KR20000010504U - Carrier Feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gripper of a carrier conveying apparatus. In the carrier conveying apparatus having a gripper for holding a carrier containing a wafer and a gripper conveying arm for slidingly moving the gripper, the gripper 36 is a gripper conveying arm ( 34 is connected to the connecting plate 42, the gripper body portion 43 is installed below the connecting plate 42, formed on both sides of the gripper body portion 43 for holding the upper end of the carrier 22 directly A pair of gripping portions 37 and a pair of sensors 38 and grippers for selectively operating the gripping portion 37 by selectively contacting the carrier 22 by being installed on the lower surface of the body portion 43 An elastic means provided between the connecting plate 42 and the gripper body portion 43 so that the gripper body portion 43 can be moved together with the connecting plate 42 by the sliding movement of the transfer arm 34. Elastic means The position of the carrier 22 is shifted from the preset position by being configured such that both the pair of sensors 38 can be in contact with the upper end of the carrier 22 even if the carrier 22 is positioned to deviate from the preset position. Even if the carrier 22 can be grasped and moved stably, it is possible to prevent the interruption of the production line.

Description

Carrier Feeder

The present invention relates to a carrier transfer device, and more particularly to a gripper of the carrier transfer device.

In general, in the semiconductor process, a carrier transfer device for transferring a carrier having a wafer stored in each slot to a desired position is employed.

1 shows one of the conventional carrier transfer devices.

As shown, the conventional carrier transporter 10 has a pair of posts 12, a port adapter 14 supported by the posts 12, and a port plate located on the port adapter 14. and an arm assembly slidably mounted to the port plate 16 and the post 12.

The port plate 16 is a portion surrounding the port door 18 when the port door 18 is raised, which will be described later, and the port adapter 14 supports the port plate 16 and keeps it in a desired position. It is a kind of frame, and the arm assembly is an assembly for transferring the carrier 22 (refer to FIG. 3) conveyed on the pod door 20 mentioned later to a desired position.

The arm assembly comprises first and second arms 32, 39 (see FIG. 3) mounted on the post 12 so as to be slidable in the direction indicated by the arrow, that is, in the up and down directions. One end of the first arm 32 is mounted with a gripper transfer arm 34 to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to the sliding movement direction of the first arm 32, and one end of the gripper transfer arm 34 is provided with a carrier 22. Grippers 36 are provided for holding the second door 39, and the second arm 39 is disposed on the port door 18 and the port door 18, as clearly shown in FIG. It is for transporting. Here, the base plate of the pod 1, which is a kind of container for transporting the carrier 22 containing the wafer located therein while maintaining the exterior and sealing, is called the pod door 20, and the carrier 22 The base plate, which serves to support the pod door 20 having, is named the port door 18.

On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 2, the gripper 36 is in contact with and non-contact with the carrier 22 on a pair of holding portions 37 and its lower surface for directly holding the upper end of the carrier 22 on both sides thereof. A pair of sensors 38 are provided for selectively operating the gripping portion 37.

Hereinafter, the transfer process of the carrier will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

First, when the carrier 22 in which the wafers accommodated in the pod 1 are aligned is seated on the pod door 20, the second arm 39 moves down the pod door 20 together with the port door 18. Transfer. Then, when the pod door 20 reaches a predetermined position, the height of the gripper 36 is adjusted by the vertical movement of the first arm 32, and then the gripper 36 is moved by the horizontal sliding movement of the gripper conveying arm 34. Is positioned on top of the carrier 22. Thereafter, as clearly shown in FIG. 8, the gripper 36 is gradually lowered by the sliding movement of the first arm 32 such that both of the pair of sensors 38 are in contact with the upper portion of the carrier 22. When contacted and pressed by the carrier 22, the gripper 37 of the gripper 36 is operated inwardly to grip both sides of the upper end of the carrier 22, and then transferred to a predetermined position for the next process.

However, in the above-described configuration, if the position or posture of the carrier is slightly shifted from the preset position or posture, and any one of the pair of sensors provided on the lower surface of the gripper first comes into contact with the upper end of the carrier, One sensor is in contact with the carrier, so the gripper's gripper will not work. Therefore, there is a problem that the production line is suspended.

The present invention is to solve such a conventional problem, even if one sensor of the pair of sensors provided in the gripper preferentially contacts the carrier, the other one is elastic so that the other can contact the carrier without damaging the carrier It is an object of the present invention to provide a gripper including a means.

The present invention for realizing the above object is a carrier transfer apparatus having a gripper for holding a carrier containing a wafer and a gripper transfer arm for slidingly moving the gripper, the gripper is connected to the gripper transfer arm, A gripper body portion which is installed under the connecting plate, a pair of grip portions formed on both sides of the gripper body portion for holding the upper end of the carrier directly, and installed on the lower surface of the body portion to selectively contact the carrier And a spring provided between the connecting plate and the gripper body portion so that the gripper body portion can be moved together with the connecting plate by sliding movement of the pair of sensors and the gripper transfer arm to operate the spring. A pair of sensations even if they are positioned out of position All it characterized by being adapted to be in contact with the top of the carrier.

The above object and various advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the preferred embodiments of the present invention described below with reference to the accompanying drawings by those skilled in the art.

