Transportation fixture and package for substrate rack

Abstract

A transportation fixture for holding a substrate rack comprises top and bottom endplates that are attached by a plurality of posts. The posts are spaced apart a sufficient distance to confine a substrate rack between the posts. Each post has a longitudinal inside edge with a compliant bumper that cushions the substrate rack. A transportation shell at least a portion of which is light permeable, can enclose the fixture to allow viewing of the fixture and rack, without opening the shell. An exterior hard casing can enclose the shell for further protection.

1 . A transportation fixture for holding a substrate rack, the transportation fixture comprising: 
 (a) top and bottom endplates;    (b) a plurality of posts attaching the top endplate to the bottom endplate, the posts spaced apart a sufficient distance to confine the substrate rack therebetween, each post having a longitudinal inside edge; and    (c) a plurality of compliant bumpers that are each coupled to a longitudinal inside edge of a post.    
   
   
       2 . A transportation fixture according to  claim 1  wherein the posts are joined to the endplate by a pin that forms a hinge.  
   
   
       3 . A fixture according to  claim 1  wherein the top and bottom endplates are triangular.  
   
   
       4 . A fixture according to  claim 3  wherein the triangular endplates have apexes, and wherein the posts are joined to the apexes.  
   
   
       5 . A fixture according to  claim 3  wherein the triangular endplates have slots at their apexes that are sized to receive the posts.  
   
   
       6 . A fixture according to  claim 5  wherein a triangular endplate comprises a pair of hinge blocks disposed about one of the slots, the pair of hinge blocks having facing sidewalls that include holes that align with a hole in the post to allow a pin to be passed through the aligned holes to hold the post to the endplate.  
   
   
       7 . A fixture according to  claim 1  wherein the top and bottom endplates include reinforcing structures.  
   
   
       8 . A fixture according to  claim 7  wherein the reinforcing structures comprise finger-holds for carrying the fixture.  
   
   
       9 . A fixture according to  claim 1  wherein each compliant bumper comprises a polymer tube.  
   
   
       10 . A fixture according to  claim 9  wherein each polymer tube includes a textured surface.  
   
   
       11 . A fixture according to  claim 1  wherein each post comprises a pair of strips that house a rod.  
   
   
       12 . A fixture according to  claim 1  wherein the top and bottom endplates, the posts, and the compliant bumpers are made from a non-metallic and heat-resistant material.  
   
   
       13 . A transportation package comprising the fixture of  claim 1  enclosed in a shell, at least a portion of the shell being light permeable.  
   
   
       14 . A transportation package according to  claim 13  wherein the shell comprises a pair of opposing trays.  
   
   
       15 . A transportation package according to  claim 14  wherein the trays each have a closed end and an open end with a circumferential lip, and wherein the trays are joined at their circumferential lips so that their open ends face each other.  
   
   
       16 . A transportation package according to  claim 13  wherein the shell comprises an exhaust port coupling and a purge gas coupling.  
   
   
       17 . A transportation package according to  claim 13  further comprising a hard casing having a foam interior to receive the shell.  
   
   
       18 . A transportation fixture for holding a substrate rack, the transportation fixture comprising: 
 (a) top and bottom endplates that are triangular and have apexes;    (b) three posts that attach to the apexes of the top and bottom endplates; and    (c) a compliant bumper coupled to each post.    
   
   
       19 . A fixture according to  claim 18  wherein the endplates further comprise reinforcing structures having cut-out handles.  
   
   
       20 . A fixture according to  claim 18  wherein the endplates have slots at their apexes that are sized to receive the posts.  
   
   
       21 . A fixture according to  claim 18  wherein each endplate comprises a pair of hinge blocks disposed about a slot, the hinge blocks having facing sidewalls that include holes that align with a hole in the post to allow a pin to be passed through the aligned holes to hold the post to the endplate.  
   
   
       22 . A transportation package comprising the fixture of  claim 18  enclosed in a shell having at least a portion which is light permeable.  
   
   
       23 . A transportation package according to  claim 22  further comprising a hard casing having a foam interior to receive the shell.  
   
