JP2001284430A - Carrier placing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problems where there is a fear that a conveyer robot of a carrier or a conveyer robot of a substrate does not operate correctly if it is not placed on a normal position when the carrier is placed on a carrier placing base plate. SOLUTION: The carrier placing apparatus 1 comprises the carrier placing base plate 3 having a pin 5 fitting in a pin hole 6 that the carrier C has, a first normal sensor 7a and a second normal sensor 7b that detect whether a given bottom surface region of the carrier C is in a standard position in the vertical direction, and an informing part 20 that gives information of the normal placing by regarding the carrier C as fitting in the pin 5 when the given bottom surface region is in the standard position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a carrier mounting device on which a carrier for accommodating a substrate is mounted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a carrier for accommodating a substrate, in addition to a horizontally arranged carrier for accommodating a substrate in a state in which a plurality of substrates are arranged in a line in a horizontal direction as in the conventional art, 2. Description of the Related Art A vertically arranged carrier for accommodating substrates in a state in which a plurality of substrates are arranged in a line in a vertical direction with the main surface of the substrate being horizontal has been used. FIG. 6 shows a vertically arranged carrier (hereinafter, simply referred to as a carrier). The carrier C is mounted on the mounting table 900 by a carrier transport device (not shown) and is carried away. The carrier C has three pin holes (not shown) at the bottom, and fits with three pins 901 of the mounting table 900. When the pin hole and the pin 901 are fitted, the carrier C is mounted on the mounting table 9.
It is positioned at a predetermined position on 00. The substrate transport robot 902 loads and unloads the substrate W from the positioned carrier C. By positioning the carrier C at a predetermined position on the mounting table 900 in this manner, the carrier transport device can accurately hold and transport the carrier C. The substrate transfer robot 90
2 can also accurately transfer the substrate W.

[0003]

However, the carrier C
May be mounted on the mounting table 900 in a state where the pins 901 are not correctly fitted to the pins 901 for some reason.

In this case, since the carrier C is not at a predetermined position on the mounting table 900, the carrier transport device cannot accurately hold the carrier C even if, for example, the carrier transport device attempts to unload the carrier C. Further, when loading or unloading a substrate with the substrate transfer robot 902, the substrate transfer robot 902 cannot accurately load or unload a substrate. In the worst case, the transfer robot 902 collides with the carrier C, The substrate W may be damaged.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a carrier mounting device capable of accurately confirming whether or not a carrier mounted on a mounting table is normally mounted.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a carrier mounting apparatus for mounting a carrier for storing a substrate having a fitting portion having a concave portion or a convex portion on a bottom portion, and a mounting portion. A carrier mounting device having a detection unit that detects a position of a mounted carrier and a notification unit that notifies information from the detection unit, wherein the mounting unit includes a recess of a fitting unit included in the carrier. Or, it is fitted in correspondence with the convex part, and has a positioning means comprising a convex part or a concave part for positioning the carrier, the detecting part has a sensor for detecting the position of the carrier in the vertical direction, and the notifying part, Using the position of the carrier in the up-down direction when the carrier is normally placed as a reference position, it is determined whether the carrier is at the reference position in the up-down direction from the detection result of the detection unit, and the carrier is positioned in the up-down direction. When it is in the position, it informs that the carrier is normally placed,

This is a carrier mounting device for notifying that the carrier is not normally mounted when the carrier is not at the reference position in the vertical direction.

The carrier mounting device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the carrier mounting device according to the first aspect, wherein the sensor is a sensor that detects a vertical position of a bottom surface of the carrier.

A third aspect of the present invention is a carrier mounting apparatus according to the second aspect.

[0010] The bottom surface of the carrier is substantially rectangular,
The bottom surface is divided into four bottom regions by a first straight line passing through the center of the bottom surface and parallel to one side of the substantially quadrilateral, and a second straight line passing through the center of the bottom surface and orthogonal to the first straight line. In this case, the detection unit is configured to detect a vertical position of a bottom surface in an arbitrary first bottom surface region of the four bottom surface regions, and to be symmetric with respect to a center of the first bottom surface region and the bottom surface. And a second sensor for detecting the vertical position of the bottom surface in the second bottom surface region located at a proper position.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the carrier mounting apparatus according to the second or third aspect.

