Vacuum-type holding means

A method for fabricating a semiconductor diode array, utilizing an alignment tool to precisely position a plurality of diodes so that they can be bonded into a precision array. The alignment tool and a method for fabricating the tool are also disclosed.

A support for the carriage of a welding head intended for the automatic welding of metal plates comprising plane areas framed by corrugations running in two perpendicular directions and intersecting to form abutment surfaces at the ends of the corrugations. This support comprises a base equipped with...     

A suspended ceiling leveling device is used to install a 90.degree. angle component of a gird assembly for a suspended ceiling in a level horizontal plane. The device comprises a body member engaging a vertical wall, wherein a 90.degree. angle component rest within a pair of devices. A suction cup affixed...     

This patent discloses apparatus for retaining a semiconductor wafer in a predetermined position or orientation to permit dicing of the wafer into discrete semiconductor chips of a predetermined size without dislocation of the chips during the dicing operation, the chips being arranged in columns and...     

An apparatus for effecting the coloration of synthetic textile materials, at a reduced pressure, by a transfer process which comprises a pair of opposed rigid platens mounted for relative movement towards and away from each other, means for heating at least one of said platens to a temperature above...     

A vacuum pad comprising a body having an opening therethrough. One end of the opening is adapted to be attached to a source of vacuum. A water trap chamber is provided on the body communicating with the opening. A cup of flexible material having a peripheral lip is mounted on the water trap chamber and...     

A tester for printed circuit board circuits having an elastomeric member on which printed circuit boards are positioned for testing. When a pressure differential is created across the member, the circuit board being tested is moved into contact with electrical leads connected to a computer programmed...     

A spinner chuck having a recessed portion for receiving non-circular substrates is used to alleviate uneven build-up of photoresist coatings applied on the substrate. Openings are disposed in the base of the recess about the periphery thereof whereby to drain off coating material spun off into the volume...     

This invention relates to surface finishing machines and more particularly to a bench size machine featuring a multiple workpiece positioning holder adapted to be removably supported on a vacuum, hold down assembly, which is in turn mounted for multiple directional reciprocating movements within the...     

Disclosed is a chuck or handler for carrying thin, substantially planar workpieces intermediate process stations but while maintaining a clean air environment. The chuck includes a substantially planar surface having a workpiece receiving area thereon and a plurality of channels adjacent one edge of...     

An improved form of vacuum-operated printing cylinder for a printing press, providing a practical means for holding the printing plate on the cylinder by vacuum alone. The cylinder comprises a hollow supporting shaft forming a pre-evacuation chamber. A plurality of axially spaced support rings are secured...     

A vacuum device for securement against a flat or shaped surface and capable of maintaining a vacuum against the surface by the use of an external vacuum source consisting of a block having a first smooth surface for contact against the flat surface, wherein the smooth surface of the block has a closed...     

An adjustable securing base has a surface radius of curvature which can be adjusted to support an adjacent part on the base surface. The securing base comprises a flexible thin plate with an adjustment mechanism connected on opposite edges of the base for adjusting the plate curvature. An opening in...     

An improved work area for laminate constructions that is designed to amplify the holding force from that supplied thereto and which accommodates materials of various sizes and configurations.

A variable contour securing system has a retaining structure for a member whose surface contains a variable contour. The retaining mechanism includes a spaced array of adjustable spindles mounted on a housing. Each spindle has a base member support cup at one end thereof. A vacuum source is applied to...     

This describes an apparatus and method especially adapted for positioning a semiconductor wafer in a preferred plane with respect to a photomask so as to achieve improved photolithographic focusing. The apparatus comprises a holder, provided with a surface for receiving a semiconductor wafer thereon,...     

A casting head and clamp arrangement for vacuum aspiration casting of metal rods in glass tubes is provided having a casting head with a generally vertical vacuum passage, a removable fluid pressure chuck in the lower end of said vacuum passage adapted to receive and hold the end of a glass tube, said...     

