JP6100484B2 - Conveying apparatus and conveying method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a transport apparatus and a transport method for transporting a plate-shaped member accommodating unit that can accommodate a plate-shaped member.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an apparatus for attaching an adhesive sheet to a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as a wafer) or a ring frame (frame member) in a semiconductor manufacturing process is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
The apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a plate-like member storage means mounting portion on which a cassette in which a plurality of wafers are stored, a wagon in which a plurality of ring frames are stored and caster wheels are provided at the bottom, A mount mechanism for attaching an adhesive sheet to the wafer and the ring frame, a wafer transport mechanism for transporting the wafer from the plate-like member receiving means mounting portion to the mount mechanism, and a ring frame transport mechanism for transporting the ring frame from the wagon to the mount mechanism; When the ring frame accommodated in the wagon is used up, the wagon is separated from the sheet sticking device, and the ring frame is replenished and placed in the sheet sticking device again.
Further, as a transfer device that transfers a wafer to the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, a configuration is known in which a cassette containing a wafer is transferred to a transfer destination through an in-process transfer path laid in the process (for example, Patent Document 1). 2).

JP-A-2005-33119 JP 2000-68350 A

However, since the structure for transporting the cassette of Patent Document 2 is a wafer transport device, even if the transport device of Patent Document 2 is applied to Patent Document 1, the wagon for transporting the ring frame is transported separately. Inconveniences such as an increase in the size of the manufacturing line in the semiconductor manufacturing process and the complexity of the operator's work cannot be solved.
The objective of this invention is providing the conveying apparatus and conveying method which can simplify the structure of an apparatus.
Another object is to provide a transport apparatus and a transport method that can prevent the operator's work from becoming complicated.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the conveying device of the present invention is a frame housing capable of housing a plate-like member housing means capable of housing a plate-like member or a frame member to which the plate-like member is fixed via an adhesive sheet. A support means capable of selectively supporting the means; a determination means capable of determining what is supported by the support means; a transport means capable of transporting the support means; and a guide means for guiding the transport means. , based on the discrimination result of said discriminating means to be conveyed to a destination the plate-like member accommodating means or said frame accommodating means supported by said support means through a common said inductive means, to adopt a structure that Yes.

In this case, the conveying apparatus of the present invention, the guide means, said a conveying path conveying means travels, the part of the conveying path and a retreating means movable to a standby position away from the conveying path It is preferable .

On the other hand, the transport method of the present invention selectively supports plate-like member accommodating means capable of accommodating a plate-like member or frame accommodating means capable of accommodating a frame member to which the plate-like member is fixed via an adhesive sheet. A step of supporting by the means, a determination step of determining what is supported by the support means, a conveying step of conveying the supporting means by the conveying means, and a guiding step of guiding the conveying means by the guiding means, wherein based on the determination result of the determination step, the support was the plate-like member accommodating means or to be conveyed to a destination said frame accommodating means via a common said guide means employs the configuration that.

According to the present invention as described above, the support means conveyed by the conveying means can selectively support both the plate-shaped member accommodating means and the frame accommodating means, thereby conveying the plate-shaped member accommodating means. And the conveyance of the frame accommodating means can be shared, and the configuration of the apparatus can be simplified.
Further, by adopting such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the operator's work from becoming complicated.

In addition, when the guiding means includes a conveyance path, by providing the retraction means, the conveyance means can be retreated in the vicinity of the conveyance destination, and the plate-like member accommodating means or the The frame accommodating means can be transported.
Furthermore, by providing the discriminating means, it is possible to prevent the plate-shaped member accommodating means or the frame accommodating means from being conveyed to the wrong conveying destination.

The schematic plan view which shows the conveying apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The partial side view of the conveying apparatus shown in FIG. The partial front view of the conveying apparatus shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, a transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
Note that the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis in this specification are orthogonal to each other, the X axis and Y axis are axes in a horizontal plane, and the Z axis is an axis that is orthogonal to the horizontal plane. Further, in the present embodiment, when viewed from the direction of the arrow AR in FIG. 1 parallel to the Y axis, when the direction is indicated, “up” is the arrow direction of the Z axis and “down” is the opposite direction, “Left” is the arrow direction of the X axis, “Right” is the opposite direction, “Front” is the arrow direction of the Y axis, and “Back” is the opposite direction.

