JP2001257257A - Work moving mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To move a plurality of works for transferring them without damaging them, in a work moving mechanism for transferring the works housed in a carrier case to a work carrier. SOLUTION: The work moving mechanism positions a carrier case C which houses works such as wafers 1,1,... processed in previous steps and a work carrier D which houses and holds the works to be processed in the next step with their openings mutually bonded, and transfers the many works housed in the carrier case C to specified positions in the work carrier D. The mechanism comprises means for positioning mutually and fixing them and means E for moving the works. Owing to these means, the works can be moved, without damaging them, in transferring the plurality of works.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a carrier case for accommodating a work such as a wafer, a disk-shaped recording medium, an LCD substrate or a reticle, and a work carrier for accommodating the work and holding it for processing in the next step. Are positioned by joining the openings to each other, and transfer the work housed in the carrier case to the work carrier, particularly when transferring the work from the carrier case to the work carrier, damage the work The present invention relates to a work moving mechanism capable of moving without moving.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional work moving mechanism, for example, in a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device or the like, as shown in FIG. 7, a work such as a wafer processed in a previous process and stored in a carrier case A is transferred to a next process. Work carrier B to process
In this case, the carrier case A and the work carrier B are positioned by joining the openings to each other.

[0003] The carrier case A is a case in which a plurality of wafers as workpieces processed in the previous process are stacked and stored one by one in a groove on the inner surface and are carried to the next process. 1, ... and the back is wafer 1,
It is a box-shaped container in which the intervals are narrowed so that 1, ... stop. As shown in FIG. 8, the upper and lower portions of the carrier case A are joined to the opening portions of the carrier case A.
2 were provided. The work carrier B includes a plurality of wafers 1, 1 transferred from the carrier case A.
Are held in a predetermined position and are held for processing in the next step, and the opening is a container serving as a delivery port for the wafers 1, 1,. As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, at the portion where the opening of the work carrier B is joined,
The positioning projections 3 and 3 were provided in the upper and lower parts.

In order to transfer a plurality of wafers stored in the carrier case A to a predetermined position of the work carrier B using such a work moving mechanism, first, FIG.
Are fitted into the recesses 2 and 2 of the carrier case A, respectively, and the carrier case A and the work carrier B are positioned by joining the openings to each other, and the position is maintained as it is. The entire carrier case A was tilted so as to be higher than the work carrier B.
Thus, the plurality of wafers 1, 1,... Stored in the carrier case A slide down by their own weight and move to the work carrier B.

[0005]

However, in such a conventional work moving mechanism, when the carrier case A and the work carrier B are joined, the convex portions 3 are fitted into the concave portions 2 respectively. And they were not fixed to each other. Therefore, when the entire body is tilted, the convex portion 3 comes off the concave portion 2 and the carrier case A
And the work carrier B may not be maintained.

In view of this, a force has been applied from both sides at the position where the carrier case A and the work carrier B have been joined so as to keep them joined. However, the entire work moving mechanism is tilted while such force is being applied. If the projections 3 are disengaged from the recesses 2 and the joining between the carrier case A and the work carrier B becomes unstable when the wafers 1, 1,... Wafer 1,
Unnecessary force was applied to the sides of the wafers 1, 2,.

When the wafers 1, 1,... Accommodated in the carrier case A are largely tilted in order to move them to the work carrier B, the speed at which the wafers 1, 1,. Then, there is a problem that the work is scratched due to friction with the work carrier B. Also, when the wafers 1, 1,... Moved by their own weight collide with the end of the work carrier B and stop, a larger impact is applied due to the acceleration of the falling speed, so that a part of the wafer is chipped. there were.

Also, in order to move the wafers 1, 1,... Stored in the carrier case A to the work carrier B, for example, a T-shaped pressing jig (not shown) is inserted through a gap at a rear portion of the carrier case A. .. May be pushed out to the opening, but at that time, the pushing jig must be used while maintaining the bonding between the carrier case A and the work carrier B. In some cases, the pressing jig made of a separate member cannot be found immediately, and the work of moving the wafer cannot be performed quickly.

