AMBIDEXTROUS CASSETTE AND METHODS OF USING SAME

• US 20170170037A1
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Published: 06/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: SolarCity Corporation (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Gonzalez, Pablo
• Granted Patent: US 10,361,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67201 characterized by the construction of the load-lock chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67303 Vertical boat type carrier whereby the substrates are horizontally supported, e.g. comprising rod-shaped elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67309 characterized by the substrate support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67313 Horizontal boat type carrier whereby the substrates are vertically supported, e.g. comprising rod-shaped elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67373 characterised by locking systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67379 characterised by coupling elements, kinematic members, handles or elements to be externally gripped
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67386 characterised by the construction of the closed carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67393 characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrierl
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6773 Conveying cassettes, containers or carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67757 vertical transfer of a batch of workpieces
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67766 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67772 involving removal of lid, door, cover
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67778 involving loading and unloading of wafers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68707 the wafers being placed on a robot blade, or gripped by a gripper for conveyance

Abstract

Devices and methods for transferring solar cells while maintaining a controlled environment are provided. Such devices include a solar cell carrying cassette adapted to support a stack of solar cells within a solar cell carrying pod that maintains a sealed micro-environment of inert gas and allows for automated transfer of solar cells between the pod and a fabrication line. The solar cell carrying cassette includes a pair of end plates and a plurality of rods extending therebetween that are configured to support a stack of solar cells. An identifier, such as an RFID chip, is included in each of the pair of end plates so as to allow for ready identification of the cassette from a single location relative the pod, while the cassette is coupled within the pod, regardless of the orientation of the cassette within the pod.

Claims

1. A solar cell carrying cassette adapted for use in a solar cell carrying pod, the cassette comprising:

a pair of end plates having a plurality of rods extending therebetween and dimensioned to hold a plurality of solar cells between the pair of end plates;

a first interfacing feature in each of the pair of end plates for operably engaging with a mechanism in a base of the solar cell carrying pod that facilitates releasable coupling of the cassette with the base, the base being operable to facilitate sealing and attachment of the base with a cover of the solar cell carrying pod; and

an identifier in each of the pair of end plates, the identifier allowing for ready identification when disposed within the pod or coupled to the base of the solar cell carrying pod.

2. The solar cell carrying cassette of claim 1, the identifier being disposed on each of the pair of end plates along opposite sides of the cassette so as to be identifiable from a single location relative to the pod regardless of the orientation of the cassette within the pod.

3. The solar cell carrying cassette of claim 1, wherein the identifier is an RFID chip attached to each of the pair of end plates.

4. The solar cell carrying cassette of claim 1, wherein the identifier on each of the pair of end plates contains identifying information unique to the cassette.

5. The solar cell carrying cassette of claim 4, wherein the identifiers contain common identifying information so that the same identifying information is read regardless of which of the pair of end plates is coupled to the base.

6. The solar cell carrying cassette of claim 1, wherein the first interfacing feature comprises a central hole dimensioned and positioned so as to be alternatively coupleable with the mechanism extending from the base at a bottom of the cover or a protrusion extending inward from an upper portion of the cover opposite the base.

7. The solar cell carrying cassette of claim 6, further comprising:

a second interfacing feature in each of the pair of end plates adapted to align the cassette when coupled to the base, the second interfacing feature comprising a plurality of holes distributed about the central hole in an arrangement to receive a plurality of pegs in at least one of the base and cover of the solar cell carrying pod.

8. The solar cell carrying cassette of claim 7, wherein the plurality of rods are arranged so as to define an front open side of the cassette to allow placement of solar cells within the plurality of rods for storage, wherein the second interfacing feature is adapted to orient the front open side of the cassette towards a front of the pod to facilitate loading and unloading of the plurality of solar cells from the cassette.

9. The solar cell carrying cassette of claim 8, further comprising:

a third interfacing feature in each of the end plates, wherein the third interfacing feature comprises a pair of hooked notches along a front loading side of each end plate that are oriented towards one side of the cassette relative the front side of the cassette such that the cassette is coupleable to the base in two different orientations.