The sensor is provided below a vertical position of a bottom surface of the carrier when the carrier is normally placed on the placing portion, and emits detection light substantially upward. Similarly, the carrier is provided below the vertical position of the bottom surface of the carrier when normally mounted on the mounting portion, and is reflected on the bottom surface of the carrier when normally mounted on the mounting portion. And a light receiving unit for receiving the detection light.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the carrier placing apparatus of the fourth aspect, when a carrier is placed on the placing portion, it is detected whether or not there is an object in a space occupied by the carrier. This is a carrier mounting device further having a presence / absence detection unit.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the carrier mounting apparatus according to the fifth aspect, the presence / absence detecting section includes a light projecting section for emitting detection light passing through a space occupied by the carrier, and a light projecting section. And a light receiving unit for receiving the detection light emitted from the carrier mounting device.

[0015]

FIG. 1 shows a carrier mounting apparatus 1 according to the present invention. The carrier mounting device 1 has a mounting table 3 on which the carrier C is mounted, and a first pin 5 is provided at a predetermined position on the mounting table 3.
a, the second pin 5b, and the third pin 5c protrude. (Hereinafter, the first pin 5a, the second pin 5b, and the third pin 5c are collectively referred to as pins 5.) The pins 5 are first pin holes 6a and second pin holes provided at the bottom of the carrier C, respectively. 6
(b) The carrier C can be positioned by fitting into the third pin hole 6c and by fitting into the pin hole. (Only the third pin hole 6c is shown in FIG. 1.) Hereinafter, the first pin hole 6a, the second pin hole 6b, and the third pin hole 6c are collectively referred to as the pin hole 6. The vertical position of the carrier C when the carrier C is positioned by the pins 5 as shown in FIG. 1 is referred to as a reference position. Further, the vertical position of the bottom surface of the carrier C at the reference position is referred to as a reference bottom position. In the present embodiment, the reference bottom position is the same as the position of the upper surface US of the mounting table 3. Although not shown, an opening through which a substrate is inserted and removed is provided on the front surface F of the carrier C. Next, the mounting table 3 is provided with a first normal sensor 7a and a second normal sensor 7b, and detects a vertical position of a bottom surface BS (described later) of the carrier C.

Further, the mounting table 3 is provided with a light projecting portion 9a of the presence / absence sensor 9 for detecting the presence or absence of the carrier C on the mounting table 3. The light projecting unit 9a is provided at a position lower than the upper surface US of the mounting table 3, and is not in contact with the carrier C.
The light projecting unit 9a detects the detection light DL1 obliquely upward.
Is firing. The detection light DL1 passes through the space SP occupied by the carrier C when the carrier C is positioned on the mounting table 3 by the pins 5. Then, the detection light D
A light receiving portion 9b of the presence / absence sensor 9 is provided outside the space SP occupied by the carrier C in the extension of L1.
The presence / absence sensor 9 of the present embodiment is set to be ON when the detection light DL1 is blocked.

Next, the pin 5 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, the first pin 5a will be described as an example. FIG. 2 shows a part of the SS section of FIG. As shown in FIG.
The 1 pin 5a is a substantially columnar member having a conical top, and is erected in the mounting table 3 in the vertical direction. And the second
The 1 pin 5a can be fitted into the first pin hole 6a at the bottom of the carrier C. The second pin 5b and the third pin 5b
The pin 5c has the same structure as the first pin 5a, and the second pin hole 6b and the third pin hole 6c are the first pin hole 6c.
It has the same structure as a.

Next, in the same manner as in FIG.
Will be described. For convenience, the first normal sensor 7a
Hatching is omitted.

The first normal sensor 7a has a flat upper part.
It has a light projecting element 71 and a light receiving element 72. And
The upper surface of the first normal sensor 7a is lower than the upper surface US of the mounting table 3. Light emitting element 71
Emits the detection light DL2 obliquely upward. Light receiving element 7
Numeral 2 detects the detection light DL2 emitted from the light projecting element 71 and reflected on the object, but is particularly set to detect only the detection light reflected from the object existing at a predetermined distance. Here, the first normal sensor 7a is set to be ON when the detection light DL2 reflected on the bottom surface BS at the reference bottom surface position is detected. Conversely, for example, when the carrier C is not properly placed, the bottom surface BS does not reach the reference bottom position because the carrier C does not fit properly with the first pin 5a, and the carrier C is located above the reference bottom position. I will.
At this time, since the light receiving element 72 does not detect the detection light DL2, the first normal sensor 7a is turned off. Although described later, the carrier C arrives at the reference position when the pins 5 are fitted into all the pin holes 6, and at this time, the bottom surface BS also reaches the reference bottom position. Therefore, if it can be detected that the bottom surface BS is at the reference bottom surface position, it can be said that the carrier C is normally mounted on the mounting table 3.

