JP2007184524A - Dry cleaning apparatus for substrate storing container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate storing container cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate storing container by using dry ice particles. <P>SOLUTION: The cleaning apparatus comprises a loader for loading the substrate storing container, a cleaner for cleaning the substrate storing container by dry ice particles, and an unloader for unloading the substrate storing container cleaned by the cleaning part. Since the substrate storing container is cleaned by using dry ice particles, no waste is discharged, and an environmental state can be improved; the use of dry ice can achieve fine cleaning and minimize the deformation and damage of the substrate storing container to induce an effect for extending the application life of the substrate storing container. Further, since a cleaning process can be simply progressed as compared with a conventional wet cleaning apparatus, the size of the apparatus can be remarkably reduced and an economical effect can be obtained. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container, and more particularly to a dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container for individually dry cleaning a main body and a lid of a substrate storage container with dry ice particles.

  Generally, semiconductor devices and display devices are manufactured through various manufacturing processes such as a vapor deposition process, an etching process, a photographic process, and an ion implantation process using a semiconductor wafer or a flat panel display (FPD) substrate. .

  In order to smoothly perform the various processes as described above, the semiconductor wafer or the flat panel display substrate is transferred not only in each part but also in the same part between the manufacturing apparatuses.

  For example, the substrate can be moved via an automated carriage or robotic transfer arm.

Such a substrate can be moved in units of a relatively short distance within the same part, and in a case where a relatively long distance or stability is important, it can be placed in a substrate storage container such as a carrier or a cassette in units of lots. Can be moved by being contained.

  As an example, a substrate container made of polypropylene is called a PP box.

  The PP box includes a main body in which an accommodation space for accommodating a substrate is formed, and a lid attached around an entrance of the main body.

  On the other hand, even if a fine foreign substance or particle is attached to the surface of the substrate, the quality is significantly lowered.

  For this reason, the substrate container which accommodates a substrate is required to have a high level of cleanliness.

  Accordingly, the substrate storage container is subjected to a cleaning process by the substrate storage container cleaning device before the substrate is stored.

  In general, the substrate storage container is subjected to a wet cleaning process in which a cleaning liquid is processed on the main body and the lid, and then the residual liquid is dried by spraying dry air.

  However, since the conventional cleaning apparatus for the substrate storage container is a wet cleaning system, there is a disadvantage that two steps including a cleaning liquid treatment process and a dry air injection process must be performed.

  In addition, the conventional cleaning apparatus for the substrate storage container must be provided with an apparatus for processing the cleaning liquid and an apparatus for injecting dry air, which causes the disadvantage that the apparatus becomes large and the manufacturing cost increases. there were.

  Furthermore, since the substrate storage container has a box shape in the conventional substrate storage container cleaning device, it is difficult to dry the inside uniformly with dry air as a whole, and it is not easy to complete cleaning precisely. there were.

  In addition, as described above, the substrate container made of polypropylene can be easily deformed by being exposed to high-temperature dry air in the drying process, and thus has a disadvantage that the life is shortened.

  Various cleaning methods using brushes, ultrasonic waves, chemicals, and the like including the above-described wet cleaning have been proposed.

  However, the above-described cleaning method has a limit to satisfy the demand for precision cleaning due to development in semiconductor manufacturing technology.

  Furthermore, as the interest in the environment has increased in recent years, the demand for an environmentally friendly cleaning method has increased, but the above-described cleaning method has not been sufficient.

  Recently, there has been proposed a cleaning method that is environmentally friendly but can overcome the problems of the conventional cleaning methods described above.

As a representative example, a dry ice cleaning method has been proposed in which dry ice particles generated by the phase change of carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) gas collide with the surface of an object to be cleaned at high speed to remove foreign matters or particles.

  The dry ice cleaning method is more environmentally friendly than the wet cleaning method because the dry ice particles remove the filth from the object to be cleaned and sublimate to leave no residue.

  In addition, the dry ice cleaning method is advantageous in terms of space utilization in the clean room because the cleaning process is simple and the size of the equipment can be significantly reduced because the cleaning is completed in just one stage of spraying dry ice particles. In addition, since fine cleaning is possible, it has various advantages in that it is possible to clean even a portion where it is difficult to remove contaminating particles.