Below, the conveying apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention is demonstrated based on FIG.
The transfer apparatus 1 includes a plate-like member accommodating means 2 that accommodates a wafer WF as a plate-like member, and a frame accommodating means that can accommodate a ring frame RF as a frame member to which the wafer WF is fixed via an adhesive sheet (not shown). 3 is conveyed to a processing apparatus for performing a predetermined process. The supporting means 10 can selectively support the plate-like member accommodating means 2 or the frame accommodating means 3, and the conveying means 20 capable of conveying the supporting means 10. A guiding means 30 for guiding the conveying means 20, a discriminating means 40 capable of discriminating the plate-like member accommodating means 2 or the frame accommodating means 3 supported by the supporting means 10, and the plate-like member accommodating means 2 or the frame accommodating means. 3 and a mounting means 50 capable of moving up and down.

The plate-like member accommodation means 2 is provided on the upper surface of the wafer cassette WC, which can accommodate wafers WF having a protective sheet (not shown) attached to the surface in multiple stages in the vertical direction, and is laterally engaged on both the left and right sides. A portion WC1 is provided, and a gripping portion WC3 having a rear engagement portion WC2 on the rear surface is provided.
The frame accommodating means 3 is provided on the upper surface of the frame cassette FC, similarly to the grip portion WC3, and the side engaging portions FC1 are provided on both the left and right sides. In addition, a gripping portion FC3 having a rear engagement portion FC2 provided on the rear surface is provided.

  The support means 10 is rotatably supported by a frame 11 and brackets 12 provided on the left and right sides of the frame 11, and a substantially L-shaped hook 13 that can be engaged with and disengaged from the side engaging portions WC1 and FC1. And a rotation motor 14 that is supported by the frame 11 and is a driving device that rotationally drives the hook 13.

The transport means 20 includes a plurality of transport bodies 21, and each transport body 21 includes an upper open-type C-channel frame 22, upper rollers 23 provided at four positions below the lip 221 of the frame 22, and A lower roller 24 provided at two upper portions of the web portion 222 of the frame 22, a drive motor 25 as a driving device that rotationally drives the lower left roller 24, and what the transport body 21 is transporting or transporting. The status of conveyance by the conveyance body 21 such as the position of the conveyance body 21 and the conveyance speed of the conveyance body 21 are communicated with each processing apparatus and other means (support means 10, guidance means 30, determination means 40, placement means 50). A possible communication means 26 and a detection means (not shown) such as an optical sensor and a sound wave sensor for preventing contact between the carriers 21 are provided.
In addition, each processing apparatus and other means are provided with communication means (not shown) that can communicate with the communication means 26 of each transport body 21, and each transport body 21, each processing apparatus, and other means are illustrated. The operation is controlled by the control means that does not. The processing apparatus includes a wafer carrying means 4 such as a belt conveyor or a roller conveyor for carrying the plate-like member containing means 2, a frame carrying means 5 such as a belt conveyor or a roller conveyor for carrying the frame containing means 3, an unillustrated adhesive. Affixing device 6 (6A, 6B) for affixing the sheet to wafer WF and ring frame RF and integrating them, peeling device 7 (7A, 7B) for peeling off a protective sheet (not shown) affixed to wafer WF, wafer Processing device 8 (8A, 8B) for cutting WF into individual pieces, bonding device 9 (9A, 9B) for bonding individual wafers WF to a substrate or the like, and empty plate-shaped member accommodating means 2 are carried out. Wafer cassette carrying means 10A, such as a belt conveyor or roller conveyor, and a belt conveyor Frame cassette unloading means 10B or the like of such Rakonbeya can be exemplified.

