JPH0626259U - Carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [PROBLEMS] To provide a transfer device capable of detecting individual information of a wafer cassette stored in a supporting portion and sending the wafer cassette to an appropriate manufacturing process. A plurality of supporting parts 10 to 12 for supporting a wafer cassette C, and a pitch feeding means 20 for pitch-feeding the wafer cassette C supported by the supporting parts 10 to 12 with forward and backward movement and up and down movement. The ID tag 40 is provided on the bottom surface of the wafer cassette C and has individual information of the cassette recorded thereon, and is provided on the support portion 10.
A reading unit 50 that reads information recorded on the D tag 40
And is provided.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a wafer cassette carrier. In particular, the present invention relates to a transfer device capable of temporarily storing a wafer cassette and reading the individual information of the stored wafer cassette to detect the type of the wafer cassette.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Conventionally, in order to improve production efficiency, a plurality of wafers used for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit are stored in a dedicated wafer cassette at the manufacturing stage, and are supplied to the semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing process in cassette units.

When a trouble or the like occurs in such a wafer manufacturing process, the wafer cassette may not be supplied in the next manufacturing process, resulting in a significant decrease in production efficiency. Further, in the case where wafer cassettes are supplied from one wafer supply line to a plurality of manufacturing lines and there is a difference in production efficiency between the plurality of manufacturing lines, the wafer cassette to be supplied to a certain manufacturing line is Even if there was a surplus, the wafer cassette could not be temporarily stored, and the production efficiency of the entire line could not be improved.

The applicant of the present invention is able to prevent a significant decrease in production efficiency even when a trouble occurs in the manufacturing process, and even when there is a difference in production efficiency between production lines, We propose a transfer device that can improve the production efficiency of the entire line.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing the carrying device, FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the same, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a pitch feeding means.

In these drawings, reference numerals 1 to 3 denote first to third supporting portions provided on an upper portion of the transfer device, which are arranged at regular intervals and store a plurality of wafers. Support C from both sides. In FIG. 9, 4 is a pitch feed means, which is a moving block 5, an advancing / retreating means 6 for advancing / retreating the moving block 5, a table 7 supported by the moving block 5 so as to be movable up and down, and this table. It comprises an ascending / descending means 8 for ascending and descending 7. The table 7 is moved along with the forward / backward movement and the vertical movement by the forward / backward moving means 6 and the vertical movement means 8.

According to the transfer device having such a configuration, the wafer cassette C is moved from the first supporting portion 1 to the second supporting portion 2 and from the second supporting portion 2 to the third by the pitch feeding means 4. It is sequentially pitch-fed to the supporting portions 3 of the above, and stored in the first to third supporting portions 1 to 3, respectively. Further, the wafer cassette C stored in the transfer device is received from the third support portion 3 by a not-illustrated fork or the like, and sent out.

By arranging such a carrier device between a certain manufacturing process and another manufacturing process, for example, even if trouble occurs in the manufacturing process before the carrier device, the supporting parts 1 to 3 of the carrier device are provided. The stored wafer cassette C can be supplied to the next manufacturing process.

Therefore, it is not necessary to stop the manufacturing line after the process in which the trouble has occurred, and it is possible to prevent the production efficiency from being lowered due to the supply of the wafer cassette.

Further, even when there is a difference in production efficiency between manufacturing lines, the wafer cassettes to be sent to the line having low production efficiency can be stored in the transfer device, and as a result, the entire line can be stored. The production efficiency can be improved.

[0011]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 The above-described transfer device was capable of temporarily storing and sending out the wafer cassette C. However, the individual information of the wafer cassette, for example, what kind of wafer cassette is stored in the support portion is not available. It was not possible to detect information such as whether it was something.

Therefore, there is a problem in that the type of wafer cassette stored in the support unit cannot be discriminated, and the wafer cassette cannot be properly sent to a manufacturing process that differs depending on the type of wafer cassette. It was

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, detect individual information of wafer cassettes stored in a supporting portion, and send wafer cassettes to an appropriate manufacturing process. It is to provide a carrier.

[0014]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a plurality of supporting parts for supporting a wafer cassette, and pitch feeding means for pitch-feeding the wafer cassette supported by the supporting parts with forward and backward movement and vertical movement. And an ID tag, which is arranged on the bottom surface of the wafer cassette, in which individual information of the cassette is recorded, and a reading unit, which is provided in the supporting portion, for reading the information recorded in the ID tag. It was configured.

[0015]

[Operation effect]

 Since the transporting device of the present invention has the above-mentioned configuration, it has the following operational effects.

That is, a large number of wafer cassettes are supported by the support unit and stored. The stored wafer cassette moves by being pitch fed by the pitch feeding means.

