JPH10199967A - Cylindrical stocking rack - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce teaching time for the stacker operation to improve the stock space efficiency by arranging vertical columns at equal pitch angles like a cylinder, fixing the top and bottom ends of them to form a cylindrical frame and mounting brackets on both side faces of the columns at every fixed height. SOLUTION: A cylindrical stock rack 1 has vertical columns 2 arranged at equal pitches like a cylinder, and doughnut-like discs 3, 4 fixed to the top and bottom ends of the columns to form a cylindrical frame 1A. Every fixed height, brackets 5 are mounted on both side faces 2a of the columns, so that the a pair of opposed brackets 5 between adjacent columns 2 form a work mount of a stock H with a specified space 6 ensured between the pair of brackets 5. The columns 6 are made from a trapezoidal Al extrusion-formed material, having a high bending rigidity and the angle between both side faces 2a is set to the same angle as the pitch angle of the columns 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cylindrical storage shelf mainly installed in a clean room.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As equipment necessary for a semiconductor manufacturing process,
There is a "stocker (storage shelf device)" for temporarily storing semiconductor materials (wafers) in a manufacturing process. Since this stocker is installed in a clean room, it is desired that the stocker be able to store as many wafers as possible with the smallest possible occupation area.

Heretofore, various types of stockers of this type have been known, but due to some problems, the present applicant has developed a stocker in which a cylindrical coordinate type stacker is arranged inside a cylindrical storage shelf. Developed and filed earlier. This will be described with reference to FIG.

In this stocker 100, a large number of storage sections are formed circumferentially and vertically on a cylindrical storage shelf 101 having a transfer port to the outside (not shown), and this is fixed to a housing 102, and the inside thereof is fixed. A stacker 105 is provided.
The storage unit is formed on the shelf 103. Stacker 10
5 is a vertically elevating column 106, a turning mechanism 107 for turning the elevating column 106 around the central axis L of the cylindrical storage shelf 101 as shown by an arrow (b), and an arrow along the elevating column 106. (A) A lifting platform (corresponding to a lifting swiveling body) 108 which can be raised and lowered as shown in FIG. And a hand 109.
The hand 109 scoops the storage object W placed in the storage unit.

As a configuration of the cylindrical storage shelf 101, a configuration shown in FIG. 5 has been considered (unknown). First, it is assumed that a donut-shaped plate material is used as the shelf plate 103, and a storage place is placed at predetermined angular intervals on the shelf plate 103. Then, two brackets 123 are arranged so as to face one storage place, and the upper and lower shelves 103 are sequentially connected by short pillars 121 to form a cylindrical cylindrical storage shelf 101. The positions of the short columns 121 are alternately set so as not to be the same positions on the circumference.

The operation of the stocker 100 will be described.
The operation at the time of storing the stored items is as follows. (1) The stacker 105 stands by with a bear with the expansion mechanism contracted. (2) Put the stored items in the delivery unit manually or by a robot. (3) The stacker 105 operates in response to the transfer instruction, moves up and down and turns from the standby position, and moves to the height of the transfer unit by moving the elevator 108. (4) When the elevating platform moves to the transfer section, the telescopic mechanism is extended, and the hand 109 is inserted into the transfer section. (5) The elevator 108 is slightly raised, and the stored item W is held by the hand 109 so as to be scooped. (6) The telescopic mechanism is contracted, and the storage item W is drawn into the stocker 100. (7) Move up and down and turn, and move the storage item W to the position of the storage unit to be stored. (8) After moving, extend the telescopic mechanism and insert the hand 109 into the storage unit. (9) Then, the elevator 108 is slightly lowered, and the storage object W is stored.
Into the storage unit. (10) Next, the telescopic mechanism is contracted, and the hand 109 is taken out of the shelf. (11) Wait until the next operation command is issued.

The operation for unloading the storage item W is the same as the above operation except that the transfer section and the storage section are exchanged.

[0008]

By the way, in the cylindrical storage shelves 101, the vertical position of the cylindrical storage shelves 101 is easily determined because one member (shelf plate 103) is determined for each stage. However, the circumferential position (angle)
Are determined by the arrangement of the brackets 123 for each step, and thus tend to be irregular. Therefore, when teaching the operation of the stacker 105, it is necessary to teach the position of the storage item W in all stages, and there is a possibility that the teaching time may be required.

Further, the member supporting the storage item W is the member (shelf plate 103) constituting the step itself, and is an integral member. Therefore, as shown in FIG. It is necessary to include the thickness t of the member (shelf plate 103), and the interval P between the upper and lower storage units is increased, and as a result, space efficiency may be deteriorated. That is, assuming that the height of the storage item W is h1, the space α above the storage item W must be set including the thickness t of the shelf 103, and the interval P may be increased.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a cylindrical storage shelf capable of shortening the teaching time of the stacker operation and increasing storage space efficiency.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cylindrical coordinate type in which a large number of storage sections are formed in a vertical direction in a cylindrical frame in a circumferential direction and a vertical direction, and are provided at the center. A cylindrical storage shelf in which storage items are transferred to and from the storage unit by the stacker, wherein a plurality of columns are erected in a cylindrical array at an equal pitch angle and upper and lower ends thereof are fixed to form the cylindrical frame. By mounting brackets on both side surfaces of the column at a constant height, the storage object placing portion of the storage portion is configured by a pair of opposed brackets between adjacent columns. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, a space having a predetermined width is secured between a pair of brackets constituting the storage object placing portion.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, an angle between both side surfaces of the column is set to be equal to a pitch angle of the column.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, the pillar is formed of an extruded material having the same cross section.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cylindrical storage shelf of the embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view. In this cylindrical storage shelf 1,
A plurality of columns 2 are erected in a cylindrical array at an equal pitch angle θ2, and upper and lower ends are fixed by donut-shaped disks 3 and 4, thereby forming a cylindrical frame 1A. And
By mounting the brackets 5 on both side surfaces 2a of the pillars 2 at a constant height, the pair of brackets 5 facing each other between the adjacent pillars 2 allows the storage article mounting portion of the storage section H (a section on which the storage article is placed). ).

