KR101290026B1 - Apparatus for transferring a cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cassette conveying apparatus for automatically moving cassettes in which various substrates are accommodated in a process equipment of a liquid crystal display (LCD) process line. It is to provide a cassette feeder that can be made. Such a cassette conveying apparatus includes a loader in the form of a conveyor on which a substrate mounting cassette on which a substrate to be processed is loaded is placed; A conveyor-type unloader on which a blank cassette on which a substrate is not mounted is placed; A first conveyor connecting the loader and the unloader and transferring the empty cassette from which the substrate is discharged to a process execution line from the loader to the unloader; A second conveyor in contact with the loader at a 90 ° angle with the first conveyor; A third conveyor in contact with the unloader at an angle of 90 ° to the first conveyor; A fourth conveyor connecting the second conveyor and the third conveyor and transferring the empty cassette from the second conveyor to the third conveyor; And a controller for controlling the driving of the conveyors.

Description

Cassette transporter {APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING A CASSETTE}

1 is an exemplary view showing a liquid crystal display process line in a typical clean room.

2 and 3 are exemplary views showing a plan view of a general process equipment.

Figure 4 is an illustration of a cassette transport apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a configuration diagram of one embodiment of a standard conveyor applied to the cassette transport apparatus according to the present invention.

Figure 6 is a configuration diagram of one embodiment of a diverter conveyor applied to the cassette transport apparatus according to the present invention.

Figure 7 is an illustration of a cassette transport apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a cassette transport apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a cassette transport apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 10 is an embodiment of the internal control of the control device applied to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings>

9: unmanned carrier 10: stalker

20: process equipment 40: rail

41: Spartan Mark

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cassette transfer apparatus, and more particularly, to a cassette transfer apparatus for automatically moving a cassette in which various substrates are housed in process equipment of a liquid crystal display (LCD) process line.

In general, a liquid crystal display (LCD) is a representative flat panel display that displays an image by adjusting the transmission amount of the light beam to correspond to the image signal. In particular, LCDs are becoming more and more widespread due to light weight, thinness, and low power consumption. As such, LCDs are used as display devices for office automation devices and notebook computers. have.

On the other hand, the liquid crystal panel of the liquid crystal display device is a thin film transistor substrate (TFT substrate) (hereinafter referred to simply as a 'TFT substrate') receiving a driving signal, a color filter substrate (C / F substrate) including a color filter layer (hereinafter, Simply referred to as a 'C / F substrate' and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the TFT substrate and the C / F substrate.

The manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display device having the above structure is largely divided into three processes, a substrate manufacturing process, a liquid crystal panel manufacturing process, and a module process.

First, the substrate manufacturing process is divided into a process of manufacturing a TFT substrate using a cleaned glass substrate and a process of manufacturing a C / F substrate, respectively. The TFT substrate manufacturing process includes a signal line and a plurality of substrates on a lower glass substrate. A thin film transistor and a pixel electrode are manufactured, and a C / F substrate manufacturing process is a process of sequentially manufacturing a black matrix, a color filter layer, and a common electrode (ITO) on an upper glass substrate.

Next, the liquid crystal panel process is a process of manufacturing a liquid crystal panel by bonding a TFT substrate and a C / F substrate and injecting a liquid crystal therebetween, wherein the liquid crystal panel process is again an alignment film forming process, a rubbing process, and a cell gap. It consists of many unit processes such as a cell gap forming process, an assembly process, a cell cutting process, a liquid crystal injection process, and a polarizing film attachment process.

Finally, the module process is a process of connecting the liquid crystal panel and the signal processing circuit part, and the module process is also made of a number of unit processes.

On the other hand, the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display device consisting of a number of unit processes as described above is generally performed in a clean room, a plurality of substrates that have been completed in any one process equipment is once loaded in a cassette (Casset) It is then transported to another process equipment in the clean room by an Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV).

That is, when the cassette on which the substrate is mounted is loaded (loaded) into one process equipment by an unmanned transport vehicle, the substrates in the cassette are introduced into the process equipment by a robot in the process equipment and go through the above process. The cassette into which the substrate is introduced into the process equipment is transferred to the last stage of the process equipment by an unmanned transport vehicle, and then unloaded from the process equipment by the unmanned transport vehicle when the substrates subjected to the process are reloaded. Transferred to other process equipment.

