JPS60128073A - Conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a transport device that sequentially transports a semiconductor wafer, which is used when manufacturing semiconductor devices, to each process, and particularly relates to a transport device that sequentially transports a semiconductor wafer to each process. This is to improve efficiency when doing so.

[Technical background of the invention]

Cow conductor device? When manufacturing, semiconductor wafers are sent in batches to each manufacturing process.

Conventionally, wafers are transported between each process using a transport device as shown in FIG. In the figure, 1, 1
B is a carrier vehicle that transports wafers, 2 is a carrier vehicle JA, 2B is a main rail on which 1B runs, 3 is a main rail 2
A branch rail on which the conveyance vehicle 1 traveling on people branches and runs; 4 is a main rail; a rotary branching device that branches the conveyance vehicle 1 traveling on two people to a branching rail 3; 5 is on this rotary branching device 4; 6 is a reader for reading an identification number pre-applied to the transport vehicle 1, and 7 is a control device for controlling the rotary branching device 4° reader 61 and the like.

Now, in this configuration, the transport vehicle JA.

1B runs above two main rails in the direction of arrow a in the figure. First, one person from one of the conveyance vehicles reaches the position of the reading device 6, and the identification number is read by the reading device 6. As a result of this reading, when the one carrier is to be diverted, the control device 7 stops the one carrier at a predetermined position of the rotating wheel 50 on the rotary branching device 4 . At this time, the other conveyance vehicle 1B that is traveling next is made to wait above the main rail for two people in front of the rotary branching device 4. Transport vehicle 1A is rotating rail 5
After confirming that the transport vehicle has stopped at the top, the control device 7 rotates the rotary branching device 4 by 90° clockwise as indicated by the arrow in the figure, thereby changing the traveling direction of one transport vehicle. After changing the direction, the control device 7 causes one transport vehicle to start traveling.

As a result, the conveyance vehicle 1A travels from the rotating rail 5 toward the branching rail 3. After confirming that one of the carriers has completely moved to the branching rail 3, the control device 7 rotary branching device 4 is now rotated 90' counterclockwise, and the rotating rail 5 is returned to its original position. let When it is fully confirmed that the rotating rail 5 has returned to its original position, the branching process for one transport vehicle is completed. Then, the waiting conveyance vehicle 1B is enabled to travel and starts traveling.

[Problems with background technology]

In the conventional transport device shown in Fig. 1, a rotary branching device is used to branch the transport vehicle, so when the branching process is in progress, other carriers wait in front of the rotary branching device and cannot move. Therefore, there is a problem that the conveyance efficiency decreases.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a conveying device that can efficiently convey objects.

[Summary of the invention]

The conveyance device according to the present invention provides a branching rail in the middle of the main rail that is slid to the position of the branch rail when the conveyance vehicle branches, and further slides to the position of the main rail when the conveyance vehicle branches and travels on the main rail. A rail for passage/fourth space is provided for the transport vehicle to pass through.

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to all the drawings. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a conveying device according to the present invention. In Fig. 2, 1, IB is a transport vehicle that transports sea urchins, 2, 2B is the main rail on which these transport vehicles JA and IB run, and 3 is a transport vehicle that runs above the main rail. A branch rail on which the car 1 branches and runs, 6 is a reading device, and 7 is a control device. A slide branching device 8 is provided in the middle of the main rail 21.2B. Inside this slide branching device 8, there is a solder branching rail 9 and a pipe/4 connected to each other.
Of these, the branch rail 9 is normally connected to the main rail 21.2B' as shown in the figure.
It is stopped in a position that bridges the The operation of this slide branching device 8 is controlled under the control device 7, and at the time of branching, the branching rail 9 is slid to the 5-branching rail 3 position, and the bypass rail 10 is used instead of the branching rail 90. is main rail 2
Then, it is slid to the position where it bridges 2B.

