Patents
US 9991152 B2: Wafer-handling end effectors with wafer-contacting surfaces and sealing structures
- Granted
- 2018-06-05
- Filed
- 2015-02-25 application 14631131
- Type
- Utility · 22 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
Wafer-handling end effectors and semiconductor manufacturing devices that include and/or are utilized with wafer-handling end effectors are disclosed herein. The end effectors include an end effector body and a plurality of wafer-contacting surfaces that is supported by the end effector body and configured to form an at least partially face-to-face contact with a wafer. The end effectors further include a vacuum distribution manifold that extends between a robot-proximal end of the end effector body and the plurality of wafer-contacting surfaces. The end effectors also include a plurality of vacuum openings that is defined within the plurality of wafer-contacting surfaces and extends between the plurality of wafer-contacting surfaces and the vacuum distribution manifold. The end effectors further include a plurality of sealing structures each of which is associated with a respective one of the plurality of wafer-contacting surfaces.
Source: PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 (ipg180605.xml).
Assignees
| Assignee | Type | Place | Also on furp.org | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cascade Microtech, Inc. 96 patents | US company or organization | Beaverton, OR | CASCADE MICROTECH INC SEC filer EXACT medium confidence: identical full name, one of each nationally | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robbie Ingram-Goble | Portland, OR | 7 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Michael E. Simmons | Colton, OR | 13 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Philip Wolf | Beaverton, OR | 10 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Ryan Garrison | Beaverton, OR | 4 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Christopher Storm | Hillsboro, OR | 5 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
CPC categories
| Subclass | Category | First group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| H01L | Semiconductor devices not covered by class h10 | H01L21/6838 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| H10P | Generic processes or apparatus for the manufacture or treatment of devices covered by class h10 | H10P72/78 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| B25J | Manipulators; chambers provided with manipulation devices | B25J11/0095 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| Y10S | Technical subjects covered by former uspc cross-reference art collections [xracs] and digests | Y10S901/40 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).
Assignments and security interests
| Recorded | What | From | To | Reel/frame | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-07 | Release of security interest Release of security interest | HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION signed 2025-08-06 | FORMFACTOR, INC. LIVERMORE, CA | 72853/1 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2025-07-29 | Security interest Security interest Security interest | FORMFACTOR, INC. signed 2025-07-29 | WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT SAN ANTONIO, TX | 72263/272 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-25 |
| 2021-09-01 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | FORMFACTOR BEAVERTON, INC. signed 2021-08-26 | FORMFACTOR, INC. LIVERMORE, CA | 57393/609 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2018-07-18 | Name change Change of name | CASCADE MICROTECH, INC. signed 2018-05-14 | FORMFACTOR BEAVERTON, INC. BEAVERTON, OR | 46573/664 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2016-07-12 | Security interest Security interest Security interest in united states patents and trademarks | FORMFACTOR, INC. signed 2016-06-24 ASTRIA SEMICONDUCTOR HOLDINGS, INC. signed 2016-06-24 CASCADE MICROTECH, INC. signed 2016-06-24 MICRO-PROBE INCORPORATED signed 2016-06-24 | HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | 39184/280 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2015-02-25 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | INGRAM-GOBLE, ROBBIE signed 2015-02-10 SIMMONS, MICHAEL E. signed 2015-02-10 WOLF, PHILIP signed 2015-02-10 GARRISON, RYAN signed 2015-02-11 STORM, CHRISTOPHER signed 2015-02-11 | CASCADE MICROTECH, INC. BEAVERTON, OR | 35028/135 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
Documents recorded with the USPTO Assignment Recordation Branch that list this patent. A security interest is a lender’s claim on the patent as collateral; a release ends it.
USPTO bulk data: PatentsView granted patents, disambiguated (PVGPATDIS) for patents, assignees, inventors, places and CPC categories; the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset (ECORSEXC) for assignments and security interests. Patents filed in the last 20 years. No claims or full text. Links to other records are by name (and state): EXACT means the identical full name and state; FUZZY means a looser name match, with the confidence shown.