10. The solar cell carrying cassette of claim 9, wherein the cassette has a left side and a right side relative the front loading side, the pair of end plates comprises a first and second end plate and the two orientations comprise a left-side orientation and a right-side orientation, wherein

in the left-side orientation, the pairs of hooked notches are oriented to the left side of the cassette when a first end plate is coupled to the base, and

in the right-side orientation, the pairs of hooked notches are oriented towards the right side of the cassette when the second end plate is coupled to the base.

11. The solar cell carrying cassette of claim 10, wherein the identifier is disposed on each of the pair of end plates along opposite sides of the cassette so as to be identifiable from a single side of the left and right sides of the cassette regardless of whether the cassette is coupled to the base in the left-side orientation or the right-side orientation.

12. The solar cell carrying cassette of claim 1, wherein the plurality of rods comprise a plurality of support features adapted to support the plurality of solar cells regardless of which of the pair of end plates is coupled with the base of the solar cell carrying pod.

13. The solar cell carrying cassette of claim 12, wherein the plurality of support features comprise a plurality of notches and/or shelf-like protrusions adapted for holding the plurality of solar cells while maintaining separation between adjacent solar cells of the plurality, wherein the plurality of support features are adapted to support the plurality of solar cells regardless of which of the pair of end plates is coupled with the base of the solar cell carrying pod.

14. A cassette adapted for carrying components formed in a semi-conductor fabrication process, the cassette comprising:

a pair of end plates having a plurality of rods extending therebetween and configured to support the pair of end plates in a parallel position and to support the semi-conductor components therebetween;

one or more interfacing features in each of the pair of end plates for operably engaging with an external member for facilitating loading or unloading of the components from the carrier and/or handling of the cassette; and

an identifier disposed on each of the pair of end plates, the identifier allowing for ready identification of the cassette and/or the components supported within the cassette.

15. The cassette of claim 14, wherein the identifiers are positioned so as to be identifiable from a single location regardless of the orientation of the cassette.

16. The cassette of claim 14, wherein each identifier is an RFID chip attached to each of the pair of end plates.

17. The cassette of claim 14, wherein the identifier on each end plates contains common identifying information such that the same identifying information is read regardless of which of the pair of end plates is coupled to the base.

18. The cassette of claim 14, the identifier being disposed on each of the pair of end plates along opposite sides of the cassette so as to be identifiable from a single location relative the pod regardless of the orientation of the cassette.

19. A solar cell carrying cassette adapted for use in a solar cell carrying pod, the cassette comprising:

a pair of end plates having a plurality of rods extending between and supporting the pair of end plates parallel to each other, wherein the plurality of rods being are configured to support a stack of solar cells therebetween and arranged to define an open front of the cassette through which the stack of solar cells are inserted and removed;

one or more interfacing features in each of the pair of end plates configured for operably engaging with one or more corresponding features associated with a base of the solar cell carrying pod, the base being operable to sealingly couple with a cover of the solar cell carrying pod with the cassette coupled therebetween, wherein the pair of end plates are configured such that the one or more interfacing features mirror one another relative to a mid-plane between and parallel to the pair of end plates such that the cassette can be oriented with either of the pair of end plates coupled to the base; and

an RFID chip disposed in each of the pair of end plates on opposite sides of the respective end plates relative each other so as to allow for ready identification of the cassette from a single location relative the pod, while the cassette is coupled within the pod, regardless of the orientation of the cassette within the pod

20. The cassette of claim 19, wherein the plurality of rods are arranged to define an open front lighting side to allow placement of the plurality of solar cells within the cassette, wherein the identifier is an RFID chip disposed in one edge of each of the pair of end plates and disposed on opposite sides of the cassette relative the front loading side of the cassette such that at least one of the RFID chips is readable from a single side of the cassette.