Systems and methods for transport through curved conveyance sections

A transport system includes a curved conveyance section configured to move an article along a curved path without significantly slowing or stopping. Exemplary articles for conveyance include semiconductor wafers and substrates for display devices and photovoltaic devices. In some embodiments, the co...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors DAVIDSON BENJAMIN T, KITAZUMI BARRY
Format Patent
LanguageEnglish
Published 14.10.2008
Subjects
CONVEYING
HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
PACKING
PERFORMING OPERATIONS
PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS
STORING
TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING ORTIPPING
TRANSPORTING
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Summary:A transport system includes a curved conveyance section configured to move an article along a curved path without significantly slowing or stopping. Exemplary articles for conveyance include semiconductor wafers and substrates for display devices and photovoltaic devices. In some embodiments, the conveyance section includes a turnstile wheel including an interior surface and an exterior surface. The external surface is configured to guide an exterior belt that in turn supports one side of the article around the conveyance path. The internal surface is configured to either support an opposing side of the article, or guide an interior belt that in turn supports the article around the conveyance path. Instead of employing a turnstile wheel, other embodiments employ interior and exterior supports for supporting opposite ends of the article, such as interior and exterior belts, that move at essentially the same angular rate along the inside and outside of the conveyance path.
Bibliography:Application Number: US20070900482