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Docking station for a factory interfaceRelated Patent Categories: Material Or Article Handling, Apparatus For Moving Material Between Zones Having Different Pressures And Inhibiting Change In Pressure Gradient TherebetweenDocking station for a factory interface description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070183869, Docking station for a factory interface. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/198,688, filed Jul. 17, 2002 (Attorney Docket No. APPM/6433), which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] Embodiments of the invention generally relate to a semiconductor substrate damage prevention system. BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ART [0003] Semiconductor substrates are generally stored and transported in substrate storage cassettes. A typically substrate storage cassette includes a plurality of substrate support slots arranged to hold substrates in a spaced-apart, vertically-stacked orientation within a housing. In many systems, the housing, also known as a pod, includes a sealable door that allows the substrate stored within the cassette to be isolated from the surrounding environment. The ability to isolate the interior of the substrate storage cassette from the surrounding environment is particularly important when substrates are transported between fabrication tools in order to minimize potential particulate contamination. [0004] Substrate storage cassettes are typically coupled to a fabrication tool at a factory interface. The factory interface includes one or more bays, each configured to accept one substrate storage cassette. In order to maintain isolation of the environment surrounding the substrates stored inside the substrate storage cassette, each bay is equipped with a pod door opener (PDO). The PDO the door of the pod from within the factory interface while maintaining a seal between the factory interface and the substrate storage cassette, thus maintaining isolation of the substrates from the surrounding environment. [0005] Occasionally during the docking and door-opening procedure, one or more of substrates within the substrate storage cassette may inadvertently move laterally toward the factory interface. Once the substrate is moved out of position within the substrate storage cassette, the substrate is highly likely to become damaged or create other processing problems. For example, a misaligned substrate may be hit by another substrate being removed or returned to the substrate storage cassette, thereby causing damage to one or both of the substrates. Additionally, the misaligned substrate may not be positioned correctly on the blade of the transfer robot, thus potentially becoming disengaged from the robot blade during transfer, or becoming misaligned or damaged while being positioned in the next transfer area, or creating orientation/alignment problems during substrate processing. [0006] Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus for operating a pod door to mitigate substrate misalignment and prevent substrate damage. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for preventing substrate damage in a factory interface. In one embodiment, a method for preventing substrate damage in a factory interface includes the steps of receiving an indicia of potential substrate damage, and automatically preventing substrates from moving out of a substrate storage cassette in response to the received indicia. The indicia may be a seismic warning signal, among others. [0008] In another embodiment, a method for preventing substrate damage in a factory interface includes the steps of moving a pod door in a first direction to a position spaced-apart and adjacent a pod, and moving the pod door laterally in a second direction to close the pod. The lateral closing motion of the pod door urges substrates, which may be misaligned in the pod, into a predefined position within the pod. [0009] In another embodiment, a method for docking a substrate storage pod to a factory interface is provided. The method for docking a substrate storage pod to a factory interface includes placing a substrate storage pod on a docking station in a first orientation, coupling the wafer storage pod to the docking station, moving the coupled substrate storage pod to a position abutting the factory interface, and rotating the substrate storage pod during the moving step. [0010] In another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for docking a substrate storage pod to a factory interface is provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for docking a substrate storage pod to a factory interface includes a docking station having a substantially horizontal flange extending from a substantially vertical wall. The wall has an aperture formed therethrough. A stage is movably coupled to the flange and adapted to support the substrate storage pod. An engagement mechanism and docking actuator are coupled to the stage. The engagement mechanism is adapted to secure the substrate storage pod to the stage. The docking actuator is adapted to move substrate storage cassette against the bay. A release mechanism is adapted to decouple at least one of the engagement mechanism from the pod or the stage from the docking actuator, thereby facilitating access to the pod in the event of one or more of the actuators becoming immobilized. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011] So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention are attained and can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the embodiment thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. [0012] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a cluster tool; [0013] FIG. 2 is a top view of the cluster tool of FIG. 1; [0014] FIG. 3 is an elevation of one embodiment of a pod door opener; [0015] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the pod door opener of FIG. 3; [0016] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a release mechanism; [0017] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of one embodiment of a pod door; [0018] FIG. 7 is an elevation of another embodiment of a pod door opener; and [0019] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the pod door opener of FIG. 7. Continue reading about Docking station for a factory interface... Full patent description for Docking station for a factory interface Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Docking station for a factory interface patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Docking station for a factory interface or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Wafer transfer robot and semiconductor device manufacturing equipment comprising the same Next Patent Application: Storage and retrieval system Industry Class: Material or article handling ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Docking station for a factory interface patent info. 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