Donald R Hill

US Patent:

39775666, Aug 31, 1976

Filed:

Oct 31, 1975

Appl. No.:

5/627620

Inventors:

Donald Franklin Hill - Allentown PA
Juris Strautins - Kintnersville PA

Assignee:

Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated - Murray Hill NJ

International Classification:

B65G 3306

US Classification:

221222

Abstract:

Semiconductor wafer handling apparatus comprising a wafer feed machine, a dispensing adapter, and a collecting adapter is disclosed. The wafer feed machine is adapted for the transfer of a plurality of semiconductor wafers from or to a wafer cassette and to dispense or collect wafers singly, in a horizontal disposition to or from a work surface. The wafer feed machine comprises a frame-like support member in which are rotatably mounted a plurality of feed screw means which are axially parallel and spaced apart so as to accept in the periphery of the screw threads a standard semiconductor wafer. The pitch of the screw threads matches the spacing of standard wafer cassettes to enable batch transfer of wafers to and from the side of the wafer feed machine. Common drive means are provided for rotating the screw feed means which produces axial movement of the wafers. The machine has a dispensing mode for which a dispensing adapter is fitted to the feed screw outlet and the feed is toward the outlet, and a collecting mode in which a collecting adapter replaces the dispensing adapter and the screw feed is in the opposite direction.