1. A clutch assembly comprising:
a rotor having a rotational axis and an outer surface;
a first clutch element contact surface disposed on the rotor outer surface;
a second clutch element contact surface disposed on the rotor outer surface spaced axially from the first clutch element contact surface and having a smaller radial distance to the rotational axis than the first clutch element contact surface;
a stator disposed around at least a portion of the rotor and having an inner surface;
a clutch element disposed between and in contact with the rotor and the stator inner surface; and
an axial force source in communication with the clutch element, the axial force source configured to supply a predetermined axial force to the clutch element,
wherein when an opposing force is applied to the clutch element in a direction opposite the axial direction, the assembly selectively (i) engages by providing contact between the clutch element and the first clutch element contact surface, when the opposing force is less than the predetermined axial force, and (ii) disengages by providing contact between the clutch element and the second clutch element contact surface, when the opposing force is greater than the predetermined axial force.
2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising an axial groove formed in the stator, the axial groove defining a first lateral position and a second lateral position between which the clutch element selectively moves.
3. The assembly of claim 2, further comprising a radial spring configured to supply a force to maintain the clutch element at the first lateral position.
4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the radial spring is a leaf spring.
5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the ramped land is a protrusion extending radially outwardly from the rotor and the first clutch element contact surface is located on the protrusion.
6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the protrusion extends circumferentially around the rotor.
7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the ramped land is a groove formed in the rotor outer surface, and the first and second clutch element contact surfaces are located axially along the groove.
8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the groove extends circumferentially around the rotor.
9. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a separator mounted around the rotor and configured to receive the predetermined axial force, the separator including a pocket formed therein within which the clutch element is disposed.
10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the axial force source is a spring coupled to the stator and axially fixed relative to the rotor.
11. A brakeclutch assembly comprising:
a rotor having a rotational axis and an outer surface including a plurality of first clutch element contact surfaces and second clutch element contact surfaces, each first clutch element contact surface having a radial distance to the rotational axis, and each second clutch element contact surface having a second radial distance that is less than the first radial distance;
a stator disposed around at least a portion of the rotor and having an inner surface;
a plurality of clutch elements each corresponding to one of the first clutch element contact surfaces and one of the second clutch element surfaces, the clutch elements disposed between and in contact with the rotor and the stator inner surface; and
an axial force source in communication with each of the clutch elements, the axial force source configured to supply a predetermined axial force against the clutch elements,
wherein when an opposing force is applied to at least one of the clutch elements, the assembly selectively (i) engages by providing contact between at least one of the clutch elements and its corresponding first clutch element contact surface, when the opposing force is less than the predetermined axial force, and (ii) disengages by providing contact between the clutch element and its corresponding second clutch element contact surface, when the opposing force is greater than the predetermined axial force.
12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the plurality of clutch elements is disposed around the shaft in an annular pattern.
13. The assembly of claim 12, further comprising a second plurality of clutch elements disposed in an annular pattern proximate the first plurality of clutch elements.
14. The assembly of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of axial grooves formed in the stator, the axial grooves each defining a first lateral position and a second lateral position between which the clutch elements selectively move.
15. The assembly of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of radial springs configured to supply a force to maintain the clutch elements at the first lateral position.
16. The assembly of claim 11, further comprising a separator mounted around the rotor and configured to receive the predetermined axial force, the separator including a plurality of pockets formed therein within which the plurality of clutch elements are disposed.
17. The assembly of claim 11, further comprising at least one protrusion extending radially outwardly from the rotor, wherein at least one of the first contact surfaces is located on the protrusion.
18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the protrusion extends circumferentially around the rotor.
19. The assembly of claim 11, further comprising a groove formed in the rotor outer surface, wherein at least one of the second contact surfaces is located in the groove.
20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the groove extends circumferentially around the rotor.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. In a semiconductor manufacturing environment with a plurality of separate entities, a computer-implemented method for circulating a file between the entities comprising:
selecting at least one of a plurality of input files;
selecting an output file format from a plurality of output file formats;
selecting a mode for circulation from a plurality of modes for circulation;
extracting by a computer file information from the selected at least one input file to an output file in the selected output file format; and
circulating by the computer the output file to at least one recipient entity using the selected mode for circulation.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one input file comprises a product manufacturing report from a semiconductor foundry.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising converting by the computer the at least one input file to a different file format prior to the extracting.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the mode for circulation comprises e-mail.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the mode for circulation comprises facsimile.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the mode for circulation comprises a wireless device.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one input file comprises at least two input files.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the mode for circulation comprises sending an e-mail to at least two different entities, the at least two different entities having different e-mail systems.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the mode for circulation comprises sending an e-mail to at least one entity, and sending a facsimile to at least one other entity, the at least one other entity being at a different location than the at least one entity.
10. A computer-implemented method for circulating a file associated with the manufacture or sale of semiconductor devices, the method comprising:
closing by a computer an application file responsive to a user request;
querying the user by the computer if the application file is to be circulated;
if the application file is to be circulated, checking and determining by the computer the application file type;
preparing by the computer the application file for circulation, wherein the preparing comprises converting the application file to another application file type if necessary; and
circulating by the computer the output file to at least one recipient using a selected one of a plurality of circulation modes.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the application file comprises a product manufacturing report from a semiconductor foundry.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein preparing the application file comprises converting the application file to a different file format.
13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein a mode for circulating comprises e-mail.
14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein a mode for circulating comprises facsimile.
15. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein a mode for circulating comprises a wireless device.
16. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the application file comprises at least two separate application files.
17. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein circulating comprises sending an e-mail to at least two different users, the at least two different users having different e-mail systems.
18. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein circulating comprises sending an e-mail to at least one user, and sending a facsimile to at least one other user, the at least one other user at a different location than the at least one user.
19. A system for circulating a file, the system comprising:
a virtual fabrication system comprising a plurality of components located in at least two different locations, the components connected by a network;
a memory system connected to the network configured to store files regarding the operation of the virtual fabrication system;
a communication system connected to the network, and configured to extract data from at least one input file to an output file having a format selected from one of a plurality of file formats and circulate the output file to a plurality of recipients using a selected one of a plurlaity of modes for circulation.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one input file comprises a product manufacturing report from a semiconductor foundry.
21. The system of claim 19, wherein the communication system is adapted to convert the at least one input file to a different file format.
22. The system of claim 19, wherein the communication system is adapted to send emails.
23. The system of claim 19, wherein the communication system is adapted to send facsimiles.
24. The system of claim 19, wherein the communication system is adapted to send the files to a wireless device.
25. The system of claim 19, wherein the communication system is adapted to send emails and facsimiles.
26. The system of claim 19, wherein the communication system is adapted to send emails, facsimiles, and files to a wireless device.