  Therefore, there is a need to provide a cleaning device for a substrate storage container that cleans the substrate storage container using dry ice particles.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been devised in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container that cleans the substrate storage container using dry ice particles.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention unloads a loading unit for loading a substrate storage container, a cleaning unit for cleaning the substrate storage container with dry ice particles, and the substrate storage container cleaned by the cleaning unit. And an unloading unit for loading.

  The loading unit loads the main body and the lid of the substrate storage container into the cleaning unit through different paths, and the cleaning unit sprays dry ice particles to all the inside of the main body and the lid, respectively. The unloading unit unloads the cleaned main body and lid through different paths.

  According to the present invention, since the substrate storage container is cleaned using dry ice particles, there is an effect that there is no waste to be discharged and the environment is new.

  In addition, since the present invention uses dry ice, it can be finely cleaned and has the effect of extending its service life by minimizing deformation and breakage of the substrate storage container.

  Further, the present invention has an effect that the cleaning process is simply performed as compared with the conventional wet cleaning apparatus, so that the size of the apparatus can be remarkably reduced, and thus it is economical.

  In addition, the present invention has an effect of improving working efficiency because loading and unloading are performed while the substrate container is not transported without covering the main body and lid of the container with the direction of spraying dry ice particles.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a general substrate storage container.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate storage container 100 includes a main body 101 in which an accommodation space 101 a in which a substrate is accommodated is formed, and a lid 102 that opens and closes the accommodation space 101 a of the main body 101. Including.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing a dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention separates the substrate storage container 100 composed of the main body 101 and the lid 102 into the main body 101 and the lid 102, respectively. A loading unit 200 that loads in a different path, a main body 101 loaded by the loading unit 200 and a cleaning unit 300 that sprays and cleans dry ice particles inside the lid 102, and a main body 101 that is cleaned by the cleaning unit 300. And an unloading unit 400 for unloading the lid 102 through different paths.

The loading unit 200 includes a first loading unit 210 (211, 212) that loads the main body 101 of the substrate storage container 100 and a second loading unit 220 that loads the lid 102 of the substrate storage container 100.

  In the loading unit 200, it is desirable that the first loading unit 210 and the second loading unit 220 be installed adjacent to each other so that the operator can easily load the main body 101 and the lid 102.

  The cleaning unit 300 includes a first cleaning transfer unit 310 to which the main body 101 loaded by the first loading unit 210 is transferred, and a second cleaning transfer unit 320 to which the lid 102 loaded by the second loading unit 220 is transferred. And dry spray means 330 for spraying dry ice particles into the main body 101 and the lid 102, respectively.

  The unloading unit 400 includes a first unloading unit 410 that unloads the main body 101 cleaned by the cleaning unit 300 and a second unloading unit 420 that unloads the lid 102 cleaned by the cleaning unit 300. .

  It is preferable that the main body 101 be loaded and unloaded in a general carrying state, for example, opened upward, without the need for separate covering.

  Then, the main body 101 is washed in a state where it is opened downward so that the dry ice particles are sprayed by the dry spray means 330 into the main body 101 and then fall naturally due to the gravitational action of the foreign matter removed together with the dry ice particles. It is desirable that the unit 300 is charged.

  Further, the main body 101 must be raised to a position higher than the initial charging height in consideration of the installation space of the dry injection means 330 in the cleaning unit 300.

  Therefore, the loading unit 200 causes the main body 101 loaded in the first opened state to be turned upside down in an upwardly opened state, and further than the first loaded height for an easy loading operation. It is raised to a high position and loaded onto the cleaning unit 300.

  And the washing | cleaning part 300 enters into the inside of the main body 101 opened below so that a foreign material may be removed by natural fall, and sprays dry ice particles from the bottom up.

  Further, the unloading unit 400 reverses the main body 101, which is unloaded from the cleaning unit 300 in a state of being opened downward, upside down to the state of being opened upward for easy unloading work, and the initial loading height. Lower it to unload.

For this purpose, the loading unit 200 and the unloading unit 300 are each provided with a pair of reverse rotation means 500 described later.

  FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a loading unit of a dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a loading view of the dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view which shows a part.

  The loading unit 200 is loaded into the first loading unit 210 (211 and 212), for example, with the main body 1101 opened upward while the substrate storage container 100 is in a transported state, and the lid 102 is opened downward. In this state, the second loading unit 220 is loaded.

