1. A cleaning device comprising:
a substrate supporter for supporting a substrate to be cleaned;
a scrub pad mounting plate;
a chuck coupling to said substrate supporter and said scrub pad mounting plate, said chuck configured to move said substrate supporter and said scrub pad mounting plate;
a scrub pad loadunload station configured to hold said scrub pad, wherein said scrub pad loadunload station further comprises a robotic element configured to perform at least one of holding said scrub pad, holding multiples of said scrub pads, moving said scrub pad to and from said loadunload station, unloading said scrub pad from said scrub pad mounting plate, loading said scrub pad onto said scrub pad mounting plate, treating said scrub pad, and identifying one or more characteristics of said scrub pad; and
a scrub pad mountable to and moveable from said scrub pad mounting plate, wherein said scrub pad, when mounted to said scrub pad mounting plate, is higher than said substrate when mounted on said substrate supporter.
2. A cleaning device comprising:
a substrate supporter for supporting a substrate to be cleaned;
a scrub pad mounting plate;
a chuck coupling to said substrate supporter and said scrub pad mounting plate, said chuck configured to move said substrate supporter and said scrub pad mounting plate;
a scrub pad loadunload station configured to hold said scrub pad, wherein said scrub pad loadunload station is configured to perform at least one of holding said scrub pad, holding multiples of said scrub pads, moving said scrub pad to and from said loadunload station, unloading said scrub pad from said scrub pad mounting plate, loading said scrub pad onto said scrub pad mounting plate, treating said scrub pad, and identifying one or more characteristics of said scrub pad; and
a scrub pad mountable to and moveable from said scrub pad mounting plate, wherein said scrub pad, when mounted to said scrub pad mounting plate, is higher than said substrate when mounted on said substrate supporter.
3. A cleaning device comprising:
a substrate supporter for supporting a substrate to be cleaned;
a scrub pad mounting plate;
a chuck coupling to said substrate supporter and said scrub pad mounting plate, said chuck configured to move said substrate supporter and said scrub pad mounting plate;
a scrub pad mountable to and moveable from said scrub pad mounting plate, wherein said scrub pad, when mounted to said scrub pad mounting plate, is higher than said substrate when mounted on said substrate supporter;
a probe card having a plurality of probe elements extending therefrom, wherein said probe elements are configured to test at least one aspect of said substrate; and
a camera, said camera configured to align said substrate supporter and said scrub pad mounting plate with respect to said probe card.
4. A method comprising:
placing a scrub pad on a scrub pad mounting plate, said scrub pad mounting plate coupling to a chuck which is further coupled to a substrate supporter for supporting a substrate, wherein said chuck is configured to move said substrate supporter and said scrub pad mounting plate, and wherein said scrub pad when placed on said scrub pad mounting plate is higher than a substrate placed on said substrate supporter;
positioning said scrub pad with respect to a probe card having at least one probe element to be cleaned;
cleaning said at least one probe element
receiving a signal to stop cleaning said probe element;
moving said scrub pad away from said probe card;
moving said scrub pad mounting plate to a loadunload station; and
unloading said scrub pad at said loadunload station.
5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:
loading another scrub pad onto said scrub pad mounting plate.
6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:
analyzing at least one characteristic of said scrub pad or other scrub pads stored at said loadunload station.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:
programming or modifying at least one parameter for a cleaning cycle for said probe card based on said analyzing.
8. A. method comprising:
placing a substrate on a substrate supporter provided in a cleaning chamber;
placing a scrub pad on a scrub pad mounting plate provided in said cleaning chamber;
wherein said scrub pad mounting plate and said substrate supporter are coupled to a chuck provided in said cleaning chamber, wherein said chuck is configured to move said substrate supporter and said scrub pad mounting plate,
wherein said scrub pad when placed on said scrub pad mounting plate is higher than a substrate placed on said substrate supporter;
providing a probe card having at least one probe element configured to perform a testing procedure on said substrate; and
wherein placing said scrub pad on said scrub pad mounting plate further comprises loading said scrub pad onto said scrub pad mounting plate from a loadunload station configured to store said scrub pad.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
moving said scrub pad mounting plate over to said loadunload station for loading of said scrub pad onto said scrub pad mounting plate.
10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
moving said loadunload station to said scrub pad mounting plate for loading of said scrub pad onto said scrub pad mounting plate.
11. A method comprising:
placing a substrate on a substrate supporter provided in a cleaning chamber;
placing a scrub pad on a scrub pad mounting plate provided in said cleaning chamber;
wherein said scrub pad mounting plate and said substrate supporter are coupled to a chuck provided in said cleaning chamber, wherein said chuck is configured to move said substrate supporter and said scrub pad mounting plate,
wherein said scrub pad when placed on said scrub pad mounting plate is higher than a substrate placed on said substrate supporter;
providing a probe card having at least one probe element configured to perform a testing procedure on said substrate;
positioning said substrate with respect to said probe card;
performing a testing procedure for devices formed in or on said substrate using said probe card;
receiving a signal to stop said testing procedure;
receiving signal for cleaning said at least one probe element;
positioning said scrub pad with respect to said probe card for said cleaning of said at least one probe element;
cleaning said at least one probe element using said scrub pad
receiving a signal to stop cleaning said at least one probe element;
moving said scrub pad away from said probe card;
moving said scrub pad mounting plate to a loadunload station; and
unloading said scrub pad at said loadunload station.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
loading another scrub pad onto said scrub pad mounting plate.
