CN1069599C - Shipping and transport cassette with kinmatic coupling - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a loading box 10 for storing a plurality of articles in a parallel mode. The loading box specially has light weight and is provided with reinforced structures 50, 52 and 54 for preventing curling, bending, folding turning and crushing, 52 and 54. devices 66, 68 and 70 for transposing the loading box on some surface are also described in the present invention so that articles are accurately inserted inside and moved outside.

Description

Have the transportation of motion hookup and shift carrying case

The present invention relates to load and transport the transportation of various article and shift carrying case.Particularly, the present invention relates to be used for the carrying case of loaded with wafers, hard memory disc, flat-panel monitor, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or photomask.The present invention is specially adapted to load large article, and for example diameter is the wafer more than 300 millimeters.Yet carrying case manufactured according to the present invention also can be used for loading less article.

Existing various containers are used to load silicon wafer, hard memory disc, flat-panel monitor, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) etc. in the existing technologies.In processing factory, when shifting these article, another place must protect, because these article all very easily damage them from a place.Verified, these article carrying case of packing into is provided a kind of effective means of protection.

Early stage carrying case benzene is heavy, huge and cost is high.Simultaneously, these early stage carrying cases can not adapt to their working environment well.Employed deep-etching chemical agent usually can destroy the performance of these prior art carrying cases in heat and this environment, cause its in treating process, produces crooked, folding turns, curling even broken.These of carrying case are damaged the article usually can damage in the case to be adorned.

Carrying case design afterwards is devoted to prevent that by various reinforcing casings gusset piece, support or the H stay of above-mentioned distortion from overcoming the defective of prior art.In addition, adopted Te Fulong materials such as (Teflon).Selecting these materials is in order to tolerate the conventional chemical corrosion treatment to above-mentioned article.The carrying case that these technology are loaded less article (for example length or diameter are about the article below 150 millimeters) for design is an actv..But, because the progress of recent quartz conductor and electronics industry requires design can load the novel carrying case of large-size article.The design of these carrying cases must make it not produce that folding turns, curls, bending or broken, even to do the time spent also like this being subjected to high temperature or deep-etching chemical agent.In addition, because the dimension and weight of these article, it is more and more important that the robot manipulation seems, thereby require to have the structure that can help this carrying case transposition and locate with respect to treatment facility on these carrying cases.

The objective of the invention is to be designed for loading major diameter wafer (being that its diameter is more than 300 millimeters) and other close article of size.These carrying cases also can be used for loading less article.The invention provides unique ruggedized construction, in order to prevent this case in use produce curling, crooked, folding turns or broken.The design of these ruggedized constructions makes the material usage of making carrying case reduce, thereby has reduced cost and weight.

The present invention also provides carrying case easy to clean.These carrying cases can discrete and parallel-oriented ground loaded with articles, causes damage so that these article can not be in contact with one another.These carrying cases also comprise one group of groove, are used for this carrying case and processing or handle the connection of moving of the employed equipment of article.For example, can utilize these motion grooves that carrying case is put within the little volume receptacle and consign, be beneficial in transportation and transfer process, article be protected.

In sum, one of purpose of the present invention provides the carrying case that can load a plurality of wafers and so on article, and wherein the diameter of each wafer is more than 300 millimeters.

Another object of the present invention provide carrying case with suitable bracing means (because of its size bigger), with prevent this case produce curl, crooked, folding turns or broken, and is even also like this when this case is subjected to deep-etching chemical agent or high temperature action.

Another purpose of the present invention provides the carrying case that can load a plurality of article mutually discretely and parallel-oriented.

A further object of the present invention provides the carrying case that comprises the motion hookup, so that this case can be complementary with treatment facility or suitably be positioned among the little volume receptacle.

A further object of the present invention provides the carrying case with open top and bottom.

A further object of the present invention provides the carrying case that its all surface is all easy to clean and purify.

Above-mentioned and other purpose of the present invention by reading following preferred plan detailed description and will become more clear with reference to constituting a part of accompanying drawing of this explanation.

Brief Description Of Drawings:

Fig. 1 is the transparent view of cumulated volume invention characteristics carrying case.

Fig. 2 is the elevation drawing of carrying case one end of the present invention.

Fig. 3 be with Fig. 2 in the elevation drawing of relative another carrying case end.

Fig. 4 is the elevation drawing of this carrying case one side.

Fig. 5 be with Fig. 4 in the elevation drawing of relative another carrying case side.

Fig. 6 is the bottom plan view of this carrying case.

Fig. 7 is the top plan view of this carrying case.

Fig. 8 is a section drawing of describing two relative separating devices and a wafer.

As mentioned above, the invention provides the carrying case of article such as can loading silicon wafer, hard memory disc, flat-panel monitor, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), photomask or substrate.In order to repeat above-mentioned whole tabular continuously, will use the term of " wafer " carrying case in following figure and the explanation.The people who knows this technology is to be understood that advantage of the present invention is equally applicable to all above-mentioned article, and is not as restriction with this.The various elements of this carrying case all should be made by the low gas leakage material of durable and weak corpuscular property (if any).