Further, the main body 101 must be loaded on the cleaning unit 300 after being turned upside down so that it is raised to the height required for the cleaning operation and opened downward as described above.

  For this purpose, the loading unit 200 is provided with a reversing means 500 for vertically reversing the main body 101 so that the main body 101 is opened upward and downward.

  For example, the first loading unit 212 may be provided with a main body sensor (not shown) that detects whether the main body 101 has entered in a section where the reversing unit 500 is installed.

  Accordingly, it is preferable that when the main body 101 is detected by the main body detection sensor, the first loading unit 212 is stopped and supported by the reverse rotation unit 500 to be lifted and rotated.

  The reversing means 500 includes a pressing rotation member 510 that presses and supports both side surfaces of the main body 101 and rotates, and a boarding member 520 that moves the pressing rotation member 510 on and off.

  The pressing rotation member 510 is configured to transfer a pair of pressing pads 511 opposed to both sides of the main body 101, a pair of driving units 512 that rotate the pressing pads 511, and the driving units 512 to the side surfaces of the main body 101. And a pair of cylinders 513 that make the pressing pad 511 press-contact with the side surface of the main body 101.

  The pressing pad 511 is directly connected to the driving unit 512 and can support one side of the main body 101 at one point. As shown in FIG. 3, one side of the main body 101 can stably support the main body 101. It is more desirable to configure so that two points can be supported.

  Therefore, each pressing pad 511 on one side of the main body 101 is coupled to both sides of the installation bar 514, and the drive unit 512 is coupled to the center of the installation bar 514.

  Therefore, when the main body 101 is opened upward along the first loading portion 210 and reaches just before the cleaning portion 300, the pressing pad 511 protrudes to both side surfaces of the main body 101 by the cylinder 513 and presses and supports the main body 101. .

  Thus, since the cylinder 513 is raised along the getting-on / off member 520 while the main body 101 is pressed and supported by the pressing pad 511, the main body 101 is also raised together. At the same time, the driving unit 512 rotates the installation bar 514 180 degrees so that the main body 101 is opened downward.

  As described above, when the main body 101 is opened downward and floated at a certain height, the first loading unit 212 is raised to support the bottom surface of the main body 101. Accordingly, when the main body 101 is supported by the first loading unit 212, the reverse rotation means 500 is released from the main body 101 and descends. In this state, the first loading unit 212 is rotationally driven to load the main body 101 onto the first cleaning transfer unit 310 of the cleaning unit 300.

  As described above, the main body 101 does not need to be lifted or covered manually, and is turned upside down by the reversing means 500 so as to be automatically opened and opened downward, and then put into the cleaning unit 300.

  Meanwhile, the lid 102 is horizontally transported along the second loading unit 220 and loaded onto the second cleaning transport unit 320.

  FIG. 5 is a side view showing a cleaning unit of a dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a cleaning of the dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view which shows a part.

  The cleaning unit 300 is charged into the first cleaning transfer unit 310 and the second cleaning transfer unit 320 with the main body 101 and the lid 102 opened downward.

  As described above, the cleaning unit 300 is configured to inject the dry ice particles into all of the main body 101 and the lid 102 transferred to the first cleaning transfer unit 310 and the second cleaning transfer unit 320. The dry injection means 330 are installed below 310 and the second cleaning transfer unit 320, respectively.

  Moreover, the 1st washing | cleaning transfer part 310 and the 2nd washing | cleaning transfer part 320 support the peripheral part of the main body 101 and the lid | cover 102 in the state from which the center part of the rotating shaft was removed, as shown in the figure. As a result, each of the dry spray means 330 does not receive interference when spraying dry ice particles into the main body 101 and the lid 102.

  The dry spray means 330 sprays dry ice particles radially to a plurality of different parts inside the main body 101 and the lid.

  In particular, it is preferable that the dry injection means 330 for injecting dry ice particles into the main body 101 is configured to be able to get on and off and ascend into the main body 101.

  The dry spray unit 330 includes a plurality of dry ice spray nozzles 333 that are eccentrically coupled to a rotating plate 332 coupled to a drive shaft 331 and spray dry ice particles radially by the rotation of the rotating plate 332.