The second normal sensor 7b has the same configuration as the first normal sensor 7a, and is set to be ON when the bottom surface BS is at the reference bottom position.

As described above, the first normal sensor 7a and the second normal sensor 7b detect the vertical position of the bottom surface BS of the carrier C in a non-contact manner by the detection light. Therefore, generation of dust can be suppressed, and contaminants on the substrate can be prevented from scattering around.

Further, since the first normal sensor 7a and the second normal sensor 7b do not contact the carrier C, the upper surfaces of the first normal sensor 7a and the second normal sensor 7b are not scratched or worn. Therefore, the period during which the detection light is satisfactorily projected and received becomes extremely long, malfunctions of the first normal sensor 7a and the second normal sensor 7b are suppressed for a long time, and the frequency of replacement can be reduced.

Next, according to FIG. 3, the first normal sensor 7a,
The arrangement of the second normal sensor 7b on the mounting table 3 will be described.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the mounting table 3.

As shown, the first pin 5a, the second pin 5b,
The third pin 5c is provided on the mounting table 3. The outline LS of the bottom surface BS of the carrier C when positioned by the first pin 5a, the second pin 5b, and the third pin 5c is 2
This is indicated by a chain line. In addition, for convenience of explanation, in this drawing, the bottom surface BS is shown in a state seen through from above.

The bottom surface BS of the carrier C is substantially rectangular as indicated by the outline LS, is parallel to the side SD1 located on the front surface F side where the substrate is taken in and out, and passes through the center CP of the bottom surface. And a second straight line L2 orthogonal to the first straight line L1 and passing through the center CP of the bottom surface, and can be divided into four regions. Here, the center CP of the bottom surface corresponds to the approximate center of gravity of the bottom surface.

Then, the four regions are divided into bottom regions R1, R2, R3,
When defined as R4, the first normal sensor 7a has a bottom surface region R1.
The second normal sensor 7b is arranged at a position for detecting the vertical position of the bottom surface region R3 which is symmetrical with respect to the center CP of the bottom surface with respect to the bottom surface region R1. . (The regions R1 and R3 are hatched.) Specifically, the detection light emitted from each of the first normal sensor 7a and the second normal sensor 7b is the bottom surface when the bottom surface BS is at the reference bottom position. Region R
1. The first normal sensor 7 so as to reach the bottom surface region R3.
a, the second normal sensor 7b is arranged.

The carrier C has a first pin hole 6a, a second pin hole 6b, and a third pin hole 6c which are arranged at the vertices of a substantially isosceles triangle around the center CP of the bottom surface. 1
The pin 5a, the second pin 5b, and the third pin 5c are positioned at three points by being fitted, so that if any two of the first pin 5a, the second pin 5b, and the third pin 5c are fitted, the remaining position is obtained. Is also fitted. By fitting these three pins 5 into the three pin holes 6, the carrier C is positioned at the reference position, and the bottom surface BS thereof reaches the reference bottom position. In this embodiment, the center CP of the substantially square bottom surface BS is used.
It is detected whether or not the bottom surface area located diagonally across is located at the reference bottom position. This makes it possible to detect whether or not the entire bottom surface BS is at the reference bottom position, and thus to detect whether or not the carrier C is at the reference position. In the present embodiment, the first normal sensor 7a and the second normal sensor 7b are
Although they are arranged so as to detect the bottom areas R1 and R3, respectively, they may be arranged so as to detect the bottom areas R2 and R4. In short, the bottom areas located diagonally around the center CP of the bottom face. What is necessary is just to detect.

Note that the first normal sensor 7a and the second normal sensor 7b are each provided with a portion other than the portion where the first pin hole 6a and the second pin hole 6b are present, in any portion of the bottom surface regions R1 and R3. Although it can be arranged so as to detect the position in the up-down direction, it is preferable to arrange at a position where the bottom surface near the first pin hole 6a and the second pin hole 6b is detected as in the present embodiment. This is because, when the carrier C is not properly placed, the bottom BS near the pin hole has a larger amount of deviation from the reference bottom position than the other bottom BS.

Next, the hardware configuration of the carrier mounting device 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown, the first normal sensor 7a, the second normal sensor 7b, and the presence / absence sensor 9 are connected to the notification unit 20.

The notification unit 20 includes a CPU, a RAM, and a ROM, and processes information. The information processing unit 11 displays information from the information processing unit 11, and the information processing unit 11 and an external device. Interface 1 to connect to
And 3. The external device 14 includes, for example, a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate transfer apparatus, a carrier transfer apparatus, and the like.