An improved slide holder for use with a clinical spinner comprises a support having a channel defined in the top thereof transverse to the vertical axis of rotation of the support. Rapid rotation of the support with a slide positioned over the channel effects a partial vacuum in the channel which tends...     

Apparatus for holding gem stones during machining, grinding and the like employing a chucking device utilizing a combination of vacuum and adhesive means to provide a firm holding means for the gem.

Apparatus for laying filament reinforced tape in a form, cutting same to a predetermined pattern and molding same in a preferred form.

A contact lens holder or tool for grinding or polishing, including a handle, a tubular receptacle open at its outer end and having a shaft protruding from its inner end which is rotatably mounted in the handle, a deformable fluid chamber closely fitted into the receptacle and having an open outer end...     

A precision centering device with a pair of relatively movable plates forming a guideway for four relatively movable guides. A tapered centering port having a rectangular profile is formed by the guides which are constrained for mutual coacting movement by the plates. The relative positions of the movable...     

A vacuum chuck for use in lens grinding having a vertical bore extending downwardly into the block to join a through horizontal bore provided with a venturi, so that by blowing air through the venturi a vacuum is created in the vertical bore to secure the lens placed on top of the block.

A table assembly of a stand having rods on which collars affixed to a base may slide with a modular vacuum supporting surface rotatably related to the base to permit sideward relocation of the surface and rotation of same to drop articles held thereon as required.

A vacuum table has a base and a bristle bed which includes a bristle mat formed from a plurality of molded bristle blocks mounted in closely spaced relation within the table base. Each bristle block has a base portion and a multiplicity of straight or tapered bristles which project upwardly therefrom...     

A holding fixture is operated by vacuum and consists of a plurality of suction assemblies mounted on a carrier. Each suction assembly forms an independent unit and operates as an automatic valve to disconnect itself from a common vacuum source when the vacuum is broken. To this end each suction assembly...     

The present invention relates to the precise positioning of a body exhibiting a flat face, said latter requiring to be aligned, or in other words brought into coincidence with a mechanically indexed reference plane. The loading device in accordance with the invention comprises a levelling stage associated...     

This improvement in the field of portable winches or towing devices comprises a shell of heavy construction, which is easily movable on integrally mounted retractable wheels, and which when in its desired location and directional orientation can by its own vacuum pump, mounted thereon, create a vacuum...     

A precision positioning device with a pair of relatively movable plates defining a carriage for four relatively movable guides. A centering port having a rectangular profile is formed by the guides which are constrained for mutually coating movement on the plates. The relative positions of the movable...     

A holder is described for temporarily mounting a ski on a work surface for permitting the ski to be tuned or otherwise routinely maintained by filing the ski edges and bottoms and for coating the ski bottoms etc. Each holder has a threaded clamp for mounting it on a work table or other convenient surface...     

A work-holding device comprises a body member having an aperture on a first end. A vacuum producing device is operably connected with the body member for creating a vacuum at the aperture. An illumination device is disclosed within the body member for illuminating the aperture.

An improved machine is disclosed for forming cable harnesses by simultaneously terminating all conductors at one or both ends of a cable formed of a plurality of flat conductors embedded within a web of insulating material. The subject machine incorporates a cable positioning and hold down mechanism...     

A wood working router which comprises a plurality of turret heads adapted to be selectively operated and each having a plurality of radially and outwardly extending tools and the corresponding number of motors for driving the individual tools, a mechanism associated with each turret head for intermittently...     

A vacuum operated work piece holder and method are disclosed for holding slides and the like during subsequent work operations. In the apparatus of this invention, an elongated and generally cylindrical vacuum chamber containing a plurality of ports is provided. When a vacuum is drawn through the chamber,...     

Apparatus for gripping slabs of stone and supporting the slab on its edge while it is cut into two planar laminae, comprises grippers in the form of oppositely arranged vacuum-operated suction cups which grip opposite faces of the slab to prevent relative movement of the partly-cut stone laminae during...     