  Accordingly, since each dry ice spray nozzle 333 ejects dry ice particles radially, dry cleaning is performed on all the inside of the main body 101 and the lid 102.

  In the above-described configuration, the dry spray unit 330 further includes an air spray nozzle 334 that sprays dry air into the main body 101.

  The air injection nozzle 334 is installed to prevent the occurrence of a portion where the main body 101 is deeper than the lid 102 and cannot be cleaned by dry ice particles.

  That is, the dry ice particles ejected by each dry ice ejection nozzle 333 are smoothly guided to all the inside of the main body 101 and the lid 102 by the dry air ejected from the air ejection nozzle 334, so that there is no leakage point. Wash thoroughly.

  In the above configuration, the cleaning unit 300 further includes an air knife 340 that presses and sprays dry air onto the outer surfaces of the main body 101 and the lid 102.

  Even the outer surfaces of the main body 101 and the lid 102 are cleaned by the air knife 340, and the contamination factor of the substrate by the substrate storage container 100 is completely removed.

  In addition, the air knife 340 is preferably fixed near the entrances of the first cleaning transfer unit 310 and the second cleaning transfer unit 320 so that the body 101 and the lid 102 are showered while being transferred.

  In the above-described configuration, the cleaning unit 300 is installed in the housing 301, and the housing 301 further includes a gate 350 that opens and closes an inlet through which the main body 101 is input or an outlet from which the main body 101 is discharged.

  For example, the gate 350 may be automatically operated by being coupled to an air cylinder (not shown) or the like while the upper and lower portions slide on the housing 301.

  Therefore, particles and foreign matters generated during cleaning in the cleaning unit 30 are prevented from flowing into the loading unit 200 or the unloading unit 400.

  Further, the cleaning unit 300 can be hermetically sealed by installing all the gates 350 at the entrance where the main body 101 is inserted and the exit where the main body 101 is carried out.

  In the above-described configuration, the cleaning unit 300 further includes a removing unit 360 that collects foreign substances that are dropped from the inside.

  Therefore, various foreign matters generated by reacting with the dry ice particles in the cleaning unit 300 are discharged to the outside through the removing unit 360, so that the cleaning efficiency can be further increased.

  It is preferable that the removing unit 360 is coupled to the lower side of the dry-type spray unit 330 and gets on and off together.

  7 is a side view showing an unloading portion of the dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is an unloading unit of the dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view which shows a loading part.

  The unloading unit 400 is unloaded to the first unloading unit 410 (411, 412) with the main body 101 opened downward, and unloaded to the second unloading unit 420 with the lid 102 opened downward. Is done.

  Further, the main body 101 must be turned upside down so as to be opened upward at the same time as it is lowered to the initial loading height for unloading.

  Accordingly, the unloading unit 400 is provided with a reversing unit 500 that lowers the main body 101 carried out from the cleaning unit 300 and reverses it upside down so as to be opened upward.

  Since the reversing means 500 is the same as that installed in the loading unit 400, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  For example, the first unloading unit 411 may be provided with a main body sensor (not shown) that detects whether the main body 101 is carried out in a section where the reversing unit 500 is installed.

  Accordingly, when the main body 101 is detected by the main body detection sensor, the first unloading unit 411 is stopped, and the main body 101 is preferably pressed and supported by the reverse rotation unit 500 to be lowered and rotated.

  Therefore, when the main body 101 is cleaned by the first cleaning transfer unit 310 and reaches the first unloading unit 411 in a state where the main body 101 is opened downward, the pressing pad 511 protrudes to both side surfaces of the main body 101 by the cylinder 513 and lifts the main body 101. Press and support.

  As described above, the first unloading portion 411 is lowered while the main body 101 is pressed and supported by the pressing pad 511. As described above, when the first unloading portion 411 is lowered to the initial loading height in a state where the main body 101 is pressed and supported by the pressing pad 511, the cylinder 513 is lowered along the getting-on / off member 520. The main body 101 is also lowered together. At the same time, the driving unit 512 rotates the installation bar 514 180 degrees to reverse the main body 101 upside down so as to open upward.

  As described above, when the main body 101 is supported by the first loading portion 411 in a state where the main body 101 is opened upward, the reverse rotation means 500 is released from the main body 101 and moves up. In this state, the main body 101 is unloaded by the first loading unit 411.

