JP2003182815A - Stocker - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a stocker improved in storage efficiency by devising it so that a door free to open and close for a worker to go in and out of a stacker for maintenance can secure an entrance space and also a storage part. <P>SOLUTION: The door 5b is provided as a part of a storage shelf 2 having storage parts 2a and is constituted free to open enough for the worker to go in and out as well as the storage parts 2a in the stocker in which a pair of the storage shelves 2 with a plurality of the storage parts 2a to store a work 6 arranged up and down and left and right is placed face to face with a passage 3 between the storage shelves 2, a stacker crane 4 having a transfer and place robot 4a to put the work 6 in and out of the storage parts 2a is arranged free to travel on the passage 3 and the door 5b free to open and close to the passage 3 across the thickness direction of the storage shelves 2 is provided on the storage shelves 2. Or, it is provided as the one having a control panel to control the stacker crane 4 on the door 5b and it is constituted to open enough for the worker to go in and out as well as the storage parts 2a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stocker for storing a work such as a semiconductor wafer carrier, and more particularly to a technique for a door (maintenance door) which can be opened and closed for a person to enter the stocker.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A stocker is equipped with
Generally, a door that can be opened and closed is provided so that people can enter and leave the stocker in the event of a power failure. recently,
In order to eliminate unnecessary space in the stocker and increase the work storage efficiency, the width of the passage where the stacker crane that has the transfer robot that puts the work in and out of the storage section travels is almost the same as the width of the stacker crane. There is. That is, the stacker crane blocks the passage, and when an operator enters and leaves the stocker, it is difficult for the worker to enter the passage on the opposite side of the stacker crane when entering from one of the passages of the stacker crane.

Therefore, conventionally, the stocker 11 shown in FIG. 4 has been used.
, The stacker crane 14 that transfers the work 16
Even if the passage 13 is closed due to the above, the openable and closable doors 15 are installed on both sides of the passage 13 of the stacker crane 14 so as to be able to go in and out of the passage 13 before and after the stacker crane 14. Depending on the installation conditions of the stocker, it may not be possible to install doors on both sides of the stacker crane's aisle due to interference with other devices and building partitions.
Like the stocker 21 shown in (a), a door 25 is installed across the storage shelves 22 of the stocker 21 in the thickness direction to reach the passage 23. As shown in FIG. 5 (b), the stacker crane 24 transfers the work 26. Even if the passage 23 was blocked, it was possible to enter and leave the passage 23.

[0004]

However, when a door is installed across the stocker storage shelf thickness direction to reach the aisle, a space is required for workers to enter and exit from the door to the aisle in the stocker. Become. Therefore, in order to secure such a space, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the storage shelf 22 cannot be provided inside the door 25, which leads to a decrease in storage efficiency. .

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the useless space in the stocker and improve the storage efficiency of the work while ensuring the installation of the maintenance door in the stocker that allows a person to enter and exit the stocker. Has an aim.

[0006]

A stocker according to claim 1 of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is a pair of storage shelves in which a plurality of storage units for storing works are arranged vertically and horizontally with a passage interposed therebetween. A stacker crane having face-to-face passages and having a transfer robot for loading and unloading the work into and from the storage unit is movably disposed in the passage, and the door is openable and closable across the thickness direction of the storage shelf to reach the passage. Is a stocker provided in the storage shelf, the door is provided as a part of the storage shelf having the storage section, and the door is configured to open together with the storage section until a person can enter and leave. It is characterized by being.

According to the structure of claim 1, even if a door is installed across the thickness direction of the storage shelf to reach the passage, a part of the storage shelf having a storage portion can be provided in the door, so that the inside of the door can be provided. Space is not wasted. Therefore, the work storage efficiency can be increased. Further, since the door is configured to open together with the storage portion until a person can enter and leave, a means for a person to enter and exit the stocker is ensured during maintenance, an abnormality, a power failure, or the like.

The stocker according to a second aspect is the stocker according to the first aspect, wherein one end of the passage is closed.
The storage shelf on the closed side is provided with the door, and the other end of the passage is provided with a second door.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, even when the doors cannot be installed on both sides of the passage of the stacker crane depending on the installation conditions of the stocker, the thickness of the storage rack interferes with other devices and partitions of the building. Doors can be installed across the direction to the aisle. As a result, a part of the storage shelf having the storage portion can be provided on the door, so that the storage efficiency of the work can be improved. Further, since the door is configured to open together with the storage portion until a person can enter and leave, a means for a person to enter and exit the stocker is ensured during maintenance, an abnormality, a power failure, or the like.