A light exposure device and method for exposing and printing a predetermined pattern on an exposure surface of a substrate comprises measuring means for measuring curvature of the exposure surface of the substrate, a chuck including suck and hold means for sucking and holding a back surface of the substrate...     

An integrated welding torch and work positioning roller head assembly is mounted for controlled movement on a cross travelling gantry carriage overlying a vacuum hold-down bed that supports a workpiece panel. The torch and roller head assembly has two related configurations, one for forming a butt weld...     

A system for supporting wafers (18) on a gas cushion within the vacuum chamber (12) of a plasma etcher (10). An etchant gas is introduced into the vacuum chamber, and a second gas at a volume flow rate much lower than the volume flow rate of the etchant gas is directed to orifices formed in a wafer-receiving...     

A workpiece holder for semiconductor workpieces during treatment with a substantially cylindrical casing shaped like a hockey puck having an upper surface for receiving a workpiece, a lower surface, at least one bore between the surfaces for applying a vacuum and a hollow interior for a heat absorbing...     

A vacuum chuck particularly suited for use with optical fibers includes a V-shaped channel provided with "hold-down" suction and extending across the middle of a plane surface for placement of an optical fiber. The V-shaped channel is formed by abutting chamfered edges of two metal, solid rectangular...     

A sheet material cutting apparatus has a vacuum table with openings in its surface and a cutter wheel which moves in engagement with the table surface to cut sheet material spread on the surface. A valve is movable within each opening between an open and closed position. Each valve moves to its closed...     

A position drive for a wafer in a system for testing of integrated circuit components of the wafer includes a first drive assembly for quick lifting of a wafer-supporting member towards testing probes, second drive assembly for positioning the wafer-supporting member in two stable positions in a vertical...     

This suction clamp is for holding moldings in place on front or rear windshields of automobiles, while an adhesive material sets or dries, and it simultaneously prevents damage to the adjacent surface. It consists primarily of an aluminum angle plate, with a pair of suction cups on it to hold it stationary...     

A manual control valve for installation in a vacuum system including a contiguously-zone vacuum table permits an operator to progressively increase or decrease the number of energized vacuum zones of the table. The valve includes a housing having an outlet securable to a vacuum source and a plurality...     

An improved device for supporting and holding an object in place under temperature controlled conditions is described. The device comprises a shaft mounted for rotation about a rotation axis, and a top plate coupled to and rotatable with the shaft. The top plate comprises a top substantially planar surface...     

Large, spherically preshaped, thin workpieces are held and clamped in discrete, well-defined points under utilization of holding and clamping elements in which a portion of a head is universally pivotable about a point being the center of a sealing rim for a plenum chamber adjacent the engaging workpiece...     

A wafer transforming device defines an airtight space by means of a base, a hollow case, and a diaphragm type chuck which is fixed to the upper end of the case by suction. In this space, a large number of vertically moving elements are arranged at predetermined intervals. In the state in which a wafer...     

A high-precision positioning table employs magnetic attraction to guide a table along at least one axis. Precision roller bearings between flat guide ways provide the support. A linear DC motor provides force for positioning along an axis without backlash. The linear motor also contributes attractive...     

In this step and repeat wafer direct exposure system, the initial reticle contains an alignment target which is repetitively exposed onto the semiconductor wafer at each circuit image location. Each subsequently used reticle contains a complementary shaped alignment pattern. At each array location, a...     

A work head for attracting and fixing an IC silicon wafer is comprised of an attracting disc and a base seat surrounding the periphery of the attracting disk. The attracting disc is of an inorganic substance shaped and sintered so that the upper layer of the attracting disc is composed of a porous body...     

A universal apparatus for holding contoured work-pieces in a selected pre-determined contour during the performance of various manufacturing operations is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a spring metal frame supported by a base, which through the activation of computer programmable linear actuator...     

