KR101173120B1 - Overhead traveling vehicle system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a ceiling traveling vehicle system, wherein a body base of a ceiling traveling vehicle is arranged under the traveling rail, and the lateral movement means is an endless track inside the main body base 18 having the platform below. A first double-sided toothed-timing belt coupled to the first and second timing pulleys rotatably spaced apart from each other in the left and right directions so as to be rotatably supported on an inner surface of the main body base 18; 1 A first guide rail having a first rack gear portion engaged with the lower teeth of the double-sided toothed-timing belt and gear-engaged and formed at an upper side thereof is formed on the upper side, and is horizontally arranged inside the lower part of the main body base, and the first guide rail The first movable block and the inner side of the support of the first movable block, which are installed to be moved forward and backward in the second guide rail spaced below the set distance from the guide rail, are installed. A second double-sided toothed-timing belt coupled to the third and fourth timing pulleys spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction and gear-engaged with the first rack gear portion of the first guide rail; The lower teeth of the first double-sided toothed-timing belt and the upper gear is engaged with the gear and coupled to the lower side of the first moving block to move left and right in conjunction with the endless track of the second double-sided toothed- timing belt. It characterized in that it comprises a second moving block which is supported on the third guide rail so that the lower portion is sliding.

Description

Ceiling traveling vehicle system {OVERHEAD TRAVELING VEHICLE SYSTEM}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a ceiling traveling vehicle system having a transport vehicle for transporting various substrates for semiconductor device manufacturing, and the like, of a transverse movement means of a ceiling traveling vehicle system on the side of entering an article into a buffer buffer space in a side buffer or a shelf. By reducing the height between the upper and lower sides, the number of buffering spaces of the shelf or side buffers can be secured, thereby making use of space efficiency on the conveyance and enabling cross-conveying between the shelf and the side buffers. The present invention relates to a ceiling traveling vehicle system capable of further improving a conveying efficiency of a ceiling traveling vehicle system, including increasing a buffering efficiency according to an article transfer.

Generally, a ceiling traveling vehicle system is arranged using a ceiling space in a clean room, and conveys an article 28 such as a FOUP containing a semiconductor wafer between load ports such as a processing apparatus or an inspection apparatus, and inspects the present specification. The device is considered to be a kind of processing device. The kind of conveyed article is arbitrary.

The travel rail 10 is supported from the ceiling of a clean room by the support | pillar 11 etc., and consists of the travel rail main body 12 and the power supply rail 13. In the ceiling traveling vehicle 4, a traveling driving unit 14 is provided to travel in the traveling rail main body 12, and the power receiving unit 16 receives power from the power supply rail 13 and not shown. Communicate between controllers.

The main body base 18 of the ceiling traveling car 4 is provided below the travel rail 10, and the turning part 22, the elevating drive part 24, and the lifting table are provided with the scalar arm 20 as an example of a transverse movement means. The 26 and the article 28 are laterally moved in the left-right direction at a right angle to the traveling direction of the travel rail 10. A pair of fall prevention covers 29 are provided before and after the ceiling traveling vehicle 4 so as to sandwich the article 28 from before and after, and in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, except for the front fall prevention cover.

The scalar arm 20 is provided with a pair of upper and lower arms 20a and 20b to overlap the arms 20a and 20b up and down in a direction parallel to the traveling rail 10 while traveling, thereby turning the turning part 22. Is directly below the body base 18. When the article 28 is laterally moved, as shown by the dashed-dotted line in FIG. 1, when the arms 20a and 20b are extended, the article 28 is laterally moved to the top of the side buffer 6. On the other hand, when the scalar arm 20 is extended as shown by the dashed-dotted line of FIG. 1, the article 28 moves to the upper side of the side buffer 8. As shown in FIG. Although the turning angle of the turning part 22 may be a small range, such as 5 degrees or less, for example, Preferably it is possible to rotate 90 degrees in the turning part 22, for example, and the direction of the article 28 is possible. Can be changed in a direction suitable for the processing apparatus. The elevating driving unit 24 is supported by the turning unit 22 to elevate the platform 26 by a hanging material such as a belt, a wire, a rope, and the like. The platform 26 handles the upper flange of the article 28. ) To enable chucking / release. The above-described scalar arm 20 to the platform 26 allow the ceiling traveling car 4 to load the article 28 at a position just below the article 28 and at positions on both the left and right sides of the travel rail 10. 8) You can send and receive back. In addition, the direction of the article 28 can also be changed as needed. In addition, 30 of FIG. 1 is a support | pillar of the side buffers 6 and 8. As shown in FIG. The lateral moving means may be any one capable of horizontally moving the article 28 to the left and right sides of the travel rail 10. The ceiling traveling car 34 of FIG. 2 is provided with the upper and lower double speed belt mechanisms 36 and 38 to move the article 28 laterally. The connecting portion 40 fixes the belt of the upper double speed belt mechanism 36 to the main body base 18. In addition, the upper double speed belt mechanism 36 moves left and right by a predetermined stroke with respect to the main body base 18 by a drive mechanism such as a ball screw 46. The connecting portion 42 connects the belts of the upper and lower double speed belt mechanisms 36 and 38, and the lower double speed belt mechanism 38 is connected to the upper double speed belt mechanism 36 by a drive mechanism such as a ball screw 48. Move left and right. Here, for example, suppose that the upper and lower double speed belt mechanisms 36 and 38 are moved to the left side of FIG. 2 by the same stroke by the ball screws 46 and 48. Since the belt of the double speed belt mechanism 36 is fixed to the main body base 18 by the connection part 40, the connection part 42 moves to the left by the double stroke. The connecting portion 44 then moves to the left with respect to the connecting portion 42 by twice the stroke of the ball screw 48. In this way, the article 28 moves to the left side (opposite side of the processing apparatus) of the travel rail, as indicated by the dashed-dotted line in FIG. When the ball screws 46 and 48 are driven in the reverse direction, the article 28 moves to the right side (the processing apparatus side) of the travel rail 10 as in the dashed-dotted line of FIG.

However, the upper and lower double speed belt mechanisms 36 and 38, the scalar arms 20a and 20b, the pivoting portion 22, the elevating drive unit 24, the elevating platform 26 and the ball screws 46 and 48 for such lateral conveyance. When the article 28 is laterally moved in the horizontal direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the travel rail 10 by the lateral moving means including a), due to the vertical height difference of the space in which such lateral moving means is disposed, etc. In addition, the side buffers 6 and 8 have a drawback in that design constraints are required to provide a buffering space higher than the dead space of the step.

This dead space has led to low efficiency problems such as unnecessarily increasing the size of the side buffer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and reduces the height of the transverse moving means of the transverse vehicle of the ceiling traveling vehicle system on the side of entering the article into the buffering space in the side buffer or the shelf, thereby increasing more shelf or side buffer. It is possible to secure the number of buffering spaces, thereby increasing the buffering efficiency due to the faster and larger quantity of goods transfer, such as the use of space efficiency in the transfer and cross transfer between the shelf and the side buffer. In addition, there is a major technical problem in providing a ceiling traveling vehicle system that can further improve the conveyance efficiency of the ceiling traveling vehicle system.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a traveling drive unit for moving along a traveling rail of a ceiling traveling vehicle, and an article for a side buffer provided on the left and right sides of the traveling rail while traveling along the traveling driving unit. In the ceiling traveling vehicle system provided with the ceiling traveling vehicle, the transverse movement means which moves to the left and right of a traveling rail with respect to the ceiling traveling vehicle which has a platform for carrying out the drive to support and receive,

The body base of the ceiling traveling car is arranged under the traveling rail,

The lateral movement means,

Both ends of the first and second timing pulleys are spaced apart from each other in the left and right directions so that the endless track can be moved inward from the inside of the main body base having the lower platform, and rotatably supported on the inner side of the main body base. First double-sided toothed-timing belt,

A first guide rail having a first rack gear unit coupled to an upper side of the first double-sided toothed-to-timing belt and gear-engaged to the outer surface of the first double-sided toothed-timing belt, the horizontally arranged inside the lower part of the main body base; In the second guide rail spaced above the set distance from the first guide rail, the first rack gear part interlocked with the left and right movement of the second double-sided toothed-timing belt 102 moves forward and backward through the first guide rail. A first movable block, possibly installed;

