TW201939645A - Unlocking mechanism of substrate receiving container capable of rapidly releasing the locking of the lid of the substrate receiving container - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a mechanism capable of highly efficiently releasing the locking of a lid of a substrate receiving container, which comprises: a driving mechanism (110) having a releasing rod action mechanism (100) and a cylinder (112), wherein the releasing rod action mechanism (100) is extended to the vicinity of a stop sheet (5) of a substrate receiving container (1) through an opening (7a) disposed to a platen to turn and press the stop sheet (5) outwardly to release the locking of a lid (2) and the linear motion of the cylinder (112) may input a specific action to a sliding portion (120) capable of rotating the releasing rod action mechanism (100) with a specific angle; a synchronous ring (11) connected with another end of a connecting arm (101) while one end of the connecting arm (101) is connected with the sliding portion (120); another sliding portion (160) inputting the same sliding amount as the sliding portion (120) through a second connecting arm (151) connected with the synchronous ring (11); and a driven mechanism (150), which is rotated by the sliding action of another sliding portion (160) to release the locking of the stop sheet (5) of the substrate receiving container (1).

Description

Lock release mechanism for substrate storage container

The present invention relates to a lock release mechanism for a substrate storage container, and relates to a lock release mechanism for a substrate storage container that stacks and transports a plurality of substrates such as semiconductor wafers.

As a substrate storage container in which a plurality of substrates such as semiconductor wafers are stacked and stored in a container body and transported with the lid closed and locked, a semiconductor wafer storage container of Patent Document 1 (hereinafter, Recorded as the substrate storage container). [Prior Art Document] [Patent Document] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-43001

In the substrate accommodating container, as shown in the diagram of Patent Document 1, a locking piece 9 is erected at the corner of the bottom panel having a substantially quadrangular shape in a plan view, and a locking claw is formed on the upper end of the locking piece 9. 8. A locking hole 15 is formed in the lid body 3. In order to keep the lid body 3 covered on the container body in a locked state, the locking claw 8 is locked on the lid upper panel 13 around the locking hole 15. Above the face.

The substrate accommodating container of Patent Document 1 has an excellent locking mechanism compared with the structure adopted in the conventional substrate accommodating container by rotating the lid body to open and close it. However, a mechanism for releasing the locking claw to release the locked state of the cover is not shown. Such a substrate storage container is used to transfer a substrate before processing continuously taken out from the substrate storage container into a transfer box or the like, or to transfer a substrate subjected to a predetermined process by a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus from the transfer box or the like to the substrate storage container. In the case where the substrate transfer robot is controlled and the transfer operation is continuously performed in the transfer device, it is necessary to automatically perform the releasing operation of the locking mechanism of the substrate storage container and the opening and closing operation of the lid.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In order to eliminate the problems of the prior art described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate storage container capable of quickly releasing the lock of a substrate storage container in a substrate storage container whose cover is locked by a locking member. mechanism. [Technical means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned problem, the lock release mechanism of the substrate storage container of the present invention is provided at the lower part of the platen on which the substrate storage container is placed, and is used to release the locking member for locking the cover of the substrate storage container. The lock release mechanism of the substrate storage container includes a drive mechanism including a lock release portion, a sliding portion, and an air cylinder. The lock release portion is rotatably supported by the platen, and is provided through the plate. The opening of the plate extends to the vicinity of a locking member of the substrate storage container. The lock releasing portion rotates and presses the locking member outward to release the lock of the cover. The sliding portion moves linearly to cause the lock. The stop releasing part rotates a specific angle, and the cylinder inputs a specific linear motion to the sliding part; a first connecting arm has one end connected to the sliding part; a synchronizing ring is connected to the other end of the first connecting arm; Mechanism including another sliding portion and another lock release portion, and the other sliding portion is inputted through a second connecting arm connected to the synchronization ring. The sliding amount of the sliding member of the driving mechanism is the same, and the other lock releasing portion is rotated by the sliding action of the other sliding portion, and the other locking member of the substrate storage container is pressed outward to release the lock of the cover. stop.