The guiding means 30 includes a conveyance path 31 that is laid on a spacer CL1 provided on the ceiling CL and travels by the conveyance body 21, and a standby position WP (see FIG. 3) that is separated from the conveyance path 31 and the conveyance path 31. The retraction means 32 which can move the conveyance body 21 between is provided.
The conveyance path 31 is provided in an H shape in the horizontal direction in cross section, and the lower flange portion 310 on the lower side is sandwiched between the upper roller 23 and the lower roller 24 of the conveyance body 21 so that the conveyance body 21 can be guided to a predetermined position. It has been. In addition, in each processing apparatus, the plate-shaped member accommodating means placing portion (position indicated by number 61 in the pasting device 6) and the frame accommodating means placing portion (number 62 in the pasting device 6 and number 72 in the peeling device 7). A notch 312 is formed in the conveying path 31 corresponding to the upper portion of the processing device 8 with a number 82 and a position indicated with a number 92 in the bonding device 9.
The retracting means 32 is located at each notch 312 of the conveyance path 31 and is a linear motor 321 which is a driving device provided on the ceiling CL, a rail support plate 323 provided on the slider 322 of the linear motor 321, and the conveyance path. 31 is provided with a transport rail 324 and a retreat rail 325 which are provided in an H shape in the cross sectional view similar to FIG. 31 and provided on the lower surface of the rail support plate 323. The conveyance rail 324 and the retraction rail 325 are set to have a length slightly shorter than the length of the notch 312 of the conveyance path 31, and are located in the notch 312 to connect the conveyance path 31 and allow the conveyance body 21 to travel. Is provided.

  The discriminating means 40 is composed of a load cell 41 whose upper surface is supported on the lower surface of the frame 22 of the carrier 21 and which supports the frame 11 of the support means 10 on the lower surface, and is supported by the support means 10 by measuring the weight. It is possible to determine what is. The discriminating means includes a plate-like member accommodating means 2 that accommodates the wafer WF, a plate-like member accommodating means 2 that does not accommodate the wafer WF, a frame accommodating means 3 that accommodates the ring frame RF, and a ring frame RF. And a protective sheet (not shown) attached to the wafer WF of the wafer WF integrated with the ring frame RF (not shown) through an adhesive sheet (not shown). The frame accommodating means 3, the frame accommodating means 3 in which the integrated object with the protective sheet peeled off from the wafer WF is accommodated, the frame accommodating means 3 in which the integrated object in which the wafer WF is separated into individual pieces, and the like can be discriminated. ing.

  The mounting means 50 is supported by a linear motor 51 that is a driving device supported by a support frame CL2 provided on the ceiling CL, and a slider 52 of the linear motor 51, and can be engaged with and disengaged from the rear engagement portions WC2 and FC2. A linear motion motor 54 that is a drive device having an output shaft 53, and the support member 10 and the plate-like member accommodating means placing portion 61, the frame accommodating means placing portions 62, 72, 82, 92 in each processing apparatus, or The plate-like member accommodation means 2 or the frame accommodation means 3 can be delivered between the wafer carry-in means 4, the frame carry-in means 5, the wafer cassette carry-out means 10A, and the frame cassette carry-out means 10B.

Next, operation | movement of the conveying apparatus 1 in the said embodiment is demonstrated with reference to drawings.
First, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality (N: N is a natural number) of the transport bodies 21 are all positioned in the standby area 311 of the transport path 31, and sequentially from the transport body 21 located at the left end in the right direction. The 1st conveyance body 211, the 2nd conveyance body 212 (omission omitted) ... Let it call the Nth conveyance body 21N.
When the sticking devices 6A and 6B output request signals for requesting the plate-like member housing means 2 and the frame housing means 3 via communication means (not shown), the control means (not shown) controls each means (support means 10, transport means). 20, each command is output to the guiding means 30, the discriminating means 40, and the placing means 50). Then, the transport means 20 drives the rotation motor 14 of the first transport body 211, and the first transport body 211 is located above the frame carry-in position 5A where the frame carry-in means 5 carries the frame housing means 3 housing the ring frame RF. Move.

