilitating their movement.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method of manufacturing and installing an electronic throttle control pedal to a bracket within a vehicle. The method includes the steps of making a customized pedal mounting bracket for a vehicle wherein the customized pedal mounting bracket has universal connecting features. The method further includes mounting the customized pedal mounting bracket to a vehicle and attaching the universal pedal housing to the customized pedal mounting bracket by means of the universal connecting features. An apparatus of the present invention including a universal pedal housing having a rear surface wherein the rear surface includes at least one locating protrusion. The pedal housing further including a plurality of compression tabs. The apparatus including a pedal mounting bracket having a front surface wherein the rear surface of the pedal housing connects to the front surface of the pedal mounting bracket.

Abstract: A front opening wafer carrier includes: a container portion. The container portion includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a pair of side walls, a back wall, and a door frame opposite the back wall, the door frame defining a front opening, and a door removably received in the door frame for closing the front opening. The door has a single body construction and a substantially smooth exterior surface including one or more automation interface receiving features having a minimal volume, which may minimize the amount of oxygen that can be trapped between the wafer carrier door and an equipment front end module when the wafer carrier is in use.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer container assembly includes a container defining an exterior and defining an interior having a wafer storage area adapted to support one or more semiconductor wafers. The container also defines an opening in the container between the exterior and the interior. The container has a door and a latching mechanism to sealingly secure the door closed, and the door is openable for access to the wafer storage area. A passive getter module is removably secured with respect to the exterior of the container by substantially rigid connection structure that is a part of or extends from substantially rigid getter module housing. Getter material is disposed within the housing to decrease concentration of contaminants within the wafer storage area of the container via the access opening and the opening in the container.

Abstract: A substrate container includes a container portion having an open side or bottom, and a door to sealingly close the open side or bottom, one of the door and the container portion defining access structure. The substrate container additionally includes a check-valve assembly, the check-valve assembly being retained with respect to the access structure to provide fluid communication with an interior of the substrate container. The check-valve assembly includes a grommet, the grommet being formed of an elastomeric material. A valve seat is disposed within the grommet, the valve seat being integrally formed with the grommet according to one aspect, and being formed of a separate piece according to another aspect. An elastomeric valve member, specifically an elastomeric umbrella valve member according to one aspect, is disposed within the grommet and held to engage the valve seat, thereby restricting fluid flow through the check-valve assembly with respect to the interior of the substrate container.

Abstract: A wafer container that reduces or alleviates one or more of the problems associated with excessive container wall deflection due to loading and excessive particulate generation, particularly as those problems are experienced with containers for 450 mm diameter and larger wafers. The container has an enclosure and door with interlocking features to enable transfer of tension load to the door to minimize deflection of container surfaces. The container may include a gasketing arrangement compatible with the interlock feature. The container may include a removable door guide that improves centering of the door during door installation, and that is made of low particle generating material to reduce particulates.