An ID tag on which the individual information of the wafer cassette is recorded is arranged on the bottom surface of the wafer cassette, and a reading section for reading the individual information of the ID tag is provided on a supporting portion which supports the wafer cassette. Therefore, the individual information of the wafer cassette fed by the pitch feeding means can be read.

As described above, according to the carrier device of the present invention, the individual information of the wafer cassette stored in the supporting portion can be read, and the wafer cassette can be transferred to an appropriate manufacturing process based on the read individual information. The effect is that it can be sent out.

[0019]

【Example】

 Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a conveying device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same, FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line II-III of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a pitch feeding means. .

In these drawings, the carrying apparatus of the present embodiment includes first to third supporting parts 10 to 12, a pitch feeding means 20, an ID tag 40, and a reading part 50.

As shown in FIG. 1, the carrier device of the present embodiment is provided with casters 9 at the bottom, and is configured to be movable according to the layout such as the manufacturing process.

The first to third support portions 10 to 12 are arranged at a fixed interval above the transfer device, and support the wafer cassette C containing a plurality of wafers. The upper surfaces of the supporting portions 10 to 12 are all inclined so that the wafer cassette C can be easily supported. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, these supporting portions 10 to 12 are arranged in pairs inside the grooves 13 and 13 along the two grooves 13 and 13 formed on the upper surface 9a of the transport device. There is.

As shown in FIG. 4, the pitch feed means 20 includes a moving block 21, an advancing / retreating means 22 for advancing / retreating the moving block 21, and a pair of tables supported by the moving block 21 so as to be movable up and down. 23a and 23b, and an up-and-down moving means 24 for moving up and down the tables 23a and 23b.

The moving block 21 is guided by an LM (Linear Motive) guide 25 fixed to the substrate 21a.

The advancing / retreating means 22 includes a drive motor 26, a timing belt 27 that is rotated by the operation of the drive motor 26, and a timing pulley 28 that supports the timing belt 27.

A hook 21 c is provided on one end side 21 b of the moving block 21 and is connected to the timing belt 27. As a result, when the drive motor 26 is operated, the timing belt 27 rotates, and the moving block 21 moves back and forth in the direction of arrow X in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pair of tables 23 a and 23 b are supported above the moving block 21 by columns 23 c and 23 d that pass through the grooves 13 and 13 of the upper surface 9 a of the transfer device. As a result, the pair of tables 23a and 23b are adapted to lift, for example, the wafer cassette C supported by the first supporting portion 10 when the pair of tables 23a and 23b are lifted by the lifting / lowering means 24 described later.

A rack is formed on the columns 23c and 23d.

The ascending / descending means 24 includes a ball spline nut 29, a gear 30, a ball spline 31, and an ascending / descending drive motor 32.

The ball spline nut 29 and the gear 30 are rotatably provided inside the moving block 21, respectively. A pinion 29 a is formed on the ball spline nut 29, and the pinion 29 a meshes with the gear 30. The pinion 29a also meshes with the rack of the column 23c of the table 23a. Further, the gear 30 also meshes with the rack of the column 23d of the table 23b.

As shown in FIG. 4, the ball spline 31 is inserted into the ball spline nut 29. Reference numerals 33 and 33 are support portions of the ball spline 31. The lifting drive motor 32 is connected to one end side of the ball spline 31 via a pulley 34, a timing belt 35, and a pulley 36. As a result, when the lifting drive motor 32 is operated, the ball spline 31 rotates via the pulley 36, the timing belt 35, and the pulley 34, and the rotation of the ball spline nut 29 is transmitted to the gear 30 and the rack of the column 23c. The rotation of the gear 30 is transmitted to the column 23d so that the pair of tables 23a and 23b can be moved up and down.

Reference numeral 37 is a control unit, which controls the operation of the drive motor 26 of the advancing / retreating means 22 and the elevating drive motor 32 of the elevating / lowering means 24.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ID tag 40 is arranged on the bottom surface portion C 1 of the wafer cassette C, and individual information of the wafer cassette C, for example, information for discriminating the type of the wafer cassette C and the like. Is recorded by a barcode or the like.

The reading unit 50 is provided between the supporting units 10, and has a built-in scanner that reads the barcode of the ID tag 40 of the wafer cassette C and the like. The individual information read by the reading unit 50 is sent to the recording unit 51 by the control unit 37 and recorded therein. The recording unit 51 updates the individual information of the wafer cassette C stored in the supporting units 10 to 12 every time the pitch feed is performed, and which type of wafer cassette C is supported by each supporting unit 10 to 12. It is designed to record what is happening.

