TWI749256B - 保管系統及保管系統之淨化方法 - Google Patents

保管系統及保管系統之淨化方法 Download PDF

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TWI749256B
TWI749256B TW107130851A TW107130851A TWI749256B TW I749256 B TWI749256 B TW I749256B TW 107130851 A TW107130851 A TW 107130851A TW 107130851 A TW107130851 A TW 107130851A TW I749256 B TWI749256 B TW I749256B
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clean gas
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椿達雄
山路孝
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日商村田機械股份有限公司
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Abstract

本發明之保管系統具備有：複數個貨架，其等設置有供給潔淨氣體之噴嘴；複數個流量控制部，其等控制潔淨氣體之供給量；搬送裝置，其對貨架搬入搬出容器；及控制器，其控制搬送裝置與流量控制部。藉由控制器，於預定保管之容器之產生前，預先分配至少1個貨架以做好容器之保管的準備，並且根據該分配結果，自流量控制部朝向至少1個貨架之噴嘴供給潔淨氣體。

Description

保管系統及保管系統之淨化方法
本發明關於淨化倉儲等之保管系統、及保管系統之淨化方法。
於淨化倉儲中，將被設置於貨架之噴嘴連接至保管於貨架之FOUP(前開式晶圓傳送盒；Front Opening Unified Pod)等之容器之底部之閥，而對容器內供給氮氣、清潔乾燥空氣等之潔淨氣體。
本案申請人發現，貨架之噴嘴之污染會導致FOUP內之半導體晶圓等物品之污染，而提案即便於未載置有容器之空貨架，亦藉由供給少量之潔淨氣體，來進行噴嘴之清潔(吹飛附著於噴嘴之微粒)者(專利文獻1：JP4692584B)。相對於此，專利文獻2(JP5557061B)則提案有若淨化倉儲之搬送裝置開始動作，便僅對被分配為入庫目的地之貨架之噴嘴進行清潔者。於該淨化倉儲中，由於以搬送裝置之移動開始為觸發，而僅於入庫目的地之貨架實施清潔，因此可減少潔淨氣體之使用量。
而本案發明人發現，若於搬送裝置之移動開始後才開始進行噴嘴之清潔，便會發生搬送裝置於清潔完成前就到達入庫目的地之貨架，而將容器連接至清潔不充分之噴嘴之情形、或發生會使搬送裝置所進行朝向貨架之移載動作要等到清潔完成才能進行 之情形。
[先前技術文獻] [專利文獻]
[專利文獻1]JP4692584B
[專利文獻2]JP5557061B
本發明之課題，在於提供可一邊減少潔淨氣體之使用量一邊於將容器移載至貨架前充分地清潔噴嘴，而且不會發生為了等待噴嘴之清潔完成而使搬送裝置所進行之容器之移載動作延遲等情形的保管系統及保管系統之淨化方法。
本發明之保管系統具備有：複數個貨架，其等設置有朝向容器之內部供給潔淨氣體之噴嘴；複數個流量控制部，其等控制上述潔淨氣體朝向上述噴嘴之供給量；搬送裝置，其對上述貨架搬入搬出上述容器；及控制器，其控制上述搬送裝置與上述流量控制部；其特徵在於，上述控制器係構成為：於預定保管之上述容器之產生前，預先分配至少1個上述貨架以做好上述容器之保管的準備，並且根據該分配結果，而以朝向該至少1個上述貨架之上述噴嘴供給上述潔淨氣體之方式來控制上述流量控制部。
本發明之保管系統之淨化方法，該保管系統具備有： 複數個貨架，其等設置有朝向容器之內部供給潔淨氣體之噴嘴；複數個流量控制部，其等控制上述潔淨氣體朝向上述噴嘴之供給量；搬送裝置，其對上述貨架搬入搬出上述容器；及控制器，其控制上述搬送裝置與上述流量控制部；如此之保管系統之淨化方法，其特徵在於：藉由上述控制器，於預定保管之上述容器之產生前，預先分配至少1個上述貨架以做好上述容器之保管的準備，並且根據該分配結果，朝向該至少1個上述貨架之上述噴嘴供給上述潔淨氣體。
於本發明中，在預定保管之容器之產生前、即在應保管之容器到達保管系統前，分配至少1個貨架來作為預定入庫之貨架，並於該所分配之貨架開始進行噴嘴之清潔。因此，於將容器移載至貨架之前，可充分地清潔噴嘴。又，由於可以充分之時間進行噴嘴之清潔，因此不會發生為了等待噴嘴之清潔完成而使搬送裝置所進行之容器朝向貨架之移載動作延遲等之情形。
較佳係特徵在於：上述保管系統為淨化倉儲，且進一步具備有出入庫埠，上述搬送裝置於上述出入庫埠與上述貨架之間搬送上述容器，上述控制器係構成為於應入庫之上述容器到達上述出入庫埠前，預先分配上述至少1個貨架。於該情形時，由於在要入庫之容器到達前便開始進行貨架之分配與噴嘴之清潔，因此可於容器到達貨架前充分地清潔噴嘴。