Next, an example of the operation of the carrier mounting device 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

Immediately after the carrier mounting device 1 is started, that is, at the start SS in the drawing, the first normal sensor 7a and the second normal sensor 7b are in a state of emitting detection light. The presence / absence sensor 9 is also emitting the detection light DL1. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step 1 in FIG. Step S1
Then, the information processing section 11 determines whether or not the external device 14 has inquired about the mounting state of the carrier C through the interface 13. If there is no inquiry, step S1 is repeated. If there is an inquiry, the process proceeds to step S2.

In step S2, the information processing section 11 determines whether or not the presence / absence sensor 9 is ON. If the presence / absence sensor 9 is ON, it is determined that the carrier C or any other object is present on the mounting table 3 and step S3
Proceed to. In step S3, it is determined whether or not both the first normal sensor 7a and the second normal sensor 7b are ON.
In the case of N, it is determined that the carrier C is normally mounted on the mounting table 3, and the process proceeds to step S4. In step S4, the display 1 indicates that the carrier C has been normally placed.
2 and notifies the external device 14 via the interface 13 that the carrier C is normally placed. Returning to step S3, the first normal sensor 7a,
If both the second normal sensors 7b are not ON, it is determined that the carrier C is not normally mounted on the mounting table 3, and the process proceeds to step S5. The state in step S5 is the first state despite the presence / absence sensor 9 being ON.
Since one or both of the normal sensor 7a and the second normal sensor 7b are in the OFF state, even if an object exists on the mounting table 3 and the object is the carrier C, the carrier C is It is presumed that it is in a state that it is not normally placed. Accordingly, the display 12 indicates that the carrier C is not properly placed.
To inform the operator of this fact, and to the external device 14 via the interface 13 that the carrier C is not properly placed. Step S2
Returning to step S6, if the presence sensor 9 is OFF,
Proceed to. In step S6, it is determined whether any one of the first normal sensor 7a and the second normal sensor 7b is ON. If any of them is ON, the process proceeds to step S7. The state in step S7 is a state in which the presence / absence sensor 9 is OFF and one of the first normal sensor 7a and the second normal sensor 7b is ON. That is, if the carrier C is normally mounted, at least the presence / absence sensor 9 should be ON, but the presence / absence sensor 9 is OFF, and the first normal sensor 7a and
This means that one of the second normal sensors 7b is ON. Therefore, here, an object that cannot be detected by the presence / absence sensor 9 is detected by either the first normal sensor 7a or the second normal sensor 7b.

Accordingly, as in step S5, the fact that the carrier C is not properly placed is displayed on the display 12, the operator is notified of this fact, and the fact that the carrier C is not properly placed through the interface 13 is displayed. To the external device 14. Returning to step S6 again, if neither the first normal sensor 7a nor the second normal sensor 7b is ON, there is nothing on the mounting table 3 and the process proceeds to step S8, where the external device 14
That the carrier C is not placed.

In this embodiment, the first normal sensor 7a and the second normal sensor 7a
Only when all of the normal sensor 7b and the presence / absence sensor 9 are turned on, it is determined that the carrier C is normally placed. For this reason, it can be accurately notified whether or not the carrier C is properly placed.

As described above, the present embodiment is directed to the carrier C having a pin hole as a concave portion on the bottom portion. It is sufficient to detect whether the position of the bottom surface of the carrier in the direction is at the reference bottom position.

[0039]

According to the carrier mounting device of the first aspect, the carrier is positioned by being mounted so that the fitting portion at the bottom thereof and the positioning means of the mounting portion are fitted. When the carrier is normally placed, the fitting portion and the positioning means are fitted, so that the carrier is located at a predetermined reference position in the vertical direction. On the other hand, when the carrier is not properly placed, the fitting portion does not fit with the positioning means, and thus the carrier is located at a position deviated from the reference position in the up-down direction.
Then, the detection unit detects the position of the carrier in the up-down direction, and the notification unit notifies the outside whether or not the carrier is normally loaded according to the detection result of the detection unit.

That is, when it is detected that the vertical position of the carrier is at the reference position, the notification unit notifies that the carrier is normally placed, and conversely, the position of the carrier is shifted from the reference position. When detecting that the carrier is out of position, the notification unit notifies that the carrier is not properly placed. This makes it possible to accurately confirm whether the placed carrier is properly placed.

In the carrier mounting device according to the second aspect, the sensor of the detecting section detects the position of the bottom surface of the carrier in the vertical direction. When the bottom surface of the carrier is located at the predetermined reference bottom position, the notification unit reports that the carrier is normally placed, and conversely, the position of the carrier is shifted to a position deviated from the reference position. When it is located, it informs that the carrier is not properly placed. This makes it possible to accurately confirm whether the placed carrier is properly placed.