A wafer chuck assembly having an elevator for accepting a wafer and placing it precisely on a platen without changing its spatial orientation.

A mask aligner (10) includes a ring member (11) having an aperture (13) and a series of internal pneumatic cylinders (14-17) having rolling bearing surfaces (19) at the ends of piston rod shafts (18) wherein when a mask (20) is positioned in the aperture, one bearing surface is actuated inwardly to move...     

A VLSI chemical reactor includes a fluid flow guide spaced from the corresponding substrate in the form of a wafer for significantly reducing contamination in the processing of semiconductor wafers. Processing chemicals are introduced in a continuous process through a central tube and through the fluid...     

This invention is related to method and devices for applying and holding a wafer chuck assembly against an X, Y, .theta. alignment plate, said system including latching a wafer chuck assembly with a chuck handling device while inserting alignment pins carried by the device into corresponding V-like grooves...     

A portable vacuum holding device is provided for holding a planar wood workpiece in an elevated position above the flat surface of a workbench so that the workpiece can be conveniently worked upon. The device comprises a plastic molded thin-walled hollow body having four sidewalls with an inwardly rim...     

A device for attraction holding a measurement object in an interferometer comprises a holding surface having holes and an air chamber communicating with the holes through suction passages formed between the holding surface and air chamber so as to attract and hold an object on the holding surface by...     

The present invention relates a basin for applying a treatment such as development, etching or plating to one of surfaces of a semiconductor material. A treatment liquid is introduced through a passage formed in a lower part of the basin. Then, the treatment liquid is blown upwardly against the semiconductor...     

An integrated and automated multistation machine is provided for placement and attachment of electrically conductive interconnectors onto solar cells and the like. The machine comprises a rotatable turntable for supporting a plurality of solar cells in respective association with a corresponding plurality...     

The wafer chuck disclosed herein is adapted to hold a semiconductor wafer during high energy treatment in a vacuum environment. The wafer is clamped by its rim to a circular domed plate so as to distort the wafer into close proximity with the domed face of the plate. Ports are provided in the face of...     

A beam lead bonding apparatus for bonding simultaneously, a plurality of beam leads of varying thicknesses to bonding bumps of varying heights on an integrated circuit substrate subject to cracking when subjected to a predetermined bonding force. The substrate is supported on a base with beam leads in...     

A hollow base member has a working surface and a plurality of spaced apart ways all extending parallel to an x-axis of a cartesian coordinate system. A plurality of hollow positioning members are slidably received in the ways. A plurality of vacuum hold down members are slidably sealingly received within...     

A support apparatus for supporting a workpiece in a high velocity fluid jet cutting operation. The apparatus has particular utility in the Abrasive cutting of frangible sheet material, such as glass, and especially in the cutting of a predetermined pattern from the sheet thereof. The support apparatus...     

Wafer transfer apparatus including a wafer-pickup element having suction openings closer to the edge of wafer than the wafer's center so that the wafer can be picked up with greater certainty as to the locations of the wafer edges, the pickup element being thin and made of a structural layer of rigid...     

A universal holding fixture for holding a workpiece having a contoured holding surface. The fixture includes a plurality of workpiece engaging rods which are individually adjustable in height to thereby reproduce the contour of the contoured holding surface. A holding force is generated through the rods...     

An arrangement for clamping a lumber element during its processing especially in a sawing installation includes at least two spaced abutment members having abutment surfaces for the lumber element. A substantially vertically extending suction plate is situated between the abutment elements and includes...     

A steel rule die assembly for cutting a fixed pattern in each of a plurality of stacked compressible material layers according to the shape of the steel rule including a plate member defining a support surface, a steel rule die adapted to be positioned on the support surface, and a continuous rigid frame...     

A system for preparing tissue blocks for sectioning in a microtome is provided. A vacuum-retracted membrane of plastic film material is used to draw a tissue block or specimen into planar contact with a polished platform that is positioned in a vacuum receptacle assembly. A cover plate forms a seal between...     

