Equipment storage for substrate processing apparatus

• US 20070098527A1
• Filed: 07/11/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brooks Automation Ltd. (United Kingdom) (Azenta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brooks Automation Incorporated (Azenta, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hofmeister, Christopher, Fosnight, William, Sindledecker, Glenn, Hall, Daniel, Allen, Steve, Araujo, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 7,762,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/222.01
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67775 Docking arrangements

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus has a frame and a load port connected to the frame and adapted to mate a substrate transport container to the frame. The apparatus has transportable storage that is adapted to be removably connected to the frame and fit beneath the load port. The storage may be an enclosure housing electrical, mechanical, or electromechanical devices of the substrate processing apparatus.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a load port connected to the frame and adapted for mating a substrate transport container to the substrate processing apparatus; and

a transportable storage adapted to be removably connected to the frame and fit beneath the load port;

wherein the transportable storage holds substrate processing apparatus components therein.

2. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transportable storage has locating features for locating the storage in a predefined position relative to the frame.

3. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transportable storage has a latch for removably connecting the storage to the frame.

4. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the transportable storage has locating features for locating the storage in a predefined position relative to the frame.

5. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the transportable storage is self-supporting.

6. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the transportable storage is movably supported on a support base.

7. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the support base is a wheeled support base.

8. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substrate processing apparatus components held in the transportable storage includes a power supply or a controller.

9. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the storage is adapted to be moved away from the frame of the substrate processing apparatus to access an interior space of the storage.

10. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage comprises removable sub-modules that are interchangeably mounted in the storage.

11. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transportable storage has a coupling interface adapted to latch the storage onto the frame of the substrate processing apparatus.

12. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a housing forming a chamber adapted to hold a controlled environment;

a docking station connected to the housing and configured to accept a substrate transport container;

a substrate transport apparatus connected to the housing and operable to transport substrates between the chamber and a substrate transport container docked at the docking station;

a subframe located beneath the docking station and removably connected to the housing;

a device mounted to the subframe and connected by at least one cable to another device, the other device being connected to the housing.

13. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the device mounted to the subframe is one of a power supply or a controller, and wherein the other device is connected to the housing and located inside the chamber.

14. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the device mounted to the subframe is one of a power supply or a controller, and wherein the other device is connected to the housing and located outside the chamber.

15. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the subframe is adapted to be separated from the housing, for access to the device.

16. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 12 wherein, when the subframe is separated from the housing, the device remains connected by the at least one cable to the other device.

17. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the subframe and housing form an enclosure around the device when the subframe is connected to the housing.

18. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 15 wherein the subframe has a wheeled base for rolling the subframe between a connected and a separated position, relative to the housing.

19. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 18, wherein the subframe is adapted to latch onto the housing.

20. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 19, wherein the subframe has a module supporting rack for supporting electrical equipment in a modular arrangement.