Both ends of the third and fourth timing pulleys rotatably spaced apart from each other in the left and right directions rotatably on the inner surface of the support of the first moving block, and also mesh with the second rack gear part of the second guide rail. A second double-sided toothed-timing belt having a second double-sided tooth on its outer surface;

The lower teeth of the second double-sided toothed-timing belt have a third rack gear portion on the upper surface so that the upper teeth and the upper gear are engaged with each other. It characterized in that it comprises a second moving block which is supported by the lower portion is slidably moved to the third guide rail 123 coupled to the lower side of the first moving block.

The first double-sided toothed timing belt is spaced apart from the first timing pulley by a set distance to the side of the first timing pulley, and is rotatably supported together with the first timing pulley on an inner surface of the main body base. 5 is coupled to the timing pulley extends in the upward direction, it is preferable to be configured to be interlocked with the drive timing belt coupled to the rotating drive shaft that is horizontally supported to rotate by receiving the rotational force of the upper drive motor.

In addition, the first to the third guide rail is preferably configured to employ a linear guide.

In the above-described side of the article according to the present invention to move the article right and left, even with a simple configuration of a lower key height, while reducing the time it takes to move the article, while increasing the reliability of the transport, There are advantages such as efficient article buffering.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the configuration of the present invention, Figure 3 is a perspective structural diagram showing a roof driving system and a shelf in which a plurality of cassettes are applied according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 is FIG. FIG. 5 is a side structural view illustrating a shelf and a side buffer in which a ceiling traveling vehicle system and a plurality of cassettes are accommodated, and FIG. 5 is a side structural view illustrating only the ceiling traveling vehicle system in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a ceiling traveling vehicle of FIG. 3. FIG. 7 is a perspective structural diagram of the system, and FIG. 7 is a perspective structural diagram showing clearly a coupling relationship between a traveling rail and a suspended vehicle system coupled thereto in FIG. 3, and FIG. 8 is a lateral movement in the ceiling traveling vehicle system of FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective structural diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of the transverse movement means in the ceiling traveling vehicle system of FIG. 8. .

The present invention provides a shelf that accommodates a plurality of cassettes; It is arranged as a part of the ceiling traveling vehicle system which is disposed on the shelf side of the shelf, and which draws cassettes into and out of the shelf while being transported along the conveying section. The same components as in the prior art will be described with the same reference numerals.

The ceiling traveling vehicle system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a traveling driving unit 14 for moving along a traveling rail of a ceiling traveling vehicle and the traveling rail 10 while traveling along the traveling driving unit 14. A ceiling traveling vehicle having a lift platform 26 for driving and receiving the goods 28 to each shelf 61 and the side buffer 6 of the stocker 60 mounted on the side of the stacker 60. 4)), the transverse movement means which moves to the left and right of the traveling rail 10 is comprised in the ceiling traveling vehicle 4, and is comprised.

In addition, the main body base 18 of the ceiling traveling vehicle 4 is arranged below the traveling rail 10.

The lateral movement means 100 is spaced apart from each other in the left and right directions so that the endless track can be moved from the inside of the main body base 18 provided with the platform 26 at the lower side, and the inner surface of the main body base 18. A first double-sided toothed-timing belt 101 and a first double-sided toothed-timing belt 101, both ends of which are rotatably coupled to the first and second timing pulleys P1 and P2 rotatably spaced; A support rack 111a is formed on the upper side of the first rack gear 111b coupled to the lower teeth of the 101 and is engaged on the upper side thereof, and the first guide rail transversely arranged inside the lower part of the main body base 18. And 121 and the second guide rails 122 are arranged to be spaced apart from the first guide rail 121 to the upper part of the set distance and to move forward and backward in the second guide rail 122 having the second rack gear portion 122a on the lower surface thereof. Rotation on the inner side of the first moving block 111 and the support 111a of the first moving block 111 The both ends of the third and fourth timing pulleys P3 and P4 spaced apart from each other in the left and right directions are coupled to each other, and the second rack gear portion 122a of the second guide rail 122 is engaged with the gear. A second double-sided toothed-timing belt 102 having a second sided toothed tooth on its outer surface and a lower side tooth and an upper side of the second double-sided toothed-timing belt 102 gear-engaged and engaged A third guide rail coupled to a lower side of the first moving block 111 to have a third rack gear portion 112a and move in a left-right direction in conjunction with an endless track of the second double-sided toothed timing belt; 123 has a structure including a second moving block 112, the lower portion of which is slidably supported.

