公开(公告)号：US10304710B2

公开(公告)日：2019-05-28

申请号：US14899423

申请日：2014-06-18

申请人： ENTEGRIS, INC.

发明人： Eric A. Kirkland ,  Barry Gregerson ,  Eric S. Olson ,  Christian Andersen ,  Jason Todd Steffens ,  Ryan Mushel ,  Karen Anderson

IPC分类号： H01L21/673

摘要： Apparatuses and methods providing a ballast system for adjusting the center of gravity of a standardized front opening wafer container. Various embodiments of the disclosure present ballast systems that are low profile, do not require modifications to the shell of the wafer container, and can be retrofit to existing wafer carriers. In some embodiments, these capabilities are accomplished by a ballast that mounts to a kinematic coupling plate of the wafer container. In one embodiment, the ballasting can also provide sufficient counter force to the lifting forces associated with purging of the wafer container, thereby preventing “lift off” of the wafer container during purging operations. The ballasts can be removed for shipping of the wafer container, thereby decreasing shipping costs.