Preferably, the sliding portion includes a guide sliding contact body and a slider body. The guide sliding contact body slides along a guide rod provided on a lower surface of the platen, and the slider body receives input from a piston rod of the cylinder. In operation, a wedge-shaped inclined surface is formed at the front end in the sliding direction of the slider body, and the wedge-shaped inclined surface slides to abut against the opposite wedge-shaped inclined surface of the lock release member, so that the lock release member rotates specifically angle.

Preferably, the lock release unit includes: a lever holding body, which is supported by the platen to rotate, and is rotated by the abutment of the sliding portion; The locking member.

Preferably, the synchronizing ring is rotated by a specific angle corresponding to the displacement of the first connecting arm, and the displacement of the first connecting arm is generated in accordance with the amount of sliding of the sliding portion of the driving mechanism, The two connecting arms input the same sliding amount as the sliding portion of the driving mechanism to the driven mechanism.

Preferably, the lock release lever of the lock release section keeps pressing the lock member while the cover is removed, and the substrate storage container is fixedly held on the platen.

Preferably, the two driving mechanisms and the two driven mechanisms operate in synchronization via the synchronization ring, the first connecting arm, and the second connecting arm.

Preferably, the position detection unit of the other sliding portion is provided in the driven mechanism.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the lock release mechanism 10 (hereinafter, simply referred to as the lock release mechanism 10) of the substrate storage container 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the locking mechanism for the substrate storage container 1 shown in FIGS. 5 (a) to (c) as an example, that is, the locking mechanism provided on the bottom plate 6 of the main body of the substrate storage container 1 as a locking member. A plan view of a schematic structure of the lock release mechanism 10 for releasing the lock state of the lock mechanism of the lock cover 2 by the locking action of the lock piece 5.

Here, the structure of the substrate storage container 1 to which the lock release mechanism 10 of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to Figs. 5 (a) to (c). FIG. 5 (a) shows the planar shape of the lid body 2 covering the upper surface of the substrate storage container 1, and FIG. 5 (b) shows the side shape of the substrate storage container 1. As shown in FIG. 5 (a), locking holes 3 for locking are formed in the four corners of the cover 2. A part of this locking hole 3 is blocked by a locking cover 4. A locking claw 5 a formed on the upper end of the plate-shaped locking piece 5 (FIG. 5 (c)) which can be flexibly flexed in an initial state as an initial state is locked on the locking cover 4. By the locking action of the locking claws 5 a at the four positions, the lid body 2 of the substrate storage container 1 is held in a state of being reliably locked to the body of the substrate storage container 1. It should be noted that there is also a case where the locking mechanism of the substrate storage container 1 is provided at two positions at the diagonal positions of the cover 2. In this case, it is obvious that a lock release mechanism is provided corresponding to the arrangement position of each lock mechanism.

Next, taking the case where the four corners of the substrate storage container 1 are stored in the lock mechanism as an example, the structure of the lock release mechanism 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 (a), the lock release mechanism 10 is locked at four parts of the four corners of the substrate storage container 1 (indicated by the two-point chain line in FIG. 1) as the lock mechanism. In the vicinity of the piece 5 (indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 1), four release lever operation mechanisms 100 are disposed (to be described later). As shown in FIG. 4 (a), the lock release mechanism 10 is fixed to a lower surface of the base plate 7 on which the substrate storage container 1 is placed at a specific position via a mounting mechanism such as a fixing bolt (not shown). Thus, by disposing the lock release mechanism 10 on the lower side of the base plate 7, it is possible to reduce the risk of particles entering the substrate storage container 1. On the other hand, a starting area 8 is erected on the upper surface of the base plate 7, and the positions of each side of the substrate receiving container 1 placed on the base plate 7 are precisely defined by the starting area 8. Moreover, openings having a substantially rectangular shape are formed at positions of the base plate 7 corresponding to the positions of the four locking mechanisms of the substrate storage container 1. A lock release lever 135 of a lock release mechanism 10 described later is inserted into the opening.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 (a), and 3 (a), a lock release mechanism 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a synchronizing ring 11 in a manner that the center position is consistent with the center position of the substrate storage container 1. Configuration; four connecting arms 101, 151 (also known as the first connecting arm 101 and the second connecting arm 151), one end of which is connected to the synchronizing ring 11 via a rolling bearing 13; four release lever action mechanisms 100, which are connected to each connection via the rolling bearing 12. The other ends of the arms 101,151. In the above structure, the synchronizing ring 11 is hung on the lower surface of the base plate 7 by the ring holding member 14 through a bearing (not shown) so that the rotation center is held. In addition, the guide lever 115 that guides the linear motion of the sliding portion 120 of the release lever operation mechanism 100 is also fixed and held on the lower surface of the base plate 7.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment, in order to realize the linear motion operation of the release lever operation mechanism 100, a block-shaped sliding portion 120 and a guide lever 115 for guiding the same are used. In addition, in order to realize the synchronous displacement of the four connecting arms 101, 151, a ring-shaped member (synchronous ring 11) capable of rotation is used. As long as it is a displacement mechanism, a lever mechanism, or an action member that have equivalent functions, it is obvious that various designs can be made on the shape, structure, and the like.

The four release lever operating mechanisms 100 are composed of two driving mechanisms 110 and two driven mechanisms 150. The linear motion of the sliding portion 120 generated by the driving mechanism 110 is transmitted to the driven mechanism 150 through the connecting arm 101, the synchronizing ring 11, and the connecting arm 151. Thereby, the synchronous operation of the lock release lever 135 in the drive mechanism 110 and the follower mechanism 150 of each release lever operation mechanism 100 is achieved.

The structure of the driving mechanism 110 (hereinafter, simply referred to as the driving mechanism 110) of the release lever operation mechanism 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 (a) and 3 (a). As shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 3 (a), the driving mechanism 110 abuts against a portion of the sliding portion 120 by the sliding portion 120 that can move linearly along the guide rod 115 and the linear movement of the sliding portion 120. The lock release unit 130 is connected to rotate at a specific angle. The sliding portion 120 can move linearly along the guide rod 115 by the expansion and contraction of the piston rod 113 of the cylinder 112 supported on the base plate 7 (FIG. 3 (a)) via the support flange. It should be noted that, in FIGS. 1, 2 (a), and 2 (b), in order to show the structure of the lock release lever 135, the opening 7a of the base plate 7 and its vicinity are partially shown.

The sliding portion 120 is formed in a block shape in which the guide sliding contact body 121 and the slider body 122 are vertically integrated with each other. The guide sliding body 121 slides into contact with the side and the bottom of the elongated rectangular parallelepiped-shaped guide rod 115 fixed on the lower surface of the base plate 7 so that the driving mechanism 110 moves linearly with a specific stroke. A connecting shaft 126 is connected to the lower surface of the rear end of the slider body 122 holding the guide sliding contact body 121, and one end of the connecting arm 101 is connected to the connecting shaft 126 via the rolling bearing 12 (FIG. 3 (a)). On the other hand, a wedge-shaped inclined surface portion 122 a inclined downward at a specific angle is formed at the front end of the slider body 122. The telescopic movement of the piston rod 113 of the air cylinder 112 is transmitted to the slider body 122 through the bracket 127. It should be noted that instead of the cylinder 112, various driving sources such as an electric motor that can generate a specific displacement stroke can be used.