In FIG. 6, reference numeral 52 is a transmission means built in the transfer device, and the individual information of the wafer cassette C sent to the supporting portion 12 by the pitch feeding means 20 is recorded in the recording portion via the control portion 37. The data is read from 51 and transmitted to the handling robot R. The handling robot R moves between the transfer device M and the next manufacturing process K1 to K3, and is supported by the support part 12 based on the individual information sent by the transmission means 52 of the transfer device M. The wafer cassette C is transferred to any one of the manufacturing processes K1 to K3. That is, the wafer cassette C supported by the supporting portion 12 is transferred to the next appropriate manufacturing process by the handling robot R.

Next, the operation of the carrying device having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the wafer cassette C is transferred to and supported by the first supporting unit 10 of the transfer device from a pre-process (not shown) (see FIG. 5A). Then, the ID tag 40 of the wafer cassette C is read by the reading unit 50 of the support unit 10, and the individual information of the wafer cassette C is recorded in the recording unit 51 from the reading unit 50 via the control unit 37. At the same time, the control unit 37 operates the drive motor 26 to move the moving block 21 forward and backward, thereby disposing the tables 23a and 23b of the moving block 21 on the side of the first supporting unit 10.

In this case, the drive motor 26 does not operate when the tables 23 a and 23 b of the moving block 21 are located below the first support portion 10 from the beginning.

Next, the control unit 37 operates the elevating drive motor 32 to operate the moving block 21, and raises the tables 23 a and 23 b of the moving block 21. As a result, the wafer cassette C supported by the first supporting unit 10 is lifted from the first supporting unit 10 by the tables 23a and 23b (see FIG. 5B).

The wafer cassette C is lifted higher than the height of the first supporting portion 10 and stopped. After that, the control unit 37 operates the drive motor 26 to move the moving block 21 in the arrow X direction so that the tables 23a and 23b of the moving block 21 are located above the second supporting unit 11 (see FIG. See c)).

Here, the operation of the lifting drive motor 32 is controlled again by the control unit 37, and the tables 23 a and 23 b of the moving block 21 are lowered. As a result, the wafer cassette C lifted by the tables 23a and 23b is supported by the second support portion 11. By the same operation, the wafer cassette C 1 supported by the second supporting portion 11 is sent to and supported by the third supporting portion 12.

In this way, the wafer cassette C moves from the first support portion 10 to the second support portion 11 and from the second support portion 11 to the third support portion 12 with the forward / backward movement and the vertical movement. It is fed by a pitch and stored in each of the first to third supporting portions 10 to 12 (see FIG. 5D). Along with this, the recording unit 51 updates the individual information of the wafer cassette C stored in the supporting units 10 to 12 each time the pitch feed is performed, and the type of wafer cassette in each supporting unit 10 to 12 is updated. Record if C is supported.

The delivery of the wafer cassette C stored in the transfer device is performed as follows.

First, the individual information of the wafer cassette C supported by the supporting unit 12 is read from the recording unit 51 by the control unit 37 and transmitted to the handling robot R 1 by the transmission unit 52. The handling robot R receives the individual information from the transmission means 52, moves, grips the wafer cassette C supported by the support unit 12, and conveys it to the next appropriate manufacturing process, for example, the manufacturing process K1. (See FIG. 5 (e) and FIG. 6).

Then, after the wafer cassette C of the second supporting portion 11 is pitch-fed to the third supporting portion 12, the wafer cassette C is pitched from the first supporting portion 10 to the second supporting portion 11. To send. Then, a new wafer cassette C is supported on the vacant first supporting portion 10 (see FIG. 5 (f)). In this way, the wafer cassette C is pitch-fed and the wafer cassette C is stored in the transfer device. Then, by the action of the handling robot R described above, the wafer cassette C supported by the supporting portion 12 is transferred to any of the manufacturing steps K1 to K3.

According to the above-described transfer device, the individual information of the wafer cassette C supported by the supporting portions 10 to 12 can be read, and the appropriate manufacturing process K 1 to K 1 can be performed based on the read individual information. The wafer cassette C can be sent to K3.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be appropriately made.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a carrying device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing pitch feeding means.

5 (a) to (f) are explanatory views of the operation.

FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory view of the handling robot.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a conventional transfer device.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the pitch feeding means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10-12 Supporting part 20 Pitch feeding means 40 ID tag 50 Reading part C Wafer cassette

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] May 11, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be amended] Scope of utility model registration request

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Scope of utility model registration request]

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A bottom surface of the wafer cassette, comprising: a plurality of supporting portions for supporting the wafer cassette; and a pitch feeding means for pitch-feeding the wafer cassette supported by the supporting portion as the wafer cassette moves forward and backward and up and down. A conveyance device provided with an ID tag on which a cassette individual information is recorded and a reading unit which is provided on the supporting unit and reads the information recorded on the ID tag.