Substrate carrier and handle

Abstract

A carrier for holding a plurality of substrates in a generally horizontal, spaced apart, axially aligned relationship includes an enclosure portion defining an interior space, the enclosure portion having a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing sides, a back and an open front defined by a door frame, at least one substrate support structure in the enclosure portion for holding the substrates, and a door for sealingly closing the open front. A pair of selectively removable handles is coupled with each of the sides of the enclosure portion. Each handle has an elongate gripping portion presenting a longitudinal axis, and the gripping portion is oriented so that the longitudinal axis is generally horizontal and generally parallel with the sides of the enclosure portion.

1 . A carrier for holding a plurality of substrates in a generally horizontal, spaced apart, axially aligned relationship, the carrier comprising: 
 an enclosure portion defining an interior space, the enclosure portion having a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing sides, a back and an open front defined by a door frame;    at least one substrate support structure in the enclosure portion for holding the substrates;    a door for sealingly closing the open front; and    a pair of selectively removable handles on each of the sides of the enclosure portion, each handle having an elongate gripping portion presenting a longitudinal axis, the gripping portion oriented so that the longitudinal axis is generally horizontal and generally parallel with the sides of the enclosure portion.    
   
   
       2 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier further comprises a robotic lifting flange on the top of the carrier.  
   
   
       3 . The carrier of  claim 2 , wherein the robotic lifting flange and the pair of handles are integrally molded in a single piece.  
   
   
       4 . The carrier of  claim 3 , wherein the handles are positioned proximate the top of the carrier.  
   
   
       5 . The carrier of  claim 4 , wherein each of the sides of the carrier present a height dimension in a direction extending between the top and bottom, and wherein the handles extend downwardly from the top by no more than one-third of the height dimension.  
   
   
       6 . The carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a kinematic coupling on the bottom of the carrier.  
   
   
       7 . A carrier for holding a plurality of substrates in a generally horizontal, spaced apart, axially aligned relationship, the carrier comprising: 
 an enclosure portion defining an interior space, the enclosure portion having a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing sides, a back and an open front defined by a door frame;    at least one substrate support structure in the enclosure portion for holding the substrates;    a door for sealingly closing the open front; and    a removable handle structure including a robotic lifting flange and a pair of handles, the lifting flange projecting upwardly from the top of the enclosure, a separate one of the handles disposed adjacent each of the sides of the enclosure, each handle having an elongate gripping portion presenting a longitudinal axis, the gripping portion oriented so that the longitudinal axis is generally horizontal and generally parallel with the sides of the enclosure portion.    
   
   
       8 . The carrier of  claim 7 , wherein the removable handle structure is integrally molded in a single piece.  
   
   
       9 . The carrier of  claim 8 , wherein the handles are positioned proximate the top of the carrier.  
   
   
       10 . The carrier of  claim 9 , wherein each of the sides of the carrier present a height dimension in a direction extending between the top and bottom, and wherein the handles extend downwardly from the top by no more than one-third of the height dimension  
   
   
       11 . The carrier of  claim 7 , further comprising a kinematic coupling on the bottom of the carrier.  
   
   
       12 . The carrier of  claim 7 , wherein the removable handle structure further comprises a pair of engaging structures, and wherein each of the sides of the carrier has structure for receiving a separate one of the engaging structures.  
   
   
       13 . A removable manual handle structure for a substrate carrier, the carrier including an enclosure portion defining an interior space, the enclosure portion having a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing sides, a back and an open front defined by a door frame, the removable handle structure comprising a robotic lifting flange and a pair of handles, the lifting flange projecting upwardly from the top of the enclosure, a separate one of the handles disposed adjacent each of the sides of the enclosure, each handle having an elongate gripping portion presenting a longitudinal axis, the gripping portion oriented so that the longitudinal axis is generally horizontal and generally parallel with the sides of the enclosure portion.  
   
   
       14 . The removable manual handle structure of  claim 13 , wherein the removable handle structure is integrally molded in a single piece.  
   
   
       15 . The removable manual handle structure of  claim 14 , wherein the handles are positioned proximate the top of the carrier.  
   
   
       16 . The removable manual handle structure of  claim 15 , wherein each of the sides of the carrier present a height dimension in a direction extending between the top and bottom, and wherein the handles extend downwardly from the top by no more than one-third of the height dimension.  
   
   
       17 . The removable manual handle structure of  claim 13 , further comprising a kinematic coupling on the bottom of the carrier.  
   
   
       18 . The removable manual handle structure of  claim 13 , further comprising means for securing the removable handle structure to the carrier.  
   
   
       19 . The removable manual handle structure of  claim 18 , wherein means for securing the removable handle structure to the carrier comprises a pair of engaging structures, and wherein each of the sides of the carrier has structure for receiving a separate one of the engaging structures.  
   
   
       20 . The removable handle structure of  claim 18  in combination with a plurality of carriers, wherein each of the plurality of carriers receives a different number of substrates, and wherein the removable handle structure is adapted to be received on each of the plurality of carriers.