JP2008210881A - Apparatus of holding cleanliness when goods are delivered by local clean conveyer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus of holding cleanliness when goods are delivered by a local clean conveyer that can prevent an external environmental gas with low cleanliness from being taken in a local clean area when a mini-environment method is adopted. <P>SOLUTION: The apparatus is provided at a plurality of places in a clean room 11, and goods are conveyed in a goods delivery part 13 in a work area 12 of which cleanliness is higher than that of the clean room 11, by housing them in a pod 15 to be conveyed by a manual truck 14. The inside of the goods delivery part 13 is made higher in pressure (positive pressure) than of the clean room 11. The pod 15 is placed on a moving member 22, and in the midway where a cassette 17 is elevated down together with the moving member 22, gas of the goods delivery part 13 is exhausted a clearance between an opening filling part 22b and a delivery port 20a, and the gas within the clean room 11 is prevented from entering the inside of the goods delivery part 13. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  In a factory where a clean environment is indispensable, such as a manufacturing factory for semiconductor devices and liquid crystal devices, the present invention can transport only articles locally such as semiconductor wafers and liquid crystal panels in a sealed state between processes. The present invention relates to a cleanliness holding device at the time of delivery of an article in a local clean transfer device suitable for a so-called mini-environment (local clean environment) system.

  Generally, when manufacturing a liquid crystal device or a semiconductor device, all operations are performed in a clean room. However, not only the environment in the stocker that stocks the manufacturing equipment and products or semi-finished products of each manufacturing process, but also the high cleanliness of the entire clean room including the transfer area between each manufacturing process and the stocker is the initial cost. In addition, both running costs are enormous. Therefore, in recent years, rather than keeping the entire clean room in a highly clean state, the product or semi-finished product is stored in a sealed container and transported within and between processes, and only the environment of the manufacturing equipment in each manufacturing process is localized. In particular, a so-called mini-environment (local clean environment) system that keeps a highly clean state attracts attention.

  And the local clean conveyance apparatus suitable for a mini environment system is proposed by patent document 1. FIG. The local clean conveyance device of Patent Literature 1 conveys articles between article delivery units configured at a plurality of locations in a room using a conveyance carriage. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, a delivery cart 51 is provided with an article storage section 52 that can be maintained with a high degree of cleanliness. The article storage section 52 is configured to be able to advance and retreat, and is provided with an airtight door 53 on the front side. A mouth 54 is provided. The article delivery unit 55 is configured as a clean unit capable of maintaining a high degree of cleanness, and a delivery port 57 provided with an airtight door 56 is provided on the front side thereof.

  In this local clean transfer device, when the article 58 is delivered from the article storage section 52 of the transport carriage 51 into the article delivery section 55, the conveyance carriage 51 is stopped on the front side of the article delivery section 55 as shown in FIG. Let Next, the article storage section 52 is advanced to bring the delivery port section 54 into close contact with the delivery port section 57 of the article delivery section 55. Next, the airtight door 56 of the article delivery unit 55 is opened. As a result, the space between the delivery port portions 54 and 57 is communicated with the article delivery portion 55, and the space that is the cleanliness (cleanness) of the transfer area in the clean room is cleaned to a high cleanliness. Thereafter, the airtight door 53 of the article storage unit 52 is opened, and the article 58 is transferred from the article storage unit 52 to the article delivery unit 55 by the transfer device 59.

In addition to the delivery method of transferring the entire container containing the semiconductor wafer and the liquid crystal substrate glass as an article, a pod comprising a cassette and a cover for supporting the semiconductor wafer and the liquid crystal substrate glass is used, and the cover is delivered. There is also a delivery method that delivers the cassette without the need. In this method, as shown in FIGS. 10A to 10D, the delivery port 61 a of the delivery unit 61 of the clean facility is configured to be closed by the elevating stage 62. Then, as shown in FIG. 10A, from the state where the pod 63 composed of the cassette 63a and the cover 63b is supported by the fork 60 of the transfer device, as shown in FIG. It is placed on the lifting stage 62 arranged at the position). When the lifting stage 62 is lowered from the state where the pod 63 is placed on the lifting stage 62, the pod 63 is lowered together with the lifting stage 62 as shown in FIG. Then, after the cover 63b comes into contact with the outer peripheral edge of the delivery port 61a during the lowering and the lowering is restricted, the lowering of the elevating stage 62 is further continued and the cassette 63a is moved as shown in FIG. 10 (d). The lifting / lowering stage 62 is stopped in a state of being completely accommodated in the delivery unit 61, and delivery is completed.
JP-A-9-133385 (paragraphs [0011] to [0019] of the specification, FIGS. 1, 4, 6, and 8)

  However, in the local clean conveyance device described in Patent Document 1, when the article 58 is delivered from the article storage section 52 of the conveyance carriage 51 into the article delivery section 55, the clean that exists in the space between the delivery port sections 54 and 57. Low-grade air is taken into the article delivery section 55 and cleaning is performed by a purification device provided in the article delivery section 55. Therefore, there is a problem that not only the load on the purification device provided in the article delivery unit 55 is increased, but the cleanliness of the article delivery unit 55 is temporarily deteriorated.