In the carrier mounting device according to the third aspect, of the four bottom surface regions when the bottom surface of the substantially rectangular carrier is divided by the first straight line and the second straight line, the two bottom regions are symmetrical with respect to the center of the bottom surface. The position in the vertical direction of the two bottom areas is detected. Accordingly, it is possible to confirm that the entire bottom surface of the carrier is at the predetermined reference bottom surface position, and thus it is possible to accurately detect whether the carrier is properly placed.

According to the carrier detecting device of the present invention, since the vertical position of the bottom of the carrier can be detected in a non-contact manner, there is no contact between the detecting portion and the carrier, and contaminants are generated on the substrate due to the contact. Can be prevented. Further, it is possible to prevent the detection unit from being worn due to friction with the carrier.

According to the carrier mounting device of the fifth aspect, even if an object is present on the mounting portion but the detecting portion cannot detect the object, the object is placed on the mounting portion. Can be detected. Then, it is possible to detect at least that the carrier is not properly placed.

According to the carrier mounting device of the sixth aspect, since the presence or absence of the carrier can be detected in a non-contact manner, there is no contact between the presence / absence detector and the carrier, and the generation of contaminants caused by the contact can be prevented. Further, wear of the presence / absence detection unit due to friction with the carrier can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a carrier mounting device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line SS in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the mounting table 3;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of the carrier mounting device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the carrier mounting device.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a conventional carrier mounting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 carrier mounting device 3 mounting table 5a first pin 5b second pin 5c third pin 6a first pin hole 6b second pin hole 6c third pin hole 7a first normal sensor 7b second normal sensor 9 presence / absence sensor 9a Light section 9b Light receiving section 20 Notification section 71 Light projecting element 72 Light receiving element L1 First straight line L2 Second straight line R1, R2, R3, R4 Bottom area US Top surface

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A mounting portion on which a carrier for storing a substrate having a fitting portion formed of a concave portion or a convex portion on a bottom portion is mounted, and a detecting portion for detecting a position of the carrier mounted on the mounting portion. A carrier mounting device having a notifying unit for notifying information from the detecting unit, wherein the mounting unit is fitted in correspondence with a concave portion or a convex portion of a fitting portion of the carrier, and Positioning means comprising a convex portion or a concave portion for positioning the carrier, the detecting portion has a sensor for detecting the position of the carrier in the vertical direction, and the notifying portion has a carrier in the vertical direction when the carrier is normally placed. It is determined whether or not the carrier is at the reference position in the vertical direction from the detection result of the detection unit as a reference position, and when the carrier is at the reference position in the vertical direction, the carrier is normally placed. And notifying Rukoto, carrier placing unit when the carrier is not in the reference position in the vertical direction is informed that the carrier is not properly placed. 2. The carrier mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a sensor for detecting a position of a bottom surface of the carrier in a vertical direction. 3. The carrier mounting device according to claim 2, wherein the bottom surface of the carrier is substantially rectangular, and a first straight line that passes through the center of the bottom surface and is parallel to one side of the substantially quadrilateral. A second line passing through the center of
When the bottom surface is divided into four bottom surface regions by a straight line, the detection unit detects a vertical position of a bottom surface in an arbitrary first bottom surface region of the four bottom surface regions, A carrier mounting device comprising: a first sensor for detecting a vertical position of a bottom surface in a second bottom surface region symmetrical with respect to a center of the first bottom surface region with respect to a center of the bottom surface. 4. The carrier mounting device according to claim 2, wherein the sensor is provided below a vertical position of a bottom surface of the carrier when the carrier is normally mounted on the mounting portion. And a light-emitting unit that emits detection light substantially upward, and the light-emitting unit is also provided below the vertical position of the bottom surface of the carrier when the carrier is normally mounted on the mounting unit, and is normally provided. A carrier mounting device, which is a sensor having a light receiving unit that receives detection light reflected on the bottom surface of the carrier when mounted on the mounting unit. 5. The carrier mounting device according to claim 4, further comprising a presence / absence detecting unit for detecting whether or not there is an object in a space occupied by the carrier when the carrier is mounted on the mounting unit. Carrier mounting device. 6. The carrier mounting device according to claim 5, wherein the presence / absence detection unit emits a detection light passing through a space occupied by the carrier, and a detection light emitted from the light emission unit. A carrier mounting device which is a sensor having a light receiving unit for receiving light.