And the mounting means 50 corresponding to the frame carrying-in position 5A performs the following raising operation. That is, after the mounting means 50 drives the linear motor 51 and moves the slider 52 downward, the linear motion motor 54 is driven and the output shaft 53 is advanced to the rear engagement portion FC2 of the frame housing means 3. After the engagement, the linear motor 51 is driven to raise the slider 52 to a predetermined position. Next, after the support means 10 drives the rotation motor 14 and the tips of the pair of hooks 13 are engaged with the side engaging portions FC1 of the frame accommodating means 3, the mounting means 50 causes the linear motion motor 54 to move. By driving and retreating the output shaft 53, the support means 10 is in a state of supporting the frame accommodating means 3 (hereinafter referred to as "lifting operation"). In this state, the determination unit 40 of the first transport body 211 starts the following determination operation. That is, the determination unit 40 drives the load cell 41 and measures the weight to determine what is supported by the support unit 10 (hereinafter referred to as “determination operation”). By this determination operation, it is possible to prevent the plate-like member accommodation means 2 and the frame accommodation means 3 in which the different contents from those requested are supplied from being supplied to the requested location. In this case, it is detected that the frame accommodating means 3 is supported, and the information is output to the control means (not shown) via the communication means 26, and what is supported by the first conveying body 211 by the control means is the frame accommodating means. 3 is recognized.
Thereafter, the transport unit 20 operates the drive motor 25 of the first transport body 211, and is located in the notch portion 312 above the frame housing unit mounting portion 62 and is connected to the transport rail 31 in the retreat rail 325. At the position, the drive of the drive motor 25 is stopped so that the first transport body 211 stops.

Next, the placing means 50 corresponding to the frame accommodating means placing portion 62 performs the following lowering operation. That is, after the mounting means 50 drives the linear motor 51 and moves the slider 52 upward, the linear motion motor 54 is driven and the output shaft 53 is advanced to move the rear engaging portion, in this case, the frame accommodating means. 3 is engaged with the rear engagement portion FC2. Then, the support means 10 drives the rotation motor 14 to disengage the tips of the pair of hooks 13 from the side engaging portions, in this case, the side engaging portions FC1 of the frame housing means 3. Next, after the mounting means 50 drives the linear motor 51 and lowers the slider 52 to a predetermined position, the linear motion motor 54 is driven and the output shaft 53 is moved backward, so that the predetermined position, in this case, affixing is performed. The frame accommodating means 3 is placed on the frame accommodating means placing portion 62 of the apparatus 6B (hereinafter referred to as “lowering operation”).
After the frame accommodating means 3 is transferred from the support means 10 to the placing means 50, the retracting means 32 corresponding to the frame accommodating means placing portion 62 performs the following retracting operation. That is, the retracting means 32 drives the linear motor 321, moves the rail support plate 323 so as to connect the transport path 31 by the transport rail 324, and supports the transport body 21 supported by the retract rail 325, in this case, the first transport body 211. Is retracted to a standby position WP separated from the conveyance path 31 (hereinafter referred to as “retraction operation”. The operation of moving the rail support plate 323 so as to connect the conveyance path 31 with the retraction rail 325 is referred to as “anti-retraction operation”). . Thereby, conveyance of the frame accommodating means 3 to the sticking device 6B is completed.

In addition, when the 1st conveyance body 211 moves from the waiting | standby area | region 311 or a little behind, the 2nd conveyance body 212 is conveyed similarly to the above, and the plate-shaped member accommodation means 2 in which the wafer carrying-in means 4 accommodated the wafer WF was received. Is stopped above the wafer carry-in position 4A, and the mounting means 50 corresponding to the wafer carry-in position 4A performs the ascending operation to support the plate-shaped member accommodating means 2, and the supported plate-shaped member accommodating means 2 is affixed. The mounting means 50 corresponding to the plate-shaped member accommodating means placing portion 61 of the apparatus 6B is placed on the plate-shaped member accommodating means placing portion 61 by performing a lowering operation. The second transport body 212 is retracted to the standby position WP by the retracting operation of the retracting means 32 corresponding to the plate-shaped member accommodating means placing portion 61, and the transport of the plate-shaped member accommodating means 2 to the pasting device 6B is completed. To do.
Then, in the same manner as described above, the conveyance of the frame accommodating means 3 and the plate-shaped member accommodating means 2 to the pasting device 6A is finished by the third and fourth conveying bodies 213, 214, and the third and fourth conveying bodies 213, 214 is retracted to the standby position WP by the retracting operation of the retracting means 32 corresponding to the frame accommodating means placing portion 62 and the plate-like member accommodating means placing portion 61 of the sticking device 6A.

