A structure of a casing for a vehicle-mounted radio communication apparatus. The casing is removably mounted on a fixture in any one of a plurality of positions such that either the surface or the back thereof rests on the fixture, as desired. This allows cables to be readily connected to associated connectors provided on the casing.

A rotary machine having a machine body, and a cover covering an open end of the body. The cover is mounted and fixed to the machine body by mounting hooks formed as elastic plate-shaped members on the peripheral edge of the cover which is adjacent to the open end, and the distal end portion of each hook projects from the peripheral edge and has a folded end. Mounting portions at the open end of the machine body allow the hooks to be inserted therein. Therefore, the cover can be assembled onto the machine body with ease, at improved efficiency, and at low cost.

An integrated wafer loader is provided for use with a vacuum process chamber. At least one semipermeable membrane provided in the separator between upper and lower chambers of a load lock permits air flow while preventing particulate matter transfer. A micro-environment container is sealed within the upper chamber and a vacuum simultaneously produced in both upper and lower chambers. A movable carrier plate opens the micro-environment container and removes a cassette of wafers from therein and into the lower chamber. The micro-environment container remains supported by the separator and forms an impermeable barrier between the chambers. Wafers are transferred from the cassette to the process environment, and returned to the cassette after processing has been completed. The carrier plate returns the cassette containing the processed wafers to the micro-environment container for removal from the load lock chamber.

A micro-environment load lock for coupling a SMIF-type box containing a stack of semiconductor wafers directly to a wafer processing chamber includes a load lock chamber in communication with at least one wafer processing tool. The load lock also includes a seal operable to accept and sealably couple a SMIF-type box to the load lock chamber such that SMIF-type box becomes an extension of the load lock chamber, and provides a base that is selectably operable to open and close the SMIF-type box and to selectably draw a cassette of wafers from the SMIF-type box through a port in communication with the load lock chamber and into the load lock chamber. The base is also operable to seal the port in the absence of a SMIF-type box. A single robot is provided in conjunction with the load lock chamber for moving one wafer at a time between the cassette of wafers and the process chamber.

Disclosed is a method for enabling the contents of a first chamber to be moved into a second chamber without exposing either chamber to elements making particulate-producing sliding contact. In one aspect of the invention, the method includes providing a carrier for a vertically spaced array of articles such as semiconductor wafers and having a clamping device for clampingly holding each of the articles; locating the carrier within the second chamber; opening the carrier by moving a first portion of the carrier upwardly from a second portion or,he carrier without producing sliding contact within the second chamber; and releasing the a clamping device without producing sliding contact within the second chamber, whereby the articles are accessible within the second chamber.