Bi-directional wafer transfer mechanism and method

摘要

A wafer transfer machine transfers wafers from either of a first wafer cassette (55) and a second wafer cassette (56) having incompatible registration features into the other, and includes a support plate (30) having a top surface (38) for supporting the first and second wafer cassette. A first and second registration bosses attached to the top surface extend upward into registration features of the first and second wafer cassette, respectively. A carriage (1) is supported by and movable in opposite directions along a track mechanism (41A,B) that is attached in fixed relationship to the support plate (30). First and second wafer pushing members (10A,B) are supported by the carriage. Each wafer pushing member can be moved to push wafers in one of the wafer cassettes into the other by moving the carriage in one direction or the other.