  On the other hand, in the delivery method shown in FIGS. 10A to 10D, air having a low cleanness in the external environment is taken in the state shown in FIG. 10C, and the air is taken into the delivery unit 61. Therefore, although the intake amount of air having a lower cleanness than in the case of Patent Document 1 is smaller, the cleanness in the delivery unit 61 temporarily decreases.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and the object of the present invention is to adopt a so-called mini-environment (local clean environment) system in which a gas in an external environment having a low cleanliness is a local clean region. An object of the present invention is to provide a cleanliness maintaining device at the time of delivery of an article in a local clean transport device that can be prevented from being taken in by the device.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is provided at a plurality of locations in a room and transports articles between the article delivery sections in a work area having a higher cleanliness than the cleanliness in the room. In the local clean conveying apparatus performed via the item, the article is accommodated and conveyed in a sealed state in a state where the article is accommodated in an airtight container or in an accommodating space provided in the conveying means. The article delivery unit is provided with discharge means. Before the discharge means communicates with the storage space of the sealed container for storing the article or the storage space provided in the transport means for storing the article with the delivery port provided in the article delivery section, A gas having a low cleanliness existing between an airtight door that covers the delivery port and a lid that seals the accommodation space is discharged into the room using a gas having a high cleanliness in the work area.

  In this invention, the article is conveyed between the article delivery units in the work area where the cleanliness is higher than the cleanliness in the room via the conveying means, and the article is accommodated in the sealed container or provided in the conveying means. It is conveyed in a state of being accommodated in the accommodation space in a sealed state. When the article is accommodated in the work area via the article delivery unit, an airtight door that covers the delivery port part and the accommodation space before the accommodation space is in communication with the delivery port part provided in the article delivery part. A gas having a low cleanliness existing between the cover and the lid that seals the gas is discharged into the room using a gas having a high cleanliness in the work area. Therefore, unlike the conventional apparatus, when the articles conveyed by the conveying means are accommodated in the work area higher than the cleanliness in the room from the delivery port of the article delivery section, the external clean gas having a low cleanliness is stored in the local clean area. Can be suppressed.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the article is transported in a sealed container comprising a cassette capable of placing a plurality of articles in parallel and a cover covering the cassette so as to be hermetically sealed. Is done using. The cassette is formed so as to be able to enter the article delivery portion from the delivery port portion, and the cover includes a flange portion that comes into contact with a peripheral portion of the delivery port portion in an airtight state. The article delivery section is movable so that the delivery opening can be closed as it enters the article delivery section while maintaining the state of being in contact with the cassette from the state in which the delivery opening can be closed. A member is provided. The discharge means discharges the gas while the flange portion of the cover comes into contact with the peripheral edge portion in an airtight state after the moving member starts moving from the closed position.

  In the present invention, since the article is transported using a sealed container that includes a cassette and a cover, and the cassette can enter the article delivery section from the delivery port, the container can be sealed to accommodate the article. Compared with the case where the accommodation space is provided, the configuration of the conveying means is simplified.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the moving member is configured to be movable up and down. In the present invention, when the moving member descends in a state where the sealed container is placed on the moving member, the cassette is lowered together with the moving member and automatically enters the article delivery unit. Then, the gas in the work area is discharged from the gap between the moving member and the delivery port portion until the flange portion of the cover comes into contact with the peripheral portion of the delivery port portion in the airtight state while the moving member is descending. Therefore, the configuration for suppressing the external environment gas having a low cleanliness from being taken into the local clean region is simplified.

  According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the invention of the second or third aspect, the discharge means is a pressure holding means for holding the pressure in the work area at a value higher than the pressure outside the work area. is there. In this invention, the pressure in the work area is held at a higher value than the pressure outside the work area by the pressure holding means. Therefore, the structure which suppresses that the gas of external environment is taken in in a working area from the clearance gap between a moving member and a delivery port part becomes simple.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the peripheral portion of the cassette opposite to the side in contact with the flange portion and the peripheral portion of the moving member, each peripheral portion extends in the direction. Intersecting grooves are formed. In the present invention, when the gas in the work area is discharged from the gap between the moving member and the delivery port, the gas in the external environment can be efficiently discharged due to the presence of the groove. The entry of is suppressed.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, a chamfered portion is formed on the peripheral edge of the cassette opposite to the side in contact with the flange and the entire peripheral edge of the moving member. . In the present invention, since the chamfered portion exists, the gas in the external environment is more efficiently discharged when the gas in the work area is discharged from the gap between the moving member and the delivery port portion than in the case where the chamfered portion does not exist. The entry of is suppressed.

  According to the present invention, when a so-called mini-environment system is adopted, it is possible to suppress the external environment gas having a low cleanliness from being taken into the local clean region.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a local clean transfer device for transferring a glass substrate for liquid crystal will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, in a clean room 11 as a room of a liquid crystal device manufacturing factory, a plurality of work areas (manufacturing processes) 12 whose cleanliness is higher than the cleanliness in the clean room 11 are shown (only one is shown). An article delivery unit 13 is provided in each work area 12. In this embodiment, an article (a glass substrate or the like) is conveyed via a manual carriage 14 as a conveying means. Further, the article is conveyed through a pod 15 as a sealed container. Each work area 12 is provided with a fan filter unit 12a, and is always supplied with high cleanliness air filtered by a filter by driving the fan filter unit 12a so as to maintain (maintain) a cleanliness higher than the cleanliness in the clean room 11. Has been. Further, the pressure in the work area 12 is maintained at a value higher than the pressure outside the work area 12. The fan filter unit 12 a constitutes a pressure holding unit that holds the pressure in the work area 12 at a value higher than the pressure outside the work area 12.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the pod 15 that houses the article 16 includes a cassette 17 on which a plurality of articles 16 can be placed in parallel, and a cover 18 that covers the cassette 17 so as to be hermetically sealed. The cassette 17 includes a rectangular substrate 17a, a plurality of columns 17b erected on the substrate 17a, and a plurality of locking projections 17c fixed to the columns 17b. The article 16 is held parallel to the substrate 17a while being supported by the locking projection 17c. The cover 18 includes a cover main body 18a that can accommodate an upper portion of the cassette 17 above the substrate 17a, and a flange portion 18b provided at the lower end of the cover main body 18a. The flange portion 18b is formed to be slightly larger than the substrate 17a, and in a closed state where the cover 18 covers the cassette 17, the lower surface of the flange portion 18b abuts on the peripheral upper surface of the substrate 17a in an airtight state, and the periphery of the flange portion 18b is It protrudes from the periphery of the substrate 17a. The cassette 17 and the cover 18 are made of metal, for example, aluminum. The substrate 17 a constitutes a lid portion that seals the accommodation space of the sealed container (pod 15) that accommodates the article 16.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A to 4F, a convex portion 19 that is slightly smaller than the substrate 17a is provided on the lower surface of the substrate 17a, that is, on the side opposite to the side facing the cover 18. Further, a chamfered portion 17d is provided at the peripheral edge of the substrate 17a. That is, a tapered chamfered portion 17d is formed on the peripheral edge of the cassette 17 on the side opposite to the side in contact with the flange portion 18b.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of article delivery sections 13 (two places in FIG. 2) are provided. As shown in FIG. 1B and FIGS. 4A to 4F, a delivery port 20 a is provided on the upper wall 20 that partitions each article delivery unit 13. The delivery port 20a is formed so that the cassette 17 can pass therethrough. In this embodiment, the delivery port 20a is formed in a rectangular shape slightly larger than the substrate 17a.

  As shown to Fig.1 (a), the raising / lowering apparatus 21 is arrange | positioned in the goods delivery part 13 below the delivery port part 20a. The elevating device 21 includes a known configuration, for example, an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or an electric cylinder, and a column 21a (shown in FIG. 1B and the like) is raised and lowered. A movable member 22 is provided at the upper portion of the support column 21a so as to be movable while maintaining a state in which the delivery port 20a can be closed and is in contact with the cassette 17 from the closed position. That is, the moving member 22 is configured to be able to move up and down.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, the moving member 22 includes a base plate 22a having a larger area than the delivery port portion 20a, an opening filling portion 22b projecting on the base plate 22a and slightly smaller than the delivery port portion 20a, and an opening filling. A protruding portion 22 c is provided which protrudes on the portion 22 b and has substantially the same size as the protruding portion 19 of the cassette 17. When the moving member 22 is disposed at the closed position, the convex portion 22c protrudes from the upper wall 20 with the opening filling portion 22b filling the delivery port portion 20a, and the upper peripheral edge of the base plate 22a is the delivery port portion 20a. It comes to contact | abut in the airtight state on the periphery of. A tapered chamfered portion 22d is formed at the peripheral portion of the opening filling portion 22b. The moving member 22 constitutes an airtight door that covers the delivery port 20a.