1 is an exemplary view showing a liquid crystal display process line in a typical clean room.

That is, as shown in Figure 1, the liquid crystal display processing line in the general clean room is an unmanned conveyance, which is a means for moving the cassette containing the substrate to the various processing equipment 20, each processing equipment required for each process A car 9, a rail 40 composed of a spot mark 41 installed at the bottom of a clean room for use as a recognition means for the movement of an unmanned carrier, and a plurality of stockers for managing a plurality of cassettes. It includes a (Stocker) (10).

Each of the process equipments 20 are installed in front of the rail 40 formed of a spot mark, and the driverless transport vehicle 9 moves each process equipment 20 along the rail 40. It serves to transport the cassette required for each process equipment (20).

That is, the unmanned transport vehicle 9 stops by moving to the position of each process equipment 20 on the rail 40 and then loads the cassette on which the substrate is loaded into each process equipment, or each Unloading from the process equipment.

2 and 3 are exemplary views showing a plan view of a general process equipment, which shows in more detail the process equipment 20 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the general process equipment 20 includes a loader 22a on which a substrate mounting cassette 30a loaded with dozens of substrates to be processed is placed, and a variety of substrates. An unloader on which a process execution line (EQ) 23 performing a process, a robot 21a for moving a substrate placed on a substrate mounting cassette to a process execution line, and an empty cassette 30b on which a substrate is not mounted are placed. And a robot 21b for transferring the substrate passed through the process 22b and the process execution line to the empty cassette 30b.

That is, the board-mounted cassette 30a put into the loader 22a of the process equipment 20 by the unmanned transport vehicle 9 is placed in the unloader 22b again in the state of the empty cassette 30b, and then subjected to the process. In this reloaded state, it is transferred to another process equipment by the unmanned carrier 9.

At this time, the empty cassette in which all the substrates are introduced into the process performing line 23 through the loader 22a is transferred to the unloader 22b by an unmanned transport vehicle 9 or a robot to wait for reloading of the substrate. As described above, since it is conveyed by the unmanned conveying vehicle 9 or the like, in some cases, the conveying time takes longer, and thus, a substrate passing through the process performing line 23 may have to wait to be mounted on the empty cassette 30b. There is a problem.

In addition, even if the conveyance time is not long, when the time for inputting all the substrates to the process execution line 23 and the time for one substrate to pass through the process execution line 23 are alternated, the substrate is reloaded in the empty cassette 30b. There is a problem that a waiting time may be required for this.

In addition, when a plurality of empty cassettes 30b are provided, there is a problem that space utilization problems around the process equipment 20 may occur.

On the other hand, in order to facilitate the conveyance operation of the empty cassette 30b between the loader 22a and the unloader 22b as described above, the conveyor 22a and the unloader 22b are conveyed between the loader 22a and the unloader 22b as shown in FIG. Although a method of connecting to 24 has been developed, this method has a problem in that only one substrate mounting cassette 30a and one empty cassette 30b can be placed on the conveyor 24.

That is, when all the substrates are taken out to the process execution line 23 after the substrate mounting cassette 30a is placed in the loader 22a, it can be simply transferred to the unloader 22b by the conveyor 24, and another substrate Since the mounting cassette 30a is placed on the loader 22a again and the above operation can be performed, a smooth process may be performed. However, the substrate input time to the process execution line 23 and the process time in the process execution line may be performed. If there is a difference, since the empty cassette 30b has already been placed on the unloader 22b, the empty cassette generated at the loader 22a cannot be conveyed to the unloader 22b by the conveyor 24 and is waiting. Since a state may occur, there is a problem that the entire process line may be delayed.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention for solving the above problems is to provide a cassette conveying apparatus capable of transferring and waiting a plurality of cassettes through a conveyor between a loader and an unloader.

