Appeal No. 2000-1482 Page 15
Application No. 08/995,706
Claim 31 reads as follows:
A method for accommodating different size wafer
carriers with one wafer transfer machine, the method
comprising:
providing a wafer transfer machine having a pair of
transverse wafer carrier positioners disposed opposite
one another across a base of the machine; and
converting the carrier positioners from a first
configuration that accommodates a first size wafer
carrier to a second configuration that accommodates a
second size wafer carrier.
The appellants argue that the "converting" limitation of
claim 31 is not suggested or taught by the applied prior art.
We do not agree. The H-Square Publication does teach all the
limitations of claim 31. In that regard, model WT-3456 of the
H-Square Publication does accommodate different size wafer
carriers with one wafer transfer machine, does provide a pair
of transverse wafer carrier positioners disposed opposite one
another across a base of the machine (note the various
positioning dots located on opposite sides of the cassettes)
and does convert the carrier positioners (the positioning
dots) from a first configuration that accommodates a first
size wafer carrier to a second configuration that accommodates
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