The stocker according to a third aspect is the stocker according to the first or second aspect, wherein the door is a single-opening type, and a positioning means for reproducing the closed position is provided. And

According to the structure of claim 3, the closed position of the door can be reproduced by the positioning means, and the position reproducibility can be ensured for the stacker crane taught for transferring the work. it can.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the stocker, a pair of storage shelves in which a plurality of storage units for storing the work are arranged vertically and horizontally are arranged to face each other across a passage, and the work is accommodated in the storage unit in the passage. A stacker crane having a transfer robot to and from the storage rack is movably arranged, and an openable and closable door reaching the passage across the thickness direction of the storage rack is a stocker provided in the storage rack, and the door is It is characterized in that it is provided with a control panel for controlling the stocker crane, and the door is configured to open together with the control panel until a person can enter and leave.

According to the structure of claim 4, the space inside the door is not wasted. Also, because the door is configured to open together with the storage section until people can enter and exit,
A means for people to move in and out of the stocker during maintenance, abnormalities, and power outages is secured.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a stocker of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment] FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic perspective views showing an example of an embodiment of a stocker according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the stocker 1 in the first embodiment
Includes a storage shelf 2, a passage 3, a stacker crane 4, a door 5, and a control panel (not shown). Stocker 1
Is installed such that one end of the passage 3 is closed by the partition 7 and the adjacent surface of one end of the passage 3 is also closed by the partition 8.

The storage shelves 2 are provided in a pair with the passage 3 in between. The storage shelf 2 is composed of a shelf plate that constitutes the storage section 2a, a pillar 2b, a back plate 2c, and a side plate 2d. The storage sections 2a are arranged in a plurality of rows in the vertical and horizontal directions facing each other across the passage 3 in a pair of the storage shelves 2.
The storage unit 2a has an open front surface for the work 6 to be taken in and out by the transfer robot 4a of the stacker crane 4. The pillar 2b forms the skeleton of the storage shelf 2. Further, the shelf plate is fixed to the pillar 2b, and the work 6 is stored in the storage portion 2a. Back plate 2c provided on the back side of the storage shelf 2 and side plate 2d provided on the side surface of the storage shelf 2
Form a partition between the stocker 1 and the outside. In the example of FIG. 1, the partition 7 also serves as the side plate 2d and the partition 8 also serves as the back plate 2c.

The passage 3 is provided between a pair of storage shelves 2. The passage 3 is provided with a traveling rail 3a on which the stacker crane 4 travels. The stacker crane 4 can travel on the traveling rail 3a so as to reciprocate in the rail direction. The traveling rail 3 a is laid parallel to the storage rack 2.

The stacker crane 4 includes a transfer robot 4a for loading and unloading the work 6 into and from the storage section 2a, a support column 4b for moving the transfer robot 4a up and down, and a traveling section 4c for traveling on the traveling rail 3a. Have The stacker crane 4 is controlled by the control panel. Further, the stacker crane 4 is taught for transferring the work 6. The transfer robot 4a handles the work 6 based on the positioning coordinates and transfers it to the storage shelf 2 or takes it out of the storage shelf 2. Although the control panel can be installed in the storage section 2a, it is preferable to install the control panel in the dead space of the stacker crane 4 by utilizing the dead space of the stacker crane 4 in order to improve the space efficiency.

Two doors 5 are provided in the stocker 1, one door 5a is provided at one end of the passage 3, and another door 5b is provided at the other end of the passage 3 in the thickness of the storage rack 2. It is provided so as to cross the direction and reach the passage 3. Door 5a
Is a door that can be opened and closed, and is configured so that a person can enter and leave the passage 3. The door 5b is a door that can be opened and closed, and is provided as a part of the storage shelf 2. The door 5b is configured to open together with the storage unit 2a until a person can enter and leave.

The doors 5a and 5b are of a single-opening type using hinges, and the hinges provided above and below the side surfaces of the doors 5a and 5b can open and close the doors. As shown in FIG. 2, the door 5b has two hinges 10 provided at the top and bottom,
Can be opened and closed on one side. Further, it has a positioning means 9 which is a combination of a pin (or hole) 9a installed on the door 5b side and a hole (or pin) 9b installed on the back plate 2c side. That is, when the door 5b is closed, the pin (or hole) 9a fits into the hole (or pin) 9b,
The closed position of the door 5b, that is, the position of the storage shelf 2 is reproduced.

As described above, in the stocker 1 according to the present embodiment, the openable and closable door 5b provided across the storage shelf 2 in the thickness direction to reach the passage 3 is one of the storage shelves 2 having the storage section 2a. It is provided as a section and the storage section 2
Since it is configured to open until a person can go in and out together with a, it is not necessary to remove the storage portion 2a of the door portion to secure a space for a person to go in and out as in the conventional case.
For this reason, it is possible to secure the entry and exit of people to the passage 3, and
The storage portion 2a of the door 5b can also be used, and the storage efficiency can be improved.

Further, since the positioning means 9 reproduces the closed position of the door 5b, that is, the position of the storage rack 2, position reproducibility is ensured for the stacker crane 4 which is taught for transferring the work 6. be able to.