13. A method comprising:
placing a substrate on a substrate supporter provided in a cleaning chamber;
placing a scrub pad on a scrub pad mounting plate provided in said cleaning chamber;
wherein said scrub pad mounting plate and said substrate supporter are coupled to a chuck provided in said cleaning chamber, wherein said chuck is configured to move said substrate supporter and said scrub pad mounting plate,
wherein said scrub pad when placed on said scrub pad mounting plate is higher than a substrate placed on said substrate supporter;
providing a probe card having at least one probe element configured to perform a testing procedure on said substrate;
positioning said substrate with respect to said probe card;
performing a testing procedure for devices formed in or on said substrate using said probe card;
receiving a signal to stop said testing procedure;
receiving signal for cleaning said at least one probe element;
positioning said scrub pad with respect to said probe card for said cleaning of said at least one probe element;
cleaning said at least one probe element using said scrub pad; wherein said cleaning said at least one probe element using said scrub pad further comprising:
analyzing at least one characteristic of said scrub pad at said loadunload station; and
programming or modifying at least one parameter for a cleaning cycle for cleaning said at least one probe clement based on said analyzing.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one characteristic includes any one of scrub pad thickness, scrub pad chemical components, scrub pad material, and scrub pad identification.
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. A seal assembly for a transmission pump; wherein the transmission pump has a pump body member partially defining a pump cavity, is operatively connected for rotation with a torque converter hub to pressurize fluid within the pump cavity, and has a bushing defining a gap between the pump body member and the torque converter hub to allow lubrication of the bushing with the pressurized fluid, the seal assembly comprising:
a rigid carrier positionable between the pump body member and the torque converter hub;
an elastomeric lip extending from the rigid carrier;
a contact layer connected to the elastomeric lip and configured to sealingly contact the torque converter hub when the rigid carrier is positioned between the pump body member and the torque converter hub; wherein the contact layer is harder than the elastomeric lip to minimize friction at the torque converter hub;
wherein the rigid carrier has an orifice positioned in fluid connection with the gap when the rigid carrier is positioned between the pump body member and the torque converter hub; and wherein the orifice is sized to control flow of fluid from the pump cavity through the gap to minimize pump pressure loss.
2. The seal assembly of claim 1, wherein the rigid carrier includes a first carrier member and a second carrier member; wherein the elastomeric lip extends from the first carrier member; and further comprising:
a lip seal assembly including:
a molded-over lip seal extending from the second carrier member at an axial distance from the elastomeric lip; and
a biasing member retaining the lip seal in sealing contact with the torque converter hub at an axial distance form the elastomeric lip to define a seal cavity with the rigid carrier and the elastomeric lip; wherein fluid flowing through the orifice flows into the seal cavity; and
wherein the first carrier member defines vent openings to allow fluid to empty the seal cavity.
3. The seal assembly of claim 1, wherein the contact layer is polytetrafluoroethylene.
4. The seal assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a seal member operatively connected with the rigid carrier and positioned to sealingly engage the pump body member when the rigid carrier is positioned with the lip seal in sealing contact with the torque converter hub, thereby further controlling fluid flow through the gap.
5. The seal assembly of claim 1, wherein the contact layer is integrally secured to the lip; and wherein the lip is integrally secured to the rigid carrier.
6. A seal assembly having:
a rigid annular carrier;
an annular elastomeric lip secured to the carrier and having a first hardness;
a contact layer secured on a radially-outer surface of the elastomeric lip and having a second hardness greater than the first hardness of the elastomeric lip;
an annular seal member operatively connected with the rigid carrier radially inward of the elastomeric lip;
wherein the carrier has an orifice positioned between the lip seal and the seal member to control fluid flow from a first side of the rigid carrier to an opposing second side of the rigid carrier; and wherein the rigid carrier has vent holes positioned adjacent the seal member opposite the orifice to permit venting of the oil that has flowed to the second side of the rigid carrier; the lip seal, the second sealing member, the orifice and the vent holes thereby maintaining fluid pressure on the first side of the rigid carrier.
7. The seal assembly of claim 6, wherein the seal member is one of a second elastomeric lip and an O-ring.
8. A torque converter assembly for a transmission, comprising:
a torque converter hub;
a pump powered by the torque converter hub to supply pressurized fluid to the transmission and having a pump body member;
a bushing adapted to fit between the torque converter hub and the pump body member to rotatably support the torque converter hub and sized to define a clearance gap between the pump body and the bushing to permit lubrication of the bushing by the pressurized fluid flowing through the gap;
a rigid carrier positioned between the pump body member and the torque converter hub;
an elastomeric lip extending from the rigid carrier;
a contact layer operatively connected to the elastomeric lip and configured to sealingly contact the torque converter hub; wherein the contact layer is characterized by a hardness greater than a hardness of the elastomeric lip to minimize friction at the torque converter hub; and
wherein the rigid carrier has an orifice positioned in fluid communication with the gap and sized to control flow of fluid from the pump through the gap to minimize pump pressure loss.
9. The seal assembly of claim 8, wherein the rigid carrier includes a first carrier member and a second carrier member; wherein the elastomeric lip extends from the first carrier member; and further comprising:
a lip seal assembly including:
a molded-over lip seal extending from the second carrier member at an axial distance from the elastomeric lip; and
a biasing member retaining the lip seal in sealing contact with the torque converter hub at an axial distance form the elastomeric lip to define a seal cavity with the rigid carrier and the elastomeric lip; wherein fluid flowing through the orifice flows into the seal cavity; and
wherein the first carrier member defines vent openings to allow fluid to empty the seal cavity.
10. The seal assembly of claim 8, wherein the contact layer is polytetrafluoroethylene.
11. The seal assembly of claim 8, further comprising:
a seal member operatively connected with the rigid carrier and positioned to sealingly engage the pump body member when the rigid carrier is positioned with the lip seal in sealing contact with the torque converter hub, thereby further controlling fluid flow through the gap.
12. The seal assembly of claim 8, wherein the contact layer is integrally secured to the lip; and wherein the lip is integrally secured to the rigid carrier.