JP2005136294A - Transfer apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a low-cost transfer apparatus that has a buffer, and can convert the direction of an article between a conveyor and a load port. <P>SOLUTION: The buffer 16 is provided at the same level as a conveyor system 4 on both the sides of the load port 14 of a processor 12; a transfer device 18 carries cassettes between the conveyor and the buffer and converts the direction of the cassettes; and a hoist-type loader 30 performs transfer between the buffer 16 and the load port 14. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to transfer of articles in a clean room or the like, and more particularly to transfer between a load port of equipment such as a processing apparatus or an inspection apparatus and a conveyor.

  When a semiconductor substrate, a liquid crystal substrate, or the like is transported in a clean room as a unit such as a cassette, the cassette is transported by a conveyor, and the cassette is picked up from the conveyor by a loader and unloaded to a load port. Here, the direction at the time of loading and unloading articles from the cassette at the load port may differ from the direction at the time of transporting the cassette by the conveyor. For example, a predetermined direction is required to convey the cassette by the conveyor, and the cassette cannot be opened and closed unless the direction is different from the load port. In such a case, the cassette may be transported on a tray to eliminate the need to change the direction between the conveyor and the load port, but it is inconvenient to provide a separate tray.

An object of the present invention is to provide a transfer device that is low-cost, includes a buffer, and can change the direction of an article between a conveyor and a load port.
An additional problem in the invention of claim 2 is to provide a transfer device that has a short time for restraining the conveyor when exchanging articles with the conveyor, and that is particularly low in cost.
An additional problem in the invention of claim 3 is that a large number of buffers can be provided and work can be concentrated on the loader.

  The transfer device according to the present invention is an apparatus for transferring an article between a conveyor and a facility in which a plurality of load ports are arranged in a row. In the apparatus, the article is transferred while transferring the article between the conveyor and the load port. A buffer for temporary placement is provided as necessary, and a hoisting device for transferring an article vertically in order to transfer an article between the load port and the buffer, and the hoisting device at least parallel to the row of load ports A loader for moving, a transfer means for transferring an article between the buffer and the conveyor, and a conversion means for changing the direction of the article between conveyance between the conveyor and the load port It is characterized by that.

  Preferably, the buffer is provided at substantially the same height level as the conveyor and on the same extension line as the row of load ports in a plan view so as not to overlap the load ports in the vertical direction, and supports the bottom of the article. It is a cart provided with a platform that can be moved up and down and the conversion means, and a vehicle that travels between the buffer and the conveyor is provided to convey the article between the conveyor and the buffer and change the direction of the article.

  Preferably, the loader is configured to move the hoisting device in both directions XY in a horizontal plane, and the buffer is provided on the opposite side of the row of load ports when viewed from the conveyor. And transfer of articles between the buffer and between the buffer and the load port.

  In the transfer device of the present invention, the loader can be freely transferred along the load port row by the loader, and transfer between the buffer and the load port is performed, so that one loader can support a plurality of load ports. . Further, since the buffer is provided, the operating rate of the equipment can be increased, and the clearance on the conveyor can be increased. Further, since the direction of the article can be changed, a tray or the like is not required even if the direction at the time of conveyance on the conveyor is different from the direction required at the load port.

  Here, when the buffer is disposed at almost the same level as the conveyor, and the carriage is moved between the conveyor and the buffer by a carriage having a movable table that supports the bottom of the article, the article is transferred between the hoisting device and the conveyor. The time for restraining the conveyor can be shortened and the conveying efficiency of the conveyor can be improved as compared with the case of directly exchanging articles. Furthermore, if the buffer is provided on the same extension line as the load port row in plan view, the loader only needs to be able to move in one direction within the plane. The direction of the goods is changed with a cart. Thus, the exchange of articles between the conveyor and the buffer and the change of the direction of the articles are performed by the cart, and the loader performs the reciprocating motion of the hoisting device and the lifting and lowering of the articles by the hoisting device. And optimize work sharing.