In order to achieve the above object, a cassette transport apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, a conveyor-type loader on which a substrate mounting cassette on which a substrate to be subjected to the process is loaded is placed; A conveyor-type unloader on which a blank cassette on which a substrate is not mounted is placed; A first conveyor connecting the loader and the unloader and transferring the empty cassette from which the substrate is discharged to a process execution line from the loader to the unloader; A second conveyor in contact with the loader at a 90 ° angle with the first conveyor; A third conveyor in contact with the unloader at an angle of 90 ° to the first conveyor; A fourth conveyor connecting the second conveyor and the third conveyor and transferring the empty cassette from the second conveyor to the third conveyor; And a controller for controlling the driving of the conveyors.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4 is an exemplary diagram of a cassette transfer device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the cassette transfer device shown in FIG. 4, robots 21a and 21b and a process execution line 23 are added to FIGS. 2 and 3. One process equipment as shown in FIG. At this time, the description overlapping with the contents mentioned in the description of Figures 2 and 3 of the description of Figure 4 will be omitted below. In addition, Figure 5 is a configuration diagram of one embodiment of a standard conveyor applied to the cassette transport apparatus according to the present invention, Figure 6 is a configuration diagram of a diverter conveyor applied to the cassette transport apparatus according to the present invention.

On the other hand, the cassette transport apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 4, the loader (110), the substrate on which the substrate mounting cassette 30a on which the substrate to be processed is loaded is placed An unloader 120 on which an empty cassette 30b, which is not mounted, is placed, for connecting the loader and the unloader while transferring the empty cassette from which the substrate is discharged to the process execution line from the loader to the unloader. The first conveyor 130, the second conveyor 140 adjacent to the loader in a 90 ° angle to the first conveyor, the third conveyor adjacent to the unloader at a 90 ° angle to the first conveyor 150 and a fourth conveyor 160 for connecting the second conveyor and the third conveyor while transferring the empty cassette from the second conveyor to the third conveyor.

At this time, the loader 110 and the unloader 120 is also configured in the form of a conveyor. That is, the conveyor used for the loader 110 is configured as a diverter conveyor so as to transfer the cassette to the unloader 120 or the second conveyor 140, and the conveyor of the unloader 110 loads the cassette. It is configured as a diverter conveyor so as to transfer from the 110 or the third conveyor (150).

That is, a diverter conveyor refers to a conveyor capable of transferring the cassette by changing the traveling direction of the cassette to 90 ° as shown in FIG. 6, and includes a first roller 61 for transferring the cassette in the first direction. ), A second roller 62 for conveying the cassette in a 90 [deg.] Direction with respect to the first direction, and a frame 63 for supporting the first roller and the second roller. The advancing direction of the cassette may be changed at an angle of 90 ° by the rotational direction of the roller 61 or the second roller 62. At this time, the vertical movement of the frame and the rotation operation of each roller is controlled by the controller shown in FIG.

 In addition, the second conveyor 140 and the third conveyor 150 is also configured as a diverter conveyor as shown in Figure 6 so as to transfer the cassette by changing the traveling direction of 90 °.

In addition, the first conveyor 130 is for simply transferring the cassette from the loader 110 to the unloader 120, the fourth conveyor 160 also simply transfers the cassette from the second conveyor 140 to the third conveyor 150. In order to transfer the), a plurality of standard conveyors as shown in FIG. 5 are connected. That is, the standard conveyor is a basic conveyor capable of simply moving the cassette in only one direction, and as shown in FIG. 5, the first roller 51 for conveying the cassette and the frame 52 for supporting the first roller. The first roller is rotated by the control device as described above.

On the other hand, the operation method of the cassette transport apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention as described above is as follows.

First, when the substrate mounting cassette 30a is transported by the unmanned transport vehicle 9 and placed in the loader 110, the substrates inside the substrate mounting cassette 30a are carried out by the robot 21a to the process execution line. .

When all the substrates in the substrate mounting cassette 30a are taken out, the direction of rotation of the conveyor of the loader 110 is determined by the control of the controller. That is, when the empty cassette is not placed on the unloader 120, the rotation direction of the conveyor is directed toward the unloader 120, and the empty cassette is conveyed in the unloader 120 direction. However, when the empty cassette is placed on the unloader 120, the rotation direction of the conveyor is directed toward the second conveyor 140, and the empty cassette is transferred to the second conveyor 140.

In this case, the above operation may be performed manually by an operator, or may be automatically performed by various sensing sensors.

For example, a loader cassette detection sensor (not shown) attached to the loader 110 is attached to the loader 110. When the weight of all the substrates being taken out is detected by the controller, the controller is provided. The transfer of the cassette is automatically determined. Meanwhile, an unloader cassette detection sensor (not shown) is also attached to the unloader 120 so that the empty cassette can be transferred from the loader 110 to the unloader 120 only when it is detected that there is no cassette. The controller controls the roller rotation direction of the loader 110, the unloader 120, and the first conveyor 130.

