Substrate carrier and substrate carrier stack
First Claim
1. A substrate carrier stack comprising:
- a plurality of substrate carriers stacked in a vertical direction such that, for each pair of vertically adjacent substrate carriers, a lower substrate carrier supports an upper substrate carrier;
whereineach of the plurality of substrate carriers includes an outer carrier frame extending in a horizontal frame plane around an inner zone that includes an inner opening;
each of the plurality of substrate carriers includes a substrate seat to accommodate and carry a substrate within an inner accommodation space of the substrate carrier stack, the inner accommodation space being defined by the inner openings of the plurality of substrate carriers;
each of the plurality of substrate carriers includes, at the outer carrier frame, an upper supporting formation and a lower supporting formation, the upper supporting formation of the lower substrate carrier supporting the lower supporting formation of the upper substrate carrier;
the outer carrier frame of each of the plurality of substrate carriers includes a first frame web extending along a first frame web axis, a second frame web extending along a second frame web axis, a third frame web extending along a third frame web axis, and a fourth frame web extending along a fourth frame web axis;
the first frame web axis intersects the fourth frame web axis at a right angle at a first vertex of the first frame web and the fourth frame web, the first frame web and the fourth frame web are connected at a first frame vertex region of the outer carrier frame;
the first frame web axis intersects the second frame web axis at a right angle at a second vertex of the first frame web and the second frame web, the first frame web and the second frame web are connected at a second frame vertex region of the outer carrier frame;
the third frame web axis intersects the fourth frame web axis at a right angle at a fourth vertex of the third frame web and the fourth frame web, the third frame web and the fourth frame web are connected at a fourth frame vertex region of the outer carrier frame;
the third frame web axis intersects the second frame web axis at a third vertex of the third frame web and the second frame web, the third frame web and the second frame web are connected at a third frame vertex region of the outer carrier frame;
each of the plurality of substrate carriers includes a plurality of substrate holding arms that extend inwardly and upwardly from the outer carrier frame, overlap the inner zone, and define the substrate seat;
the substrate seat is located at a distance above the outer carrier frame in the vertical direction;
each of the plurality of substrate carriers includes a plurality of partition webs that extend from the outer carrier frame through the inner zone to define the inner opening and two auxiliary openings of the inner zone;
a first arc-shaped portion of the plurality of partition webs extends in a first space between the fourth frame web and the inner opening to define a first of the two auxiliary openings;
a second arc-shaped portion of the plurality of partition webs extends in a second space between the second frame web and the inner opening to define a second of the two auxiliary openings;
the first auxiliary openings and the second auxiliary openings of the inner zones of the plurality of substrate carriers collectively define a first purging channel and a second purging channel that extend vertically parallel or substantially parallel to the inner accommodation space at opposing sides of the inner accommodation space; and
the plurality of substrate carriers include purging structures that create horizontal purging flows within the substrate carrier stack through spaces between substrates held by the substrate seats of the plurality of substrate carriers.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A substrate carrier stack includes substrate carriers which are stacked or stackable on each other and carry substrates within an inner accommodation space of the substrate carrier stack. The substrate carrier stack includes at least one first purging channel and at least one second purging channel, which extend vertically parallel to the inner accommodation space at opposing sides thereof, and purging structures which enable horizontal purging flows within the substrate carrier stack through spaces between substrates held by the substrate carriers. The substrate carriers each include an outer carrier frame provided with a seat to carry a substrate, wherein the outer carrier frame extends around the first and second purging channels and the inner accommodation space.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A substrate carrier stack comprising:
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a plurality of substrate carriers stacked in a vertical direction such that, for each pair of vertically adjacent substrate carriers, a lower substrate carrier supports an upper substrate carrier;
whereineach of the plurality of substrate carriers includes an outer carrier frame extending in a horizontal frame plane around an inner zone that includes an inner opening; each of the plurality of substrate carriers includes a substrate seat to accommodate and carry a substrate within an inner accommodation space of the substrate carrier stack, the inner accommodation space being defined by the inner openings of the plurality of substrate carriers; each of the plurality of substrate carriers includes, at the outer carrier frame, an upper supporting formation and a lower supporting formation, the upper supporting formation of the lower substrate carrier supporting the lower supporting formation of the upper substrate carrier; the outer carrier frame of each of the plurality of substrate carriers includes a first frame web extending along a first frame web axis, a second frame web extending along a second frame web axis, a third frame web extending along a third frame web axis, and a fourth frame web extending along a fourth frame web axis; the first frame web axis intersects the fourth frame web axis at a right angle at a first vertex of the first frame web and the fourth frame web, the first frame web and the fourth frame web are connected at a first frame vertex region of the outer carrier frame; the first frame web axis intersects the second frame web axis at a right angle at a second vertex of the first frame web and the second frame web, the first frame web and the second frame web are connected at a second frame vertex region of the outer carrier frame; the third frame web axis intersects the fourth frame web axis at a right angle at a fourth vertex of the third frame web and the fourth frame web, the third frame web and the fourth frame web are connected at a fourth frame vertex region of the outer carrier frame; the third frame web axis intersects the second frame web axis at a third vertex of the third frame web and the second frame web, the third frame web and the second frame web are connected at a third frame vertex region of the outer carrier frame; each of the plurality of substrate carriers includes a plurality of substrate holding arms that extend inwardly and upwardly from the outer carrier frame, overlap the inner zone, and define the substrate seat; the substrate seat is located at a distance above the outer carrier frame in the vertical direction; each of the plurality of substrate carriers includes a plurality of partition webs that extend from the outer carrier frame through the inner zone to define the inner opening and two auxiliary openings of the inner zone; a first arc-shaped portion of the plurality of partition webs extends in a first space between the fourth frame web and the inner opening to define a first of the two auxiliary openings; a second arc-shaped portion of the plurality of partition webs extends in a second space between the second frame web and the inner opening to define a second of the two auxiliary openings; the first auxiliary openings and the second auxiliary openings of the inner zones of the plurality of substrate carriers collectively define a first purging channel and a second purging channel that extend vertically parallel or substantially parallel to the inner accommodation space at opposing sides of the inner accommodation space; and the plurality of substrate carriers include purging structures that create horizontal purging flows within the substrate carrier stack through spaces between substrates held by the substrate seats of the plurality of substrate carriers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A substrate carrier stack comprising:
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a plurality of substrate carriers stacked in a vertical direction;
whereineach of the plurality of substrate carriers includes a substrate seat to accommodate and carry a substrate within an inner accommodation space of the substrate carrier stack; the plurality of substrate carriers include a first purging channel and a second purging channel that extend vertically parallel or substantially parallel to the inner accommodation space at opposing sides of the inner accommodation space; the plurality of substrate carriers include purging structures that create horizontal purging flows within the substrate carrier stack; and each of the plurality of substrate carriers includes an outer carrier frame extending in a horizontal frame plane around the first purging channel, the second purging channel, and the inner accommodation space. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A substrate carrier comprising:
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an outer carrier frame extending in a frame plane around an inner zone including an inner opening; a plurality of partition webs that extend from the outer carrier frame through the inner zone to define the inner opening and two auxiliary openings of the inner zone; the two auxiliary openings define a portion of a first purging channel and a portion of a second purging channel that extend vertically parallel or substantially parallel to the inner zone when the substrate carrier is one of a plurality of substrate carriers stacked in a vertical direction. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification