JP2616212B2 - Transport system - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic semiconductor substrate transfer system used for semiconductor production and manufacture.

[Prior Art] In order to manufacture and form an integrated circuit element (hereinafter, referred to as an LSI) on a semiconductor, particularly a semiconductor substrate (hereinafter, referred to as a wafer), thin film formation, pattern formation, and impurity introduction are performed on the wafer. Processing is performed, and this series of processing is repeated several tens of times.

In order to process this wafer, a very large number of production equipments are installed in a wafer processing factory, and each production equipment processes wafers according to predetermined conditions and predetermined process procedures. As a result, an LSI is manufactured and formed on the wafer.

In order to process a wafer in each production apparatus, after processing is completed in one production apparatus, the wafer must be set on a production apparatus in the next process.

Further, as described above, a wafer processing step is a repetition of a similar processing step, and the production apparatus for the next step is not necessarily located near the production apparatus for the previous step.

Therefore, means for moving the wafer between the production equipment and the production equipment, that is, between the processes is required,
The transportation system automatically performs this operation automatically.

For example, the number of production steps for a 4 megabit DRAM is several hundred, and mass production plants must process a large amount of wafers. A means for automatic transfer of wafers is used between production steps. Has become indispensable.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a typical arrangement of a wafer processing factory. As shown in the figure, the production site is a clean room 101 with extremely reduced dust, and the production apparatus is installed in a bay 103. 105 is a partition. Further, the maintenance of the production apparatus is performed from the machine room 102 side, so that dust generated during the maintenance does not come out to the bay.

In general, the same or the same type of production equipment is arranged in each bay.

In the center of the clean room 101, a transfer system for transferring wafers between the respective production apparatuses is installed. In FIG. 4, a storage shelf 31 is provided in a specific bay, and a transfer track 11 is provided therebetween, and the storage shelf 31 is provided. A transfer unit 14 is provided between the track 11 and the track 11.

As a transfer device, there are a transfer means by an unmanned transfer vehicle using electromagnetic induction or optical guidance, and a tracked transfer means using a linear motor. FIG. 4 is an example of a transport system using a transport vehicle using a linear motor.

FIG. 5 is an example of a mechanical arrangement of a storage rack and a transport trolley. In the figure, 11 is a track, 16 is a horizontal moving machine, 16
a is the first track, 16b is the second track, 12 is a truck, 22 is a hand,
31 is a storage shelf, 32 is a hike, 35 is a doorway, and 37 is an operation panel.

The wafers processed by the production equipment in each bay are collected into several tens of wafers, stored in a wafer carrier or a box as one lot, and transported in one transport unit (hereinafter, referred to as a single unit).
Work).

The work is marked for lot recognition, and a bar code is often used.

When the processed work is put into the entrance, the bar code of the work is read by a bar code reader, and the bar code is used by a higher-level production management computer (hereinafter referred to as a host computer) to execute the next process or destination and lot of the work. It inquires of information such as a number and obtains the information from the host computer.

The work 1 is temporarily stored in the storage shelf by the transfer machine, and waits for an empty transport vehicle to arrive at the station. When the transport vehicle arrives, the work is taken out of the storage rack again by the transfer machine and loaded on the transport vehicle. The transport vehicle travels on a track to a target station according to the destination already obtained from the host computer.

When arriving at the target station, the work is taken out of the carrier by the transfer machine and stored in the storage shelf.

In the above description, when transferring a work with a transfer machine, the easiest method is to temporarily stop the carrier at the work transfer position on the track and transfer the work with the transfer machine as it is. There is a means to put.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the transport vehicle stops at the transfer position of the workpiece using the horizontal mobile device 16, the horizontal mobile device 16 operates to move the transport vehicle outward on the track. There is also a means for transferring the work in this state.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

For example, the number of production processes for a 4-Mbit DRAM is approximately 40
It is known that the production scale for mass production of such memory products is about 15,000 to 30,000 pieces per month.

As described above, in a large number of processes and a mass production factory, the transfer operation of the transfer system described above requires about 200 to 300 work transfers per unit time.

In the case of the layout shown in Fig. 4, the total length of the track is about 300 to 400 meters, and about 20 to 30 vehicles on this track to handle the above transport requirements. A very large number of carriers must be controlled. The number of storage shelves also ranges from 20 to 40.

Therefore, if the carriage is temporarily stopped on the track and the work is transferred in this state, the track is blocked because of the carriage, and the subsequent carriage cannot move and cannot be transported. It may stop itself.

When the horizontal moving device shown in FIG. 5 is used, the track is opened during the transfer of the work, but the subsequent carriage is stopped at the storage shelf where the work is being transferred.
In order to unload or load the work, the horizontal mover must return to its original position.

In other words, the workpiece cannot be transferred unless the first track 16a of the horizontal moving unit 16 in FIG. 5 is connected to the main track. In this case, the second trajectory 16b is merely for the passage of the succeeding carrier.

Therefore, in such a transfer structure, it is difficult to make the subsequent transport carriage travel sufficiently, and the initial transport requirement may not be satisfied.