The wafer carrying case 10 of preferred plan comprises first open sides 20, second open sides 22, first end wall 12, a pair of opposing sidewalls 14 and 16 and second end wall 18.The size of first open sides 20 is enough to wafer is inserted or shift out carrying case 10.Second open sides, 22 sizes can allow chemical liquids successfully pass this carrying case 10 between each wafer again in case with wafer support in carrying case 10.

Two side 14 is identical with 16 structures and symmetrical.Each sidewall has inside face 23, outside face 24, lower member 25, middle member 26 and upper member 28.The member 25,26 of each sidewall and 28 integral formings, the top of member 26 is positioned at the top and the outside at lower member 25 tops in making.Upper member 28 is protruded upward by the top of middle member 26.Last reinforcement rail 34 and following reinforcement rail 36 are protruding by the planar outer surfaces 24 of upper member 28.Strengthen rail 34 and 36 and help to support carrying case 10, also provide simultaneously to allow manipulator effectively catch and grasp the device of this carrying case.

Carrying case 10 also comprises a plurality of separating devices 40 that are positioned on each sidewall 14 and 16 inside faces 23.Separating device 40 stretches to the bottom of middle member 26 along the top of upper member 28 usually.Separating device 40 on the sidewall 14 is relative with separating device 40 on the sidewall 16.Separating device 40 is used to keep each wafer to be parallel, discrete with respect to other wafer in the case and the noncontact relation.Vertical along it, separating device 40 has the radius of curvature identical with wafer.In addition, separating device 40 along it laterally for gradual change, so that reduce may be to the damage of its formation when wafer is packed into or shift out carrying case 10.As more detailed description among Fig. 8, separating device 40 has the continually varying slope, and it is used for wafer is placed on the middle part of this carrying case, and this moment, these wafer along continuous straight runs were orientated.The scope on this slope can be from the plumbness of side-walls until the complete horizontality of the edge of this separating device.Under this structure, should guarantee crystal chip bearing on a part, so that guarantee edge contact with limited slope separating device.When wafer 80 parallel motions, because the structure of these separating devices 40 institute extremely, gravity will help wafer 80 to locate at the middle part.In case in the location, middle part, the upright position of this wafer is just accurately limited.In addition, shift in the process at another place from one at this carrying case, small vibration helps wafer is remained on the middle part of this case.This helps improving the horizontal location precision and the perpendicular positioning precision of wafer.

This separating device also has other preceence.For example, it provides the lowermost section that can reach under given intensity.Separating device 40 provides the barrier for it when wafer inserts or shifts out carrying case, thereby can recommend to use thin the support, because the chance that wafer 80 collides separating devices 40 and causes particle to produce is very little.In addition, the intensity of this separating device is enough to supporting wafers and makes avoid producing distortion in its whole storing process in carrying case.

Between every pair of separating device 40, dispose groove 42 is installed.At least the part of groove 42 rear sides vertically has radius of curvature along it, and this radius of curvature is identical with the radius of curvature of wafer circumference usually.This structure is favourable, because wafer is supported rather than is supported in a bit along a line by groove 42.This support has improved the stability of wafer in the case.This support also helps when carrying case 10 and wafer transfer tool engagement and guarantees that this wafer is in complete horizontality.The sidewall 14 and 16 of carrying case 10 is separated by a distance, and this distance is suitable for admitting and storing the wafer of special diameter (for example 300 millimeters).This carrying case can be made various sizes to load the wafer of any amount.Two kinds of representative type structures can be that capacity is 13 and 25 carrying case.The quantity of separating device 40 changes with the capacity of carrying case.

Can be optimized adjustment so that realize some preceence to separating device 40 and groove 42.At first, they are adjusted so that make wafer keep 5 millimeters predetermined spaces to 12 millimeters scopes.The second, they are adjusted so that 3 millimeters to 8 millimeters space is provided between each wafer.The 3rd, in each sidewall 14 of carrying case 10 and 16 and be parallel between the wafer diameter edge on open sides 20 and 22 planes and leave 1 millimeter to 3 millimeters space.Provide these intervals and space to guarantee that just wafer can not be in contact with one another in carrying case.Simultaneously, these spaces are enough to allow by manipulator this wafer to be inserted and shifts out when carrying case engages with the wafer transfer instrument.

The structure of first end wall 12 has some particular performances.First end wall 12 comprises first plate 50, second plate 52 and a plurality of crossover assemblies 54 of being separated by passage 56. Plate 50 and 52 discrete firmly fixing and be parallel to each other by crossover assembly 54.Each passage 56 is made of the part of first plate 50, a part and two crossover assemblies 54 of second plate 52.Passage 56 has open top 58 and open bottom 60 separately, thereby makes liquid pass this passage smoothly in processing of wafers or carrying case cleaning course.Do not have structures such as closed dead angle in passage, these closed dead angles etc. are difficult to cleaning or meeting collected liquid in carrying case 10 cleanings or wafer processing procedure.

