JP2973371B2 - Linear clean tube conveyor - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a linear clean tube transfer device that uses a linear motor to transfer an ultra-clean member such as a wafer.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, other places away from a transferred object requiring high cleanliness, such as a semiconductor wafer, such as an environment chamber E, a line type clean bench L, and a simple type clean booth B as shown in FIG. Or, for transporting indoors and outdoors other than the clean room, a transport device having a clean tunnel 32 connecting these locations is used.

As shown in FIG. 6, the clean tunnel transport device 31 includes a clean tunnel 32, a transport vehicle 39 that travels inside the clean tunnel 32 by itself, and a blower 53 that circulates air in the clean tunnel 32. It is mainly composed of a device 50.

The transport vehicle 39 is powered by the power supply rail 38, rolls the wheels 40W along the traveling rail 36, and travels on its own.
0, a device part 41 installed in the carriage body 40 to perform a start / stop operation by a signal from the communication rail 37, and a transported object supported by a carrier support member 42 erected on the carriage body 40. And a carrier 43.

In this clean tunnel 32, the inside of a tunnel main body 33 formed in the shape of a rectangular tube is provided at the upper portion with a HE spanning the entire width and length.
The PA filter 35 and a partition plate 34 formed with a gap passage 34s for allowing the carrier support member 42 to travel therebelow are partitioned into three layers of an air supply area 33K, a transport area 33A, and a travel area 33B from above. I have. In running area 33B,
Two running rails 36 attached in the longitudinal direction of the inner surfaces of both side walls 33S, 33S of the tunnel body 33, and a base plate 36 erected therebetween.
A known signal communication rail 37 and two power supply rails 38 are provided side by side on d.

A plurality of air supply holes 33k are formed at an appropriate distance in one side wall 33S of the air supply area 33K. Exhaust holes 33h are formed in the side wall 33S of the traveling area 33B corresponding to the air supply holes 33k, and communicate with the blower 53 via the air supply duct 55 and the air supply duct 52 to configure the clean air circulation device 50.

Supply air duct 55 and supply hole 33k from clean air circulation device 50
The air sent through the filter is filtered by passing through the HEPA filter 35 from the air supply area 33K, becomes a downward laminar flow of clean air, enters the transfer area 33A, and further has a gap passage 34s.
From the driving area 33B, the exhaust port 33h and the exhaust duct
It returns to the blower 53 via 52 and circulates. At this time, the strong downdraft from the HEPA filter 35 prevents dust generated by sparks at the electrical contact portions such as the wheels 40W and the power supply rails 38 from entering the transfer area 33A.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the conventional clean tunnel transfer device, an exhaust hole is provided in the side liquid of the travel area 33B, and the return liquid is circulated through the exhaust duct to the blower.There is no pressure difference between the transfer area 33A and the travel area 33B. For this reason, the dust that is taken up by the turbulence accompanying the passage of the transport vehicle tends to enter the transport area from the gap passage and reduce its air cleanliness. In addition, installation of the HEPA filter over the entire width and length in the tunnel is disadvantageous in that the cost is high and repair and maintenance are not easy.

According to the present invention, by forming an air circulation area below the traveling area, which is connected to the exhaust port of the circulating air and maintained at a reduced pressure from the traveling area, dust caused by traveling of the transport vehicle is prevented from flowing into the transport area. It is another object of the present invention to obtain a linear clean tube transport device in which air flows almost uniformly without stagnation over the entire length of the clean tube.

[Means for solving the problem]

To achieve the above object, the linear clean tube transport device according to the present invention provides a clean air supply port on an upper wall of a clean tube to which a tube body of a required length is connected, and an exhaust port on a lower wall, respectively. In a transport device in which a transport vehicle driven by a linear motor system is mounted by attaching rails in a longitudinal direction in a clean tube, and a support member of a carrier for mounting an object to be transported is provided on an upper portion of the transport vehicle, An upper partition plate and a lower partition plate arranged along the longitudinal direction in the main body, and an area partitioned into three layers in the clean tube by the upper partition plate and the lower partition plate, wherein A transport area for transporting conveyed objects in a clean air atmosphere, a transport area for transport vehicles, and an air circulation area where clean air that has passed through the transport / travel area is directed to an exhaust port. A gap passage formed at the center in the longitudinal direction of the upper partition plate for inserting the carrier support member, has a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction of the lower partition plate, and has an opening area as the distance from the air supply port increases. A plurality of ventilation holes pierced to be adjustable so as to be sequentially enlarged, an upper punching metal provided at the supply port of the clean air, and a lower punching metal provided at the exhaust port of the air area;
A clean air circulating device that suctions air from an exhaust port of the air circulation area through a lower punching metal and supplies clean air to a suction port of the transport area through a HEPA filter and an upper punching metal by a blower. It is characterized by the following.

(Operation)

In the linear clean tube transfer device of the present invention, the clean air supplied by the clean air circulation device is rectified by the punching metal above the air supply port and supplied to the transfer area. The clean air that has proceeded from the gap passage of the upper partition plate to the traveling area enters the recirculation area through a vent hole formed in the lower partition plate, is sucked in through the lower punching metal, and is returned to the clean air circulation device. .

Since the ventilation hole has a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction of the lower partition plate, and is formed so as to be adjustable so as to gradually increase the opening area as it goes away from the air supply port, and is connected to the exhaust port of the air circulation area, The air circulation area is held in a depressurizing tendency from the traveling area by the suction airflow in the longitudinal direction, and a pressure difference is generated between the traveling area and the traveling area. Enables transport with air cleanliness.

Further, the air is sucked into the blower from the exhaust port by the lower punching metal while avoiding sudden suction, so that smooth air circulation is performed. In particular, the generation of dust is significantly reduced because the driving of the transport vehicle is made a linear motor system and the electrical contact portion causing sparks is eliminated.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a linear clean tube transport device, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the same.

The linear clean tube conveying device of the present invention is a straight tube tube having a substantially rectangular tube body divided into three layers by upper and lower partitions, and a conveying area, a traveling area, and an air circulation area from above, or The clean tube is formed by connecting the curved tubes alone.

A clean air supply port 3k is provided on the upper wall of the clean tube to which the required length of the tube body 3 is connected, and an exhaust port 3h is provided on the lower wall. A transport vehicle 9 driven by the system is arranged, and a support member 12 of a carrier 13 for mounting an article to be transported is erected above the transport vehicle 9.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the linear clean tube transport device 1 includes a clean tube 2 formed by connecting a plurality of tube bodies 3 and two running rails 6 provided in the clean tube 2. And a linear motor 7 provided between the traveling rails 6, a transport vehicle 9 operated by the linear motor 7, and a clean air circulating device 20 for circulating air in the clean tube 2 and supplying clean air. It is configured.

As described above, the tube main body 3 includes a straight type and a curved type having a required length. However, since the internal structure is almost the same, the straight type will be described as the tube main body 3 below.

The tube main body 3 is provided with an upper partition plate 4 and a lower partition plate 5 forming a gap passage 4s for allowing a carrier support member 12 described later to run in the central longitudinal direction.
It is divided into three layers: a traveling area 3B and an air circulation area 3C. Clean air inlet 3k at top of tube body 3
An upper punching metal that rectifies the descending air, for example, an upper punching metal 26 with an opening rate of 60% is attached, and an exhaust port 3h is provided at the bottom of the air area corresponding to the air supply port 3k. 60% lower punching metal 21 is installed. A transparent synthetic resin plate 3T such as a color-tone orange acrylic plate is provided at required positions on both sides and the top of the tube main body 3.

The two running rails 6 include a horizontal portion 6y that guides the running of a main wheel 10W, which will be described later, and a vertical portion 6t that rises from the lower partition plate 5 so as to contact the auxiliary wheel 10w and prevent the bogie from rolling. To form an L-shape. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, a required position in the longitudinal direction is selected below the two rails 6 and 6, and a plurality of linear motors (primary conductors) 7 are formed.
It is fixed to a pair of pedestals 8 arranged on the lower partition plate 5. The transport vehicle 9 includes a carrier frame 10, a secondary conductor 11, a carrier support member 12, and a carrier 13 on which a container 14 for accommodating a wafer or the like is mounted. The bogie frame 10 connects the bogie main body 10H to a front vehicle body 10A and a rear vehicle body 10B via a connecting shaft 10j.

FIG. 3 shows a transport vehicle, in which (I) is a plan view excluding the carrier, and (II) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in (I) of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the front vehicle body 10A and the rear vehicle body 10B have a flat semicircular protrusion 10t and a semicircular notch 10k on the front and back of the inner race. The protruding part 10t and the notch part 10k are vertically overlapped with each other, and bearings (not shown)
And at the center of the semicircle by means of a connecting ring 10j, so that they can rotate with each other.

Further, a flat H-shaped axle 10D having a main wheel 10W as a traveling roller and an auxiliary wheel 10w for preventing vibration at predetermined positions is straddled and fixed to the outer end surfaces of both the vehicle bodies 10A and 10B. On the other hand, a front secondary conductor 11A and a rear secondary conductor 11B facing the linear motor (primary conductor) 7 are provided on the back surface.
Further, a carrier support member 12 is provided upright on the semicircular center portion of the surface of the front vehicle body 10A so that the carrier support member 12 can travel through a gap passage 4s formed in the central longitudinal direction of the upper partition plate 4 (FIG. 1). ).

The axle support 10D includes a pair of auxiliary wheels 10w on both sides that contact the vertical portion 6t of the traveling rail 6, and the front body 10A
And the rear body 10B are rotatable with respect to each other by the connecting shaft 10j, so that the shaft support 10D always maintains a posture perpendicular to the vertical portion 6t, and the main wheels supported on both sides. 10W
The vehicle runs on the lateral portion 6y. A speed detection aid 15 having a vertical slit (not shown) formed at the lower end is attached to the lower surface of one shaft support 10D. The speed of the transport vehicle 9 is detected by the detection aid 15 passing through the vertical slit through a plurality of U-shaped speed detection sensors 16 disposed at required positions outside the pedestal 8.

In the lower partition plate 5, a plurality of ventilation holes 5a whose opening area can be adjusted are drilled at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction, for example, left and right at every 1 m, below the horizontal portion 6y. , Its opening degree, as it goes away from the air supply port 3k,
The air is gradually expanded in accordance with the distance, and is adjusted in advance so that the flowing air in the tube body 3 circulates smoothly.

In the tube main body, an upper partition plate 4 and a lower partition plate 5 arranged along the longitudinal direction, a transport area 3A for transporting the transported object in a clean air atmosphere from the air supply port 3k,
It is divided into three layers: a traveling area 3B of the transport vehicle, and an air circulation area 3C that directs the clean air that has passed through the transport / travel area to an exhaust port. A gap passage 4s is formed at the center of the upper partition plate 4 in the longitudinal direction so that the carrier support member 12 is inserted therethrough.

As shown in FIG. 1, the clean air circulating device 20 sucks air into the blower 23 through the exhaust duct 3h from the air circulation area 3C through the exhaust port 3h having the punch metering 21, and blows the air.
The clean air filtered by the PA filter 24 is transferred to the transfer area 3A by the air supply duct 3k and the air supply port 3k having the punching metal 26.
It is a device to send to.

Although not shown, a temperature sensor is disposed at each required portion of the clean tube 2 and, based on the detection signal, an appropriate temperature is set via a coil unit which is used for both cooling and heating by switching between a cooling unit and a heating unit. Circulating air is supplied.

As described above, since the transport vehicle is driven by the linear motor system, there is no fear of dust due to sparks generated at the electric contact parts as in the conventional device, so a strong downdraft is not required, and the clean air circulation device is not required. Since the clean air sent from 20 to the air supply port 3k is decompressed by the punching metal 26, when entering the transfer area 3A, the clean air easily moves in all directions. In addition, the clean air that has entered the traveling area 3B from the gap passage 4a slightly reduces its cleanliness due to extremely small dust generated by rolling of the main wheel 10W and the auxiliary wheel 10w, but the ventilation hole whose opening degree is adjusted. 5a smoothly moves to the recirculation area 3C without causing stagnation (turbulence), and is sucked into the blower 23 with the punching metal 21 of the exhaust port 3h balanced with the air supply amount, and again cleaned by the HEPA filter 24. Is sent to the tube body 3 and circulated.

FIG. 7 shows a comparison between the device of the present invention and the conventional device with respect to the longitudinal airflow in the clean tube, and (I)
1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an air flow of a conventional device, and (II) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an air flow of a device of the present invention.

In the case of the conventional apparatus, as shown in FIG. 7 (I), the air flow in the longitudinal direction inside the clean tube becomes laminar downflow from the air supply area 33k through the HEPA filter 35 and becomes the transport area 33.
Although entering the area A, even if the partition plate 34 is provided between the traveling area 33B and the traveling area 33B, there is no gap between the two areas 33A and 33B due to the gap passage 34h in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the generated dust rises due to the generation of turbulence due to the traveling of the transport vehicle 40.

In the case of the apparatus of the present invention, the transport area 3A and the traveling area 3B
Even if there is an upper partition plate 4 between them, there is substantially no pressure difference between the two areas 3A and 3B because of the gap passage 4s. However, as shown in FIG. 5, the opening area of the plurality of ventilation holes 5a is connected to the exhaust port of the recirculation area so as to gradually increase according to the gap distance as the distance from the air supply port increases. It is maintained in a depressurizing tendency from the traveling area by the suction air flow in the longitudinal direction, and a pressure difference is generated between the traveling area and the traveling area. Transport is possible. That is, multiple vents
Since the circulating air area 3C is provided with the lower partition plate 5a interposed therebetween, the suction force in the longitudinal direction is strong, and the generated turbulence is immediately lowered and sucked together with the dust due to the pressure difference generated by the suction force, and the transfer area The air cleanliness in 3A and traveling area 3B does not decrease.

