JPS6246266Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea] The present invention relates to a wafer carrier transfer device.

As is well known, in a semiconductor factory, an extremely large number of manufacturing steps are required to create a circuit element area on a wafer. For example, when looking at the process of forming a region containing desired impurity atoms on a silicon wafer, 1
There are a cleaning process, a dioxide film forming process, 3 resist coating processes, 5 etching processes, 6 diffusion processes, etc. These work processes are now done in clean rooms or clean benches where clean air flows, as dust is averse to dust. Furthermore, wafers processed in a clean atmosphere must be transported to the next work step while being protected from dust.

Conventionally, when moving between processes while preventing dust, automated guided vehicles have been known that are powered by storage batteries, have a storage box and an air purifier, and move while constantly flowing clean air inside the storage box. ing.

However, in this type of structure, the wafer carrier containing the wafers is kept clean by constantly flowing clean air, so the air purifier consumes a large amount of power and requires a large power supply. There is. For this reason, there are limitations on the power source, the charging time of the storage battery is long, it is difficult to replace, and the automatic guided vehicle cannot be miniaturized.

Therefore, the present invention eliminates these conventional drawbacks, keeps the wafer carrier containing wafers clean at all times, downsizes the power supply, shortens the charging time of the power supply, and facilitates replacement. The aim is to make automated guided vehicles more compact.

That is, the present invention includes a wafer carrier transfer mechanism section that includes a conveyor for transferring the wafer carrier, a lift-up mechanism section that moves the conveyor up and down, and a mechanism section that is located above the wafer carrier when the conveyor is lowered and is airtightly closed. an airtight storage box that has an opening and closing part that opens so that the conveyor protrudes when the conveyor is raised and holds the transfer mechanism section of the wafer carrier therein; and clean air is supplied into the storage box from the side of the storage box. A clean air generation unit that blows out a laminar flow, an exhaust valve mechanism that is attached to the storage box so that the pressure is higher than the pressure inside the storage box by a predetermined value, a sensor that detects the mark, and a signal from the sensor. A wafer receiver, comprising: a control section for controlling the operations of the wafer carrier transfer mechanism section, the opening/closing section of the storage box, and the clean air generation section; and an unmanned carrier for loading each of the above sections. This is a carrier transport device.

The present invention will be described below with reference to drawings showing embodiments.

1 and 2 show an embodiment of a transfer device for a wafer carrier 7 containing a wafer 6 according to the present invention. The wafer carrier transfer device 1 includes a wafer carrier transfer mechanism section 2, a storage box 3, and a cleaning It consists of an air generating section 4 and an unmanned transport vehicle 5 that holds all of these components. Further, the wafer carrier transfer mechanism section 2 includes a conveyor 8 for transferring a wafer carrier 7 containing wafers 6, and a lift-up mechanism section 9 for moving the conveyor 8 up and down. In addition, an opening/closing door 1 is provided on the top surface of the storage box 3 by an opening/closing mechanism section 10.
1 is attached. A gasket 12 as shown in FIG. 2 is attached to the periphery of the inner wall of the door 11 so that there is no gap between the door 11 and the storage box 3 when the door 11 is closed. Also,
The storage box 3 is separated from the clean air generating section 4 by a partition plate 13 having minute ejection holes. Furthermore, an exhaust valve mechanism 15 is provided on both side wall plates 14 of the storage box 3 to exhaust the air inside the storage box 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the exhaust valve mechanism 15 includes a group of small holes 16 locally provided in the side wall plate 14, and an exhaust plate 17 that closes the group of small holes 16 from the outside of the side wall plate 14.
It is made up of. Further, a gasket 18 is attached to the periphery of the exhaust plate 17 to isolate the storage box 3 from the outside. Also, exhaust plate 1
7 is swingably attached to a shaft 19 attached to the side wall plate 14. Further, a coil spring 20 is attached to the shaft 19 so that the exhaust plate 17 is always in close contact with the side wall plate 14 in order to prevent air from flowing out from the 16 groups of small holes. Further, the clean air generating section 4 includes a fan 21 and a back plate 22. A partition plate 13 is located on the air blowing side of the fan 21. Further, the back plate 22 is made of a filter for taking in air.