An object of the present invention is to provide a transfer system with improved transfer efficiency.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, in the transfer system according to the present invention, a track-based transfer device of primary primary control type using a linear induction motor as a drive source is mechanically connected to a storage shelf for storing and managing a transferred object. Transport system having at least two short orbits having the same shape as the orbit, and these two short orbits are arranged point-symmetrically around one point, and the two short orbits are mutually separated. It has a rotary direction changer that is mechanically coupled and has a function of rotating on a plane about this one point.

[Action]

It is equipped with a direction change device of a rotary type transport cart that transfers the work between the tracked transport device and the storage shelf,
Improve transport efficiency.

〔Example〕

 Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Example 1) Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing Example 1 of the present invention, and Figs. 2 (a) and 2 (b) are schematic plan views showing a state of transfer of a work.

In the figure, 11 is a track, 15 is a rotary direction change machine, 15a
Is a first orbit, and 15b is a second orbit. Numeral 12 is a truck, numeral 21 is a transfer machine, numeral 22 is a hand, numeral 31 is a storage shelf, numeral 32 is a hammer, numeral 35 is a doorway, and numeral 37 is an operation panel.

Although not shown in FIG. 1, the track 11 is generally suspended from a ceiling of a clean room by a hanging material.

1 and 2 (a) and 2 (b), first, the work vehicle puts the work 2 on which the processing of the wafer has been completed in each production device into the entrance 35 of the storage shelf 31.

Although not shown in the figure, a bar code is displayed on the work 2 for work recognition, and the storage shelf 31
Reads the bar code by a bar code reader installed in the vicinity, and inquires the host computer of the content of the work 2 using the bar code to obtain information. This information includes the number of the storage shelf, which is the next process of the work 2, and the transport system dispatches a transport vehicle for transporting the work 2 to the storage shelf of the next process. Perform control.

During this time, the work 2 is temporarily stored in the empty grid 32 of the storage shelf 31.

When the work 1 is transferred to the storage shelf 31, the work 1 is first loaded on the transfer carriage 12, travels on the track 11, and arrives at the first track 15a of the rotary direction changer 15. . In the first track 15a and the second track 15b, a linear induction motor for accelerating, decelerating, stopping, or starting the carrier 12 is incorporated.

When the carriage 12 arrives at the stop position of the first track 15a,
The rotary direction changer 15 is reversed, and the first track 15a is moved to the transfer machine 21.
Located on the side. At this time, the work 1 moves together with the carrier 12. While the rotary direction changer 15 is operating, the carriage 12 is fixed by another electromagnet, a mechanical stopper pin, or the like to prevent displacement.

When the first track 15a moves toward the transfer machine 21, the second track 15b naturally moves to the main line side of the track 11, and the track 11 is opened. The time required from the start to the end of the rotation of the rotary direction changer 15 is about several seconds, and the track 11 cannot be used.
In other words, the closing time is about several seconds. In this state, other trucks following the transport cart 12 can pass through the storage shelf 31 and head toward the target storage shelf.

Now, the work 1 having moved to the transfer machine 21 side is taken out of the transport trolley 12 by the transfer machine 21 and stored in an empty ridge 32. After that, when the operator instructs the work to be processed from the operation panel 37, the transfer machine 21 takes out the work from the hook 32 and pays it out to the entrance 35. In this way, a series of works are conveyed.

Also, for example, when the transport trolley 12 already exists on the first track 15a and the work is being transferred, when a transport trolley loaded with another work on the same storage shelf 31 is about to arrive, Then, the transport truck is stopped as it is on the second track 15b.

When the transfer operation of the first track 15a is completed, the rotary direction changer 15 is immediately reversed, and the second track 15b can be taken into the transfer machine 21 side to perform transfer.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 is a view showing Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

In the first embodiment, the rotary type change-over device 15 is used for transferring the work. However, as shown in FIG. 3, the traveling trajectory of the carrier 12 may be changed from the trajectory 11 to the trajectory 11a. Available. Even in this case, even after turning the rotary type direction changer 15 in order to move the transport carriage 12 to the track 11a,
Since the track 11 is opened by the second track 15b, there is no hindrance to the progress of the subsequent carrier.

〔The invention's effect〕

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the present invention provides a turning device of a transport vehicle having a role of mechanically coupling a transport device including a transport vehicle and a track in a transport system and a storage shelf for storing a work. The use of the machine does not hinder the traveling of the transport vehicle, and has the effect of maximizing the transport capacity of the transport system.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1, 2 (a) and 2 (b) are diagrams for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a conventional example. 1,2 ... Work, 11,11a ... Track 12 ... Transportation trolley, 14 ... Transfer section 15 ... Rotation-type turning machine, 16 ... Horizontal moving machine 21 ... Transfer machine, 22 ... Hand 31 ... Storage shelf, 32 ... Hidden eye 35 ... Entry / exit opening, 37 ... Operation panel 101 ... Clean room 102 ... Machine room 103 ... Bay 104 104 Partition wall

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A transport system in which a ground-based primary track-type tracked transport device using a linear induction motor as a drive source and a storage shelf for storing and managing a transferred object are mechanically connected. Have at least two short orbits,
In addition, the two short orbits are arranged point-symmetrically about one point, and the two short orbits are mechanically connected to each other, and rotate on a plane about this one point. A transport system comprising a rotary direction changer equipped with: