Global Patent Index - EP 1285459 A2

EP 1285459 A2 20030226 - METHOD FOR CHARGING AND DISCHARGING A PROCESS TANK

Title (en)

METHOD FOR CHARGING AND DISCHARGING A PROCESS TANK

Title (de)

VERFAHREN ZUM BE- UND ENTLADEN EINES BEHANDLUNGSBECKENS

Title (fr)

PROCEDE POUR CHARGER ET DECHARGER UN BASSIN DE TRAITEMENT

Publication

EP 1285459 A2 20030226 (DE)

Application

EP 01921357 A 20010329

Priority

  • DE 10017010 A 20000405
  • EP 0103577 W 20010329

Abstract (en)

[origin: WO0178112A1] The invention relates to a method for charging and discharging a process tank. The aim of the invention is to simplify the charging and discharging of a process tank with disc-shaped substrates. To this end, the disc-shaped substrates are picked up during charging by a gripper that comprises at least two opposite gripper elements with receiving slots facing one another. The substrates are positioned above the process tank in such a manner that they are aligned with guide slots within the process tank. The gripper is lowered so as to partially lower the substrates into the process tank until they contact a lifted substrate lifting element inside the process tank. The gripper elements are then moved apart into a position in which the substrates are no longer held but are still guided in the receiving slots and they are further lowered into the process tank by lowering the lifting element. For discharging the substrates, a gripper that comprises at least two opposite gripper elements with receiving slots facing one another is positioned above the process tank in such a manner that the guide slots in the tank and the receiving slots in the gripper elements are aligned with one another. The substrates are then lifted by the substrate lifting element and introduced into the receiving slots of the gripper elements. When a predetermined position is reached, the gripper elements are moved towards one another in order to grip the substrates and the substrates are lifted out of the process tank by lifting the gripper.

IPC 1-7

H01L 21/00

IPC 8 full level

B65G 49/07 (2006.01); H01L 21/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/677 (2006.01)

CPC (source: EP KR US)

H01L 21/6704 (2013.01 - EP KR US); H01L 21/68742 (2013.01 - KR)

Designated contracting state (EPC)

AT BE CH DE FR IT LI

DOCDB simple family (publication)

WO 0178112 A1 20011018; WO 0178112 A8 20021219; DE 10017010 A1 20011018; DE 10017010 C2 20020207; EP 1285459 A2 20030226; JP 2003530282 A 20031014; KR 20020087478 A 20021122; TW 508340 B 20021101; US 2003108409 A1 20030612

DOCDB simple family (application)

EP 0103577 W 20010329; DE 10017010 A 20000405; EP 01921357 A 20010329; JP 2001575468 A 20010329; KR 20027013316 A 20021004; TW 90107892 A 20010402; US 24061802 A 20021107