  As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 2, in the work area 12, the article 16 placed in the cassette 17 accommodated in the article delivery unit 13 is transferred to the equipment-side stage 23 in the work process, A transfer machine 24 for transferring the article 16 on the equipment side stage 23 onto the cassette 17 is provided. The transfer machine 24 includes a bendable arm 26 whose base end is supported on a support column 25 that is driven up and down, and includes a fork 26 a that supports an article 16 at the tip of the arm 26. The arm 26 is bent (expanded / contracted) in a known configuration, and is moved in a state in which the fork 26a is kept horizontal by a combination of the rotation and lifting movement of the support column 25. The transfer machine 24 receives the article 16 from the cassette 17 by picking up the article 16 with the fork 26a, and places the article 16 at a predetermined position by the reverse operation.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the manual carriage 14 that transfers the pod 15 between the article delivery units 13 in different work areas 12 includes a mounting unit 27 on which the pod 15 is mounted, a gripping unit 28 that the worker W grips. It has. The mounting portion 27 is configured to be movable up and down by a lifting mechanism (not shown). The placement unit 27 includes a transfer device 29 in which a pair of arms (forks) 29 a that support the pod 15 on the lower surface of the substrate 17 a of the cassette 17 are extendable. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the transfer device 29 is driven in a state where the manual carriage 14 is positioned by a positioning unit (not shown) with respect to the article delivery unit 13, and the pod 15 is mounted via the arm 29a. 27 and the delivery port part 20a of the article delivery part 13 are transferred.

Next, the operation of the apparatus configured as described above will be described.
The conveyance of the article 16 between the work areas 12 is performed by conveying the pod 15 by the manual carriage 14. The pod 15 is used in a state where the cleanliness is previously replaced with clean gas (air in this embodiment) so as to be equivalent to the cleanliness of each work area 12 higher than the cleanliness of the transport environment, that is, the cleanroom 11. Is done.

  The pod 15 is mounted on the transfer device 29 of the mounting portion 27 of the manual carriage 14 and is conveyed through the clean room 11 by the manual carriage 14. Since the cassette 17 is sealed with the cover 18 during the transportation, the article 16 is transported in an environment maintained at the same high cleanliness as the work area 12 without being exposed to the environment of the clean room 11. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the manual carriage 14 is stopped in a state where the manual carriage 14 is positioned at a position corresponding to a predetermined position of the article delivery unit 13. When the worker W drives the transfer device 29 in this state, the pod 15 is transferred to a position corresponding to the delivery port 20a of the article delivery unit 13 as shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b). The As shown in FIG. 4A, after the pod 15 is supported by the arm 29a on the lower surface of the substrate 17a of the cassette 17 and moved above the delivery port 20a, the arm 29a is lowered, As shown in (b), the convex portion 19 is transferred onto the moving member 22 while being placed on the convex portion 22c of the moving member 22. Then, after the arm 29a returns to the original position, the operator W operates a transfer completion switch (not shown). Thereafter, when the operator W uses the manual carriage 14 for transporting other pods 15, the operator W moves the manual carriage 14.

  When the transfer completion switch is operated, the elevating device 21 starts to move downward based on the signal. Then, as shown in FIG. 4C, the moving member 22 starts to descend, and the pod 15 starts to descend together with the moving member 22. As shown in FIG. 4D, the flange portion 18b of the cover 18 comes into contact with the peripheral edge portion of the delivery port portion 20a of the upper wall 20 in an airtight state during the downward movement. From this state, the lowering of the moving member 22 is continued, and as shown in FIG. 4E, the cassette 17 is lowered with the cover 18 being prevented from lowering, and the cassette 17 enters the article delivery section 13. To do. Then, as shown in FIG. 4 (f), when the cassette 17 is completely accommodated in the article delivery unit 13, the lowering operation of the elevating device 21 is stopped, and the opening (opening) of the pod 15 is completed.

  Next, the transfer machine 24 is driven, and the fork 26a is moved in a state of being held horizontally by a combination of expansion / contraction of the arm 26 and rotation and lifting / lowering of the support column 25. The forks 26 a receive the articles 16 supported on the locking projections 17 c of the cassette 17 one by one (one sheet) from the cassette 17 and transfer them to the equipment side stage 23. After the transfer of all the articles 16 is completed, the transfer machine 24 performs an operation of transferring the articles 16 that have been completed in the work area 12 to the cassette 17. When the transfer of the article 16 to the cassette 17 is completed, the lifting device 21 is moved upward. And as shown in FIG.4 (b), the drive of the raising / lowering apparatus 21 is stopped in the state arrange | positioned in the closed position where the opening filling part 22b of the moving member 22 was inserted in the delivery port part 20a.

  Then, the manual carriage 14 is stopped in a state where the manual carriage 14 is again positioned at a predetermined position of the article delivery section 13 by the operator W, and the placement of the manual carriage 14 from the position corresponding to the delivery port section 20a by the transfer device 29. It is transferred onto the part 27. Next, the worker W moves the manual carriage 14 to the other work area 12 and conveys the article 16 to the other work area 12.

  In addition, it is prioritized to use the cassette 17 for transporting other articles 16 in a state where the transfer of the articles 16 supported by the cassette 17 accommodated in the article delivery unit 13 to the equipment-side stage 23 is completed. In this case, the elevating drive of the elevating device 21 is started without waiting for the transfer of the article 16 after the work in the work area 12 is completed. Then, the empty cassette 17 is raised and stopped in a state where the pod 15 can be transferred as shown in FIG. From this state, the pod 15 is transferred by the transfer device 29 from the position corresponding to the transfer port 20 a onto the mounting portion 27 of the manual carriage 14, and the article delivery section of the necessary work area 12 via the manual carriage 14. 13 to a position corresponding to 13.