In addition, the first double-sided toothed timing belt 101 is spaced apart from the first timing pulley P1 at a side of the first timing pulley P1 by a predetermined distance, and is an inner side surface of the main body base 18. The first timing pulley (P1) is coupled to the fifth timing pulley (P5) rotatably supported and extends in the upward direction and is laterally supported to rotate by receiving the rotational force of the upper driving motor (M). It is configured to be interlockable with the drive timing belt 103 coupled to the rotation drive shaft M1. Of course, the rotation drive shaft M1 of the drive motor M is directly fixed to the first timing pulleys P1 and P1 of the transverse movement means 100 which are arranged opposite to both sides so as to directly rotate. It may consist of.

On the other hand, reference numeral 26 denotes a platform, which is raised and lowered with respect to the traveling rail body by a belt, a wire, a rope, or the like, and chucking the upper flange of the article 28 by a hand. ) / Released. In addition, reference numeral 80 denotes an article 28 to assist the loading and unloading operation with respect to the shelf 61 or the buffer 6 or 8 of the stocker 60 when transferring the article 28 such as a cassette. It is a power chuck mechanism that supports the bottom of the device to be placed at both ends.

In addition, according to the above-described configuration, the first double-sided toothed timing belt 101 whose both ends are hooked to the first and second timing pulleys P1 and P2 is driven by the driving timing belt 1030. When the endless orbital motion is driven by the rotational driving force of the drive pinion M1 of the drive motor M, the outer tooth formed in the outer surface of the first double-sided toothed timing belt 101 is gear-engaged with the outer tooth. The first rack gear 111b orbits the support 111a coupled to the upper side of the rack gear unit 111b so as to orbit the first transport block 111 to which the support 111a is fixedly coupled.

Next, the upper sides of the third and fourth timing pulleys P1 and P2 rotatably supported by the support 111a are formed on the second rack gear portion 122a formed on the lower surface of the second guide rail 122. In the interlocked state, the second movable block 112 is stretched and contracted while pushing the third rack gear portion 112a of the second movable block 112 in a relatively horizontal direction.

At this time, when the driving motor M is driven forward so that the second moving block 112 and the first moving block 111 move in the direction protruding from the main body base 18, an extension movement is performed. Reverse driving in the opposite direction results in a contraction movement.

In addition, if the driving is further reversed here, the movement in the opposite direction is generated while again protruding in the opposite direction of the main body base 18.

Thus, according to the stretching movement of the first and second moving blocks (111, 112), it is possible to send and receive the article.

A linear guide type as an example of the transverse movement means 100 for the above-described stretching movement, that is, the lateral movement, and the first and second double-sided toothed timing belts 101 and 102 having a double tooth portion. By moving, the article 28 implements the sorghum operation while moving laterally in the left and right directions at substantially right angles to the traveling direction of the travel rail 10.

In other words, in the lateral movement, the first double-sided toothed timing belt 101, which transmits the driving force of the drive motor M via the drive shaft M1, is rotated in an endless track, and the endless track The first moving block 111 is electrically driven by a moving force, and the second moving block 111 is electrically driven by the second double-sided toothed timing belt 102. As the third rack gear part 112a of the moving block 112 moves in and out of the track receiving force, the power chuck mechanism 80 is moved forward and backward, and the article 28 supported and moved therefor is stocked. It becomes possible to convey to the shelf 61 and the buffer 6 or 8 of (60).