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a stocker showing an example of the embodiment of the stocker according to the present invention. In the stocker 101 according to the second embodiment, as compared with the stocker according to the first embodiment, the openable and closable door 105b provided across the passage 103 in the thickness direction of the storage shelf 102 has a storage portion. It is characterized in that a control panel 106 that controls the stacker crane 104 using the space of the door 105b is installed not as a part of the storage shelf 102.

Therefore, when the control board 106 is installed on the storage shelf 102 in the stocker, it is necessary to secure a space on the storage shelf 102 for installing the control board 106. In the case of 101, the space of the door 105b can be used, and the stocker 1
It is possible to eliminate the useless space in 01 and to improve the work storage efficiency.

The stocker according to the present invention is not limited to the first embodiment and the second embodiment, and various design changes are possible within the scope of the claims. . For example, in the first and second embodiments, the door 5b (or the door 105)
Although b) was a single-opening type, it can be any door that can be opened and closed so that people can get in and out, and it can slide toward and away from the rear plate of the stocker while keeping the parallel state. May be the door. That is, the door 5b (or the door 105b) may be slid and separated from the storage shelf by a rail or a magic hand when a person goes in and out. In this case, the door 5b (or the door 105b) needs to be configured to be opened together with the storage shelf until a person can enter and leave.

Further, the door 5b in the first embodiment example.
Even when the door is a slide type door, it is preferable to have a positioning means by combining a pin and a hole. Since the closed position of the door, that is, the position of the storage shelf is reproduced by the positioning means, it is possible to secure the position reproducibility for the stacker crane that is taught for transferring the work.

In the first and second embodiments, the partitions 7 and 8 close one end of the stocker passage.
The stocker according to the present invention is not limited to the case where one end of the passage is closed by the walls 8 and 8, but the door at one end of the passage of the stocker cannot be sufficiently opened due to the presence of another device. It is valid.

[0028]

In the stocker according to the first aspect of the present invention, with respect to the openable and closable door that crosses the thickness direction of the storage shelf to reach the passage, the door can be used as a door without reducing the storage portion to secure a space for people to enter and exit. An integrated storage unit can be installed. Therefore, the storage efficiency can be improved without wasting the space of the stocker.

In the stocker according to the second aspect, depending on the installation conditions of the stocker, even if the doors cannot be installed at both ends of the aisle even if they interfere with other devices and partitions of the building, the aisle side is closed. It is possible to install a door that can be freely opened and closed to reach the aisle across the thickness direction of the storage shelf of
Moreover, with respect to the door, it is possible to install an accommodating part that integrates the door without reducing the accommodating part in order to secure a space for people to enter and exit, and there is an advantage that the effect of the configuration of claim 1 can be obtained. is there.

In the stocker according to the third aspect of the present invention, since it is necessary to accurately transfer the work to a predetermined position of the storage section, it is necessary to accurately reproduce the closed position by teaching the stacker crane. The position reproducibility can be secured by the positioning means for a certain door.

In the stocker according to the fourth aspect, the control panel is arranged with respect to the openable and closable doors that reach the passage across the thickness direction of the storage shelves, so that the space secured for the entry and exit of people can be effectively used. can do. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the stocker space from being wasted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective sectional view showing a first embodiment of a stocker according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the stocker on the side surface plate side in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing a second embodiment of the stocker according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective sectional view showing an example of a conventional stocker.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an example of a conventional stocker,
(A) is a plan view and (b) is a longitudinal sectional view.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 stocker 2 storage shelves 2a storage 3 passages 4 Stacker crane 4a Transfer robot 5 doors 6 work 9 Positioning means

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A pair of storage shelves in which a plurality of storage units for storing works are arrayed vertically and horizontally so as to face each other across a passage, and a transfer robot for taking the work in and out of the storage unit is provided in the passage. A stacker in which the stacker crane is movably arranged, and a door that opens and closes across the thickness direction of the storage shelf to reach the passage is a stocker provided on the storage shelf, and the door has the storage unit. A stocker that is provided as part of a shelf and that is configured so that the door together with the storage section can be opened until a person can enter and leave. 2. The stocker according to claim 1, wherein one end of the passage is closed, the storage shelf on the closed side is provided with the door, and the other end of the passage is provided with a second door. . 3. The door according to claim 1, wherein the door is a single-opening type, and a positioning means for reproducing the closed position is provided.
Stocker described in. 4. A transfer robot, wherein a pair of storage shelves in which a plurality of storage units for storing the work are arranged vertically and horizontally are arranged to face each other across a passage, and a transfer robot for taking the work in and out of the storage unit is provided in the passage. A stacker crane that has a stacker is movably arranged, and a door that opens and closes across the thickness direction of the storage shelf to the aisle is a stocker provided on the storage shelf, and the door controls the stocker crane. A stocker that is provided as having a control panel of 1. and the door is configured to open together with the control panel until a person can enter and exit.