Product designed to be used with handling system

Abstract

A product (Pr) can be used in the semiconductor, MEM, flat screen and/or solar cell industries, where the product is capable of being gripped by a handling system (Bm). The product can include: a plate ( 1 ) made of silicon, quartz, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, arsenic, and/or gallium arsenide, comprising one first ( 2 ) and one second ( 3 ) opposite faces, a plateau ( 4 ) defined by at least one face ( 5 ) opposite the plate, an attachment means ( 7 ) of the plate ( 1 ) on the plateau ( 4 ) so that the at least one face ( 5 ) of the plateau ( 4 ) is opposite the first ( 2 ) or second ( 3 ) face of the plate, and a first gripping means ( 11 ) mounted in association with the plateau ( 4 ), where these said first gripping means is able to cooperate and is removable with second gripping means ( 12 ) in addition to the first gripping means ( 11 ), the second additional gripping means belonging to the handling system (Bm). Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a system for handling the product.

1 . A product capable of being gripped by a handling system, the product comprising:
 a plate comprising an inorganic material, and comprising a first face and a second face; and   a plateau defined by at least one plateau face opposite the plate;   an attachment mechanism that attaches the plate to the plateau, such that the at least one plateau face is opposite to the first face or the second face of the plate, and   a first gripping mechanism associated with the plateau, where the first gripping mechanism is able to cooperate with a second gripping mechanism, wherein the second gripping mechanism is part of a handling system.   
     
     
         2 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises an adhesive. 
     
     
         3 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a plurality of pins, each equipped with an adhesive material. 
     
     
         4 . The product of  claim 1  wherein the attachment mechanism includes a clamping mechanism for clamping the plateau to the edge of the plate. 
     
     
         5 . The product of  claim 4 , wherein the clamping mechanism comprises at least three fingers capable of gripping the edge of the plate, and a controlling mechanism connecting the fingers to the plateau. 
     
     
         6 . The product of  claim 1  wherein the first gripping mechanism comprises at least one of the following: a flat support surface, and at least one of two parts of a male-female connection. 
     
     
         7 . The product of  claim 1  comprising a mechanism for exerting a traction force on the plateau so that the plateau is able to be pressed onto at least one part of the handling system. 
     
     
         8 . The product of  claim 7  wherein the traction force is one of the following forces: magnetic force, suction force, gravitational force, or any combination therof. 
     
     
         9 . The product of  claim 1  further comprising a first centering mechanism for applying centering forces on the plateau so that the plateau is able to be centered with respect to one part of the handling system. 
     
     
         10 . The product of  claim 1  wherein the first centering mechanism comprises at least one magnet having a generally annular shape, which is continuous or discontinuous, and whose internal and external circular faces, are respectively polarized North and South, South, wherein the annular magnet is mounted protrudingly on the face of the plateau opposite the face of the latter which is opposite the plate, so that the North-South polarization plane of the annular magnet is substantially parallel to the general plane of the face of the plateau that is opposite the plate, wherein the annular magnet is moreover disposed to be able to be plunged into an additional recess in the handling system, the additional recess comprising a magnetized ring according to one North-South polarization plane more or less the same as the North-South polarization plane of the annular magnet. 
     
     
         11 . The product of  claim 1  wherein the plateau comprises one central thrust portion connected to the plateau face of the plateau opposite to the face which is opposite the plate, on which a translation force may be applied to move the plateau in a translation direction that is substantially perpendicular to the plateau face opposite the plate and a rotation moment to pivot the plateau substantially around the translation direction. 
     
     
         12 . The product of  claim 1  wherein the plateau comprises an external ring, a central core and spokes connecting the central core to the external ring. 
     
     
         13 . The product of  claim 1  wherein the plateau comprises an identification mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The product of  claim 13  wherein the plateau comprises an indexation mechanism whose position with respect to the identification mechanism is predetermined. 
     
     
         15 . A handling system for handling a product according to  claim 1 , wherein the material handling system comprises:
 a deck,   second gripping mechanism in addition to the first gripping mechanism, the second gripping mechanism associated with the deck, and   a moving mechanism moving the deck in a desired trajectory.   
     
     
         16 . The handling system of  claim 15  further comprising a central orifice created in the deck so that, when the first gripping mechanism cooperates with the second gripping mechanism, the plateau is substantially centered on the central orifice. 
     
     
         17 . The handling system of  claim 16  further comprising:
 an aligning device comprising a body and a control rod in cooperation with the body so as to form a part which extends beyond the body, wherein the control rod is able to pivot; and   wherein an axis of rotation of the control rod is able to pass substiantially through a centre of the central orifice and is substantially perpendicular to a plane of the central orifice.   
     
     
         18 . The handling system of  claim 16  wherein the end of the rod extending beyond the body comprises a mechanism for connecting it in rotation with the plateau when the end of the rod comes into contact with a central thrust portion of the plateau. 
     
     
         19 . The handling system of  claim 18  further comprising a second centering mechanism for centering the end of the control rod of the aligning device on the plateau when the end of the rod comes into contact with the central thrust portion. 
     
     
         20 . The handling system of  claim 15  further comprising a storage mechanism for a plurality of interchangeable plateaus each comprising a gripping mechanism capable of cooperating and removable with the second gripping mechanism of the deck. 
     
     
         21 . The handling system of  claim 15  further comprising a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the plateau.