The lock release portion 130 is composed of a structure in which the lever holder 132 and the lock release lever 135 are integrally connected. The lever holder 132 is formed with an inclined wedge facing the wedge-shaped inclined portion 122 a of the inclined portion of the slider body 122. The slanted surface portion 132 a and the locking release lever 135 extend along the locking piece 5 of the substrate storage container 1. The lever holder 132 is rotatably held on the lower surface of the base plate 7 via a rotation support shaft 133. Therefore, as will be described later, when the lever holder 132 rotates a specific angle, the lock release lever 135 rotates a specific angle around the root (FIG. 3 (b)).

The structure of the follower mechanism 150 (hereinafter, abbreviated as the follower mechanism 150) of the release lever operation mechanism 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the two follower mechanisms 150 are disposed opposite to each other on a line that is approximately orthogonal to the line connecting the two drive mechanisms 110 at the opposite positions. Unlike the driving mechanism 110 shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 3 (a), each driven mechanism 150 does not include a cylinder 112 and a bracket 127 that transmits the telescopic movement of the cylinder 112 to the sliding portion 120. As another configuration, as shown in FIG. 1, the driven mechanism 150 includes a detection unit 180 that detects a linear motion operation state of the sliding portion 160. The other structures are the same as those of the driving mechanism 110. The driving force of the driving mechanism 110 is transmitted to the driven mechanism 150 via the connecting arm 101, the synchronizing ring 11, and the connecting arm 151 connected to the lower surface of the rear end of the slider body 122 of the driving mechanism 110 as described above. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, in conjunction with a linear motion motion outside the slider body 122 toward the driving mechanism 110, the connecting arm 101 of the driving mechanism 110 follows the movement of the slider body 122 to rotate the synchronizing ring 11 counterclockwise. As the synchronizing ring 11 rotates, the same amount of outward displacement is transmitted to the connecting arm 151 connected to the driven mechanism 150. The connecting arm 151 causes the sliding portion 160 of the connected driven mechanism 150 to move along the guide rod 155. The outer sliding is the same as the sliding amount of the driving mechanism 110.

At this time, a detection portion 180 for detecting the sliding state of the driven mechanisms 150 is provided on the side of the sliding portions 160 of the two driven mechanisms 150. In the present embodiment, a miniature photo sensor is mounted as the position detection sensor 181. The position of the tracking mark 182 mounted on the sliding portion 160 of the driven mechanism 150 can be detected, and the positions of the sliding portions 120 and 160 and the rotation of the lock release levers 135 and 175 can be detected, that is, the locked state and unlocked state of the cover 2.

Here, referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, taking the operation of taking out the substrate from the substrate storage container 1 provided at a predetermined position on the base plate 7 of the substrate transfer device as an example, the lock release mechanism of the substrate storage container 1 of the present invention is taken as an example. The operation of 10 will be described.

FIG. 4 (a) shows a state where the substrate storage container 1 is placed at a specific position on the base plate 7 in the substrate transfer device. The four sides of the substrate accommodating container 1 are precisely placed on a specific position on the base plate 7 due to the activation zone 8 provided on the base plate 7. At this time, the lid body 2 of the substrate accommodating container 1 is in a closed state. As shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 5 (c), a locking claw 5 a formed on the upper end of the locking piece 5 on the body side is locked on the lid. The cover 4 of the opening of the body 2 is locked to maintain the locked state. In order to release the locked state, the air cylinder 112 is driven to perform a stroke set to retract the piston rod 113. Along with this, as shown in FIG. 2 (b) and FIG. 3 (b), the sliding portion 120 slides outside the driving mechanism 110, and the wedge-shaped inclined surface portion 122a formed at the front end of the slider body 122 and the lock release portion 130 The wedge-shaped inclined surface portion 132 a of the lever holding body 132 abuts and presses the lever holding body 132. Thereby, the lever holding body 132 is rotated around the rotation support shaft 133 so that the wedge-shaped inclined surface portion 132 a at the front end is lifted. By this rotation, the lock release lever 135 also rotates integrally. As shown in FIG. 3 (b), the lock release lever 135 comes into contact with the lock piece 5 of the substrate storage container 1 and presses the lock piece 5. The locking piece 5, which is a resin-made elongated plate-like member, is pressed and deformed by the locking release lever 135, and the locking claw 5 a is detached from the locking cover 4 of the cover 2. The lock release operation is performed in synchronization with the two driving mechanisms 110 and the two driven mechanisms 150 through the action of the synchronization ring 11. The four lock release levers 135 and 175 are respectively rotated by the same amount, and the locks of the four lock claws 5a of the lid body 2 of the substrate storage container 1 are simultaneously released.

