Unitary slot valve actuator with dual valves
First Claim
1. A dual slot valve for use in a semiconductor process cluster tool architecture arrangement, the dual slot valve comprising:
- a housing having a first side and a second side, the housing having a first slot at the first side and a second slot at the second side for passing a substrate between a first module and a second module, the first module being attached to the first side of the housing and the second module being attached to the second side of the housing;
a first door being movably mounted within the housing to enable closure of the first slot;
a second door being movably mounted within the housing to enable closure of the second slot;
one door actuator, the one door actuator being connected to each of the first and second doors;
a mount configured to move the one door actuator with the first and second doors centered with respect to an axis, the mount being further configured to move the centered doors into a position between the first and second slots, the mount being further configured to cause the one door actuator to tip to a tipped orientation with respect to the axis so that in the tipped orientation either of the first and second doors closes a respective one of the first and second slots while the other of the first and second doors is positioned by the one door actuator with the respective other of the slots open; and
a computer-controlled controller for operating the mount so that the one door actuator centers the doors.
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Abstract
A unitary slot valve actuator is in a vacuum body between process and transport modules. A separate valve is provided on the unitary actuator for each of two valve slots, each slot being closed or opened according to the position of the unitary actuator. The separate valves allow a vacuum condition to be maintained in the transport module while an adjacent process module is open to the atmosphere for servicing. Access to both open valves for servicing is by centering the unitary actuator to hold both valves open, but not vertically-spaced, relative to the slots. The open valves are easily reached by a service worker through an access port. A computer workstation operates a controller for the slot closure, and for moving the unitary actuator and the valves from the open and centered position, away from the slots to expose seal surfaces around the slots for cleaning.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A dual slot valve for use in a semiconductor process cluster tool architecture arrangement, the dual slot valve comprising:
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a housing having a first side and a second side, the housing having a first slot at the first side and a second slot at the second side for passing a substrate between a first module and a second module, the first module being attached to the first side of the housing and the second module being attached to the second side of the housing;
a first door being movably mounted within the housing to enable closure of the first slot;
a second door being movably mounted within the housing to enable closure of the second slot;
one door actuator, the one door actuator being connected to each of the first and second doors;
a mount configured to move the one door actuator with the first and second doors centered with respect to an axis, the mount being further configured to move the centered doors into a position between the first and second slots, the mount being further configured to cause the one door actuator to tip to a tipped orientation with respect to the axis so that in the tipped orientation either of the first and second doors closes a respective one of the first and second slots while the other of the first and second doors is positioned by the one door actuator with the respective other of the slots open; and
a computer-controlled controller for operating the mount so that the one door actuator centers the doors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A dual slot valve for use in a semiconductor process cluster tool architecture arrangement, the dual slot valve comprising:
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a housing having a first side and a second side, the housing having a first slot at the first side and a second slot at the second side for passing a substrate between a first module and a second module, the first module being attached to the first side of the housing and the second module being attached to the second side of the housing;
a first door mounted within the housing for movement in a direction of a first axis to enable closure of the first slot;
a second door mounted within the housing for movement in the direction of the first axis to enable closure of the second slot;
a common door actuator consisting of a single member, the single member mounting each of the first and second doors for the movement in the direction of the first axis, the common door actuator having a longitudinal axis;
a mount for moving the common door actuator with the longitudinal axis in an orientation perpendicular to the first axis so that the longitudinal axis and the doors are in a position centered between the first and second slots;
a tipping drive effective when the doors reach the position centered between the first and second slots to move the mount and cause the common door actuator to tip so that the common door actuator moves either of the first and second doors to close a respective one of the slots while the other of the first and second doors opens the respective other one of the slots; and
a computer workstation configured with computer program instructions for controlling movement of the mount to close the respective one of the slots while the other of the first and second doors opens the respective other one of the slots. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A dual slot valve for use in a semiconductor process cluster tool architecture arrangement provided with a process module and a transport module, the dual slot valve comprising:
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a vacuum body having a first process module side and a second transport module side, the vacuum body having a process module slot at the first side and a transport module slot at the second side for passing a substrate between the process module and the transport module, the first side of the body having a first wall surface and the second side of the body having a second wall surface;
a common actuator having a door-mount end movable in the body toward and away from each of the process module slot and the transport module slot along a closure path, the door-mount end being movable away from the body along an access path that is generally perpendicular to the closure path to provide a line of clear sight between the process module slot and the transport module slot;
a first door mounted to the door-mount end of the common actuator for movement along the closure path to open and close the process module slot, the first door being mounted by the common actuator for movement along the access path between an up position and a down position, in the up position the first door being parallel to and away from the first wall surface of the body to permit accessing of the first wall surface;
a second door mounted to the door-mount end of the common actuator for movement along the closure path to open and close the transport module slot, the second door being mounted by the common actuator for movement along the access path between an up position and a down position, in the up position the second door being parallel to and away from the second wall surface of the body to permit accessing of the second wall surface; and
a dual acting actuator mechanism having a first drive for moving the door-mount end of the common actuator in the body toward and away from each of the process module slot and the transport module slot along the closure path, the actuator mechanism having a second drive for moving the door-mount end of the common actuator away from the body along the access path. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification