JPH11255582A - Quartz crucible receiving device and method for receiving quartz crucible - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a quartz crucible receiving device that can readily permit a quartz crucible of a largely heavy weight and a large diameter and its susceptor to be coaxially arranged and smoothly accept the crucible into the susceptor in no need of human labor without contamination and a method for receiving a quartz crucible into the susceptor. SOLUTION: The hand device 32 that has at least 4 air cylinders 100 that can hold the quartz crucible 50 near its opening by nipping the part near the opening from the outside and the means 103 and 109 that restricts the moving distance of the air cylinder piston 102B are used to organically link the means for loading the quartz crucible to the means for lifting crucible whereby the quartz crucible is receives into the susceptor 60.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is used in a handling apparatus for cleaning a quartz crucible used in a single crystal growth apparatus for pulling up a single crystal rod while growing the single crystal rod before use or storing the quartz crucible in a predetermined susceptor. The present invention relates to a quartz crucible storage device and a quartz crucible storage method, and particularly to a pulling CZ (Cz
The present invention relates to a quartz crucible storage device and a quartz crucible storage method suitable for cleaning and storing a quartz crucible used in a single crystal growing apparatus for producing a large-diameter single crystal of silicon (Si) by the ochralski method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, in a single crystal manufacturing apparatus by the pulling CZ method, a high pressure-resistant airtight chamber is decompressed to about 10 torr and fresh Ar (argon) gas is flown, and a quartz crucible provided below the chamber is provided. The polycrystal in is melted by heating, and the seed crystal is immersed in the surface of this melt from above,
The seed crystal and the quartz crucible are rotated and moved up and down, and the seed crystal is pulled up to form a conical upper cone part whose upper end protrudes below the seed crystal, and a conical lower part whose cylindrical body part and lower end protrude. It is configured to grow a single crystal (so-called ingot) composed of a cone portion.

In order to grow a conventional single crystal rod having a diameter of about several tens of inches, a quartz crucible having a diameter of about 24 inches has been used. Before loading such a quartz crucible into a crystal growth furnace, it is necessary to wash it, and then it is necessary to dry it and store it in a predetermined carbon crucible susceptor. A conventional quartz crucible weighs about 20 kg, and a series of operations such as washing the quartz crucible, drying it, and then turning it upside down and storing it in a predetermined carbon crucible susceptor are performed manually. Was. In addition, a system was adopted in which these operations were performed as independent processes.

[0004]

However, in recent years, various attempts have been made to produce so-called large-diameter single crystal ingots in which the diameter of a single crystal produced by a single crystal pulling method is increased. In the single crystal pulling apparatus for growing such a large diameter single crystal rod, the size of the quartz crucible must be increased. For example, a quartz crucible having a diameter of 36 inches has a weight of about 7 mm.
It can be 0 kg. It has never been possible to lift such a heavy quartz crucible by hand or store it in a susceptor after cleaning. If the axis of the quartz crucible and the axis of the susceptor are not coincident with each other, an undesired stress is applied to the quartz crucible because the bottom surface of the quartz crucible contacts the upper edge of the susceptor, and it takes time to store the quartz crucible in the susceptor.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and after cleaning a heavy and large-diameter quartz crucible, the quartz crucible and the susceptor can be easily separated without using human power and without being affected by contamination. An object of the present invention is to provide a quartz crucible housing device and a quartz crucible housing method that can be smoothly housed in a susceptor in a coaxial state.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a hand device having at least four air cylinders capable of holding a quartz crucible in the vicinity of an opening thereof from outside. The quartz crucible is housed in the susceptor by means of limiting the moving distance of the piston of the air cylinder and by means of organic coupling with means for raising and lowering the means for placing the quartz crucible.