Then, in the attaching devices 6A and 6B, one wafer WF and one ring frame RF are respectively taken out from the plate-like member accommodating means 2 and the frame accommodating means 3, respectively, and the ring frame RF and the wafer WF are connected via an adhesive sheet (not shown). Are integrated to form an integrated object, and the integrated object is stored in the frame storing means 3 mounted on the attaching devices 6A and 6B.
Here, for example, when it comes to a time when the frame accommodating means 3 in the sticking device 6B is filled with an integrated object, the sticking device 6B outputs a signal requesting the frame accommodating means 3 via a communication means (not shown). The control means that does not output each command to each means. Then, after the retracting means 32 corresponding to the frame accommodating means placing portion 62 of the sticking device 6B performs the anti-retreat operation, the placing means 50 performs the ascending operation, so that the frame accommodating means 3 that accommodates the integral object is removed. The first conveyance body 211 supports, and the determination unit 40 of the first conveyance body 211 performs a determination operation. Further, the fifth carrier 215 conveys the frame accommodating means 3 in which the new ring frame RF is accommodated in the same manner as described above, and the frame accommodating means 3 in which the new ring frame RF is accommodated in the same manner as described above. It mounts on the frame accommodating means mounting part 62 of the sticking device 6B, and the same operation as described above is performed. In addition, when the 5th conveyance body 215 is conveyed by the sticking apparatus 6B, since the conveyance rail 324 is located in each notch part 312 and has connected the conveyance path 31, it is 2nd, 3rd, 4th currently retracting. The conveyance is not obstructed by the conveyance bodies 212, 213, and 214. In some cases, the N-th transport body 21N being transported may come into contact with another N-th transport body 21N located on the transport path 31, but in this embodiment, the transport body is detected by a detection unit (not shown). 21 does not contact each other.
The frame accommodating means 3 that accommodates the integral object repeats the conveyance of the first conveyance body 211, the ascending operation, the determining operation, the descending operation, the retreating operation, and the anti-retreating operation, and the peeling device 7 (7A, 7B). A protective sheet (not shown) attached to the wafer WF is peeled off, the wafer WF is separated into pieces by the processing apparatus 8 (8A, 8B), and the wafer WF separated into pieces by the bonding apparatus 9 (9A, 9B) is the substrate. Are finally mounted on the frame cassette unloading means 10B and unloaded to the outside. Thereafter, the first transport body 211 returns to the standby area 311.

  Further, for example, when it is time to take out all the wafers WF from the plate-like member housing means 2 in the pasting device 6B, the pasting device 6B outputs a signal requesting the plate-like member housing means 2 via a communication means (not shown). Then, control means (not shown) outputs each command to each means. Then, after the retracting means 32 corresponding to the plate-shaped member accommodating means placing portion 61 of the sticking device 6B performs the anti-retreat operation, the placing means 50 performs the ascending operation, so that the empty plate-shaped member accommodating means 2 is operated. Is supported by the second transport body 212, and the determination means 40 of the second transport body 212 performs a determination operation. Further, the sixth transport body 216 transports the plate-shaped member accommodating means 2 in which the new wafer WF is accommodated in the same manner as described above, and the plate-shaped member accommodating means 2 in which the new wafer WF is accommodated is similar to the above. Then, it is placed on the plate-like member accommodating means placing portion 61 of the sticking device 6B, and the same operation as described above is performed. The plate-shaped member accommodating means 2 that has been emptied after the entire wafer WF has been taken out is placed on the wafer cassette carrying means 10A and carried outside by the carrying and lowering operations of the second carrier 212. Thereafter, the second transport body 212 returns to the standby area 311.

According to the embodiment as described above, the following effects are obtained.
That is, since the transport body 21 can support both the plate-shaped member accommodating means 2 and the frame accommodating means 3, the plate-shaped member accommodating means 2 and the frame accommodating means 3 can be conveyed by one conveying path 31. The apparatus configuration of the transfer apparatus 1 can be simplified.