In such a configuration, a case will be considered in which transport vehicles 1A and IB travel in the direction of arrow a in the figure above two main rails. First, one person from one of the conveyance vehicles reaches the position of the reading device 6, and the identification number is read by the reading device 6.

As a result of this reading, if this single conveyance vehicle is to be branched, the control device 7 will direct this one conveyance vehicle to the slide branching device 8.
It is stopped at a predetermined position on the inner branching rail 9. At this time, the other conveyance vehicle 1B that is traveling next is made to temporarily wait above the two main rails in front of the slide branching device 8. After confirming that the conveyance vehicle 1A has stopped on the branching rail 9, the control device 7 operates the slide branching device 8 to move the branching rail 9 and the pass rail 10' in the direction of the middle arrow 'fr'BA. Slide it to . After sliding, the branching rail 9 branches as shown by the broken line in the figure and stops at the 3rd position, and the main rail is occupied by two people.

2B is the rail 1O for pinots instead of the rail 9 for branching.
bridged by. Further, after the above-mentioned sliding, the control device 2 causes the single transport vehicle on the branching rail 9 to start running completely. As a result, the carrier 1A travels from the branching rail 9 toward the branching rail 3. Meanwhile, at this time, there were two people on the main rail.

It is in a bridging state by the 2BJd bypass rail 10, and the transport vehicle 1B can travel thereon. Therefore, the waiting transport vehicle 1B is then started to travel by the control device 7, and can pass through the bino bus rail 10f and reach the main rail 2B. In addition, the control device 7
One person in one carrier is on the branch rail 3, and one person on the other carrier is on the branch rail 3.
After confirming that B has reached the main rail 2B, the slide branching device 8 is operated, and the minute 111t rail 9 and pie i4 space rail 10 are slid in the direction of arrow C in the figure to return to their original positions. let

In this way, when the sliding of the branching rail 9 and pinot arm rail 1o in the slide branching device 8 is completed, two people on the main rail, 2Bf'! Since the bypass rail 1O bridges the bridge, the waiting transport vehicle 1B can travel at this point. Therefore, the waiting time of the conveyance vehicle 1B is significantly shortened compared to the conventional one, and thereby the overall conveyance efficiency can be greatly improved. For example, if it takes 5 seconds for a conventional rotary branching device to turn 90 degrees, and it takes 3 seconds for a carrier to move from the rotating rail to the branching rail, the next carrier will move on the main rail. The only time you can drive is 13 seconds after the start of the branch. On the other hand, if the time required for sliding in the above embodiment is 5 seconds, the next conveyance vehicle can run on the main rail 5 seconds after the start of branching. Therefore, the waiting time for the next conveyance vehicle is reduced by 8 seconds compared to the conventional method. Furthermore, since this waiting time is proportional to the number of branches, the difference becomes more significant as the number of branches increases.

Note that the traveling control method of the transport vehicle, the sliding method of the rail in the slide branching device, the reading method of the identification number in the reading device, etc. may be any method as long as it satisfies the function. Furthermore, the structure and material of each rail may be of any type as long as it satisfies its function.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a conveying device that can efficiently convey objects.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional device, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a conveyance device according to the present invention. IA, IB... Transport vehicle, 2A, 2B... Main rail, 3... Branch rail, 6... Reading device, 7... Control device, 8... Slide branching device, 9... - Branching rail, 10... Bypass rail. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue 9-

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A conveyance vehicle that conveys an object, a main conveyance path on which this conveyance vehicle runs, a branch conveyance path on which the conveyance vehicle running on this main conveyance path branches and runs, and a conveyance path provided in the middle of the main conveyance path. A branch conveyance path that is slid to the position of the branch conveyance path when the conveyance vehicle branches, and a conveyance vehicle that is slid to the position of the main conveyance path and runs on the main conveyance path when the conveyance vehicle branches. A conveyance device characterized by comprising a bypass conveyance path. (2) The conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein the branching conveyance path and the pie/nine conveyance path are connected to each other and are slid simultaneously at the time of the branching.