Protective shipper

Abstract

A protective shipper comprises a cover and a base that are held together by a latching member. The base is configurable to retain and protect semiconductor wafers or film frames with wafers within a storage pocket. The base comprises latching member and a support wall that defines a storage pocket. The cover encloses the storage pocket. One or both of the cover may receive recesses for gripability. The cover may receive one or more latching apertures configured to minimize unintended unlatching. The shipper of the present invention may be manufactured in a mold capable of producing film frame or wafer containing configurations of the shipper by using an interchangeable mold insert.

1 . A carrier for semiconductor wafers comprising: 
 a base having a perimeter with at least one support wall extending upwardly inside the perimeter and defining a storage pocket inside the at least one support wall, the base including at least one resilient latching member positioned between the perimeter and the support wall and having an upright portion extending upwardly with a hook portion having an engagement surface, the at least one latching member having a depth dimension d 1 , a depth dimension d 2 , a depth dimension d 3  and a width dimension w 1 , wherein the dimension d 2  is equal to dimension d 1  plus dimension d 3 ; and    a cover having a periphery with at least one sidewall extending downwardly inside the periphery, the cover being disposable on the base to enclose the storage pocket, the cover including structure defining at least one latching aperture positioned between the periphery and the at least one sidewall and corresponding to one of the at least one latching members, the at least one aperture having a width dimension w 2 , a width dimension w 3 , a depth dimension a 1 , a depth dimension a 2  and a depth dimension a 3 , wherein the dimension w 2  is greater than dimension w 3 , wherein dimension w 3  is greater than dimension w 1 , wherein dimension a 2  is greater than dimension d 2 , wherein dimension d 2  is greater than dimension a 1 , and wherein dimension d 3  is less than dimension a 1 .    
   
   
       2 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the latching aperture is generally T-shaped.  
   
   
       3 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the storage pocket is configured to retain film frames, with wafers adhered thereto, therein.  
   
   
       4 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the storage pocket is configured to retain semiconductor wafers therein without film frames.  
   
   
       5 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one support wall comprises an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter, the inner perimeter and outer perimeter defined by a pattern of two distinct radii alternating in a repeating pattern.  
   
   
       6 . The carrier of  claim 5 , wherein the base further comprises one or more wafer support segments, the one or more wafer support segments defining an inner pocket.  
   
   
       7 . The carrier of  claim 6 , wherein the support wall has a saw-tooth configuration.  
   
   
       8 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the cover further comprises one or more apertures defined in the periphery and extending inwardly of the perimeter of the base, the one or more apertures aiding in grasping of the carrier when stacked vertically upon an adjacent carrier.  
   
   
       9 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the perimeter of the base comprises four sides, and wherein a tab is disposed at a midpoint of one or more of the four sides, the tabs for receiving identification information.  
   
   
       10 . A shipper for semiconductor wafers, the shipper comprising: 
 a base having a perimeter with at least one support wall extending upwardly inside the perimeter and defining a storage pocket inside the at least one support wall, the base including at least one resilient latching member positioned between the perimeter and the support wall and having an upright portion extending upwardly with a hook portion having an engagement surface, the at least one support wall comprising an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter, the inner perimeter and outer perimeter defined by a pattern of two distinct radii alternating in a repeating pattern; and    a cover having a periphery with at least one sidewall extending downwardly inside the periphery, the cover being disposable on the base to enclose the storage pocket, the cover including structure defining at least one latching aperture positioned between the periphery and the at least one sidewall and corresponding to one of the at least one latching members.    
   
   
       11 . The shipper of claim of  claim 10 , wherein, the cover further comprises a latching aperture, the latching aperture defining a first engagement width and a second engagement width, the first engagement width being larger than the second engagement width.  
   
   
       12 . The shipper of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one support wall has a saw-tooth configuration.  
   
   
       13 . A carrier for semiconductor wafers, the carrier comprising: 
 a base having a perimeter with at least one support wall extending upwardly inside the perimeter and defining a storage pocket inside the at least one support wall, the base including at least one resilient latching member positioned between the perimeter and the support wall and having an upright portion extending upwardly with a hook portion having an engagement surface, the at least one support wall comprising an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter, the inner perimeter and outer perimeter defined by a pattern of two distinct radii alternating in a repeating pattern; and    a cover having a periphery with at least one sidewall extending downwardly inside the periphery, the cover being disposable on the base to enclose the storage pocket, the cover including structure defining at least one latching aperture positioned between the periphery and the at least one sidewall and corresponding to one of the at least one latching members, the cover including one or more apertures defined in the periphery and extending inwardly of the perimeter of the base, the one or more apertures aiding in grasping of the carrier when stacked vertically upon an adjacent carrier.    
   
   
       14 . The carrier of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one latching member has a depth dimension d 1 , a depth dimension d 2 , a depth dimension d 3  and a width dimension w 1 , wherein the dimension d 2  is equal to dimension d 1  plus dimension d 3 , and the at least one aperture has a width dimension w 2 , a width dimension w 3 , a depth dimension a 1 , a depth dimension a 2  and a depth dimension a 3 , wherein the dimension w 2  is greater than dimension w 3 , wherein dimension w 3  is greater than dimension w 1 , wherein dimension a 2  is greater than dimension d 2 , wherein dimension d 2  is greater than dimension a 1 , and wherein dimension d 3  is less than dimension a 1 .  
   
   
       15 . A method for minimizing unintended unlatching of a wafer carrier cover from a base containing a plurality of wafers in a storage pocket, the method comprising the steps of: 
 generally aligning one or more latching members with a respective latching aperture;    abutting a cam surface of the latching member against the respective latching apertures;    urging an engaging portion of each of the latching member through the respective latching aperture at a portion of the aperture having a first width so that at least a portion of the latching member passes through a second smaller width; and    contacting the cover to the base, thereby completing a latching operation.    
   
   
       16 . A method of manufacturing a film frame carrier in a mold configured to manufacture a wafer carrier, the method comprising the steps of: 
 placing one or more blanks in a mold cavity of a mold, the mold cavity including inner recesses for forming inner walls and outer recesses for forming outer walls, the blanks placed in the inner recesses; and    injecting a hot molten plastic into the mold cavity to form the film frame carrier,    whereby the film frame carrier may be molded in the same mold as the wafer carrier.    
   
   
       17 . The carrier of  claim 19 , wherein the base further comprises one or more wafer support segments for defining an inner pocket.  
   
   
       18 . A carrier for semiconductor wafers comprising: 
 a base having a perimeter with means for defining a storage pocket and including at least one resilient latching member positioned between the perimeter and the means for defining a storage pocket; and    a cover having a periphery with at least one sidewall extending downwardly inside the periphery, the cover being disposable on the base to enclose the means for defining a storage pocket, the cover including means for engaging the at least one latching member.    
   
   
       19 . A carrier for semiconductor wafers comprising: 
 a base having a perimeter with means for defining a storage pocket and including at least one resilient latching member positioned between the perimeter and the means for defining a storage pocket; and    a cover having a periphery with at least one sidewall extending downwardly inside the periphery, the cover being disposable on the base to enclose the means for defining a storage pocket, the cover including means for grasping an adjacent base of an adjacent carrier stacked vertically upon the cover.    
   
   
       20 . The carrier of  claim 19 , wherein the cover further comprises means for engaging the at least one latching member.