   
       24 . A transportation shell comprising: 
 (a) a first tray having a closed end and an open end with a first circumferential lip, at least a portion of the first tray comprising a light permeable material;    (b) a second tray comprising a closed end and an open end with a second circumferential lip, at least a portion of the second tray comprising a light permeable material, and wherein the second circumferential lip mates with the first circumferential lip such that the open ends of the first and second trays face each other; and    (c) a sealing gasket between the first and second circumferential lips to form a seal therebetween.    
   
   
       25 . A shell according to  claim 24  wherein first and second trays comprise cylinders.  
   
   
       26 . A shell according to  claim 24  wherein circumferential lips extend outwardly, and transversely, from the shells.  
   
   
       27 . A shell according to  claim 24  comprising an exhaust port coupling and a purge gas coupling.  
   
   
       28 . A shell according to  claim 24  wherein the light permeable material comprises a visible light transmission percentage of at least about 20%.  
   
   
       29 . A shell according to  claim 24  wherein the light permeable material comprises a heat setting thermoplastic polymer.  
   
   
       30 . A shell according to  claim 24  wherein the light permeable material comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET), glycol-modified PET (PETG), oriented PET (O-PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), or blends thereof with each other or with other resins.  
   
   
       31 . A shell according to  claim 24  wherein the light permeable material comprises polyethylene terephthalate glycol.  
   
   
       32 . A transportation package comprising the shell of  claim 24  and further comprising a hard casing having a foam interior to receive the shell.  
   
   
       33 . A method of manufacturing the shell of  claim 24  by molding the first and second trays using thermoforming methods.  
   
   
       34 . A method according to  claim 33  comprising molding each of the first and second trays as integral pieces from a single sheet of thermoplastic material.  
   
   
       35 . A transportation package for transporting a substrate processing substrate rack, the transportation package comprising: 
 (a) a shell comprising a pair of opposing trays that each have a closed end and an open end with a circumferential lip, the trays being joined at their circumferential lips to define a cavity inside the shell; and    (b) a transportation fixture inside the cavity, the transportation fixture comprising: 
 (i) top and bottom endplates; and  
 (ii) a plurality of spaced apart posts attaching the top endplate to the bottom endplate to confine the substrate rack therebetween, each post having a longitudinal inside edge; and  
 (iii) a plurality of compliant bumpers that are each coupled to a longitudinal inside edges of a post.  
   
   
   
       36 . A transportation package according to  claim 35  wherein the top and bottom endplates are triangular and have apexes, and wherein the posts are each joined to an apex of a triangular plate.  
   
   
       37 . A transportation package according to  claim 35  further comprising a hard casing having a foam interior to receive the shell.  
   
   
       38 . A transportation package for transporting a substrate processing substrate rack, the transportation package comprising: 
 (a) a rigid casing having an interior foam block that is contoured to match the shape of a shell; and    (b) a shell that fits in the contoured interior foam block, the shell comprising: 
 (i) a first tray having a closed end and an open end with a first circumferential lip, at least a portion of the first tray comprising a light permeable material;  
 (ii) a second tray comprising a closed end and an open end with a second circumferential lip, at least a portion of the second tray comprising a light permeable material, and wherein the second circumferential lip mates with the first circumferential lip such that the open ends of the first and second trays face each other to define a cavity sized to receive a transportation fixture; and  
 (iii) a sealing gasket between the first and second circumferential lips to form a seal therebetween  
   
   
   
       39 . A transportation package according to  claim 38  wherein first and second trays comprise cylinders.  
   
   
       40 . A transportation package according to  claim 38  wherein the circumferential lips extend outwardly, and transversely, from the shells.  
   
   
       41 . A transportation package according to  claim 38  wherein the shell comprises an exhaust port coupling and a purge gas coupling.  
   
   
       42 . A transportation package according to  claim 38  wherein the light permeable material comprises a visible light transmission percentage of at least about 20%.  
   
   
       43 . A transportation package according to  claim 38  wherein the light permeable material comprises polyethylene terephthalate glycol.  
   
   
       44 . A transportation package according to  claim 38  further comprising a hard casing having a foam interior to receive the shell.