A balancing chuck is disclosed for semiconductor wafers having a flat region which typically causes wafer imbalance on spinning equipment. The wafer's flat region is determined by a proximity sensor mounted on a centering arm overlying the wafer. The chuck is constructed to include an annular race containing...     

The described invention is a precisely adjustable transporter for moving a reticle past an optical slit as a step in the production of semiconductor wafers. The reticle stage rides along a pair of optically flat planar, intersecting, bearing surfaces supported by air bearings on each bearing surface....     

A vacuum hold-down is described, for holding a thin film workpiece while it undergoes large temperature changes and corresponding dimensional changes, which permits creep of the workpiece to avoid damage thereto while still holding it on a support surface. The support surface has a multiplicity of holes...     

A vacuum wafer expander apparatus and method of wafers for use in electrical circuitry. A plurality of electronic semiconductor devices being connected to a flexible member means suitable for are mounted on a brace or bracket frame member means. The brace or bracket frame member means is suitable for...     

A printer table including a series of angled jets for sources of air and for sources of vacuum and also including a set of locating pins. The combination enables the use of the directed jets to move a substrate into position for processing and to hold the substrate in position once located by the locating...     

A vacuum coupled ultrasonic transducer is presented for coupling a transducer to a bolt for ultrasonic measurement of bolt elongation. A central passageway extends through the transducer body, the piezoelectric crystal and a seal element. A vacuum line extends through the central passageway.

A high speed drilling system is disclosed for high speed drilling of very small holes in workpieces such as printed circuit boards. The X-Y positioning system includes air bearings to provide lift between the stationary guide beams, the crossbeam and the top table, and further includes a vacuum preloading...     

In a table for supporting sheet material, such as cloth, in a spread condition while it is cut by a cutter the main structural component of the table consists of a panel having an upwardly facing support surface and made up of upper and lower sheets bonded to a core including at least one duct for supplying...     

Apparatus is disclosed for automatically transferring a semiconductor wafer between a horizontal and a vertical plane, beginning and ending in precisely located positions. A wafer support arm is carried by a transfer member which also includes a motor for rotating the support arm between a "start" position...     

A thin-film coating apparatus for coating a thin film on a material includes a casing, a spinner mounted in the casing for rotating the material, and a pipe disposed upwardly of the spinner and having in a lower end thereof a nozzle for dropping a film-forming coating solution onto the material. The...     

A collet holder which provides heated gas directly to and around the collet head, and prevents oxygen entrainment. The collet holder is characterized by three concentric sections. The first section receives the cartridge heater and holds the collet, providing it with a vacuum. The second section surrounds...     

A vacuum-operated gripper head for transporting perforated objects. The gripper head includes a plurality of naps which penetrate into the perforations of the object to be moved in order to seal the perforations. Thus, only the topmost perforated object of a stack of such objects is removed by the gripper...     

A method of cutting out components from aluminum sheets utilizes a routing tool. The sheet is held firmly in position by vacuum on a vacuum table during the cutting operation with the aid of a film of for example plastics material adhered to the back of the sheet, the routing tool being arranged to cut...     

A bonding apparatus for vacuum bagging is disclosed comprising a base having a top surface provided with an outer peripheral vacuum manifold, a diaphragm having a top member and side walls adapted for placement on the base and in conjunction therewith defining a chamber encompassing a work piece; one...     

A vacuum bag tool utilizing a silicone rubber sheet as the bag. The silicone rubber sheet has at least one edge and a strip of silicone elastomer material adhered by curing to a surface of the sheet along each edge. On each strip of silicone elastomer material a further strip of adhesive tape is adhered....     

Apparatus for gripping and removing integrated circuits, including four heatable jaws movable into gripping relation with soldered integrated circuit leads. The heatable jaws are mounted to respective leveler plates, each of which is suspended from a base member by a pivotable gripper arm and three flexure...     