However, when it is detected that the cassette is placed in the unloader 120, the control device is the loader 110 and the unloader 120 so that the cassette can be transferred from the loader 110 to the second conveyor 140. ) And the roller rotation direction of the second conveyor 140.

On the other hand, when the empty cassette is transferred to the second conveyor 140, the control device determines whether the cassette is placed on the third conveyor by a third cassette detection sensor (not shown) mounted on the third conveyor, and thus the cassette. Only when is not placed will transfer the empty cassette placed on the second conveyor 140 to the third conveyor (150).

In addition, when it is detected that the cassette is taken out from the unloader 120 by an unmanned transport vehicle in the state in which the empty cassette is placed on the third conveyor 150, the control apparatus may include the empty cassette placed on the third conveyor 150. The roller rotation direction of the third conveyor 150 is controlled to be transferred to the unloader 120.

At this time, the control device comprehensively determines the sensing information received from the cassette detection sensors mounted on the loader 110, the unloader 120, the second conveyor 140, and the third conveyor 150 to determine each conveyor. The rotation direction of the roller is determined.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary view of a cassette transfer device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the cassette transfer device shown in FIG. 7, robots 21a and 21b and a process execution line are added to the cassette transfer device shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. As a result, one process equipment is achieved. In this case, in the description of FIG. 7, the content overlapping with the description of FIGS. 2 and 3 will be omitted below.

Meanwhile, the cassette transport apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 7 includes a loader 210 and a substrate on which a substrate mounting cassette 30a on which a substrate to be processed is loaded is placed. Unloader 220 on which unloaded blank cassette 30b is placed, for connecting the loader and the unloader while transferring the empty cassette from the loader to the unloader, in which all substrates are discharged to the process execution line. The first conveyor 230, the second conveyor 240 adjacent to the loader in a 90 ° angle to the first conveyor, the third conveyor adjacent to the unloader in a 90 ° angle to the first conveyor 250, a fourth conveyor 260 and a first conveyor connected to a second conveyor in the longitudinal direction of the first conveyor and having a cassette mounting cassette carried by an unmanned transport vehicle at an end not in contact with the second conveyor; Length of Is the effort associated with the third conveyor, and to the end not in contact with the third conveyor is a fifth conveyor 270, which is mounted cassette the cassette is placed to be conveyed by the unmanned conveying car.

At this time, the loader 210 and the unloader 220 is also configured in the form of a conveyor, the conveyor used for the loader 210 to the unloader 220 through the empty cassette, the substrate is taken out of the first conveyor 230 It can be configured as a standard conveyor as shown in FIG. 5 for transport. However, the conveyor of the loader 210 more smoothly transfers the substrate-mounted cassette placed on the second conveyor while transferring the empty cassette to the unloader 220 as described above. It is preferably composed of a conveyor.

The unloader 220 may be configured as a standard conveyor as shown in FIG. 5 so that the unloader 220 may be transferred through the first conveyor 230 to transfer the substrate mounting cassette on which the substrate is loaded to the third conveyor 250. 6 and a diverter conveyor as shown in FIG. 6, so that the empty cassette is more smoothly transferred from the first conveyor 230 and the substrate mounted cassette on which the substrate is loaded is smoothly transferred to the third conveyor. It is desirable to be able to transfer.

In addition, the second conveyor 240 and the third conveyor 250 is also configured as a diverter conveyor as shown in FIG. 6 so as to transfer the cassette by changing the traveling direction of 90 °.

In addition, the first conveyor 230 is for simply transferring the cassette from the loader 210 to the unloader 220, and the fourth conveyor 260 also carries the substrate-mounted cassette conveyed by the unmanned transport vehicle. 240, and the fifth conveyor 270 is also simply to receive the substrate mounting cassette from the third conveyor 250, and is configured as a standard conveyor as shown in FIG. 5. However, the end of the fourth conveyor 260 is not in contact with the second conveyor 240 is to be configured as a diverter conveyor as shown in Figure 6 so that the cassette can be smoothly delivered from the unmanned transport vehicle (9) The conveyor at the end of the fifth conveyor 270 that does not contact the fourth conveyor 250 may also be configured as a diverter conveyor for the same reason as described above. That is, the fourth conveyor 260 and the fifth conveyor 270 may be composed of only a plurality of standard conveyors, or may be composed of a plurality of standard conveyors and a diverter conveyor at the end.

On the other hand, the operation method of the cassette transport apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention as described above are as follows.

First, when the substrate mounting cassette 30a is transported by the unmanned transport vehicle 9 and placed on the end conveyor of the fourth conveyor 260, the roller of the fourth conveyor is rotated by the controller not shown to form a second roller. It is transferred to the conveyor 240. However, when the substrate mounting cassette is already placed on the second conveyor 240, the substrate mounting cassette placed on the fourth conveyor 260 is in the standby state.

In this case, the above operation may be performed by the operator directly controlling the control device, or may be automatically performed by various sensing sensors.

For example, a fourth cassette detection sensor (not shown) connected to the control device is attached to the fourth conveyor 260. When the weight of the cassette is detected by the control device, the control device automatically The transfer of the cassette is determined. Meanwhile, since a second cassette detection sensor (not shown) is also attached to the second conveyor 240, the cassette is transferred from the fourth conveyor 260 to the second conveyor 240 only when it is detected that there is no cassette. As such, the controller controls roller rotation of the fourth conveyor 260 and the second conveyor 240.

However, when it is detected that the cassette is placed on the second conveyor 240, the cassette stops the roller rotation of the fourth conveyor 260 and the second conveyor 240, so that the cassette is the fourth conveyor 260. It is prevented from being transferred to the second conveyor 240 from.

In the same way, the loader 210 is also equipped with a loader cassette detection sensor (not shown), so that the controller is placed on the second conveyor 240 only when no cassette is detected from the loader cassette detection sensor. The mounting cassette is transferred to the loader 210.

On the other hand, when the substrate mounting cassette is placed in the loader 210, the substrates are taken out to the factory execution line by the robot 21a, and when the weight of all the substrates being removed from the loader cassette detection sensor is sensed by the control apparatus, The controller automatically determines the transfer of the empty cassette. In this case, the unloader cassette detection sensor (not shown) is also attached to the unloader 220 so that the empty cassette may be transferred from the loader 210 to the unloader 220 only when it is detected that there is no cassette. The control device controls the roller rotation direction of the loader 210, the unloader 220, and the first conveyor 230.

When the empty cassette is placed on the unloader 220, the substrates that have been processed are loaded into the empty cassette by the robot 21b, and when the preset weight is sensed by the unloader cassette detection sensor, the controller unloader 220. By controlling the roller rotation direction of the substrate), the substrate mounting cassette can be transferred from the unloader 220 to the third conveyor 250. At this time, the third conveyor 250 is also equipped with a third cassette detection sensor, so that the controller is to remove the substrate mounting cassette from the unloader 220 only when the third conveyor 250 is detected that there is no cassette. It is transferred to the conveyor 250.

On the other hand, the substrate mounting cassette placed at the end of the fifth conveyor 270 is transferred to another process equipment by the unmanned transport vehicle 9, the fifth conveyor 270 is also equipped with a fifth cassette detection sensor, Only when it is detected that there is no cassette in the fifth conveyor 270, the controller controls the roller rotation of the third conveyor 250 and the fifth conveyor 270 to remove the substrate mounting cassette from the third conveyor 250. 5 is transferred to the end of the conveyor (270).

As a final step, when the substrate mounting cassette is placed on the fifth conveyor 270, the substrate mounting cassette is transferred to another process equipment by an unmanned transport vehicle as described above.

In the above description, the cassette detection sensor mounted on each conveyor is used to detect the presence or absence of a cassette or the weight of the cassette, and thus a detailed description thereof has been omitted since various sensors currently used by the above functions are available.

Meanwhile, the cassette conveying apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention as described above may be simplified in shape and function by the third and fourth embodiments, which will be described below. Compared to the four embodiments, more cassettes can be managed.

That is, in the cassette transport apparatus according to the second embodiment, a substrate-mounted cassette may be placed at the end of the fourth conveyor 260, the second conveyor 240, and the loader 210 as described above, and the fifth conveyor 270 may be used. At the end of the), the third conveyor and the unloader 220 may also be placed on the substrate mounting cassette and the empty cassette, it is possible to smoothly coordinate the supply and export of the cassette required during the process.

Furthermore, the cassette conveying apparatus according to the second embodiment has a feature that more cassettes can be managed since the cassette can be placed between the fourth conveyor 260 and the fifth conveyor 270 if necessary.