  While the pod 15 is moved downward together with the moving member 22 from the state shown in FIG. 4B and the cassette 17 reaches the state shown in FIG. Then, the low cleanliness gas in the clean room 11 is taken into the article delivery unit 13. More specifically, in the state shown in FIG. 4B, the side surface of the convex portion 19 of the cassette 17, the outside of the side surface of the convex portion 19 on the lower surface of the substrate 17a, the side surface of the convex portion 22c of the moving member 22, and the opening filling portion 22b. The gas present in the space S1 surrounded by the outer side from the side surface of the convex portion 22c on the upper surface is taken into the article delivery unit 13. However, in this embodiment, the inside of the article delivery unit 13 is held at a positive pressure from the inside of the clean room 11, and the chamfered portion 22d is formed at the peripheral portion of the opening filling portion 22b, and the chamfered portion 17d is formed at the peripheral portion of the substrate 17a. Has been. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 4C and 5, as the moving member 22 and the cassette 17 are lowered, the gas in the article delivery unit 13 is discharged so as to push the gas in the space S <b> 1 into the clean room 11. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the gas having a low cleanliness from being taken into the article delivery unit 13.

This embodiment has the following effects.
(1) The article 16 is conveyed in the clean room 11 via the manual carriage 14 in a state where the article 16 is accommodated in the pod 15 (sealed container). And before making the accommodation space of the pod 15 into a communication state with the delivery port part 20a provided in the article delivery part 13 with higher cleanliness than the clean room 11, the moving member 22 covering the delivery port part 20a and the accommodation space are sealed. The low cleanliness gas existing between the substrate 17a and the substrate 17a is discharged into the clean room 11 using the high cleanliness gas in the work area 12. Therefore, when the article 16 conveyed by the manual carriage 14 (conveying means) is accommodated in the work area 12 higher than the cleanliness in the clean room 11 from the delivery port 20a of the article delivery section 13, unlike the conventional apparatus. Can be prevented from being taken into the article delivery unit 13 (local clean region).

  (2) The article 16 is transported using a pod 15 that includes a cassette 17 on which a plurality of articles 16 can be placed in parallel and a cover 18 that covers the cassette 17 so as to be hermetically sealed. The cover 18 is formed so as to be able to enter the article delivery portion 13 from the mouth portion 20a, and the cover 18 includes a flange portion 18b that comes into contact with the peripheral edge portion of the delivery mouth portion 20a in an airtight state. The article delivery section 13 can move as the cassette 17 enters the article delivery section 13 while maintaining the state in which the delivery opening 20a can be closed and placed in the closed position and in contact with the cassette 17 A movable member 22 is provided. Then, after the moving member 22 starts moving from the closed position, the low cleanliness gas is discharged while the flange portion 18b of the cover 18 contacts the peripheral edge portion in an airtight state. Therefore, the structure of the conveying means is simplified as compared with the case where the conveying means is provided with a sealable storage space for accommodating the article 16.

  (3) The moving member 22 is configured to be movable up and down, and when the moving member 22 is lowered while the pod 15 is placed on the moving member 22, the cassette 17 is lowered together with the moving member 22 into the article delivery unit 13. Enter automatically. Then, the gas in the work area is discharged from the gap between the moving member 22 and the delivery port portion 20a until the flange portion 18b of the cover 18 comes into contact with the peripheral edge portion of the delivery port portion 20a in the airtight state while the moving member 22 is being lowered. Discharged. Therefore, the configuration for suppressing the external environment gas having a low cleanliness from being taken into the local clean region is simplified.

  (4) A clean room using a low cleanliness gas present in the work area 12 between the moving member 22 covering the delivery port portion 20a and the substrate 17a sealing the accommodation space of the pod 15. The discharge means for discharging into the work 11 is constituted by pressure holding means for holding the pressure in the work area 12 at a higher value than the pressure outside the work area 12. Therefore, the structure which suppresses that the gas of external environment is taken in into the working area 12 from the clearance gap between the moving member 22 and the delivery port part 20a becomes simple.

  (5) Chamfered portions 17 d and 22 d are formed on the entire peripheral edge of the substrate 17 a of the cassette 17 and the peripheral edge of the opening filling portion 22 b of the moving member 22. Therefore, when the gas in the work area 12 is discharged from the gap between the moving member 22 and the delivery port 20a, gas in the external environment can be efficiently introduced compared to the case where the chamfered portions 17d and 22d do not exist. It is suppressed.

