US 12,362,213 B2
Tray carrier and corresponding method
Silvio Spiteri, Siggiewi (MT); Tiziana Borg, Rabat (MT); and Alex Grima, Gozo (MT)
Assigned to STMicroelectronics (Malta) Ltd, Kirkop (MT)
Filed by STMicroelectronics (Malta) Ltd, Kirkop (MT)
Filed on Nov. 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/993,369.
Claims priority of application No. 102021000030233 (IT), filed on Nov. 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0170236 A1, Jun. 1, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 21/673 (2006.01); G01R 31/28 (2006.01); H01L 21/677 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/67333 (2013.01) [G01R 31/2893 (2013.01); H01L 21/67712 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
loading a stack of trays in a tray carrier, wherein said tray carrier comprises:
a base plate having a first pair of opposed sides extending in a first direction, a second pair of opposed sides extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction and four corners, wherein the base plate has a lower surface and an upper surface opposed the lower surface;
corner members configured to provide a containment formation for said stack of trays;
at least one raised portion of the upper surface of the base plate configured to provide a tray-gripping space at said first pair of opposed sides of the base plate between the upper surface of the base plate and an under surface of said stack of trays; and
tray carrier gripping cavities in the lower surface of the base plate at said first pair of opposed sides
gripping the tray carrier with the stack of trays loaded therein via gripping formations of an automated gripper device which engage the tray carrier gripping cavities in said first pair of opposed sides of the base plate; and
unloading the stack of trays from the tray carrier via said gripping formations of said automated gripper device which engage said tray-gripping space, provided by the at least one raised portion, between the upper surface of the base plate and the under surface of said stack of trays.