JP2009190103A - Semiconductor conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a semiconductor conveyor having an interlock system switchover mechanism for a robot remote teaching operation performed in maintaining the semiconductor conveyor in a safety and simple structure. <P>SOLUTION: The semiconductor conveyor 1 conveys a semiconductor sample by a conveyance robot including: an aperture 10 for inspection and adjustment; a cover 2 capable of opening/closing to cover the aperture 10; and an interlock circuit 3 for activating the interlock 3 when the cover 2 is opened to stop driving the conveyor. It further has a key switch 4 operable when the cover 2 is opened. The key switch 4 selects a normal mode N and a maintenance mode M. The interlock 3 is effective in the normal mode N, and ineffective in the maintenance mode M. Further, such a structure that use of a teaching pendant 5 for remote teaching to control the conveyance position of the conveyance robot is effective, is provided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a semiconductor transfer device. Specifically, the present invention relates to an interlock system switching mechanism for robot remote teaching work performed in maintenance of a semiconductor transfer device.

  The semiconductor transfer device is a device that carries a wafer, which is a semiconductor sample, into a semiconductor inspection device. In order to shorten the time for inspecting the wafer, it is preferable to reduce the positional error and carry the wafer into the semiconductor inspection apparatus. By doing so, the time for correcting the position of the wafer in the semiconductor inspection apparatus is shortened, and the inspection time is shortened.

  The wafer semiconductor transfer apparatus is configured to carry the wafer into the semiconductor inspection apparatus with high positional accuracy as described above, but position correction related to the carry-in operation corresponding to the shape and size of the wafer is necessary. When errors due to time accumulate, it is necessary to perform position correction in maintenance work in order to restore position accuracy.

  On the other hand, the maintenance work of the semiconductor transfer device is configured to shut off the drive-related power source by operating the interlock switch when the cover of the semiconductor transfer device is opened for safety. 1 or Patent Document 2).

In the above-described position correction work, it is usually necessary to remotely teach a robot for transporting a wafer (configuration of a semiconductor transport apparatus) to teach the wafer and a route / position for transporting the wafer. In order to perform this remote teaching work, it is necessary to operate the driving unit, specifically the teaching pendant which is a remote teaching terminal device, with the cover or the like opened. However, as described above, the interlock switch is activated when the cover is opened, and the drive-related power supply is shut off. Therefore, a function that disables the interlock switch is required during maintenance. (For example, Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2).
JP 2000-164480 A JP 2000-64676 A

  However, even if a new switch is provided so that the interlock switch can be appropriately disabled, the function recovery work of the interlock switch may be leaked at the end of the maintenance, which may lead to a decrease in safety (for example, Configuration of Patent Document 1). In addition, a device has been devised that provides a key switch and automatically restores the function of the interlock switch by closing the cover again even when the interlock switch is disabled by this key switch (for example, Patent Document 2), intended for some functions of semiconductor half-devices (electronic system control panel, etc.), may lead to a reduction in safety.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor transfer device including an interlock system switching mechanism for robot remote teaching work performed in maintenance of a semiconductor transfer device having a safe and simple configuration.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides an opening for inspection and adjustment, an openable / closable cover for covering the opening, an interlock that operates when the cover is open, and stops driving the apparatus. A semiconductor transport device that transports a semiconductor sample by a transport robot having a lock circuit, and further includes a key switch that can be operated when the cover is in an open state. A maintenance mode can be selected, the normal mode enables the interlock, the maintenance mode disables the interlock, and further adjusts the transfer position of the transfer robot, and teaching for remote teaching It is characterized by enabling the use of a pendant.

  According to the above configuration, the semiconductor transfer device according to the present invention disables the interlock of the cover and enables the interlock of the teaching pendant by switching to the maintenance mode with the key switch, while the normal operation mode with the key switch. By switching to (normal mode), the cover interlock can be enabled and the teaching pendant interlock can be disabled.