According to the present invention, there is provided a quartz crucible accommodating apparatus for accommodating a quartz crucible in a susceptor, comprising: means for placing the quartz crucible; means for elevating the means for placing the quartz crucible; A quartz crucible storage device comprising: a hand device having at least four air cylinders capable of holding a quartz crucible from outside in the vicinity of an opening thereof; and means for limiting a moving distance of a piston of the air cylinder. An apparatus is provided.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a quartz crucible storage device for storing a quartz crucible in a susceptor, comprising: a pallet on which the quartz crucible is placed; a unit for moving the pallet up and down; A quartz crucible storage device comprising: a hand device having at least four air cylinders that can be sandwiched and held from the outside in the vicinity of the portion; and a means for limiting a moving distance of a piston of the air cylinder, A method for storing a quartz crucible to be stored in a susceptor, wherein the quartz crucible placed on the pallet with an opening facing upwards is moved outward while restricting a movement distance of the piston near the opening. Holding the quartz pallet from the pallet, and holding the pallet from the quartz crucible. Removing from the rectangular portion, and a step of lowering the said hand device housing the quartz crucible in the susceptor, a quartz crucible accommodating a method having is provided.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view of a quartz crucible cleaning / storage handling device including a quartz crucible storage device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ in FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view of a pallet on which a quartz crucible is placed, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB ′ in FIG. FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state where the quartz crucible is placed on the pallet with the opening thereof being downward, and FIG. 6 is a view showing a state where the quartz crucible is placed on the pallet with the opening being upward. FIG.

In FIG. 1, a cleaning device 10, a reversing device 2
0, the storage devices 30 are sequentially arranged adjacently and in series. Each of these devices 10, 20, 30 has a rigid metal frame, and its outer shape is configured. Cleaning device 1
At 0, a nozzle 14 that blows out water and air is disposed at the center with its opening facing upward. Another nozzle 13 that blows out water and air is disposed at the center with its opening facing downward. Nozzle 13,
14 is supplied with water and air from the compression pump 12. Note that the compression pump 12 may be arranged outside the cleaning device 10.

The reversing device 20 is provided with a hand device 22. The hand device 22 is rotatably attached to an arm 24 extending from a driving device 29, and is described later with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 0, there are two members that sandwich the quartz crucible 50 facing each other at 180 degrees from the outside. That is, the hand device 22 can move in the radial direction with respect to the quartz crucible 50 and can move up and down in the vertical direction. Further, the hand device 22 is connected to the arm 24 as shown in FIG.
As shown by arrow R in the middle, it can be rotated 180 degrees. That is, the driving device 29 has a driving force source for the hand device 22 to perform these movements, and the quartz crucible 50
Is provided to send compressed air to the air cylinder in the hand device 22 in order to reliably hold the air. It is a preferable mode to arrange a drive motor for rotating the hand device 22 so that the air cylinder of the hand device is rotated about its axis.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing an example of a four-axis raising / lowering mechanism that can be used as a part of the driving device 29 and the arm 24. A motor 81 is used as a driving force source, and a rotating shaft 82 of the motor 81 is connected to a first gear box 83. The gear box 83 transmits the rotation of the rotation shaft 82 to two rotation shafts 84A and 84B having the same rotation ratio (gear ratio). These rotating shafts 84A, 84B are connected to gear boxes 85A, 85B, respectively. The gear boxes 85A and 85B transmit the rotation of the rotating shafts 84A and 84B to two rotating shafts 86A and 86B and 86C and 86D having the same rotation ratio. These four rotating shafts 86
The rotation of A, 86B, 86C, 86D is transmitted to vertically extending rotating shafts 88A, 88B, 88C, 88D by gear boxes 87A, 87B, 87C, 87D, respectively. Therefore, one of the two arms 24 connected to the hand device 22 is constituted by the rotating shafts 88A and 88B and the members connected thereto, and the other is constituted by the rotating shaft 8
8C and 88D and members connected to them.

The storage device 30 is also provided with a hand device 32. This hand device 32 has a plurality of gripping portions for securely gripping a portion near the opening of the quartz crucible 50, for example, a portion within about 3 cm from the edge of the opening from the outside. In FIG. 1, the quartz crucible 50 is shown by a dotted line while being placed on the pallet 40. Hand device 32
Is attached to an arm 34 extending from a driving device 39, and as shown in FIGS.
There are a plurality of members (six are shown in the present embodiment, but it is preferable to be about eight) that sandwiches 0 in the radial direction and the radial direction from the outside. The hand device 32 is movable in the radial direction with respect to the quartz crucible 50, and is movable up and down. Drive 39
Has a driving force source for the hand device 32 to perform these movements, and has a mechanism for sending compressed air to an air cylinder in the hand device 32 in order to reliably hold the quartz crucible 50.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the above devices 1
0, 20, 30 include two parallel rails 16A, 16A.
B, 26A, 26B, 36A, 36B are provided respectively. These rails constitute the rail means,
Each device 10, 20, 30 is provided separately.
The two rails 16A and 16B in the cleaning device 10 are fixed to a frame of the cleaning device 10. On the other hand, the reversing device 2
The rails 26A and 26B in 0 can be moved up and down,
Also, the rails 36A and 36B in the storage device 30 can be moved up and down. That is, the rails 26A and 26B are connected to the driving device 21 via the link 23, and are movable along a vertical guide (not shown). Also, the rail 36
A and 36B are also connected to the driving device 31 via a link 33, and are movable along a vertical guide (not shown). It should be noted that the above-described four-axis lifting / lowering mechanism shown in FIG. 24 can be used as a part of the driving device 21 and the link 23.

The rails 26A, 26B, 36A, 36
Position sensors 28 and 38 for detecting the height position of B or quartz crucible 50 are provided in reversing device 20 and storage device 30, respectively. As the position sensors 28 and 38, it is preferable to use optical encoders. When a single photo sensor is used as the position sensor, the rails 26A, 2
6B, 36A, and 36B, when ascending and descending, that is, when moving forward and when moving backward, an error occurs in the distance corresponding to the detection area of the sensor, and as a result, an error occurs in the stop position. By providing an optical encoder between them and controlling the servomotor by the output signal pulse, the accuracy of the stop position can be improved. That is, in the optical encoder, the distance from the reference point can be converted into a numerical value and feedback control can be performed. Therefore, the reproducibility is high and the numerical value can be easily changed. Therefore,
By performing the calibration work, it is possible to cope with a product error of the quartz crucible.

The output signals of these position sensors 28 and 38 are connected to control devices 27 and 37, respectively, and the output signals are supplied to the driving devices 21 and 31, respectively, so that the heights of the rails 26A, 26B, 36A and 36B are increased. Height information is fed back and height control is performed. Although the links 23 and 33 are shown one by one, one link in the reversing device 20 is formed by using the four-axis elevating mechanism shown in FIG.
The two rails are provided at two locations near both ends of the rail, and similarly, one rail in the storage device 30 is provided at two locations near both ends. The four links in the reversing device 20 are driven by the same drive source. The rails 26A and 26B are driven up and down in a completely horizontal state, and the four links in the storage device 30 are similarly driven by the same drive source to move the rails 3A and 26B.
It is preferable that 6A and 36B be configured to be moved up and down in a completely horizontal state.

The rails 36A and 36B in the storage device 30
Are air cylinders 112A, 112B, 112C, 11
Attached to the 2D pistons 72A, 72B, 72C, 72D, the distance between the rails 36A, 36B is changed according to the reciprocating motion of the pistons 72A, 72B, 72C, 72D. The air pressure is controlled by a control device (not shown) so that the air cylinders 112A, 112B, 112C, and 112D are operated synchronously. The air cylinders 112A, 112B, 112
Instead of C and 112D, a configuration in which a rotary screw shaft and a ball screw are combined may be used.

As will be described later, the quartz crucible 50 is mounted on a pallet 40 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and moves on rail means of a quartz crucible cleaning and storage handling apparatus. The structure of the pallet 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. The pallet 40 includes a frame 42 and four outer beams 43 extending inward from the frame 42.
A, 43B, 43C, 43D and outer beams 43A, 4
It has two beams 44A, 44B, 46A, 46B in the X direction and the Y direction, respectively, which are combined in a well shape inside a square surrounded by 3B, 43C, 43D. Four outer beams 43A, 43B, 43C, 43D
Is provided with a total of eight contact members 47 that serve as contact portions when the quartz crucible 50 is placed.

The beams 44A, 44B, 46A, 4
The contact members 48A, 48B, 49A, and 49B, which serve as contact portions when the quartz crucible 50 is placed, are respectively provided on the 6B.
Are provided. As shown in FIG. 5, the contact member 47 is used when placing the quartz crucible 50 in a state where the opening is downward, while the contact members 48A, 48B, 49A, and 49 are used.
B is used when the quartz crucible 50 is placed with its opening upward as shown in FIG. In addition, these contact members 47, 48A, 48B, 49A, and 49B are omitted in other figures, and the quartz crucible 50 is shown as being directly mounted on the pallet 40. The frame 42 of the pallet 40 includes rails 16A, 16B, 26A, 26B,
It is configured to glide on wheels rotatably mounted on 36A, 36B. In addition, rail 16A,
Instead of providing wheels on 16B, 26A, 26B, 36A, 36B, wheels may be provided on the bottom surface of frame 42 of pallet 40. Since the main part of the pallet 40 is constituted by the frame 42 and the bar-shaped beam, moisture can easily fall during washing with the washing device 10 or in a subsequent drying step, and drainage is good. Further, a central opening 70 for inserting the nozzle 14 when the pallet 40 is in the cleaning device 10 is provided in the center.

Next, the overall operation of the quartz crucible cleaning / storage handling apparatus including the quartz crucible storage apparatus of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 23, 25 and 26. First, as shown in FIG. 7, the rails 36A and 36B of the storage device 30 are moved to the lowest position, and the quartz crucible 50 is moved.
Is placed on a pallet 40 movably mounted on rails 36A, 36B with the opening facing down. At this time, the periphery of the opening of the quartz crucible 50 is supported by the eight contact members 47 as shown in FIG. Next, as indicated by the arrow M1 in FIG. 7, the rails 36A and 36B are raised to the reference position shown in FIG. Here, the reference position means the same height as the height position of the rails 16A and 16B in the cleaning device 10. At this time, the rails 26A and 26B in the reversing device 20 are at the reference position. Next, the pallet 40 is moved from the storage device 30 into the reversing device 20 as shown by the arrow M2 in FIG.
Is manually moved into the cleaning device 10 as shown by an arrow M3. A drive motor or the like can be used instead of manual operation.

In the state shown in FIG. 9, the inside and outside of the quartz crucible 50 are washed with water and air ejected from the nozzles 13 and 14,
Thereafter, hot air is supplied to the quartz crucible 50 by a hot air supply device (not shown) to perform drying. When the drying process is completed,
The pallet 40 is drawn out of the cleaning device 10 into the reversing device 20 as shown by an arrow M4 in FIG. Pallet 4
A stopper (not shown) is provided so that 0 stops at a predetermined position in the X direction in the reversing device 20. Note that a positioning sensor may be used instead of the stopper.

When the position of the pallet 40 in the X direction is determined, the outer periphery of the quartz crucible 50 is
It is held so as to be sandwiched from both sides facing each other at 80 degrees. At this time, the height of the center of gravity is calculated in advance from the height information of the quartz crucible 50 in order to sandwich the center of gravity in the height direction of the quartz crucible 50 as much as possible, and the center of the hand device 22 is automatically positioned at that position. Necessary information for the drive 2
9 to the memory in the control device. Hand device 22
After securely holding the quartz crucible 50, the rail 26A,
26B is lowered by a predetermined distance as shown by an arrow M5 in FIG. Therefore, the pallet 40 is
A descends with A and 26B, and separates from the quartz crucible 50.

The hand device 22 is raised by a predetermined distance as shown by an arrow M6 in FIG. Arrows M5, M6
This lowering and raising operation shown by the arrow in FIG.
When rotating as shown by the arrow R shown in FIG.
Is to be out of the way, so this 2
One of the two operations may be performed, or only one of the operations may be performed. However, providing the space for rotating the quartz crucible 50 by lowering the pallet 40 has the advantage that this space can be obtained without increasing the overall height of the reversing device 20.

After a space in which the quartz crucible 50 can be rotated as shown by the arrow R in FIG. 11 is created, the quartz crucible 50 is rotated 180 degrees in the direction of the arrow R by the hand device 22 to obtain the state shown in FIG.
Next, as shown by an arrow M7 in FIG. 12, the rails 26A and 26B in the reversing device 20 are raised, and are raised to a position where the quartz crucible 50 is placed on the pallet 40 as shown in FIG. Here, the hand device 22 is replaced with a quartz crucible 50.
Then, the quartz crucible 50 is placed on the pallet 40. Thereafter, as shown by an arrow M8 in FIG. 13, the rails 26A and 26B of the reversing device 20 are raised or lowered so as to match the height positions of the rails 36A and 36B of the storage device 30. When the height positions match, the pallet 40 is moved from the reversing device 20 into the storage device 30 as shown by an arrow M9 in FIG. This movement can be performed manually as described above or automatically using a motor or the like. A stopper (not shown) is provided so that the pallet 40 stops at a predetermined position in the X direction in the storage device 30. Note that a positioning sensor may be used instead of the stopper.

When the positioning of the quartz crucible 50 is completed,
As shown in FIGS. 14 and 22A, the vicinity of the opening of the quartz crucible 50 is gripped from the outer periphery by the hand device 32. That is, a portion exposed when stored in the susceptor 60,
For example, a region about 3 cm from the opening end is a gripper 1 at the tip of the piston 102B, 102C, 102D of the air cylinder.
04B, 104C, and 104D press and hold from outside. That is, the pistons 102A, 102B, 102
C and 102D move in the radial direction of the quartz crucible and are sandwiched from the outer periphery as indicated by arrow M15.

At this time, the configuration is such that the piston of each air cylinder does not move more than a predetermined distance. That is,
As shown in FIG. 25, in each air cylinder of the hand device 32 represented by the air cylinder 100B, a protrusion 109 is fixed to an outer peripheral portion of the piston 102B. When the piston 102B attempts to extend as shown by the arrow M18 in FIG. 25, the protrusion 109 is configured to abut the limit member 103 attached to the casing of the air cylinder 100B as shown in FIG.
The configuration shown in FIGS. 25 and 26 is common to all the air cylinders, and therefore, the grip portions 104A, 104B,
4C and 104D move by an equal distance. As a result, if the center axis of the hand device 32 itself and the center axis of the susceptor 60 are coaxial, the quartz crucible 50 held by the hand device 32 is concentric with the susceptor 60 as a result.

In this state, the arrow M shown in FIGS.
The hand device 32 is raised as shown at 10. Next, the pallet 40 is removed from the right side of FIG. 15 as indicated by an arrow M16 in FIG.
By removing the storage device 30 from the storage device 30. Next, as shown in the sectional view of FIG.
The inner rails 36A and 36B are respectively moved along the Y-axis as indicated by an arrow M11 to increase the interval between them. In this state, a graphite crucible 60 as a susceptor is placed on a pedestal 78 below the storage device 30 together with the gantry 62 as shown in FIG. 17 using a forklift (not shown).

A ball bearing 76 is rotatably mounted on the pedestal 78.
Can move in the X and Y directions on the ball bearing 76, and can perform positioning for making the graphite crucible 60 coaxial with the upper quartz crucible 50. When the positioning is completed, the hand device 32 is lowered as shown by the arrow M12 in FIG. 18 and FIG. 22C, and the quartz crucible 50 is stored in the graphite crucible 60. FIGS. 19A and 23A show a state in which the quartz crucible 50 is housed in the graphite crucible 60. FIG. Completion of the acceptance of the quartz crucible 50 into the graphite crucible 60 is confirmed by detecting a change in the load on the hand device 32 or the graphite crucible 60 or visually confirming the change. Thereafter, the air pressure of the air cylinder of the hand device 32 is reduced, and the pistons 102A, 102B, 102C,
The 2D is moved outward in a radial direction to release the gripping state as indicated by an arrow M17 in FIG. 23B. Next, the hand device 32 is raised as indicated by an arrow M13 in FIG. Thereafter, as shown by an arrow M14 in FIG. 21, the gantry 62, the graphite crucible 60 thereon, and the quartz crucible 50 therein are taken out by a forklift. Graphite crucible 60
As a means for detecting a change in the load on the graphite crucible 6,
There is a method in which a load sensor is attached to the lower portion of the graphite crucible or a method in which an air mat is laid on the bottom of the graphite crucible 60 and an increase in load is detected based on the degree of sinking of the air mat.