  As described above, the best configuration, method and the like for carrying out the present invention have been disclosed in the above description, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the invention has been illustrated and described with particular reference to certain specific embodiments, but without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, Various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art in terms of material, quantity, and other detailed configurations. In addition, the description limited to the shape, material, etc. disclosed above is an example for easy understanding of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention. The description by the name of the member which remove | excluded the limitation of one part or all of such is included in this invention.

  For example, in the present invention, the pasting device 6, the peeling device 7, the processing device 8, the bonding device 9, the wafer cassette unloading means 10A, and the frame cassette unloading means 10B are arranged as each processing apparatus as in the above embodiment. The present invention is not limited to the transfer device, and other devices may be arranged, and the number of installed devices can be changed as appropriate.

  Furthermore, although the case where it was the semiconductor wafer WF was shown as a plate-shaped member, a plate-shaped member is not limited to the semiconductor wafer WF, Other plates, such as a glass plate, a steel plate, or a resin plate, a board | substrate, an optical disk, etc. Shaped members can also be targeted, and examples of the semiconductor wafer WF include a silicon wafer and a compound wafer.

Further, the support means 10 may support the plate-like member accommodation means 2 and the frame accommodation means 3 by suction, magnetic attachment, screwing with screws, or the like.
Further, the discriminating means targets the ones in which the plate-like member accommodating means 2 and the frame accommodating means 3 are colored or marked, and can be imaged by the imaging means, or an optical sensor, contact sensor, pressure sensor, area You may make it discriminate | determine by detecting with a sensor etc. FIG.
Further, a function such as a so-called GPS (Global Positioning System) function or a position sensor may be added to the communication means 26.

Furthermore, the retracting means 32 may be installed at one place on the immediate upstream side of each processing apparatus, and the transport rails 324 and the retracting rails 325 may be provided not only one by one but also plural.
Further, the plate-like member accommodating means that is configured without the retracting means 32 and that conveys the conveying means 20 in order from the conveying body 21 positioned at the leftmost end in the standby area 311 each time there is a request from each processing apparatus. 2 or the frame accommodating means 3 is transferred to the placing means 50, the transport body 21 is caused to travel in the same direction as the travel direction of the transport path 31, and a plurality of transports waiting in the standby area 311 of the transport path 31 are performed. You may make it return to the tail end of the body 21. FIG.

  The drive device in the embodiment includes an electric device such as a rotation motor, a linear motion motor, a linear motor, a single axis robot, an articulated robot, an actuator such as an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, a rodless cylinder, and a rotary cylinder. In addition to the above, it is possible to adopt a combination of them directly or indirectly (some of them overlap with those exemplified in the embodiment).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Conveyance apparatus 2 Plate-shaped member accommodating means 3 Frame accommodating means 10 Support means 20 Conveying means 22E Load cell (discriminating means)
22F, 265 Communication means 31 Carriage path 30 Guiding means 32 Retraction means RF Ring frame (frame member)
WF Semiconductor wafer (plate member)
WP standby position

Claims (3)

A plate-shaped member accommodating means capable of accommodating a plate-shaped member, or a supporting means capable of selectively supporting a frame accommodating means capable of accommodating a frame member to which the plate-shaped member is fixed via an adhesive sheet;
Discriminating means capable of discriminating what is supported by the support means;
Transport means capable of transporting the support means;
Guiding means for guiding the conveying means,
Wherein based on the determination result of the determination means, the conveying apparatus characterized by conveying the plate-like member accommodating means or said frame accommodating means supporting the destination through a common said guide means in said support means. Said induction means includes a conveyance path in which the conveying means travels, the part of the conveying path in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a retracting means movable to a standby position away from the conveying path The conveying apparatus as described. A step of selectively supporting a plate-like member accommodating means capable of accommodating a plate-like member or a frame accommodating means capable of accommodating a frame member to which the plate-like member is fixed via an adhesive sheet;
A discrimination step for discriminating what is supported by the support means;
A transport step of transporting the support means by a transport means;
A guiding step of guiding the conveying means by a guiding means,
Wherein based on the determination result of the determination step, the plate-like member containing means supporting or conveying method characterized by conveying the frame accommodating means to the destination via the common of said guide means.

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