As a result, the transverse movement means 100 is transversely movable to the left and right sides of the travel rail, and more reliably and easily to perform a buffering operation for temporarily storing the goods in each space on the left and right sides of the travel rail. Will be.

In addition, the present invention relates to a ceiling traveling vehicle system including a transport vehicle for transporting various substrates for semiconductor device manufacturing, and the like, of a transverse movement means of the ceiling traveling vehicle system on the side of entering an article into a buffering space in a side buffer. By reducing the height between the top and bottom to secure the number of buffering space of the side buffer, by using the space efficiency of the side buffer to buffer more items to further improve the conveyance efficiency of the ceiling running vehicle system There is a very good effect.

The foregoing description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present invention, and various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are intended to illustrate rather than limit the scope of the present invention, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

1 and 2 is a side structural view of a ceiling running vehicle system according to the prior art shown except for the fall prevention cover of the front side,

3 is a perspective structural diagram illustrating a shelf in which a ceiling traveling vehicle system to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied and a plurality of cassettes are accommodated;

4 is a side structural view of a shelf in which the plurality of cassettes and the ceiling driving vehicle system of FIG. 3 are accommodated;

FIG. 5 is a side structural view showing only the ceiling driving vehicle system separated from FIG. 4;

6 is a perspective structural diagram of the ceiling traveling vehicle system of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view for clearly showing a coupling relationship between a traveling rail and a suspension traveling vehicle system coupled thereto in FIG. 3;

8 is a perspective structural diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a transverse movement means in the ceiling traveling vehicle system of FIG. 7;

 9 is an exploded perspective structural view illustrating in detail the configuration of the transverse movement means in the ceiling traveling vehicle system of FIG.

Claims (3)

A traveling drive unit 14 for moving along the traveling rail of the ceiling traveling car, and the shelf 61 of the stocker 60 provided on the side surface of the traveling rail 10 while traveling along the traveling drive unit 14. Ceiling movement of the transverse movement means for moving to the left and right of the traveling rail 10 with respect to the ceiling traveling car 4 having a lifting platform 26 for driving and receiving the goods 28 with respect to the vehicle. In the ceiling traveling car system installed in the car 4, The main base 18 of the ceiling traveling vehicle 4 is arranged below the traveling rail 10. The lateral movement means 100, First and second timing pulleys spaced apart from each other in left and right directions so that the endless tracks can be moved inside the main body base 18 having the platform below, and rotatably supported on the inner surface of the main body base 18 ( A first double-sided toothed-timing belt 101 engaged with P1 and P2, A support rack 111a is formed on the upper side of the first rack gear 111b coupled to the lower teeth of the first double-sided toothed-to-timing belt 101 at an upper portion thereof, and the main body base 18 is formed thereon. The first guide rail 121 horizontally arranged in the lower side, and the second guide rail 122 which is spaced apart from the first guide rail 121 to the upper part of the set distance and has the second rack gear portion 122a on the lower surface thereof. The first moving block 111 is installed so as to move forward and backward in the left and right directions, It is coupled to the inner surface of the support 111a of the first moving block 111 by the third and fourth timing pulleys (P3, P4) rotatably spaced apart from each other, and the second guide rail ( A second double-sided toothed-timing belt 102 in gear engagement with a second rack gear portion 122a of 122; a lower tooth and an upper side of the second double-sided toothed-timing belt 102 are geared It is coupled to the lower side of the first moving block 111 having a third rack gear portion (112a) on the upper surface to be engaged and movable in the left and right directions in conjunction with the endless track movement of the second double-sided toothed timing belt. And a second moving block (112), the lower portion of which is slidably supported on the third guide rail (123). The method of claim 1, The first double-sided toothed timing belt 101 is spaced apart from the first timing pulley P1 at a side of the first timing pulley P1 by a predetermined distance, and is disposed on the inner surface of the main body base 18. Rotating drive shaft which is laterally supported to rotate by receiving rotational force of upper driving motor M after engaging engagement with fifth timing pulley P5 rotatably supported together with first timing pulley P1. Ceiling running vehicle system, characterized in that configured to be interlocked with the third timing belt 103 is coupled to (M1). 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, And the first to third guide rails are linear guides.

Images