Container with an adjustable inside dimension that restricts movement of items within the container

• US 6,988,620 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2003
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ePAK International Inc
• Original Assignee: ePAK International Inc
• Inventors: Liu, Ru Zheng, Chen, Song Ping, Haggard, Clifton C., Thomas, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernstrom, Kurt
• Application Number:
  US10/386,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20040045263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 206/303, 206/701, 206/706, 206/710, 206/711, 206/714, 206/715, 206/722, 206/723, 206/724, 206/725
• US Class Current: 206/710
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67369 characterised by shock absorbing elements, e.g. retainers or cushions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67386 characterised by the construction of the closed carrier

Abstract

A container for packaging items such as semiconductor wafers has a restraining portion with a changeable dimension at an open end that facilitates using conventional loading techniques while also more securely containing the items to avoid undesirable movement of the items in the container. In one example embodiment, the restraining portion includes a sidewall portion that has a first, nominal inside dimension at one end. A second end of the sidewall portion has a second, greater inside dimension at an open end. Another member of the container cooperates with the sidewall portion to change the inside dimension at the open end from the second, greater dimension to the first, nominal dimension. The nominal dimension is selected to correspond to an exterior dimension of the items to be contained within the package so that the container maintains the items in a secure alignment that eliminates lateral movement of the items once the container is secured.

Claims

1. A container for handling items such as wafers, comprising:

a first member having an endwall and a sidewall portion extending from the endwall, the sidewall portion having a nominal inside dimension adjacent the endwall and a greater inside dimension at a second end distal from the endwall when the container is in a first condition; and

a second member that cooperates with the sidewall portion to establish the nominal dimension at the second end when the container is in a second condition, wherein the second member comprises a band member that is received about an exterior of the first member sidewall portion, to move the distal end of the sidewall portion inward.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the sidewall portion is at least partially moveable such that at least the distal end is moveable between a first position corresponding to the greater inside dimension at the distal end and a second position corresponding to the nominal dimension at the distal end.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein the sidewall portion comprises a plurality of extensions with a hinged portion associated with each extension, at least a portion of each extension moving about the hinged portion between the first and second positions.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein the hinged portion is adjacent the endwall.

5. The container of claim 3, wherein the extensions are arranged in a generally circular pattern.

6. A container for handling items such as wafers, comprising:

a first member having an endwall and a sidewall portion extending from the endwall, the sidewall portion having a nominal inside dimension adjacent the endwall and a greater inside dimension at a second end distal from the endwall when the container is in a first condition; and

a second member that cooperates with the sidewall portion to establish the nominal dimension at the second end when the container is in a second condition, wherein the first member sidewall portion has an inside surface that is at an oblique angle relative to the endwall and the second member has an outside surface that is received at least partially against the obliquely angled surface, the second member having an inside dimension corresponding to the nominal inside dimension of the sidewall portion.

7. The container of claim 6, wherein the second member outside surface is at the same oblique angle relative to the first member endwall when the second member is received by the first member sidewall portion.

8. The container of claim 6, wherein the sidewall portion is at least partially continuous and circular.

9. A container, comprising;

a first endwall;

a restraining portion having one end near the first endwall, the restraining portion establishing a first inside dimension near the first endwall and having a second, larger inside dimension near a second end of the restraining portion that is spaced from the first endwall when the container is in a first condition;

a reducing portion that cooperates with the restraining portion to reduce the inside dimension near the second end from the second dimension to the first dimension; and

a second endwall near the second end of the restraining portion.

10. The container of claim 9, wherein the restraining portion is at least partially moveable such that the second end has the second inside dimension in a first position and the first inside dimension in a second position.

11. The container of claim 9, wherein the restraining portion and the first endwall are integrally formed from a single piece of plastic.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein the reducing portion and the second endwall are integrally formed from a single piece of plastic.

13. The container of claim 9, including locking members extending away from the first endwall and receivers associated with the second endwall, the locking members having ends that are at least partially received by the receivers such that the first endwall and the second endwall are spaced apart and locked together with the restraining portion extending across at least part of the spacing between the endwalls.

14. The container of claim 13, wherein the first endwall is generally rectangular with the locking members near each of the four corners of the first endwall and the first endwall has openings adjacent the locking members, at least two of the openings being partially blocked by a cross member.

15. The container of claim 9, wherein the restraining portion comprises a plurality of extensions having one end adjacent the first endwall, each extension being at least partially moveable between a first position corresponding to the first dimension at the second end and a second position corresponding to the second dimension at the second end and wherein the cooperating reducing portion extends from the second endwall and moves the extensions into the first position as the first endwall and the second endwall are moved toward each other.

16. The container of claim 9, wherein the reducing portion comprises a sidewall that is received at least partially about an exterior of the restraining portion, the sidewall moving the second end of the restraining portion inward as the sidewall is received about the restraining portion.

17. The container of claim 16, wherein the second endwall supports the sidewall.