On the other hand, the transport vehicle 9 is driven and operated by an operation panel (not shown) installed outside the clean tube 2, is driven by the opposition of the linear motor (primary conductor) 7 and the secondary conductor 11, and starts traveling. The force advances to the next position of the linear motor 7 by the force and is accelerated again. After repeating this operation,
At the destination, it stops due to the reverse magnetic force.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, an upper partition plate arranged along the longitudinal direction inside the clean tube,
With a lower partition plate with a plurality of ventilation holes with adjustable opening area, a transfer area for transporting conveyed objects in a clean air atmosphere from the air supply port, a transport area of the transport vehicle, and cleaning through the transport / travel area. An upper punching metal provided in an air supply port, wherein a transport vehicle that travels by a linear motor is arranged in a tube, and the air air area is divided into three areas: an air area that directs air to an exhaust port. The clean air is circulated through the lower punching metal provided at the exhaust port, which not only drastically reduces the generation of dust, but also allows the flow in the clean tube to flow down almost uniformly without causing stagnation. Can be.

Further, the lower partition plate has a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction, and has a plurality of ventilation holes that are adjustable so as to sequentially increase the opening area as the distance from the air supply port increases, and the air holes are connected to the exhaust port. Therefore, the recirculation area is held in a depressurizing tendency from the traveling area by the suction airflow in the longitudinal direction, and a pressure difference is generated between the traveling area and the traveling area. Transporting with smooth air cleanliness was enabled.

In addition, the HEPA filter does not need to be provided in the tube, but only needs to be installed in the clean air circulation device, so that the equipment cost is greatly reduced and the maintenance and repair thereof has become extremely easy and easy. In addition, the transport vehicle can be a very simple bogie that does not require a drive mechanism for self-propelled driving or equipment for control, so there is no risk of failure or operation disorder, and the entire vehicle has become lighter. The running speed can also be increased in combination with the gentle airflow in the body.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a linear clean tube transport device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view thereof, FIG. 3 shows a transport vehicle, (I) is a plan view excluding a carrier, (II) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. (I), FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing an arrangement state of the entire linear clean tube transport device, and FIG. 5 is an arrangement state of a conventional clean tunnel. FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a conventional clean tunnel transfer device, and FIG. 7 shows a comparison between the present device and the conventional device with respect to the longitudinal air flow in a clean tube. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a longitudinal airflow in a conventional clean tunnel, and (II) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an airflow of the device of the present invention. 1… Linear clean tube transfer device 2 …… Clean tube 3 …… Tube body 3A …… Transport area 3B …… Travel area 3C …… Annual area 3k …… Air supply port 3h …… Exhaust port 4 …… Upper partition Plate 4s: gap passage 5: lower partition plate 5a: vent hole 6: traveling rail 7: linear motor (primary conductor) 9: transport vehicle 10: bogie frame 11: secondary conductor 12 ... Carrier support member 13 Carrier 14 Container 20 Clean air circulation device 21 Lower punching metal 23 Blower 24 HEPA filter 26 Upper punching metal

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-98916 (JP, A) JP-A 63-73936 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B65G 49/00 H01L 21/68

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A linear motor comprising: a clean air supply port provided on an upper wall of a clean tube to which a tube body of a required length is connected; and an exhaust port provided on a lower wall, and a rail mounted in a longitudinal direction in the clean tube. A transport device in which a transport vehicle driven by a system is arranged, and a support member of a carrier for mounting an article to be transported is erected on an upper portion of the transport vehicle, wherein an upper partition disposed along a longitudinal direction in the tube body. A transport area for transporting an object to be transported in a clean air atmosphere from an air supply port, wherein the area is formed by partitioning a clean tube into three layers by a plate and a lower partition plate, and the upper partition plate and the lower partition plate. ,
An air circulation area for directing clean air that has passed through the traveling area and the transport / traveling area of the transport vehicle to an exhaust port; a gap passage formed at a longitudinal center of an upper partition plate for inserting the carrier support member; With a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction of the partition plate,
And a plurality of ventilation holes pierced so as to be adjustable so as to gradually increase the opening area as it goes away from the air supply port, an upper punching metal provided in the air supply port for the clean air, and an exhaust port in the air supply area. The lower punching metal provided, and the clean air which inhales through the lower punching metal from the exhaust port of the air area and supplies the clean air to the air supply port of the transfer area through the HEPA filter and the upper punching metal by a blower. A linear clean tube transfer device, comprising: a circulation device.