8 is a configuration diagram of a cassette transport apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a cassette transport apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

That is, in the second embodiment as described above, the fourth conveyor 260 on which the substrate-mounted cassette 30a, which has been conveyed by the unmanned transport vehicle, and the fifth conveyor on which the cassette 30b to be transported by the unmanned transport vehicle will be placed. Although 270 has been described as being placed in the longitudinal direction of the first conveyor 230, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be configured in various forms as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

First, FIG. 8 shows a fourth conveyor 360 on which the substrate mounting cassette 30a which has been transported by the unmanned transport vehicle 9 and a fifth on which the substrate mounting cassette 30b to be transported by the unmanned transport vehicle 9 will be placed. Conveyor 370 is a cassette conveying apparatus is placed in line with the loader 310 and the unloader 320, respectively, the overall shape is a straight shape, in the second embodiment the second conveyor 240 and The third conveyor 250 is omitted, and its shape is simplified.

Next, FIG. 9 shows a fourth conveyor 460 on which the substrate mounting cassette 30a which has been transported by the unmanned transport vehicle 9 and a fifth conveyor on which the substrate mounting cassette to be transported by the unmanned transport vehicle 9 will be placed. 470 is a cassette conveying device which is placed in a direction perpendicular to the first conveyor 430 relative to the loader 410 and the unloader 420, respectively, the overall shape is a 'c' shape, In the second embodiment, the second conveyor 240 and the third conveyor 250 are omitted, and the shape thereof is simplified.

FIG. 10 is an internal configuration diagram of an embodiment of a control device applied to the present invention. The control device mentioned in the description of FIGS. 4 to 9 may include various types of computers including a central processing unit (CPU). Can be used

At this time, the control device is connected to the cassette detection sensor mounted on each conveyor to receive the presence or weight of the detection information related to the cassette, while the drive device connected to the roller of each conveyor according to the detection information or By controlling the rotation direction and the like, the function of controlling the movement direction of the substrate mounting cassette or the empty cassette is performed.

In order to perform the above functions, the control apparatus, as shown in FIG. 10, a transceiver 51 for performing communication with the cassette sensing sensors and the driving apparatuses for driving the rollers of the conveyor, the Detection information reading unit 53 for reading the detection information received from the cassette detection sensors to set the roller driving and the driving direction of the conveyor, and stores the information of the conveyors, cassette detection sensors and driving devices, etc. A storage unit 54 for inputting, an input unit 55 for receiving various control signals from an administrator, an output unit 56 for outputting a control signal input from the administrator or detection information read by the reading unit, and the like. It is configured to include a control unit 52 for controlling the operation of each part.

That is, the control device 50 is connected to cassette detection sensors mounted on each conveyor in FIGS. 4 and 7 to 9, and is connected to a driving device for driving the rollers of the conveyors. In this case, since the connection configuration of the cassette sensor and the driving devices and the control device is the same as that of a general network, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

On the other hand, the control apparatus receives cassette detection information from each cassette detection sensor as described above, extracts information of the conveyor on which the cassette is placed and the conveyor on which the cassette is not placed, while the cassette is transferred to the conveyor without the cassette. In order to be able to go, it controls whether the driving device rotates and the rotation directions.

That is, by the function of the control device as described above, the cassette can be automatically transferred to the conveyor where the cassette is not placed.

Cassette transfer apparatus according to the present invention as described above, it is possible to transfer the substrate-mounted cassette and empty cassette in the process equipment without a separate unmanned transport vehicle, it has the feature that can improve the work efficiency of the process equipment .

In addition, since the present invention can manage a plurality of cassettes, it is possible to appropriately provide a substrate mounting cassette and a blank cassette required in the process equipment, thereby maximizing the work efficiency of the process equipment.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the detailed description of the specification, but should be defined by the claims.

