Apparatus with fillet radius joints

Abstract

A wafer holding apparatus including a plurality of rods joined at opposite ends to endplates by joints having flanges with a fillet radius. The joints which join the component parts of the apparatus provide a stable wafer holding apparatus for manual handling as well as for the harsh processing conditions of semiconductor wafer processing chambers.

1 . An apparatus comprising a plurality of rods secured at opposite ends to respective endplates by joints having flanges with a fillet radius.  
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the joints are coated with silicon carbide.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus comprising a plurality of rods secured at opposite ends to respective endplates by joints having flanges with a fillet radius, each rod end has a tenon which is inserted into an inside face of the respective endplates through an elliptical port having the flange with the fillet radius around its circumference, each tenon is continuous with a shoulder of the rod at each end of the rod, each shoulder has a flat surface to abut a top surface of the flange with the fillet to form an interface between the flat surface of the should and the top surface of the flange.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus comprising a plurality of rods secured at opposite ends to respective endplates by joints having a four sided flange with a fillet radius, each rod end has a tenon which is inserted into an inside face of the respective endplates through a rectangular port having the four sided flange with the fillet radius, each tenon is continuous with a shoulder of the rod at each end of the rod, each shoulder has a flat surface to abut a top surface of the flange with the fillet radius to form an interface between the flat surface of the shoulder and the top surface of the flange.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus comprises a plurality of rods secured at opposite ends to respective endplates by joints having a three sided flange with a fillet radius, each rod has a tenon which is inserted into a port in a side of the endplate, the three sided flange with the fillet radius defines the port on an inside surface of the endplate, each tenon is continuous with a shoulder of the rod at each end of the rod, each shoulder has a flat surface to abut a top surface of the flange with the fillet radius to form an interface between the flat surface of the shoulder and the top surface of the flange.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus comprising a plurality of rods secured at opposite ends to respective endplates by joints having a three sided flange with a fillet radius, each rod has a tenon with the three sided flange with the fillet radius, each rod is inserted into a port in a side of the endplate such that each side of the three sided flange forms an interface with a side of the port.