While maintaining the unlocked state, as shown in FIG. 4 (b), the lid adsorption holding mechanism 51 of the substrate transfer device is lowered from above the substrate storage container 1, and the lid 2 that adsorbs the unlocked state is raised. Lift the cover 2. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4 (c), the lid body suction holding mechanism 51 is retracted to the side while holding the lid body 2. In this state, a substrate transfer robot (not shown) sequentially moves the substrates 9 in the substrate storage container 1 into a transfer box (not shown) in a predetermined order. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the main body of the substrate storage container 1 is in a state where the locking piece 5 is pressed by the locking release lever 135 and is fixedly held on the base plate 7.

In the above, the operation of releasing the lock of the lid body 2 of the substrate storage container 1 and opening the lid and continuously taking out the accommodated substrate 9 has been described. After the removal operation is completed, the lid body adsorption holding mechanism 51 can be operated to make the lid The body 2 covers the substrate accommodating container 1 body again. After confirming that the lid body 2 covers the main body of the substrate storage container 1, the piston rod 113 of the cylinder 112 of the lock release mechanism 10 is extended. Thereby, the lock release state of the lock release levers 135 and 175 of the lock release mechanism 10 to the lock piece 5 of the substrate storage container 1 is released, the lock piece 5 returns to the initial state again, and the cover 2 is in the locked state.

The lock release mechanism 10 of the present invention can respond to the diameters of substrates such as various semiconductor wafers, that is, the specifications of various substrate storage containers 1 by appropriately changing the arrangement positions of the driving mechanism 110 and the driven mechanism 150, and the size of the connecting arm. In addition, as a driving form in which the driving mechanism 110 and the driven mechanism 150 are combined, a driving form in which the lock release mechanism 10 having four parts is driven by three driving parts 150 with one driving mechanism 110 can be appropriately set, Drive mode with two parts of the lock release mechanism 10 and one drive mechanism 110 driving the one drive mechanism 150, without using the drive mechanism 150, the drive mechanism 110 drives all the lock release mechanisms 10 Wait. As the lever mechanism between the driving mechanism 110 and the driven mechanism 150, in addition to the above-mentioned connecting arms 101 and 151 and the synchronizing ring 11, a lever mechanism and a transmission mechanism capable of achieving equivalent displacement transmission can also be used.

In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, Various deformation | transformation can be implemented within the range shown by each patent application range. That is, an embodiment obtained by combining technical means appropriately deformed within the range shown in the scope of the patent application is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

1‧‧‧ substrate storage container

2‧‧‧ cover

3‧‧‧ Locking hole for locking

4‧‧‧ locking cover

5‧‧‧ stop

5a‧‧‧claw

6‧‧‧ floor

7‧‧‧ base plate (table plate)

7a‧‧‧ opening

8‧‧‧Startup area

9‧‧‧ substrate

10‧‧‧Lock release mechanism

11‧‧‧Synchro Ring

12‧‧‧ Rolling bearings

13‧‧‧Rolling bearings

14‧‧‧ ring retaining parts

51‧‧‧ Lid adsorption holding mechanism

100‧‧‧ Release lever action mechanism

101‧‧‧ connecting arm (first connecting arm)