In view of the above, the present invention addresses such a problem, and when transferring a plurality of works such as wafers stored in a carrier case to a predetermined position of a work carrier, the carrier case and the work carrier are joined. It is an object of the present invention to provide a work moving mechanism that can position the work and fix each other at the position, and can move the work without damaging the work.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, a work moving mechanism according to the present invention comprises a carrier case for accommodating a work in a previous process, and a carrier case for accommodating the work and processing the work in a next process. With the work career to hold,
A work moving mechanism for joining and positioning the openings to each other and transferring a plurality of works housed in the carrier case to a predetermined position of the work carrier, wherein a means for moving the work is provided in the carrier case; It is.

[0011] Further, at the part where the carrier case and the work carrier are joined, means for positioning and fixing each other at the joining position are provided.

Further, the means for moving the work is provided with a work pusher for pushing the work by sliding the work from the rear of the carrier case toward the opening.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a work moving mechanism according to the present invention. The work moving mechanism includes a carrier case C for storing a work such as a wafer, a disk-shaped recording medium, an LCD substrate or a reticle processed in the previous process, and a work case for storing the work and holding the work for processing in the next process. And a work carrier D.
Are positioned by joining the openings to each other, and the plurality of works accommodated in the carrier case C are transferred to predetermined positions of the work carrier D.

For example, in a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the carrier case C is located at an unloader section after processing in a certain process, and a plurality of wafers 1 and
1, ... are received and stacked one by one in the groove on the inner surface facing each other, stored and taken to the next process. A box-like shape with an opening on the front surface serving as a work delivery port is provided. Container.

The work carrier D accommodates a plurality of wafers 1, 1,... Transferred from the carrier case C in a predetermined position and holds them for processing in the next step. This is a container in which a number of shelf-like work receiving portions for storing the peripheral portions of the work placed on the inner side surfaces of both side plates are opposed to each other and arranged vertically.

Here, in the work moving mechanism according to the present invention, the carrier case C is provided with a means E for moving the work. This work moving means E pushes out a plurality of works stored in the carrier case C to the opening, and as shown in FIG.
And a handle 5 attached to the carrier case C to slide the work pusher 4 back and forth.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a first example of the work moving means E. On the upper surface of the carrier case C, two left and right slits 6, 6 extending from the rear toward the opening.
Are provided, and two slits are similarly provided on the lower surface thereof. In two sets of left and right slits 6 and 6 provided on both the upper and lower surfaces, a work pushing part 4 moving along the slits is located. The upper ends 7, 7 of the two left and right work pushing portions 4 are connected by a connecting tool 8, and the lower ends thereof are also connected by a connecting tool 8 (not shown). The connecting tools 8 provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the carrier case C are connected by a handle 5. Also,
The upper end 7 and the lower end of each of the work pushing portions 4 are connected to the rear end of the carrier case C by an elastic body 9 made of a spring or rubber, respectively, and are pulled back.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the work moving means E. Here, when the handle 5 is pushed forward as indicated by an arrow F, the connecting tool 8 on the upper surface and the connecting tool 8 (not shown) connected to the handle 5 are moved forward as shown by an arrow G in parallel. Move. Thereby, the two left and right work pushing portions 4 (see FIG. 2) located inside the carrier case C slide forward and parallel along the slits 6 and 6. And
When the handle 5 is released, the two work pushing parts 4 are returned to the original positions by the elastic bodies 9 connected to the upper end 7 and the lower end.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a second example of the work moving means provided on the carrier case C. This work moving means E ′ has two left and right work pushing parts 4 and a handle 5 as in the first example, but the two right and left work pushing parts 4 are Is pulled forward, it is configured to move forward along the slits 6, 6.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the work moving means E '. The upper ends 7, 7 of the two right and left work pushing parts 4 are connected by a string 11 via four pulleys 10, 10,... Provided respectively on the front part and the rear part of the two slits 6, 6. The handle 5 is connected to an intermediate point of the string 11. Further, the lower ends of the work pushing portions 4 are also connected to the handle 5 in a similar configuration. Here, the handle 5
Is pulled forward as indicated by an arrow H, and the string 11 is pulled as indicated by arrows J and K.
(See FIG. 4) slides forward along the slits 6 and 6 in parallel. Then, when the handle 5 is released, the two work pushing portions 4 are returned to the original positions by the elastic bodies 9 connected to the upper end 7 and the lower end.