A surface mounted chip soldering apparatus comprises a number of stations for fluxing and soldering the chip. For each station, the chip is carried by a suction pad in which is created a partial vacuum by a respective piston and cylinder mounted on a turret. The piston is upwardly spring biassed and...     

An apparatus is disclosed for automatically welding sheet metal panels to form part of a revolving drum for concrete transit mixers. The apparatus includes a fixture having an annular central core, linear and generally longitudinal ribs extended away from the core, and circumferential ribs extended radially...     

A protective device for photographic masks or reticles used in the photolithographic operation for fabricating semiconductor devices. The protective device includes a frame having a protective pellicle attached thereover and the frame includes temporary fastening means for detachably fastening the frame...     

A device for feeding a stage in a direction, the device including: first driving system for relatively coarsely feeding the stage, the first driving system having a piston and a cylinder combined in an assembly; locking system for selectively inhibiting relative movement between the piston and the cylinder...     

For holding workpieces by vacuum suction a vacuum apparatus comprises a base carrying a plurality of spaced-apart support members (2) whose free end surfaces (3) define a supporting plane (4) for the workpiece, the spacings between the support members forming part of an evacuable vacuum space (6) which...     

A device for holding an end portion of a band-like material comprising a frame, a suctional attraction roller rotatably supported by the frame and having a suctional attraction part at the periphery of the roller, and a pincher which is supported by the frame and can be moved toward and away from the...     

A plate-like article holding device particularly suitably usable in an exposure apparatus for printing a pattern of a reticle or mask on a semiconductor wafer, as a wafer holding device for holding the wafer at a pattern printing station, is disclosed. In an embodiment, the holding device includes a...     

A method and apparatus for mounting a die, particularly a rigid cutting die, on a die cylinder includes having a bubble along a seal on the die to bridge any gaps between the die and the die cylinder when the die is initially positioned on the die cylinder. This bubble seal enables a vacuum to be applied...     

A bellows clamp actuator (10) is provided for holding a semiconductor slice cassette (14) within a container (12). The bellows clamp actuator (10) has a V-bar clamp (40), a hollow bellows (38) and a mounting device (56). The bellows clamp actuator (10) is mounted to the door (18) of the container (12)....     

Disclosed is a system and method for controlled compression furnace bonding of a semiconductor chip to conductive elements of a leadframe. The system comprises a holding member having a chip support surface for supporting a semiconductor chip and a positioning system for precisely positioning conductive...     

A suction table assembly utilizes a member having a hollow interior with open top and bottom horizontal ends. A partition arrangement is disposed in the interior of the member to partition the member interior into a plurality of cubicles having hollow interiors, each cubicle having open top and bottom...     

The vacuum chuck, which is an accessory device for holding a workpiece in machining and inspection, has a suction head made of a porous sintered particles of a thermoplastic resin, e.g., a fluorocarbon resin, preferably, bonded to the chuck base. The suction head is free from the problem of unreliableness...     

An apparatus for lifting a pellet which is on a wafer sheet including a pin holder having a plurality of peripheral pin insertion holes formed in an X pattern. The pin holder also has V-shaped cut-out areas in the left and right sides surrounded by the X pattern, and the pin holder is driven up and down...     

An apparatus for loading a planar subject at a predetermined position has holding means operative to hold one one of the planar subject at a predetermined level, and regulating means for detecting the thickness of the planar subject from the amount of operation of the holding means and regulating the...     

An object holder for use on a microscope exhibits a frame having a shaped-on, deeper-lying contact surface, in which air suction openings are disposed for the fixing of the respective object. An adjustable abutment strip with a shaped-on bearing surface is provided, in order to retain plate-shaped objects,...     

A semiconductor wafer receiving apparatus has a base, a table for supporting a wafer, a receiving member having at least three receiving pins which project from a supporting surface and are concealed under the supporting surface upon vertical movement of the table, and a driving unit for vertically moving...