In this case, a space 6 having a predetermined width is secured between the pair of brackets 5. The column 2 is made of extruded aluminum material having a high bending stiffness and a trapezoidal cross section (may be triangular), and has an angle θ1 between both side surfaces 2a.
Is set to be the same as the pitch angle θ2 of the column 2. The brackets 5 have the same shape attached to the left and right side surfaces 2a of the column 2 and have an L-shaped cross section.

The cylindrical storage shelf 1 has a large number of storage portions H arranged in a circumferential direction and a vertical direction by columns 2 and brackets 5, and a cylindrical coordinate type stacker is arranged at the center O thereof. Is established. Then, the storage items are delivered to the storage unit by the tacker. The operation is the same as described above.

In the cylindrical storage shelf 1, the circumferential position of the storage portion H is determined by one continuous member (column 2 made of extruded material) from the upper stage to the lower stage.
Easy to match. Conversely, since the position in the vertical direction is determined by the plurality of brackets 5, it tends to be irregular. However, as shown in FIG. 3A, the stacker used in this type of storage shelf normally performs holding of the storage item W by a method of scooping with a hand 109. By slightly increasing the size of the storage item W as shown in FIG. Therefore, in the teaching of the stacker operation, if the instruction is performed only for a certain stage, the data for the other stages need only be changed in the height direction, and the teaching time can be shortened.

The storage material W for semiconductor manufacturing is shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), usually, the central part has the highest height h1.
Is big. In this structure, the bracket 5 which is a member for supporting the storage object W is disposed so as to be able to support only both ends of the storage unit W, and the space 6 is secured in the middle part.
Do not take the thickness of the bracket 5 at the center. Therefore, the space P in the height direction between the upper and lower storage units H can be reduced to the last, and the space efficiency can be improved.

Further, since the column 2 for supporting the weight of the storage item W is formed in a shape (trapezoid) having a certain width, rigidity can be provided even in the lateral direction. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a reinforcing member for maintaining the position in the circumferential direction at the intermediate portion in the height direction of the column 2, and the configuration is simplified.

Also, since the cross-sectional dimension of the pillar 2 is large,
The discs 3 and 4 can be screwed by directly tapping on the end face of the column 2, and there is no need to form an extra flange or the like on the column 2. Therefore, the columns may have the same cross-sectional shape over the entire length, and all of the plurality of columns 2 may have the same cross-sectional shape and the same height. Therefore, as described above, it can be manufactured relatively easily using an extruded material such as aluminum.

Also, since the angle θ1 between both side surfaces 2a of the column 2 is set to be the same as the pitch angle θ2 of the columns 2,
The side surfaces 2a of the adjacent columns 2 become parallel. Therefore, it is not necessary to make the bracket 5 wedge-shaped, and it is possible to make the same cross-sectional shape symmetrical to the left and right. Therefore, the right part and the left part of the column 2 can be made the same, and only one kind of the bracket 5 is required.

[0023]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the positions of the storage units in the circumferential direction can be aligned, so that when teaching the stacker operation, only a certain step is taught. For example, with respect to the other steps, the teaching can be completed only by changing the data in the height direction. Therefore, the teaching time can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since a space is secured between the pair of brackets for supporting the storage object, the thickness of the bracket is not required at the center. Therefore, the interval in the height direction of the storage unit can be reduced to a minimum, and the space efficiency of the entire storage shelf can be increased. According to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention, the structure can be simplified, the structure can be configured with a small number of members and parts, and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cylindrical storage shelf according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the cylindrical storage shelf.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show a main part in a state where a hand is about to be inserted into a storage part of the cylindrical storage shelf, wherein FIG. 3A is a side view and FIG.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a stocker (unknown) previously proposed by the present applicant, where (a) is a side sectional view and (b) is a plan view.

FIG. 5 is a cylindrical storage shelf previously proposed by the present applicant (unknown).
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of FIG.

6 is a main part side view used for describing one problem in the storage shelf of FIG. 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cylindrical storage shelf 1A Frame 2 Column 2a Both side surfaces 5 Bracket 6 Space L Center axis θ1 Angle θ2 Pitch angle H Storage unit W Storage object 105 Stacker

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of storage units are formed in a vertically and vertically cylindrical frame in a circumferential direction and a vertical direction, and a storage object is stored in the storage unit by a cylindrical coordinate type stacker provided in the center. Is a cylindrical storage shelf to be delivered, comprising a plurality of pillars standing at a constant pitch angle in a cylindrical array and fixing the upper and lower ends to form the cylindrical frame,
A cylindrical storage shelf, wherein brackets are attached to both side surfaces of the column at predetermined heights, whereby a pair of brackets opposed to each other between adjacent columns constitute a storage object placement portion of the storage portion. 2. The cylindrical storage shelf according to claim 1, wherein a space having a predetermined width is secured between a pair of brackets constituting the storage object mounting portion. 3. The cylindrical storage shelf according to claim 1, wherein an angle between both side surfaces of the pillar is set to be equal to a pitch angle of the pillar. 4. The cylindrical storage shelf according to claim 1, wherein said pillar is formed of an extruded material having the same cross section.