  According to such a semiconductor transfer device, it is a simple configuration, and the interlock required for normal operation of the semiconductor transfer device and the interlock of the teaching pendant for remote teaching of the transfer robot required for maintenance can be easily performed. It can be switched reliably by operation.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a semiconductor transfer device according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a system diagram of an interlock circuit provided in the semiconductor transfer device.
The semiconductor transfer apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has a function of transferring a wafer to a semiconductor inspection apparatus for inspecting a wafer that is a semiconductor sample, and a wafer transfer robot (not shown) or a wafer is mounted inside. A load port (not shown) or the like is provided. Note that the semiconductor transfer device in FIG. 1 is an example, and a large-sized semiconductor transfer device can be operated by a person entering the device as will be described later.

The semiconductor transfer device 1 includes a main body portion 13 having an opening 20 formed on the back surface, and an insertion portion 14 in which a control device, a drive device, and the like are inserted.
Since the wafer transported to the semiconductor inspection apparatus is required to have a very high clean environment, it is usually packed in a box-like FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod not shown). In this state, the wafer is transported from the entrance (not shown) into the semiconductor transport apparatus 1.

  Then, a wafer transfer robot provided in the semiconductor transfer apparatus 1 takes out the wafer from the FOUP and places the wafer at an appropriate transfer position. Thereafter, the wafer is carried out from the carry-out port 20 to a semiconductor inspection apparatus (not shown) while holding an appropriate carrying position. In order to implement such a function, the main body unit 13 includes a driving unit (not shown) such as a conveyor (not shown) for transferring wafers and a transfer robot (not shown) for transferring the transfer position without error. ) Is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, covers 2 and 2 that are openable and closable on the front surface and the rear surface are arranged in the insertion portion 14. Inside the semiconductor transfer device 1, devices such as the wafer transfer robot described above are disposed, and the covers 2 and 2 are provided for the safety of the operator.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the front-side cover 2 opens and closes so as to rotate horizontally toward the front side with a hinge or the like provided at the side edge of the semiconductor transfer device 1 as a rotation axis (see arrow A). When the cover 2 is opened, two cover interlock switches 3 (3a, 3b) and a key switch 4 are disposed inside the semiconductor transfer device 1. One interlock switch 3 a and key switch 4 are provided side by side in a block 11 mounted at a corner of the opening 10 on the front surface of the semiconductor transfer device 1, and the other interlock switch 3 b is provided below the opening 10. Is provided on the panel 12. The rear cover 2 is also configured as described above.

  At the time of maintenance work, the operator opens the cover 2 and enters the inside of the semiconductor transfer device 1 through the opening 10 or puts his hand to remove or replace the device (not shown) disposed in the main body 13. To do. At this time, in order to ensure work safety, the cover interlock switch 3 is activated by opening the cover 2, the power source of the drive unit of the semiconductor transfer device 1 is cut off, and the drive unit is stopped. Then, after confirming that the drive unit is stopped, the operator turns off the main power supply of the semiconductor transfer device 1, and the power supply unit 7 (see FIG. 2) is padlocked so that the main power supply is not turned on accidentally Locked out.

  When a device disposed in the main body 13 related to wafer transfer is removed, the transfer position of the wafer may be shifted after reattachment, so it is necessary to teach the transfer position of the transfer robot. As this teaching method, a teaching pendant 5 which is a remote teaching terminal device is used. Specifically, an operator carrying the teaching pendant 5 enters the semiconductor transfer device 1 through the opening 10 and corrects the error while checking the relative position between the transfer robot and the transfer position of the wafer. Teaches a transfer robot. In the confirmation work, it is necessary to drive the transfer robot with the cover 2 opened and the opening 10 opened.

Next, although somewhat overlapping with the above-described content, the flow of maintenance work including the teaching work of the transfer robot of the semiconductor transfer apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG.
First, the operator opens the cover 2. By opening the cover 2, the interlock switch 3 disposed on the block 11 and the panel 12 is released from the pressing of the cover 2 and operates. The drive unit is stopped by the operation of the interlock switch 3. After confirming the stop of the drive unit, the operator turns off the main power supply of the semiconductor transfer device 1 and locks out the power supply unit 7 with a padlock or the like.

  Next, a specific maintenance operation is started, and devices are removed and replaced. Note that when the apparatus is not removed or replaced, and the wafer transfer position does not need to be corrected, the cover 2 is closed and the operation is completed. In this case, the operation is the same as that in the prior art.