  If the loader can be moved XY in the horizontal plane, a buffer can be provided on the opposite side of the load port row as seen from the conveyor. For this reason, for example, the same number of buffers as the load port can be provided corresponding to 1: 1, for example, and no space for the buffer is required on the left and right of the row of the load port. Furthermore, transfer operations between the conveyor and the buffer, and between the buffer and the load port can be consolidated in the loader.

  In the following, an optimum embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be shown.

  1 to 5 show an embodiment and its modifications, and FIGS. 1 to 4 show the first embodiment. Reference numeral 2 denotes a transfer device, in which an article such as a semiconductor cassette 8 is transferred between a load port 14 such as a processing device 12 or an inspection device and the conveyor system 4 in a clean room. The conveyor system 4 is a so-called in-process conveyor (intra-bay conveyor), which transports the cassette 8 to a plurality of processing devices 12, and is composed of, for example, a pair of roller conveyors 5 and 6, both of which may be power conveyors, Alternatively, one may be a power conveyor and the other a free roller conveyor. Reference numeral 7 denotes a gap provided in the roller conveyor 6, which is a gap for passing the transport table 20 for supporting and transporting the bottom of the cassette 8.

  The cassette 8 is provided with a lid 9 on the front surface thereof, and the semiconductor substrate can be taken in and out by opening the lid 9 with the load port 14. Further, a flange 10 is provided on the top of the cassette 8 so that it can be gripped by the chuck portion 34 of the winding device 32. For example, the cassette 8 needs to have a lid 9 on the front side in the traveling direction in the conveyor system 4 and a load 9 on the processing device 12 side in the conveyor system 4 for convenience of transportation. The direction is changed by 90 °. Further, the load ports 14 are arranged in a plurality of rows on the front surface of the processing apparatus 12 and provided with buffers 16 on the left and right sides, for example, both sides in plan view, for example, one for loading from the conveyor system 4 and the other to the conveyor system 4. It is for carrying out. As shown in FIG. 2, the conveyor system 4 and the buffer 16 are at a high position, while the load port 14 is at a low position.

  The structure of the transport device 18 is shown in FIG. 3. Reference numeral 20 denotes the above-described transport base, and for example, three engagement projections 23 that are engaged with the engagement recesses on the bottom surface of the cassette 8 are provided on the upper portion thereof. The transport table 20 can be moved up and down by a lift drive unit 24. The lift stroke is such that the bottom of the transport table 20 can pass through the top of the roller conveyor 6 without interference (high position), and the protrusion 23 is the bottom of the roller conveyor 6. There are two types of height (low position) that can pass through without interference. As shown in FIG. 1, the travel path of the transport table 20 is a straight line connecting the conveyor system 4 and the buffer 16, and the conveyor system 4 and the buffer 16 support the bottom surface of the cassette 8 at substantially the same height. It is. The conveyor system 4 stops before the transfer of the cassette 8 from the conveyor system 4 to the transport table 20 starts, and the transport table 20 comes out of the conveyor system 4 and enters the buffer 16 to interfere with the cassette 8 on the conveyor system 4. If it moves to the position where it does not, the conveyor system 4 is restarted. As a result, the time for stopping the conveyor system 4 (restraint time) can be shortened.

  The turntable 25 changes, for example, the elevation drive unit 24 and the transport table 20 by 90 ° between the orientation in the conveyor system 4 and the orientation in the buffer 16. It should be noted that the configurations of the lifting drive unit 24 and the turntable 25 are arbitrary, and a turntable may be provided on the upper side of the lifting drive unit to raise and lower the turntable and the conveyance table. A traveling carriage 26 travels along a traveling rail provided on the base 27, and a traveling path 22 is an opening provided on the upper portion of the base 27.