The quartz crucible cleaning and storage handling apparatus including the quartz crucible storage apparatus of the present invention may be installed in a clean room of class 1000 or less, or at least a part passing through the quartz crucible 50 may be of class 1000. Installed in the following clean rooms. In the above embodiment, the reversing device 2 is disposed adjacent to the cleaning device 10.
Although 0 is arranged and the storage device 30 is arranged adjacent to the reversing device, the present invention is not limited to this arrangement. That is, the cleaning device can be arranged between the reversing device and the storage device. Further, a drive device for raising and lowering the rails of the reversing device and the storage device and a drive device for the hand device may be shared. further,
Instead of separately providing the reversing device and the storage device, a single device may be configured to have the functions of the reversing device and the storage device. With such a configuration, it is possible to design the dimension in the X direction shorter than in the above embodiment.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, a quartz crucible having a large diameter and a large diameter is washed, and the quartz crucible and the susceptor can be easily separated without using human power and without being affected by contamination. The coaxial state can be smoothly accommodated in the susceptor. In addition, the lifting / lowering device of the hand device that grips the quartz crucible from the outside is configured by using a means for distributing the rotational force of one driving force source to a plurality of rotating shafts at the same gear ratio, so that the quartz crucible can be used. Without tilting
It is possible to move up and down stably in a constantly horizontal state.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a quartz crucible cleaning / storage handling device including a quartz crucible storage device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line A-A 'in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a pallet on which a quartz crucible is placed.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line B-B 'in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state in which a quartz crucible is placed on a pallet with an opening facing down.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state in which a quartz crucible is placed on a pallet with an opening facing upward.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a side view showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a side view showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a side view showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a side view showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a side view showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a side view showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a sectional view showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a side view showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a side view showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a side view showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a side view showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a side view showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a side view showing the first half of the process of holding the quartz crucible and storing it in the susceptor by the hand device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a side view showing the latter half of the process of holding the quartz crucible and storing it in the susceptor by the hand device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 24 shows a fourth embodiment which can be used in the embodiment of the present invention.
It is a perspective view which shows the example of a shaft raising / lowering mechanism.

FIG. 25 is a partial cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of the air cylinder in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a partial cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of the air cylinder according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 10 Cleaning device 12 Compression pump 13, 14 Nozzle 16A, 16B, 26A, 26B, 36A, 36B Rail 20 Reversing device 21, 31, 29, 39 Drive device 22, 32 Hand device 27, 37 Control device 28, 38 Height position Sensor 30 Storage device 33 Link 40 Pallet 50 Quartz crucible 60 Graphite crucible (susceptor) 62 Mounting base 72A, 72B, 72C, 72D Piston 78 Base 81 Motor 82 Motor rotation axis 83, 85A, 85B, 87A, 87B, 87C, 87
D Gearbox 86A, 86B, 86C, 86D, 88A, 88B, 8
8C, 88D Rotary shaft 100B Hand device air cylinder 102A, 102B, 102C, 102D Air cylinder piston 103 Limit member 104A, 104B, 104C, 104D Gripping portion 109 Projecting portion 112A, 112B, 112C, 112D Air cylinder

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A quartz crucible storage device for storing a quartz crucible in a susceptor, comprising: means for placing the quartz crucible; means for raising and lowering the means for placing the quartz crucible; A quartz crucible storage device, comprising: a hand device having at least four air cylinders that can be sandwiched and held from outside in the vicinity of an opening; and means for restricting a movement distance of a piston of the air cylinder. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for restricting the movement distance includes a projection provided on said piston, and a member which comes into contact when said projection moves a predetermined distance in the axial direction. 2. The quartz crucible storage device according to 1. 3. The quartz crucible storage device according to claim 1, further comprising: means for raising and lowering the hand device. 4. The device for raising and lowering the hand device, comprising: a driving force source; and a means for simultaneously transmitting the driving force of the driving force source to opposing grip portions of the hand device. Item 4. A quartz crucible storage device according to Item 3. 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means for simultaneously transmitting is connected to a rotating shaft of said driving force source and distributes the rotating force to a plurality of rotating shafts at the same gear ratio. Quartz crucible storage device. 6. A quartz crucible accommodating apparatus for accommodating a quartz crucible in a susceptor, comprising: a pallet on which the quartz crucible is placed; means for elevating and lowering the pallet; A quartz device for storing a quartz crucible in a susceptor by a quartz crucible storage device having: a hand device having at least four air cylinders capable of being sandwiched and held from the device; and a means for restricting a movement distance of a piston of the air cylinder. A method for storing the crucible, wherein the quartz crucible placed on the pallet with an opening upward is held from the outside while limiting the movement distance of the piston near the opening. Moving the quartz crucible relatively away from the pallet; removing the pallet from a lower portion of the quartz crucible That step a, step a the quartz crucible accommodating a method for accommodating the quartz crucible is lowered the hand device in the susceptor.