  (6) A convex portion 19 that is slightly smaller than the substrate 17 a is provided on the lower surface of the substrate 17 a of the cassette 17, and a convex portion that is substantially the same size as the convex portion 19 of the cassette 17 on the opening filling portion 22 b of the moving member 22. 22c protrudes. Therefore, it becomes easy to place the cassette 17 on the moving member 22 while being supported by the arm 29a, or to support the cassette 17 placed on the moving member 22.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the article 16 is not transported between the article delivery units in a state where the article 16 is housed in the pod 15 (sealed container), but in a sealed state in the housing space provided in the transport carriage (conveying means). This is greatly different from the first embodiment in that it is housed and transported. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the transport carriage 31 includes a housing portion 32 as a housing space that can be hermetically sealed with a configuration similar to that disclosed in Patent Document 1, and a filter unit 32 a is provided above the housing portion 32. Is provided to maintain (maintain) the inside of the accommodating portion 32 at a higher cleanliness than in the clean room 11. The accommodating portion 32 is configured to be able to advance and retreat, and is arranged at a delivery position (forward position) and a standby position (retreat position) by a driving device (not shown). FIG. 6 shows a state in which the accommodating portion 32 is disposed at the delivery position. The housing portion 32 is provided with an airtight door 33 as a lid portion that can be opened at the delivery position. In addition, a transfer device 29 for transferring the cassette 17 is provided in the storage portion 32, and the cassette 17 is placed on the arm 29 a of the transfer device 29, and in the storage portion 32 and the article. It can be transferred to and from the delivery unit 34. The transport carriage 31 is configured to automatically travel between the plurality of article delivery units 34.

  The article delivery section 34 is provided with a filter unit 34 a at the top thereof so that the interior of the article delivery section 34 is maintained (maintained) with a higher cleanliness than in the clean room 11. In the article delivery unit 34, a placement unit (not shown) for the cassette 17 to be transferred by the transfer device 29 of the transport carriage 31 is provided. A delivery port part 36 having an airtight door 35 is provided on the front side of the article delivery part 34. The delivery port 36 is provided at a position where the space S <b> 2 is formed in front of the airtight door 35. These configurations are the same as in Patent Document 1.

  The article delivery unit 34 is provided with a passage (for example, a pipe) 37 that allows the space S2 to communicate with the clean room 11, and an electromagnetic valve (not shown) is provided in the middle of the passage 37. The article delivery section 34 is provided with a nozzle 38 that injects gas in the article delivery section 34 having a higher cleanliness than the clean room 11 into the space S2. The nozzle 38 is switched between an injection state by a solenoid valve (not shown) and a standby state in which communication between the space S2 and the article delivery section 34 is blocked. Before the passage 37 and the nozzle 38 communicate with the delivery port 36 provided in the article delivery unit 34, the airtight door 35 that covers the delivery port 36 A discharge means for discharging the low cleanliness gas existing between the hermetic door 33 that seals the portion 32 into the clean room 11 using the high cleanliness gas in the work area.

  In this embodiment, the transport carriage 31 moves in a state where the storage portion 32 is disposed at the standby position, and stops in a state where the storage portion 32 faces the delivery port portion 36. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the accommodating portion 32 is moved to the delivery position, and an airtight space portion S <b> 1 is formed between the airtight door 33 and the airtight door 35 of the delivery port portion 36. In this state, the space S1 has the same cleanliness as the clean room 11. Next, after the solenoid valve is driven and the passage 37 is maintained in communication with the clean room 11, the gas in the article delivery section 34 is injected from the nozzle 38 into the space S1. And after the gas in space part S1 is substituted by the gas injected from the nozzle 38, while the injection from the nozzle 38 is stopped, the communication state of the channel | path 37 and the clean room 11 is interrupted | blocked.

  Next, after both the airtight doors 33 and 35 are opened, the transfer device 29 is driven, and the cassette 17 is transferred to the mounting portion in the article delivery portion 34 by the arm 29a. After the arm 29a returns to the standby position, both the airtight doors 33 and 35 are closed, and the delivery of the cassette 17 is completed.

This embodiment has the following effects.
(7) Before bringing the accommodating part 32 of the conveying means (conveying carriage 31) into communication with the delivery port part 36 provided in the article delivery part 34, the airtight door 35 covering the delivery port part 36 and the accommodating part 32 A gas having a low cleanliness existing between the hermetic door 33 to be sealed is discharged into the clean room 11 by using the gas having a high cleanliness in the work area through the passage 37 and the nozzle 38. Therefore, when the article 16 conveyed by the conveyance carriage 31 is accommodated in the work area higher than the cleanliness in the clean room 11 from the delivery port portion 36 of the article delivery section 34, the external environment (in the clean room 11) with a low cleanliness. It is possible to suppress the gas from being taken into the local clean region.

  (8) Since the transport carriage 31 as the transport means is configured to be able to automatically travel between the plurality of article delivery sections 34, the operator W moves with respect to the transport carriage 31 unlike the case where the manual carriage 14 is used. There is no need to do. Therefore, it becomes easy to set the clean room 11 and the work area 12 to an inert gas (for example, nitrogen, helium) environment.

