JP2002033371A - Method and device for conveying semiconductor device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To convey products by the shortest path in a clean room. SOLUTION: A conveyance robot traveling along rails selects the shortest or almost the shortest route for automatic traveling. In this case, the rails are suspended from the ceiling of the clean room that is a semiconductor- manufacturing line and are arranged, while the rails intersect longitudinally laterally, and diagonally.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transporting semiconductor devices in a semiconductor manufacturing line, and to efficiently transport a large number of products.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG.
Normally, the transport paths of the apparatus are arranged vertically and horizontally, and when the product is to be transported between A and B, the shortest path that is most rational is the path indicated by the solid arrow. In particular, when the route is restricted by the arrangement of articles on the floor or the like, a long transport route has to be selected as shown by a dotted arrow in the figure. Therefore, in a conventional clean room of a semiconductor manufacturing line, transfer is performed on a passage (floor) between apparatuses by human labor or by using a robot.

[0003]

The conventional transport apparatus or transport means is as described above, and it is not possible to improve the efficiency and reduce the effort by selecting the shortest transport path. There is a problem that it is unsuitable for a clean room which is a semiconductor production line required to be transported.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to improve a product transfer path which is restricted by the arrangement of apparatuses on a floor, and to select a shortest or close transfer path. It is intended to provide a device.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for transporting a semiconductor device, comprising: a rail suspended from a ceiling of a clean room, which is a semiconductor manufacturing line, arranged vertically, horizontally and diagonally. A transport robot running along
In accordance with a transfer instruction by a control signal, the shortest route or a route close to the shortest route is selected and self-propelled.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transport device for a semiconductor device, the transport robot being suspended on a ceiling of a clean room as a semiconductor manufacturing line and traveling along rails arranged vertically, horizontally, and diagonally. The transport robot comprises a carriage supported via bearings, a movable tire suspended from the carriage and driven to rotate in contact with the back surface of the rail, and a drive unit for the movable tire, and a transporter for receiving a control signal. A main body provided with a control unit is provided, and a hook is attached to the main body via a telescopic arm.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device transfer apparatus, wherein a rail suspended from a ceiling of a clean room and arranged vertically, horizontally, and diagonally intersects with a groove-shaped transfer track formed on a structure. The width of the penetrated groove is slightly larger than the diameter of the suspension shaft connecting the carriage and the main body of the transport robot, and communicates with each other.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view conceptually showing an installation form of a transport rail according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view of a partial cross section showing a configuration of the transport apparatus. The guide rail of the present invention is a vertical rail 1
, A horizontal rail 2 and a diagonal rail 3, these rails are arranged so as to cross each other, are formed in an integrated structure C, and a track on which a transport robot 7, which will be described later, travels, that is, a through groove shown in FIG. 2. 4 is the rails 1, 2, 3
1 is shown in FIG. The through-grooves 4 communicate with each other at the intersections, and have a width slightly larger than the diameter of the suspension shaft of the transport robot 7. The rails 1, 2, 3 are suspended on a ceiling 6 of a clean room by a connecting member 5 as described later. The rails 1, 2, 3, that is, the structure C in which the through-grooves 4 are regularly formed, are sufficiently reinforced in consideration of the weight of the transport robot 7 and the product a suspended by the transport robot 7. .

First, an outline of the basic operation will be described. In FIG. 1, when it is desired to convey a product from point A to point B, in the present invention, the diagonal rail 3 which is the shortest distance is used, The transport is performed or the route closest to the transport is selected and instructed. By carrying as described above, the product carrying path is improved, and efficient carrying is possible.

Next, the details of the transfer device will be described with reference to FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 4 denotes a through groove corresponding to the transfer path of the rails 1, 2, 3 in FIG.
Reference numeral 6 denotes a connecting member, reference numeral 6 denotes a ceiling, reference numeral 7 denotes a transport robot, and reference numeral 8 denotes a bogie supported by the structure C forming the rails 1, 2, and 3 described above via bearings 9. Reference numeral 10 denotes a main body of the robot 7, which is connected to a cart 8 by a suspension shaft 10a, and on both sides thereof, a movable tire 11 which rotates by pressing against the lower surface of the structure C is provided, and is not shown inside. However, it is equipped with a drive unit for the movable tire 11 and a transport control unit that operates upon receiving a control signal. Note that the body 10 can change its orientation in the axial direction and determine the direction of the movable tire 11 along the transport path. Reference numeral 12 denotes a telescopic arm connected to the main body, reference numeral 13 denotes a hook, and reference character a denotes a transferred object (product). FIG. 2 shows a procedure for lifting and conveying the product a. In practice, a plurality of transport robots 7 performing such operations are installed.

