Science Applications International has filed a patent for a loader that includes a pre-aligner and a transporter. The pre-aligner has a base, a moving mechanism, a platform with a fetching face that generates an electrostatic field to attract a substrate, and a sensing unit. The transporter has a fork with a fetching face that also generates an electrostatic field to attract the substrate. GlobalData’s report on Science Applications International gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Science Applications International, MITM attack solutions was a key innovation area identified from patents. Science Applications International's grant share as of September 2023 was 67%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Loader with pre-aligner and transporter using electrostatic attraction
A recently filed patent (Publication Number: US20230227273A1) describes a loader that includes a pre-aligner and a transporter. The pre-aligner consists of a base, a moving mechanism with an axle inserted in the base, and a platform connected to the axle. The platform has a fetching face that generates an electrostatic field to attract a substrate, and a sensing unit is located on the base to sense an orienting portion of the substrate. The transporter, on the other hand, has a fork with a fetching face that also generates an electrostatic field to attract the substrate.
The moving mechanism of the loader allows the platform to move relative to the sensing unit, thereby moving the substrate as well. The platform does not reach the orienting portion of the substrate, but its larger diameter compared to the substrate allows it to render the entire substrate flat. Additionally, the loader includes a support that can move between a lower position coplanar with or lower than the platform, and an upper position higher than the platform. When the support is in the upper position, the platform carries the substrate, and when the support is in the lower position, it carries the substrate.
The loader also features a cylinder inserted in the base with a piston rod connected to the support. The support itself has a fetching face with electrodes. Furthermore, the platform has two slits corresponding to two prongs of a fork, which are used to bring the substrate into and from the pre-aligner. The moving mechanism of the loader is capable of moving the platform relative to the sensing unit along the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis.
In addition to describing the loader, the patent also outlines a method for operating a pre-aligner. The method involves providing a substrate-processing machine with a load/unload port and a workbench, as well as a pre-aligner and a transporter. The substrate is loaded onto the load/unload port and then transferred to the pre-aligner using the transporter's electrostatic field. The pre-aligner aligns the substrate, and then the transporter transfers it to the workbench. The substrate is processed by the substrate-processing machine, and finally, the transporter transfers the processed substrate back to the load/unload port.
Overall, this patent describes a loader with a pre-aligner and transporter that utilize electrostatic fields to attract and transfer substrates. The loader's moving mechanism allows for precise movement of the platform, and the support provides stability during substrate transfer. The method outlined in the patent explains how the loader can be used in conjunction with a substrate-processing machine for efficient substrate handling and processing.
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