It is dull and stereotyped that plate 50 is generally.Plate 52 also is dull and stereotyped usually, and just its middle part has big opening 64.Three motions connect groove 66,68 and 70 and are formed at second plate, 52 surfaces and extand rearward to first plate 50.These grooves can be used for making carrying case to be indexed into another target (for example wafer processing apparatus port).Groove 66,68 and 70 with this other target in design and match so that carrying case obtains suitable location in order to three complementary projection that cooperate this groove 66,68 and 70.The people who knows this technology will appreciate that, can also adopt other design to provide motion to connect groove 66,68 and 70.For example, this groove can be mold formed on other member block, and then be bound up on the plate 52 by screw, pin, ultrasonic welding or adhesives.

Many designs that all come from front bulkhead 12 in the above-mentioned advantage.At first, two plates 50 and 52 and the combination of crossover assembly 54 reduced curling of each wall or crooked.The second, this design be highly susceptible to cleaning and can be in wafer processing procedure draining liq easily.This is because passage 56 has open top and bottom.The 3rd, when upward the complementary projection of formation matched with certain surface, motion connect groove 66,68 and 70 and has simplified carrying case 10 in this lip-deep location.The 4th, it needs less plastic material, and its unit design is lighter and handier.The 5th, carrying case 10 can be caught by staff or machine tool easily, because it has opening 64 on plate 52.Carrying case 10 also can be caught from both sides by machine tool, because it has the rail 34 and 36 of reinforcement.

The design of first end wall 12 has caused the unique way that it engages with two side 14 and 16.The opposite side edge of first plate, 50 bottoms engages with the lower member 25 of each opposing sidewalls 14 and 16 in the mode of approximate right angle.Equally, the opposite side edge of plate 52 engages with the upper member 28 of each sidewall 14 and 16.This realizes by configuration oblique angle panel 53 between plate 52 and sidewall upper member 28.Oblique angle panel 53 is with respect to plate 52 and upper member 28 and bevel, and it has further reinforced unit design.

Second end wall 18 of carrying case 10 can have the design identical with first end wall 12.Yet both all have 66,68 and 70 and so on motion and connect groove not require first and second end walls usually.Therefore, the above-mentioned groove that on second end wall 18, do not draw among the figure.

As mentioned above, the present invention has many advantages, and they are not limited to storage and transferred silicon wafer.The present invention can successfully be applied to storage equally and shift article such as hard memory disc, photomask, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), flat-panel monitor and substrate.Can carry out various structural development and interpolation to carrying case disclosed herein 10 and can not break away from the scope of the invention.

Claims (12)

1. the carrying case that is used to load a plurality of article comprises: first open sides; Second open sides; The first side wall and second sidewall, a plurality of separating devices that each sidewall has inside face and extended internally by this inside face, a plurality of article in this first and second sidewalls together support case make each article that supported by this first and second sidewall be parallel, discrete with respect to other each article in this group and the noncontact relation; With first end wall and second end wall of this sidewall integral forming, this first end wall comprises: first plate separately; Second plate; A plurality of crossover assemblies, discrete and parallel mutually in order to keep this first plate reliably with second plate; A plurality of passages, each passage is made of a pair of in the part of the part of this first plate, second plate and this a plurality of crossover assemblies, and each passage has open top and open bottom, so that liquid can be detained wherein by this passage smoothly.

2. according to the carrying case of claim 1, wherein this second plate has big central opening.

3. according to the carrying case of claim 1, wherein also comprise first group at least three in order to carrying case is carried out the groove of motion positions with respect to another target.

4. according to the carrying case of claim 1, wherein this second end wall comprises equally: first plate; Second plate; A plurality of crossover assemblies, discrete and parallel mutually in order to keep this first plate reliably with second plate; A plurality of passages, each passage is made of a pair of in the part of the part of this first plate, second plate and this a plurality of crossover assemblies, and each passage has open top and open bottom, so that liquid can be detained wherein by this passage smoothly.

5. according to the carrying case of claim 4, wherein second plate of second plate of this first end wall and this second end wall has big central opening separately.

6. according to the carrying case of claim 3, wherein also comprise second group of at least three groove, this first group or second group of groove all can be used for carrying case is carried out motion positions with respect to another target.

7. according to the carrying case of claim 1, wherein this sidewall has lower member, middle member and upper member separately.

8. according to the carrying case of claim 7, wherein the upper member of each sidewall has a pair of outwardly directed rail bar.

9. according to the carrying case of claim 7, wherein the lower member of this each sidewall first plate direct and this each end wall joins.

10. according to the carrying case of claim 7, wherein the opposite end at each sidewall is equipped with discrete panel, links to each other with second plate of each end wall in order to the upper member with each sidewall.

11. according to the carrying case of claim 1, wherein the article container groove is made of in pairs these a plurality of separating devices, the part of each groove rear side vertically has radius of curvature along it, and this radius of curvature is identical with the circumferential curvature radius of institute's loaded with articles in the case usually.

12. according to the carrying case of claim 1, wherein at least a portion has the continually varying slope so that supporting wafers in this separating device.

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