  As described above, the main body 101 does not need to be manually lowered or covered, but is automatically lowered and opened upward by the reversing means 500, and returned to the initial state and carried out.

  Meanwhile, the lid 102 is horizontally transferred along the second loading unit 220 and unloaded.

  In the loading unit 100, the cleaning unit 300, and the unloading unit 400, a plurality of detection sensors (not shown) that detect the positions of the main body 101 and the lid 102 are installed on the transfer path of the main body 101 and the lid 102. The

  The present invention has been described above based on specific preferred embodiments and drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these, and the technology of the present invention can be obtained by a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs. Obviously, various modifications and variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the claims.

It is sectional drawing which shows a common board | substrate storage container. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view which shows the loading part of the dry cleaning apparatus for substrate storage containers which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the loading part of the dry cleaning apparatus for substrate storage containers which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the washing | cleaning part of the dry cleaning apparatus for substrate storage containers which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the washing | cleaning part of the dry cleaning apparatus for substrate storage containers which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the unloading part of the dry cleaning apparatus for substrate storage containers which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the unloading part of the dry cleaning apparatus for substrate storage containers which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Substrate storage container 101 Main body 102 Lid 200 Loading unit 210 First input transfer unit 220 Second input transfer unit 300 Cleaning unit 310 First cleaning transfer unit 320 Second cleaning transfer unit 330 Dry injection means 333 Dry ice injection nozzle 334 Air injection Nozzle 340 Air knife 350 Gate 360 Removal means 400 Unloading section 410 First unloading / transferring section 420 Second unloading / transferring section 500 Reverse rotation section

Claims (12)

A loading unit for loading a substrate storage container;
A cleaning section for cleaning the substrate storage container with dry ice particles;
An unloading unit for unloading the substrate storage container cleaned by the cleaning unit;
A dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container. The loading unit loads the main body and lid of the substrate storage container onto the cleaning unit through different paths,
The cleaning unit sprays dry ice particles to the inside of the main body and the lid, respectively.
2. The dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the unloading unit unloads the cleaned main body and lid through different paths. The loading part opens the main body downward and at the same time raises it to a position higher than the initial charging height and transfers it to the cleaning part,
The cleaning unit enters the inside of the main body from the bottom to the top and sprays dry ice particles,
3. The dry cleaning for a substrate storage container according to claim 2, wherein the unloading unit opens the main body carried out from the cleaning unit upward and simultaneously lowers and transfers the main body to the initial charging height. apparatus. The loading part and the unloading part are
The apparatus further comprises a pair of reversing means for reversing the main body put into the loading section upside down and reversing the main body carried out from the cleaning section to the unloading section so as to open upward. The dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to claim 3. Each reversing means is
A pressing rotating member that presses and supports both side surfaces of the main body and rotates;
The dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to claim 4, further comprising a boarding / alighting member for getting on and off the pressing rotation member. The pressing rotation member is
A pressure pad oppositely disposed on both sides of the main body;
A pair of drive units for rotating each of the pressing pads;
A pair of cylinders for transferring each driving unit to the side surface of the main body and pressing the pressing pad against the side surface of the main body;
The dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to claim 5, comprising:   4. The dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to claim 3, wherein the cleaning section includes dry spray means for spraying dry ice particles radially to a plurality of different locations in the main body or the lid. .   8. The dry spray unit includes a plurality of dry ice spray nozzles that are eccentrically coupled to a rotating plate coupled to a drive shaft and spray dry ice particles radially by rotation of the rotating plate. Dry cleaning device for substrate storage containers.   9. The dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to claim 8, wherein the dry spray means further includes an air spray nozzle that sprays dry air into the main body or the lid.   The dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to claim 3, wherein the cleaning unit further includes an air knife that presses and sprays dry air onto the outer surface of the main body or the lid. The cleaning unit is installed in a housing,
The dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to claim 10, wherein the housing further includes a gate that opens and closes an inlet through which the substrate storage container is inserted or an outlet through which the substrate storage container is unloaded.   4. The dry cleaning apparatus for a substrate storage container according to claim 3, wherein the cleaning unit further includes a removing unit that discharges and removes foreign matters generated in the cleaning process.

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