  1 and 2, reference numeral 30 denotes a loader, and the hoisting device 32 is reciprocated in parallel with the conveying direction in the conveyor system 4, in other words, parallel to the arrangement direction of the load port 14. The hoisting device 32 is suspended from a belt or a rope. The chuck portion 34 is moved up and down using the holding material 35. As described above, the loader 30 is operated by reciprocating the hoisting device 32 in the horizontal direction to move the cassette 8 to a position where the cassette 8 can be transferred with respect to the left and right buffers 16 and the load port 14. The cassette 8 is transferred to the buffer 16 and the load port 14. In addition, the work of the transfer device 18 includes two operations: transferring the cassette 8 between the conveyor system 4 and the buffer 16, and changing the direction of the cassette 8 by 90 ° during this time. Reference numeral 40 denotes a support column of the transfer device 2 and reference numeral 42 denotes a frame. The transfer device 2 includes a loader 30, buffers 16 and 16, and transfer devices 18 and 18, and does not include the conveyor system 4 and the load port 14. Shall. In this embodiment, the transfer device 2 is supported by the support column 40. However, the transfer device 2 may be suspended from the ceiling so that a maintenance space can be formed on the side of the processing device.

  FIG. 4 shows a transfer operation for one cassette in the embodiment. Stop the conveyor, raise the transfer table of the transfer device, transfer the cassette from the conveyor to the transfer table, and when the transfer table is lifted, turn the transfer table and simultaneously move from the conveyor system to the buffer Move the transfer table horizontally. Since the conveyor can be restarted when the transfer table comes out of the conveyor system, the time for stopping the conveyor during transfer to the buffer can be shortened. When the transport table reaches the buffer, the transport table is lowered and the cassette is transferred to the buffer. At this time, the 90 ° change of the direction of the cassette is completed. The carriage is then returned to the conveyor system at a low position, under the roller conveyor bottom. Wait until the cassette needs to be transferred from the buffer to the load port. When the transfer is required, move the hoisting device horizontally onto the buffer, pick up the cassette, and then move the hoisting device horizontally and chuck At the same time, the cassette is unloaded to the load port. At this time, the cassette is unloaded in the correct orientation with respect to the load port.

  Next, the loading of the cassette from the load port to the conveyor is shown. In this case, the buffer to be used is a buffer different from the buffer used for loading. When the cassette can be carried out from the load port, the hoisting device is moved horizontally and the chuck unit is lowered to pick up the cassette. And the horizontal movement of the hoisting device are simultaneously performed to unload the cassette to the buffer. Next, the transport table is raised to support the bottom of the cassette, the horizontal movement into the conveyor system and the rotation of the transport table are performed simultaneously, and the cassette is transferred to the conveyor. At this time, the conveyor is stopped after the cassette reaches the position where it interferes with the conveyor until it is transferred onto the conveyor.

  In FIG. 1, when the traveling path 50 is extended so that the transportation path 50 can be transported to both the left and right sides of the conveyor system 4, the additional buffer 51 is located on the opposite side of the buffer 16 when viewed from the conveyor system 4. Can be expanded. Further, if the conveyor 52 connecting the additional buffers 51 and 51 is provided on the opposite side of the row of the load port 14 as viewed from the conveyor system 4, the buffer capacity is further increased by placing the cassette on the conveyor 52. be able to.

  In FIG. 1, if an L-shaped travel path 54 is provided so that the travel direction of the transport table changes 90 ° in the middle, a turntable for the travel carriage is not required. In this case, the direction changing means is realized using the L-shaped travel route 54. Furthermore, if the cassette is transferred while moving the transfer platform at a speed substantially equal to the transfer speed of the conveyor using the portion of the L-shaped travel path 54 parallel to the transfer direction of the conveyor system 4, the transfer of the cassette is performed. There is no need to stop the conveyor during loading.

  FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment, which is the same as the embodiment shown in FIGS. In this embodiment, the loader 60 is movable in the Y direction (a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor system 4), and the winding device 32 is parallel to the X direction (the arrangement direction of the load ports 14a to 14c) with respect to the loader 60. Free to move in the direction. Further, a mechanism for changing the direction of the chucked cassette by 90 ° is provided in the chuck portion 34 '. A cassette direction changing mechanism may be provided in the hoisting device 32 to change the direction of the entire chuck portion. When viewed from the conveyor system 4, buffers 62 a to 62 c are provided on the opposite side of the load ports 14 a to 14 c, and for example, the buffer and the load port correspond to 1: 1. Thus, by providing the buffers and the load ports on the opposite side with the conveyor system 4 in between, a sufficient number of buffers can be secured even when the load ports are continuous. In particular, by setting the buffer and the load port to 1: 1, the cassette can be transferred between the buffer and the load port without moving the loader 60 in the X direction, and the transfer efficiency is good.

  The height positions of the buffers 62a to 62c may be aligned with the load ports 14a to 14c, or aligned with the conveyor system 4, or may be at an intermediate height between them. Further, a turntable 64 may be provided in the buffers 62a to 62c, and the direction of the cassette may be changed on the buffer side. When the direction of the cassette is changed by the buffers 62a to 62c, the direction may be changed between the posture A and the posture B of FIG. On the other hand, if the direction of the cassette is changed on the load port, the corner of the lid may collide with the processing device 12.

  In the modification of FIG. 5, the buffers 62 a to 62 c can be provided in a 1: 1 correspondence with the load ports 14 a to 14 c, and the case where there is no space for providing buffers on the left and right of the load ports 14 a to 14 c can also be handled. Further, the transfer operation of the cassette can be concentrated in the loader 60 except for the change of direction when the turntable 64 is provided.

In the embodiment, the transfer of the cassette containing the semiconductor substrate or the like in the clean room was taken as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and in general, the transfer is performed while changing the direction of the article between the conveyor and the load port. Applicable. The processing device 12 is an example of equipment, and may be an inspection device or other devices.

Plan view of the principal part of the transfer device of the embodiment Side view of main part of transfer device of embodiment Cross-sectional view of the dispensing device used in the examples The flowchart which shows the conveyance algorithm for 1 cassette in an Example The principal part top view of the transfer apparatus of 2nd Example

Explanation of symbols

2 Transfer device 4 Conveyor system 5, 6 Roller conveyor 7 Gap 8 Cassette 9 Lid 10 Flange 12 Processing device 14 Load port 16 Buffer 18 Transfer device 20 Transfer table 22 Travel path 23 Engagement protrusion 24 Lifting drive unit 25 Turntable 26 Travel Carriage 27 Base 30, 60 Loader 32 Winding device 34 Chuck part 35 Suspension material 40 Strut 42 Frame 50, 54 Travel path 51 Buffer 52 Conveyors 62a-c Buffer 64 Turntable

Claims (3)

In an apparatus for transferring articles between a conveyor and equipment in which a plurality of load ports are arranged in a row,
A hoisting device for transferring an article in a vertical direction in order to transfer an article between the load port and the buffer by providing a buffer for temporarily placing the article in the middle of transferring the article between the conveyor and the load port; A loader for moving the hoisting device parallel to at least the row of load ports, a transfer means for transferring articles between the buffer and the conveyor, and conveying the articles between the conveyor and the load port A transfer device provided with conversion means for conversion between the two. The buffer is provided at substantially the same height level as the conveyor and on the same extension line as the row of load ports in plan view so as not to overlap the load ports in the vertical direction.
A carriage equipped with a platform that can be raised and lowered to support the bottom of the article and the conversion means. A carriage that runs between the buffer and the conveyor is provided to convey the article between the conveyor and the buffer and change the direction of the article. The transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer apparatus is configured as described above. The loader is configured to move the hoisting device in an XY direction in a horizontal plane, and the buffer is provided on the opposite side of the row of load ports when viewed from the conveyor. 2. The transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an article is transferred between the buffer and the load port.

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