In the work moving mechanism according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, means for positioning and fixing the carrier case C and the work carrier D at a position where the carrier case C and the work carrier D are joined to each other at the joint position. (12,1
3) is provided. This is the carrier case C
The work carrier D and the work carrier D are positioned by joining the openings to each other, and are fixed to each other at that position. A fixing claw 12 is provided at a portion where the work carrier D is joined to the opening, and the carrier case C Lock portions 13 for engaging and fixing with the fixing claws 12 are provided at portions where the openings are joined. The locking claw 12 and the locking portion 13 are configured so that the locking portion 13 is elastically deformed and engages with and is fixed to the locking claw 12. It should be noted that the means for positioning and fixing each other at the joining positions described above is merely an example, and may be realized by means other than the structure shown in FIG.

Next, a method of using the work moving mechanism configured as described above will be described. Here, as the work moving means E provided in the carrier case C, one that pushes out the handle 5 shown in FIG. 2 and slides the work pusher 4 forward is used. It is assumed that the plurality of wafers 1 are already stacked and stored. First, the position of the fixing claw 12 provided on the work carrier D shown in FIG. 6 is matched with the position of the lock portion 13 provided on the carrier case C, and the openings are joined and positioned. The carrier case C and the work carrier D are pushed from both sides to fix each other. Then, the lock portion 13 opens at the position of the fixing claw 12 due to its elasticity, and is caught by the fixing claw 12 at the position where the carrier case C and the work carrier D are joined, thereby locking the fixing claw 12. .
Thereby, the carrier case C and the work carrier D are positioned and fixed to each other at the position where they are joined.

Then, the handle 5 (see FIG. 2) provided on the carrier case C is pushed forward without tilting the entire work moving mechanism. Then, the plurality of wafers 1 stacked and housed in the carrier case C are simultaneously pushed forward simultaneously by the two work pushing portions 4 that slide forward in parallel, and are moved to a predetermined position of the work carrier D as they are. Can be replaced. The work carrier D holds the plurality of transferred wafers 1 for processing in the next step. Here, in place of the work moving means E, a work moving means E 'which pulls the handle 5 shown in FIG.

In the above description, a wafer has been described as an example of a work to be transferred from the carrier case C to the work carrier D. However, the work is not limited to a wafer, and may be, for example, a disk-shaped recording medium, an LCD substrate, or a reticle. The same applies to the case where the transfer from the carrier case C to the work carrier D is performed.

[0025]

The present invention has been configured as described above.
By providing a means for moving the work in a carrier case for stacking and storing a plurality of works processed in the previous process, the plurality of works can be moved without tilting the entire work moving mechanism as in the related art. All the workpieces can be pushed forward simultaneously. Therefore, a plurality of works stored in the carrier case can be transferred to a predetermined position of the work carrier without damaging the works.

[0026] In addition, means for positioning and fixing each other at a position where the carrier case and the work carrier are joined to each other is provided, so that the carrier case and the work carrier can be moved during movement of the work. The joining can be prevented from coming off. Therefore,
A plurality of works stored in the carrier case can be transferred to a predetermined position of the work carrier without breaking the work that is going to pass through the joint.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a work moving mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a first example of a work moving means provided in the carrier case shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the work moving means.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a second example of the work moving means provided in the carrier case shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the work moving means.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a means for positioning the carrier case and the work carrier by the work moving mechanism and fixing them together.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a conventional work moving mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a means for positioning a relative position by fitting a convex portion for positioning by a conventional work moving mechanism to a concave portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

 C: Carrier case D: Work carrier E: First example of work moving means E ': Second example of work moving means 1 ... Wafer 4 ... Work pusher 5 ... Handle 6 ... Slit 7 ... Upper end of work pusher Part 8: Connecting tool 9 ... Elastic body 10 ... Pulley 11 ... String 12 ... Fixing claw 13 ... Lock part

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A carrier case for accommodating a work in a previous step and a work carrier for accommodating the work and holding the work for processing in a next step by joining openings to each other and positioning the carrier case. A work moving mechanism for transferring a plurality of works stored in a work carrier to predetermined positions of the work carrier, wherein the carrier case is provided with a means for moving the works. 2. The work moving mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a means for positioning and fixing each other at a position where the carrier case and the work carrier are joined is provided. 3. The work according to claim 1, wherein the means for moving the work includes a work pushing portion that slides from a rear portion of the carrier case toward an opening to push the work. Moving mechanism.