Claims (16)

A loader in the form of a conveyor on which a substrate mounting cassette on which a substrate to be processed is loaded is placed; A conveyor-type unloader on which a blank cassette on which a substrate is not mounted is placed; A first conveyor connecting the loader and the unloader and transferring the empty cassette from which the substrate is discharged to a process execution line from the loader to the unloader; A second conveyor in contact with the loader at a 90 ° angle with the first conveyor; A third conveyor in contact with the unloader at an angle of 90 ° to the first conveyor; A fourth conveyor connecting the second conveyor and the third conveyor and transferring the empty cassette from the second conveyor to the third conveyor; And And a control device for controlling the driving of the conveyors. The method of claim 1, And said loader, unloader, second conveyor and third conveyor comprise a diverter conveyor. The method of claim 2, And a plurality of cassette detection sensors mounted on each of the conveyors to detect the presence or absence of a cassette or the weight of the cassette. The method of claim 3, wherein The control device includes: When cassette detection information is received from the cassette detection sensor mounted on the conveyor of the unloader, the roller rotation direction of the conveyor of the loader is controlled in the rotation direction toward the second conveyor, and the cassette mounted on the conveyor of the unloader. And when the cassette detection information is not received from the detection sensor, controlling the roller rotation direction of the conveyor of the loader in the rotation direction toward the unloader. The method of claim 3, wherein The control device includes: When the cassette detection information is received from the cassette detection sensor of the third conveyor, and the cassette detection information is not received from the cassette detection sensor mounted on the conveyor of the unloader, the roller unloading direction of the third conveyor may be changed. Cassette transfer apparatus characterized in that the control in the direction of rotation toward. A loader in the form of a conveyor on which a substrate mounting cassette on which a substrate to be processed is loaded is placed; A conveyor-type unloader on which a blank cassette on which a substrate is not mounted is placed; A first conveyor connecting the loader and the unloader and transferring the empty cassette from which the substrate has been discharged to a process execution line from the loader to the unloader; A second conveyor in contact with the loader at a 90 ° angle with the first conveyor; A third conveyor in contact with the unloader at an angle of 90 ° to the first conveyor; A fourth conveyor connected to the second conveyor in a longitudinal direction of the first conveyor, and having a substrate mounting cassette carried by an unmanned transport vehicle at an end not in contact with the second conveyor; A fifth conveyor connected to the third conveyor in a longitudinal direction of the first conveyor, and having a substrate mounting cassette placed at an end not in contact with the third conveyor, to be carried by an unmanned transport vehicle; And And a control device for controlling the driving of the conveyors. The method of claim 6, And said loader, unloader, second conveyor and third conveyor comprise a diverter conveyor. The method of claim 7, wherein And a conveyor at the end of the fourth conveyor not in contact with the second conveyor and a conveyor at the end of the fifth conveyor not in contact with the third conveyor are configured as diverter conveyors. 9. The method of claim 8, And a plurality of cassette detection sensors mounted on each of the conveyors to detect the presence or absence of a cassette or the weight of the cassette. The method of claim 9, The control device includes: Receiving cassette detection information from cassette detection sensors mounted on a fourth conveyor, a second conveyor, a loader, a first conveyor, an unloader, a third conveyor, and a fifth conveyor to control whether the rollers of the conveyors rotate and the rotation direction Cassette transfer apparatus, characterized in that. A loader in the form of a conveyor on which a substrate mounting cassette on which a substrate to be processed is loaded is placed; A conveyor-type unloader on which a blank cassette on which a substrate is not mounted is placed; A first conveyor connecting the loader and the unloader and transferring the empty cassette from which the substrate has been discharged to a process execution line from the loader to the unloader; A fourth conveyor connected to the loader, on which a substrate mounting cassette carried by an unmanned transport vehicle is placed; A fifth conveyor connected to the unloader and having a substrate mounting cassette to be carried by the unmanned transport vehicle; And And a control device for controlling the driving of the conveyors. The method of claim 11, And the fourth conveyor and the fifth conveyor are formed in line with the first conveyor. The method of claim 11, The fourth conveyor is in contact with the loader in a 90 ° angle to the first conveyor, the fifth conveyor is in contact with the unloader in a 90 ° angle with the first conveyor. Cassette Feeder. 14. The method of claim 13, The conveyor of the loader and the conveyor of the unloader is a cassette transport apparatus, characterized in that consisting of a diverter conveyor. The method of claim 11, And a plurality of cassette detection sensors mounted on each of the conveyors to detect the presence or absence of a cassette or the weight of the cassette. 16. The method of claim 15, The control device includes: Receiving cassette detection information from the cassette detection sensors mounted on the fourth conveyor, the loader, the first conveyor, the unloader and the fifth conveyor to control the rotation and the direction of rotation of the rollers of the conveyor .

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