(9) Unlike the case where the pod 15 is used for conveyance, there is no need to prepare a pod 15 having a size corresponding to each article 16 having a different size.
The embodiment is not limited to the above, and may be embodied as follows, for example.

  The chamfered portions 17d and 22d formed on the peripheral portion of the substrate 17a and the peripheral portion of the opening filling portion 22b of the moving member 22 are not limited to a tapered shape (planar shape) but may be a curved surface shape. Further, either one of the double-sided portions 17d and 22d may be tapered and the other may be curved.

  ○ Instead of forming the chamfered portions 17d and 22d at the peripheral edge of the substrate 17a and the peripheral edge of the opening filling portion 22b of the moving member 22, as shown in FIG. 7, grooves 40 and 41 intersecting with the extending directions of the peripheral edges. May be formed. In this case, a highly clean gas in the article delivery unit 13 enters the space S1 through the grooves 40 and 41, and discharges the gas in the space S1 into the clean room 11. Accordingly, the presence of the grooves 40 and 41 causes the gas in the work area 12 to flow from the gap between the opening filling portion 22b of the moving member 22 and the delivery port portion 20a as compared to the case where the grooves 40 and 41 do not exist. When discharged, the ingress of gas in the external environment is efficiently suppressed. The groove 40 formed in the substrate 17a and the groove 41 formed in the opening filling portion 22b do not correspond so that the positions thereof are in a straight line, but are preferably formed at shifted positions. .

The chamfered portions 17d and 22d may be formed on one peripheral edge of the substrate 17a and the opening filling portion 22b of the moving member 22, and the grooves 40 and 41 may be formed on the other peripheral edge.
O The chamfered portions 17d and 22d and the grooves 40 and 41 are not formed on the peripheral edge of the substrate 17a and the peripheral edge of the opening filling portion 22b of the moving member 22, or either one of the substrate 17a and the opening filling portion 22b is omitted. The chamfered portions 17d and 22d or the grooves 40 and 41 may be formed only at the peripheral portion.

  In the case where the chamfered portion 17d is not formed on the peripheral portion of the substrate 17a, a tapered chamfered portion may be formed on the entire peripheral portion upper side of the delivery port portion 20a. In this case, the chamfered portion serves as a guide portion, and even when the cassette 17 is placed on the moving member 22 in a slightly displaced position, the chamfered portion is smoothly moved downward as the moving member 22 is lowered.

  ○ Instead of the configuration in which the inside of the article delivery unit 13 is held at a positive pressure from the clean room 11 (external environment), the gas in the work area 12 having a higher cleanliness than the external environment is supplied to the opening filling unit when the moving member 22 moves downward. You may provide the nozzle which injects toward the clearance gap between the side part of 22b, and the delivery port part 20a peripheral part. Further, the inside of the article delivery unit 13 may be held at a positive pressure from the inside of the clean room 11 and the nozzle may be provided.

  The article delivery unit 13 may be classified into carry-in and carry-out, and for example, one article delivery unit 13 may be used for carry-in and the other article delivery unit 13 may be used for carry-out. In this case, the pod 15 in which the article 16 is accommodated is always conveyed to the carrying-in article delivery unit 13 by the conveying means (for example, the manual carriage 14). In addition, the pod 15 in which the articles 16 are not always accommodated is conveyed by the conveying means (for example, the manual cart 14) to the article delivery section 13 for carrying out.

O The article delivery units 13 and 34 may be one, or three or more.
The transport means for transporting the pod 15 is not limited to the manual cart 14 and may be an unmanned cart or an unmanned transport device using a linear motor having no wheels.

  O At least a part of the cover 18 may be transparent so that the operator W can visually see the inside of the cover 18. For example, the entire cover 18 may be made of a transparent or translucent resin, or a window may be provided on the cover 18 and the window may be covered with a plate material made of a transparent material. In this case, it is possible to prevent the operator W from erroneously transferring the pod 15 placed on the delivery port 20a of the article delivery unit 13 in a state where the cassette 17 is not present in the cover 18. Can do.

  A fixing means for fixing the cover 18 placed on the upper wall 20 in a state of abutting on the peripheral edge of the delivery port 20a may be provided. As the fixing means, for example, there is a locking tool which is provided on the upper wall 20 and can be moved to a fixed position where the flange portion 18b is locked and a retracted position where the locking with respect to the flange portion 18b is released. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which provides a magnet in the upper wall 20 and the flange part 18b, provides a magnet in one side, provides magnetic bodies, such as iron, and fixes the cover 18 with magnetic force.

  ○ Instead of a configuration in which the transfer of the article 16 from the cassette 17 transferred in the article delivery unit 13 to the equipment-side stage 23 is performed by the transfer machine 24 provided with the arm 26, transfer by an ultrasonic transfer device or the like. You may make it convey with an apparatus.