1 is a perspective view of a conventional carrier transport apparatus,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the gripper of the conventional carrier transfer device,

3 is a view for explaining the principle of operation of the conventional carrier transfer device,

4 is a view for explaining a process of holding a carrier by a conventional gripper,

5 is a perspective view of a carrier transport apparatus according to the present invention,

6 is a perspective view of a gripper of the carrier transfer device according to the present invention,

7 is a view for explaining the operating principle of the carrier transport apparatus according to the present invention,

8 is a view for explaining a process of the gripper holding the carrier according to the present invention,

9 is a view for explaining the role of the elastic means mounted to the gripper according to the present invention.

<Description of the code | symbol about the principal part of drawing>

10 carrier carrier 12 post 22 carrier

31: First Arm 34: Gripper Transfer Arm

37 gripper gripping portion 38 sensor 39 second arm

40: gripper 42: connection plate 43: gripper body

44: spring

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail the carrier transport apparatus according to the present invention. In addition, in the following description, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the same component as the conventional description.

As shown in FIG. 5, the carrier transporter 10 includes a pair of posts 12, a port adapter 14 supported by the posts 12, and a port located on the port adapter 14. An arm assembly slidably mounted to a port plate 16 and a post 12.

The port plate 16 is a portion surrounding the port door 18 when the port door 18 is raised, and the port adapter 14 supports a port plate 16 and keeps it in a desired position. It is a frame, and the arm assembly is an assembly for transferring the carrier 22 which has been conveyed onto the pod door 20 to a desired position.

The arm assembly comprises first and second arms 32, 39 (see FIG. 7) mounted on the post 12 so as to be slidably movable in the direction indicated by the arrow, that is, in the up and down directions. One end of the first arm 32 is mounted with a gripper transfer arm 34 to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to the sliding movement direction of the first arm 32, and one end of the gripper transfer arm 34 is provided with a carrier 22. A gripper 40 is provided for gripping the second arm 39, and the second arm 39 is disposed on the port door 18 and the port door 18, as clearly shown in FIG. 7. It is to transfer.

6 and 8, the gripper 40 includes a connecting plate 42 connected to the gripper transfer arm 34 and a gripper body 43 installed below the connecting plate 42. Is provided on both sides of the gripper body portion 43 to be in contact with the carrier 22 by being installed on the pair of gripping portions 37 and the lower surface of the body portion 43 for gripping the upper end of the carrier 22 directly, It comprises a pair of sensors 38 for selectively actuating the gripping portion 37 by being in contact. On the other hand, the spring 44 between the connecting plate 42 and the gripper body portion 43 so that the gripper body portion 43 can be moved together with the connecting plate 42 by the sliding movement of the gripper transfer arm 34. Elastic means such as is provided. The elastic means serves to allow the pair of sensors 38 to be in contact with the upper end of the carrier 22 even when the carrier 22 is positioned out of a predetermined position.

Hereinafter, the transfer process of the carrier will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

First, when the carrier 22 in which the wafers accommodated in the pod 1 are aligned is seated on the pod door 20, the second arm 39 moves down the pod door 20 together with the port door 18. Transfer. Then, when the pod door 20 reaches a predetermined position, the height of the gripper 40 is adjusted by the sliding motion of the first arm 32, and then the gripper (by the horizontal sliding motion of the gripper conveying arm 34). 40 is located on top of the carrier 22. Then, as clearly shown in FIG. 8, the connecting plate 42 and the body portion 43 are gradually lowered by the sliding movement of the first arm 32, so that the pair of sensors 38 are both carriers. When pressed by the carrier 22 in contact with the upper end of the 22, the gripper 37 of the gripper 40 operates inwardly to grip both sides of the upper end of the carrier 22, and then the predetermined To the position of.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 9, when the position or posture of the carrier 22 is disposed to deviate from the predetermined position or posture, any one of the pair of sensors 38 provided on the lower surface of the gripper 40 First comes into contact with the top of the carrier 22. However, even in this case, the body portion 43 of the gripper 40 continues without damaging the carrier 22 by the compression distance of the spring 44 provided between the connecting plate 42 and the body portion 43. You can descend. Due to the downward movement of the gripper 40, the non-contacted sensor comes into contact with the carrier 22 so that the carrier 22 can be moved to a predetermined position by operating the grip portion 37 of the gripper 36. do.

As described above, the present invention has been described and illustrated with reference to a preferred example, but it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In the above-described configuration, by providing the elastic means in the gripper, even if the position of the carrier is shifted from the preset position, the carrier can be grasped and moved stably to prevent interruption of the production line.

Claims (2)

A carrier transport apparatus having a gripper for holding a carrier containing a wafer and a gripper transport arm for slidingly moving the gripper, The gripper 40 is connected to both side surfaces of the gripper body portion 43 and the gripper body portion 43 installed below the connecting plate 42 and the gripper transfer arm 34. A pair of gripping portions 37 formed on the lower surface of the body portion 43 to selectively hold the upper end of the carrier 22, and being selectively contacted with the carrier 22 to hold the upper portion of the carrier 22. The connecting plate 42 so that the gripper body 43 can be moved together with the connecting plate 42 by the sliding movement of the pair of sensors 38 and the gripper conveying arm 34 for selectively operating. ) And elastic means provided between the gripper body portion 43, The elastic means is a carrier transport apparatus, characterized in that the pair of sensors (38) are configured to be in contact with the upper end of the carrier (22) even if the carrier (22) is located off the predetermined position. 2. A carrier conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said elastic means is a spring (44).