Apparatus for altering pitch in arrangement of wafers

• US 4,597,819 A
• Filed: 12/18/1984
• Issued: 07/01/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tomco Manufacturing Limited
• Original Assignee: Tomco Manufacturing Limited
• Inventors: Yatabe, Yasuo, Otsubo, Koichi, Kusuhara, Rei
• Primary Examiner(s): Staab, Lawrence J.
• Application Number:
  US06/683,305
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 29/759, 29/569, 74/57-59, 118/500, 118/728, 156/345, 198/458, 269/43, 269/903, 294/87.1, 414/331, 432/253, 432/258, 432/259
• US Class Current: 156/345.54
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67 Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere processes per se H01L21/30, H01L21/46, H01L23/00; simple temporary support means, e.g. using adhesives, electric or magnetic means H01L21/68, H01L21/302; apparatus for manufacturing arrangements for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies and for methods related thereto H01L24/74;
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67005 Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere processes per se H01L21/30, H01L21/46, H01L23/00; simple temporary support means, e.g. using adhesives, electric or magnetic means H01L21/68, H01L21/302
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53261 Means to align and advance work part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18312 Grooved
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18328 Alternately rotated screw

Abstract

A wafer arrangement pitch altering apparatus comprising a pair of cylindrical grooved cams parallelly disposed, a plurality of cylindrical grooves formed to intersect a given generatrix of the grooved cams with respectively equal pitches, disposed symmetrically each other around the peripheral surfaces of the cylindrical grooved cams, and intersections of the generatrix and the cylindrical grooved cams are moved at mutually dissimilar desired proportions along the axes of the cylindrical grooved cams in consequence of its rotation, plural pairs of moving elements disposed between the cylindrical grooved cams facing each other and provided with pins fitting into the cylindrical grooves on the corresponding cylindrical grooved cams, a pair of means for retaining the moving elements in a manner movable only in the axial direction of the cylindrical grooved cams, a cylindrical grooved cam driving element for rotating the cylindrical grooved cams by a prescribed angle in the mutually opposite directions, main grooves formed on the opposed surfaces of the moving elements and provided in the lower portions thereof with steplike parts adapted to receive wafers, a pair of support frames for severally holding in place the pairs of cylindrical grooved cams and retaining means, and a support frame moving element for altering the relative distance of the pair of support frames.

Claims

1. An apparatus for altering a pitch in the arrangement of a plurality of wafers, comprising a pair of cylindrical grooved cams disposed parallelly to each other and provided each on the circumferential surface thereof with a plurality of cylindrical grooves, a plurality of pairs of moving elements disposed as opposed to each other between said pair of cylindrical grooved cams and provided severally with pins adapted to fit into said cylindrical grooves of said cylindrical grooved cams, a pair of means for retaining said moving elements in a state movable only in the direction of the axes of said pair of cylindrical grooved cams, a cylindrical grooved cam driving element for rotating said pair of cylindrical grooved cams in mutually opposite directions by equal angles, main grooves formed in the opposed faces of said moving elements and provided in the lower parts thereof with stepped parts for engagement with wafers, a pair of support frames for retaining said pair of cylindrical grooved cams and said pair of retaining means in prescribed relative positions, and a support frame moving element for changing the distance between said pair of support frames, wherein said cylindrical grooves are formed symmetrically with respect to each other on the circumferential surfaces of the respective cylindrical grooved cams in such a manner that the moving elements will be moved at desired dissimilar proportions in the direction of the axes of said cylindrical grooved cams in consequence of the rotation of said cylindrical grooved cams and will be always separated with equal pitch.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said main grooves have a cross section resembling a trapezoid.

3. An apparatus for altering a pitch in the arrangement of a plurality of wafers, comprising a pair of cylindrical grooved cams disposed parallelly to each other and provided each on the circumferential surface thereof with a plurality of cylindrical grooves, a plurality of pairs of moving elements disposed as opposed to each other between said pair of cylindrical grooved cams and provided severally with pins adapted to fit into said cylindrical grooves of said cylindrical grooved cams, a pair of means for retaining said moving elements in a state movable only in the direction of the axes of said pair of cylindrical grooved cams, a cylindrical grooved cam driving element for rotating said pair of cylindrical grooved cams in mutually opposite directions by equal angles, a plurality of pairs of wafer engaging pieces attached fast to the opposed faces of said moving elements and formed in such a manner that the pitch of the opposed parts thereof will be smaller than the pitch of said moving elements, main grooves formed in the opposed faces of said wafer engaging pieces and provided in the lower portions thereof with stepped parts for engagement of wafers, a pair of support frames for retaining said pair of cylindrical grooved cams and said pair of retaining means in prescribed relative positions, and a support frame moving element for changing the distance between said pair of support frames, wherein said cylindrical grooves are formed symmetrically with respect to each other on the circumferential surfaces of the respective cylindrical grooved cams in such a manner that the moving elements will be moved at desired dissimilar proportions in the direction of the axes of said cylindrical grooved cams in consequence of the rotation of said cylindrical grooved cams and will be always separated with equal pitch.