  In the second embodiment, the passage 37 and the nozzle 38 for discharging the low cleanliness gas in the space portion S1 may be provided on the conveyance carriage 31 side instead of the article delivery portion 34 side.

  The article 16 is not limited to a glass substrate for a liquid crystal device, but may be, for example, a substrate of another display device (for example, a plasma display device, an electroluminescence device (EL device), or a semiconductor device (wafer). In accordance with the size of the article 16 (substrate), the size of the pod 15 and the size of the accommodating portion 32 (accommodating space) of the transport carriage 31 are set.

In the clean room 11 and the work area 12, the gas that occupies at least the environment of the work area 12 is not limited to air but may be an inert gas (for example, nitrogen or helium).
The following technical idea (invention) can be understood from the embodiment.

  (1) In the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the discharge means includes a passage capable of communicating a space portion between the hermetic door and the lid portion with the chamber, and the work in the space portion. And a nozzle for injecting a gas having a high cleanliness in the region.

(2) Cleaning at the time of article delivery in a local clean conveyance device that is provided at a plurality of locations in the room and that conveys articles between the article delivery units in the work area having a higher cleanliness than the indoor cleanliness through the conveyance means. A degree holding device,
Before the accommodation space provided in the transport means for accommodating the article is in communication with the delivery port provided in the article delivery unit, an airtight door that covers the delivery port and the accommodation space are sealed. At the time of delivery of the article in the local clean transfer device provided with the discharge means for discharging the low cleanliness gas existing between the cover section and the cover section into the room using the high cleanliness gas in the accommodation space. Cleanliness retention device.

(A) is a schematic side view of the local clean conveyance apparatus of 1st Embodiment, (b) is the elements on larger scale near the delivery port part. The schematic plan view of a local clean conveyance apparatus. The model exploded perspective view of a pod. (A)-(f) is a schematic diagram explaining the delivery effect | action. The fragmentary sectional view explaining an effect | action. (A) is a model side view of the local clean conveyance apparatus of 2nd Embodiment, (b) is a model fragmentary enlarged view. The schematic perspective view of the cassette and moving member of another embodiment. The schematic diagram of the clean conveyance apparatus of a prior art. Similarly, a schematic view of a clean transfer device. (A)-(d) is a schematic diagram explaining the cassette delivery effect | action of another prior art.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Clean room as room, 12 ... Work area, 12a ... Fan filter unit which comprises pressure holding means, 13, 34 ... Article delivery part, 14 ... Manual carriage as conveyance means, 15 ... Pod as sealed container, 16 ... Article, 17 ... Cassette, 17d, 22d ... Chamfered part, 18 ... Cover, 18b ... Flange part, 20a, 36 ... Delivery port part, 22 ... Moving member, 33, 35 ... Airtight door, 40, 41 ... Groove.

Claims (6)

A cleanliness holding device at the time of article delivery in a local clean transport apparatus that is provided at a plurality of locations in the room and that transports articles between the article delivery sections in the work area having a higher cleanliness than the cleanliness in the room via a transport means Because
Before the accommodation space of the sealed container for accommodating the article or the accommodation space provided in the transport means for accommodating the article is brought into communication with the delivery opening provided in the article delivery section, the delivery opening A discharge means for discharging a low cleanliness gas existing between an airtight door covering the storage space and a lid portion sealing the accommodation space into the room using a high cleanliness gas in the work area. Cleanness maintenance device at the time of article delivery in the local clean transport device provided in the section.   The article is transported using a sealed container including a cassette capable of placing a plurality of articles in parallel and a cover that covers the cassette so as to be sealed, and the cassette is connected to the article from the delivery port. The cover is formed so as to be able to enter into the delivery part, and the cover includes a flange part that comes into airtight contact with a peripheral part of the delivery port part, and the article delivery part can be closed and disposed in a closed position. A moving member is provided that is in a state in which the cassette is in contact with the cassette and is movable as the cassette enters the article delivery section. The discharging means starts moving the moving member from the closed position. 2. The apparatus for maintaining cleanliness during delivery of articles in a local clean transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas is discharged while the flange portion of the cover abuts against the peripheral edge portion in an airtight state. The cleanliness holding device at the time of article delivery in the local clean transport device according to claim 2, wherein the moving member is configured to be movable up and down. The degree of cleanliness at the time of article delivery in the local clean transport device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the discharge means is a pressure holding means for holding the pressure in the work area at a value higher than the pressure outside the work area. Holding device. The local clean conveyance apparatus of Claim 4 by which the groove | channel which cross | intersects the extending direction of each peripheral part is formed in the peripheral part on the opposite side to the side contact | abutted with the said flange part of the said cassette, and the peripheral part of the said moving member. Cleanliness maintaining device at the time of delivery of goods. 5. The cleanliness maintenance at the time of article delivery in the local clean transport device according to claim 4, wherein a chamfered portion is formed on the peripheral edge of the cassette opposite to the side in contact with the flange and on the entire peripheral edge of the moving member. apparatus.

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