Next, the operation of the above device will be described. First, a hook 13 extending and extending the telescopic arm 12 is provided.
And hook it on the product hanger. Here, the telescopic arm 12 is contracted and lifted, and, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, the shortest path to the target location is selected and transported. At this time, the product is carried without difficulty in the high space on the floor, the telescopic arm 12 is extended at the target place, the device is lowered, and the hook 13 is removed. When a product requiring transport is generated, the location is notified to a transport management host computer (not shown) by a signal such as a wireless signal, and the nearest robot 7 is called. Here, the robot 7 moves to the place where the signal is received, and performs the above-described lifting, transporting, and descending operations. At this time, the robot 7 senses the weight of the product a and contracts the telescopic arm 12 to perform a lifting operation. The host computer issues instructions such as grasping the location and status of the empty robot 7 or the robot 7 being transported, calculating and instructing the shortest transport route, and avoiding collision with other transport equipment.

Embodiment 2 FIG. Vertical, horizontal, and diagonal rails 1, 2, and 3 suspended from the ceiling of the clean room
The groove width of the penetrated track is set to be slightly larger than the diameter of the suspension shaft 10a connecting the carriage 8 of the robot 7 and the main body 10, and the length of the groove is set to be vertical. The horizontal and oblique through-grooves 4 communicate with each other, and the movement of the robot 7 is smoothly performed according to the instruction of the route.

[0013]

According to the method of transporting a semiconductor device according to the first aspect of the present invention, a transport robot that is suspended on a ceiling of a clean room and travels along rails arranged vertically, horizontally, and diagonally intersects. , Which selects the shortest route or the route closest to the rail according to the transfer instruction by the control signal and runs on its own, improving the product transfer route and improving the transfer efficiency, especially for semiconductor manufacturing that frequently carries a large number of products. It is effective as a transfer method in a line clean room.

According to the semiconductor device transfer apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention, a transport robot that travels along rails suspended vertically, horizontally, and diagonally, suspended on the ceiling of a clean room, A trolley supported via bearings, a movable tire suspended from the trolley and driven to rotate in contact with the back surface of the rail, and a drive unit for the movable tire, including a main body provided with a transport control unit for receiving a control signal, The operation of the robot is quiet and smooth because it is configured with hooks attached to this body via telescopic arms, and the ceiling is used as a transport space, so it depends on the layout of the equipment installed on the floor Nothing.

According to the semiconductor device transfer apparatus of the third aspect of the present invention, the rail suspended vertically, horizontally, and diagonally suspended from the ceiling of the clean room is provided with a groove formed in the structure. In the shape of a trajectory, and the width of the pierced groove is
Because the diameter of the suspension shaft connecting the carriage and the main body of the transport robot is slightly larger and they are connected to each other, there is no bearing for the rotational movement of the bearing of the robot carriage, and the robot moves easily along the designated path can do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view conceptually showing an installation form of a transport rail according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a configuration of the transport device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view conceptually showing an installation form of a conventional transport rail.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 vertical rail, 2 horizontal rail, 3 diagonal rail, 4 through groove, 5 connecting material, 6 ceiling, 7 transport robot, 8 bogie robot, 9 bearing, 10 body, 11 movable tire, 12 telescopic arm, 13 hook, C structure object.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A transport robot, which is suspended on a ceiling of a clean room as a semiconductor manufacturing line and runs along rails arranged vertically, horizontally, and diagonally, crosses the shortest of the rails according to a transfer instruction by a control signal. Alternatively, a method for transporting a semiconductor device, comprising selecting a route close to the route and self-propelling. 2. A transport robot which is suspended from a ceiling of a clean room as a semiconductor manufacturing line and travels along rails which are vertically, horizontally and diagonally crossed and arranged, and the transport robot is provided with a bearing through a bearing. A supported trolley, a movable tire suspended from the trolley and driven to rotate in contact with the back surface of the rail, a drive unit for the movable tire, and a main body provided with a transport control unit for receiving a control signal; A transfer device for a semiconductor device, wherein a hook is attached via an arm. 3. A rail suspended from a ceiling of a clean room and arranged vertically, horizontally and diagonally, is a groove-shaped conveyance track formed on a structure, and a groove width of the penetrated track is: 3. The semiconductor device transfer device according to claim 2, wherein a diameter of a suspension shaft connecting the carriage and the main body of the transfer robot is slightly larger than each other and communicates with each other.