110‧‧‧Drive mechanism

112‧‧‧cylinder

113‧‧‧Piston rod

115,155‧‧‧Guide

120,160‧‧‧Sliding section

121‧‧‧Guide sliding body

122‧‧‧ slider body

122a, 132a‧‧‧ Wedge-shaped oblique face

126‧‧‧Connecting shaft

127‧‧‧ bracket

130‧‧‧Lock release

132‧‧‧ rod holder

133‧‧‧ support shaft

135,175‧‧‧Lock release lever

150‧‧‧ Follower

151‧‧‧ connecting arm (second connecting arm)

170‧‧‧Lock release

180‧‧‧Testing Department

181‧‧‧Position detection sensor

182‧‧‧Tracking Mark

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of a lock release mechanism of a substrate storage container according to the present invention. 2 (a) and 2 (b) are partial enlarged plan views showing the structure and operating state of the lock release mechanism shown in FIG. 1. 3 (a) and 3 (b) are partially enlarged side views showing the structure and operating state of the lock release mechanism shown in FIG. FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (c) are explanatory diagrams showing operation states in a state where the cover of the substrate storage container of the present invention is removed and the substrate is transferred. 5 (a) to 5 (c) are a plan view, a side view, and a partial side view showing the structure of an example of a substrate storage container to which the lock release mechanism of the present invention is applied.

Claims (7)

A locking release mechanism for a substrate storage container is provided at a lower portion of a platen on which the substrate storage container is placed, and is used to release the locking of a locking member for locking the cover of the substrate storage container. The substrate storage container The lock release mechanism includes a drive mechanism including a lock release portion, a sliding portion, and an air cylinder. The lock release portion is rotatably supported by the platen, and is provided to extend to the above through an opening provided in the platen. In the vicinity of a locking member of the substrate storage container, the lock release portion rotates and presses the lock member outward to release the lock of the cover, and the sliding portion moves linearly to rotate the lock release portion by a specific angle. The air cylinder inputs a specific linear motion to the sliding part; a first connecting arm having one end connected to the sliding part; a synchronizing ring connected to the other end of the first connecting arm; a driven mechanism having another slide Part and another lock release part, the other sliding part is input with the driving mechanism via a second connecting arm connected to the synchronizing ring. The moving part has the same sliding amount, and the other lock release part is rotated by the sliding action of the other slide part, and the other lock member of the substrate storage container is pressed outward to release the lock of the cover. According to the lock release mechanism of the substrate storage container according to item 1 of the scope of the patent application, the sliding part is provided with a guide sliding contact body and a slider body, and the guide sliding contact body is along a guide rod provided on the lower surface of the platen. In sliding contact, the slider body receives an input action from the piston rod of the cylinder, and a wedge-shaped inclined surface is formed at the front end in the sliding direction of the slider body, and the wedge-shaped inclined surface slides to oppose the lock release portion. The wedge-shaped oblique portion abuts, and the lock release portion is rotated by a specific angle. The lock release mechanism of the substrate storage container according to item 1 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the lock release portion includes: a rod holding body, which is supported by the platen and rotated by the abutment of the sliding portion; a card The lock release lever rotates integrally with the lever holder to press the lock member. According to the lock release mechanism of the substrate storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the synchronization ring rotates a specific angle corresponding to the displacement of the first connecting arm, and the first connecting arm The displacement is generated in accordance with the sliding amount of the sliding portion of the driving mechanism, and the same sliding amount as the sliding portion of the driving mechanism is input to the driven mechanism via the second connecting arm connected to the synchronization ring. According to the lock release mechanism of the substrate storage container according to item 3 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the lock release lever of the lock release section keeps pressing the lock member while the cover is removed, and the The substrate storage container is fixedly held on the platen. According to the unlocking mechanism of the substrate storage container according to item 1 of the scope of the patent application, two of the above-mentioned driving mechanisms and two of the following driven mechanisms operate synchronously through the synchronization ring, the first connecting arm, and the second connecting arm. . The unlocking mechanism of the substrate storage container according to item 1 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the position detecting unit of the other sliding portion is provided on the driven mechanism.