  When correction of the wafer transfer position is necessary, the key switch 4 is operated. As shown in FIG. 2, the key switch 4 is a switch for switching from the normal mode N performing normal operation to the maintenance mode M. A key hole 43 (see FIG. 1) is formed in the key switch 4, and a mode is switched by inserting and rotating a key (not shown) therein.

  When the circuit system is switched to the maintenance mode M, the mode switching relay 6 is operated, and the contact of the relay is switched from N1 to M1. By this switching, the interlock switch 3 is invalidated and connected to the power source Vcc, and the teaching pendant 5 is validated and becomes operable. Here, GND is ground (ground).

  In this state, the worker enters the semiconductor transfer apparatus 1 and uses the teaching pendant 5 to teach the transfer robot. When the teaching work is completed, the maintenance mode M is switched to the normal mode N by the key switch 4. By switching to the normal mode N, in the interlock system of the semiconductor transfer device 1, the interlock switch 3 is enabled and the teaching pendant 5 is disabled.

  In the present embodiment, by adopting a simple configuration in which the key switch 4 is switched, it is possible to surely switch between the maintenance mode and the normal mode. For example, even if the teaching pendant 5 is erroneously operated in the normal mode N at the end of the maintenance, it is invalid and the teaching pendant 5 does not operate.

  Further, by providing such a key switch 4 and connecting the teaching pendant 5 to the semiconductor transfer device 1 via a connector or the like, a plurality of semiconductor transfers can be performed by one teaching pendant 5. It is also possible to perform the teaching operation of the transfer robot of the apparatus 1.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the semiconductor transfer device according to the present invention will be described. In the semiconductor transfer apparatus according to the present embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment (see FIG. 1 and the like) are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted, and portions different from those in the first embodiment are omitted. The explanation is centered. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a part of a side surface of the semiconductor transfer apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment in a state where the cover 2 is opened.

  Here, when the key 41 is inserted into the key hole 43 of the key switch 40, the cover 2 cannot be closed because there is a height H of the key 41 protruding from the key hole 43. The key 41 can be inserted and removed only in the normal mode N (see FIG. 2).

  With this configuration, even if the key switch 40 forgets to cancel the maintenance mode M (see FIG. 2), the cover 2 abuts against the key 41 and cannot be closed, so that preventive safety is achieved. be able to. In FIG. 3, two blocks are provided in the opening 10. One is a block 30 for the interlock switch 3 c and the other is a block 42 for the key switch 40. There is no problem even if the interlock switch and the key switch share one block as in the first embodiment.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. The present invention is not limited to the one described in the drawings, and design changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It is a perspective view showing the composition of the semiconductor conveyance device concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a systematic diagram of the interlock circuit with which the semiconductor conveyance apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment was equipped. It is the perspective view which showed a part of side surface of the state which opened the cover of the semiconductor conveyance apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 Semiconductor transfer device (first embodiment)
2 Cover 3, 30 Interlock switch 4, 40 Key switch 5 Teaching pendant 6 Mode switching relay 7 Power supply unit 10 Opening unit 11, 41 Block 12 Panel 13 Main body unit 14 Collection unit 20 Carry-in unit 42 Key 43 Key hole 100 Semiconductor transfer device (Second Embodiment)
N Normal mode M Maintenance mode

Claims (2)

An inspection / adjustment opening, an openable / closable cover that covers the opening, and an interlock circuit that operates when the cover is open to stop the drive of the device. A semiconductor transfer device for transferring a semiconductor sample,
Furthermore, it has a key switch that can be operated when the cover is open,
The key switch can select normal mode and maintenance mode,
The normal mode enables the interlock,
In the maintenance mode, the interlock is invalidated, and the use of a teaching pendant for remote teaching for adjusting the transfer position of the transfer robot is enabled. The key switch has a keyhole, and can be selected by switching between the normal mode and the maintenance mode by inserting and rotating a separate key into the keyhole,
The key is detachable from the keyhole when the normal mode is selected,
The semiconductor transport device according to claim 1, wherein the cover is openable and closable when the key is extracted from the keyhole.

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