Further, the automatic guided vehicle 5 travels along a guide plate 23, and a sensor 24 is disposed at the front lower part of the automatic guided vehicle to detect a mark 25 provided on the floor surface. Further, the wafer carrier transfer mechanism section 2, the clean air generating section 4, and the unmanned transport vehicle 5 are powered by a storage battery 26.

Next, the usage status will be explained. First, in a highly clean environment, the opening/closing door 11 is opened, and the wafer carrier 7 containing the wafer 6 is transferred to the wafer carrier transfer device 1 by the wafer carrier transfer mechanism 2 and the wafer carrier transfer device 27 installed in each work area. Loading and unloading. Note that the wafer carrier transfer device 27 is not limited to this embodiment.

Next, during transportation, two environments, a high cleanliness environment and a low cleanliness environment, are detected based on the response of the sensor 24 that detects the mark 25 indicating the cleanliness level. If the sensor detects a mark indicating a highly clean environment, the cleanliness outside the storage box 3 is high in this state, so the opening/closing door 11 is opened and the lift-up mechanism 9 lifts the conveyor 8 as shown in FIG. However, by conveying the wafers 8 with the conveyor 8 protruding from the storage box 3, clean air flows into the wafer carrier 7 containing the wafers 6, so that the wafers 6 can be transported without having to blow clean air from the clean air generator 4. The wafer carrier 7 containing the wafers can be kept in a clean state, and the load on the storage battery 26 can be reduced. When the sensor detects a mark indicating the approach of an environment with low cleanliness, the fan 21 rotates, the restore mechanism 9 lowers the conveyor 8, and the opening/closing door 11 closes. fan 2
1 rotates, air is sucked in from the outside through the back plate 22. Since the sucked air passes through a back plate 22 made of a filter, only clean air is blown into the storage box 3 by the fan 21, and the wafer carrier 7 containing the wafers 6 is kept in a clean state.

These series of operations are controlled by a control section (not shown) that receives signals from the sensor. Since the pressure inside the storage box 3 increases due to the inflow of air, the exhaust plate 17 is pushed up against the coil spring 20, and the air flows out of the storage box 3. As a result, even if dust adhering to the wall of the storage box 3 is generated due to vibration during transportation, the storage box 3 is sequentially removed from the exhaust valve mechanism section 15.
leak outside.

As described above, according to the wafer carrier transfer apparatus of the present invention, the clean air generating section is operated and stopped by detecting the air cleanliness outside the storage box using the sensor. This structure can reduce the load on the power supply. Furthermore, it is possible to downsize the power supply, shorten charging time, facilitate replacement, and further downsize the wafer carrier transfer device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention;
The figure is a partially sectional view showing the automatic guided vehicle, and FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view showing the exhaust valve mechanism. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Wafer carrier transfer device, 2...Wafer carrier transfer mechanism section, 3...Storage box, 4...Clean air generation section, 5...Automatic carrier, 6...Wafer, 7...Wafer carrier, 8... conveyor, 9
... Lift-up mechanism section, 10... Opening/closing mechanism section,
11... Opening/closing door, 12... Packing, 13... Partition plate, 14... Side wall plate, 15... Exhaust valve mechanism section,
16... Small hole group, 17... Exhaust plate, 18... Packing, 19... Shaft, 20... Coil spring, 21...
...Fan, 22...Rear plate, 23...Guidance plate,
24...Sensor, 25...Mark, 26...Storage battery, 27...Wafer carrier transfer device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A wafer carrier transfer mechanism includes a conveyor for transferring the wafer carrier and a lift-up mechanism for moving the conveyor up and down; an airtight storage box that has an opening/closing part that opens to protrude and holds the transfer mechanism section of the wafer carrier therein; and clean air that blows clean air into the storage box from a side of the storage box. a generator, an exhaust valve mechanism attached to the storage box so that the pressure is higher than the pressure inside the storage box by a predetermined value, a sensor that detects the mark, and a sensor that receives a signal from the sensor and the wafer carrier transfer mechanism. 1. A wafer carrier transfer device comprising: a control section for controlling the operation of a storage box opening/closing section and a clean air generation section; and an unmanned carrier for loading the above-mentioned sections.