較佳為上述控制器係構成為以朝向至少1個上述貨架之上述噴嘴間歇性地供給上述潔淨氣體之方式來控制上述流量控制部。如此一來，即便於所分配之貨架長時間未載置有容器之情形時，亦可以較少之潔淨氣體之使用量將噴嘴保持清潔。亦即，於長 時間未載置有容器之情形時，相較於完全不供給潔淨氣體之情形，可將噴嘴保持清潔。又，相較於連續地供給潔淨氣體之情形，可減少潔淨氣體之使用量。
更佳為上述搬送裝置具備有朝向上述貨架進入並將上述容器卸載之移載裝置，上述控制器係構成為：自上述移載裝置朝向上述貨架開始前進至完成卸載為止，朝向上述噴嘴供給較上述移載裝置開始之前進前更大流量之上述潔淨氣體。如此一來，不僅可清潔噴嘴，亦可清潔由移載裝置所支撐之(與噴嘴對向)之容器的底面。
2‧‧‧淨化倉儲
4‧‧‧壁
5‧‧‧門
6‧‧‧搬送裝置
7‧‧‧台車
8‧‧‧桅桿
9‧‧‧升降台
10‧‧‧移載裝置
11‧‧‧軌道
14‧‧‧貨架
16‧‧‧FOUP(容器)
17‧‧‧開口
18‧‧‧貨架支承件
19‧‧‧銷
20‧‧‧淨化噴嘴
21‧‧‧載貨感測器
22‧‧‧MFC
23‧‧‧管路
30‧‧‧倉儲控制器
31‧‧‧貨架檔案
32‧‧‧搬送控制器
33‧‧‧移行馬達
34‧‧‧升降馬達
36‧‧‧淨化控制器
38‧‧‧外部控制器
40‧‧‧移行軌道
42‧‧‧高架搬送車
44‧‧‧緩衝區
45‧‧‧貨架
46‧‧‧系統控制器
48‧‧‧淨化控制器
圖1係表示實施例之淨化倉儲(保管系統)之鉛垂方向剖視圖。
圖2係表示淨化倉儲之貨架之俯視圖。
圖3係表示實施例之淨化倉儲之控制系統之方塊圖。
圖4係表示實施例之淨化演算法之流程圖。
圖5中，1)係表示實施例之貨架之狀態的圖，2)係表示潔淨氣體之流量的圖。
圖6係表示實施例之噴嘴淨化(用以清潔噴嘴之淨化)時潔淨氣體之流量圖案的圖。
圖7中，1)係表示實施例之搬送裝置之臂之狀態的圖，2)係表示潔淨氣體之流量的圖。
圖8係表示實施例之保管用淨化(用以維持容器內之潔淨度之淨化)之潔淨氣體之流量的圖，1)係表示貨架之狀態的圖，2)係表示潔淨氣體之流量的圖。
圖9係表示變形例之潔淨氣體之流量圖案的圖。
圖10係表示第2實施例之保管系統(高架搬送車系統)之配置之俯視圖。
以下，表示用以實施本發明之最佳實施例。本發明之範圍應根據申請專利範圍之記載，並參酌說明書之記載與本領域之周知技術，而依照本發明所屬技術領域中具有通常知識者之理解所決定。
[實施例]
於圖1至圖8表示實施例之淨化倉儲2。淨化倉儲2係設置於無塵室等，保管收容半導體晶圓或光罩等物品之容器。淨化倉儲2係藉由壁4而自外部之環境氣體所遮斷，壁4例如具備有門5。
如圖1所示，淨化倉儲2具備有搬送裝置6及複數個貨架14，搬送裝置6例如為堆高式起重機，但搬送裝置6之種類為任意。搬送裝置6使沿著軌道11移行之台車7支撐桅桿8，並使升降台9沿著桅桿8進行升降。搬送裝置6於升降台9搭載SCARA型機械臂(Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm；水平多關節型機械臂)、滑動叉等之移載裝置10，而於與貨架14之間移載容器16。再者，將沿著上下方向之複數個貨架14稱為列，將以相同高度沿著水平方向排列之複數個貨架14稱為層。
實施例之容器16為收納半導體晶圓之FOUP，於底部具備有閥，潔淨氣體自貨架14之噴嘴被吹入，使其內部保持清潔。只要為潔淨氣體自貨架14之噴嘴被吹入而被淨化之容器16，容器16之種類可為任意。
圖2表示貨架14。貨架14具備形成有開口17之貨架支承件18，移載裝置10使臂或叉架等朝向開口17內進入，並將FOUP 16移載至貨架14。又，於各貨架14存在有例如3個銷19，該等銷19與FOUP 16底面之溝耦合，而將FOUP 16定位。於開口17之周圍，設置有一對或1個等之淨化噴嘴20，淨化噴嘴20將氮氣、清潔乾燥空氣等之潔淨氣體供給至被載置於貨架支承件18之FOUP 16。又，於貨架支承件18設置有載貨感測器21，載貨感測器21對貨架14中FOUP 16之有無進行檢測。MFC 22(質量流量控制器(mass flow controller)，流量控制部之一例)經由管路23對淨化噴嘴20(以下有時簡稱為「噴嘴20」或「噴嘴」)供給潔淨氣體。於貨架14，除了設置淨化噴嘴20以外，亦可設置用以將FOUP 16內之氣體排出之排氣噴嘴等。
於實施例中，對每個貨架14設置MFC 22，而對每個貨架14進行自噴嘴20供給之潔淨氣體之流量進行控制。然而，亦可以列或層等為單位設置共用之MFC 22，而以列或層等為單位統一控制潔淨氣體之流量。
圖3表示淨化倉儲2之控制系統。倉儲控制器30為淨化倉儲2內最上位之控制器，與控制搬送裝置6之搬送控制器32、及控制MFC 22之淨化控制器36進行通信。又，倉儲控制器30與外部控制器38等進行通信，若被通知FOUP 16之入庫預定，便對預定入庫之FOUP 16分配任一貨架14來作為入庫目的地。然後，若FOUP 16到達未圖示之出入庫埠，倉儲控制器30便指示搬送控制器32將FOUP 16朝向入庫目的地之貨架14進行卸載。又，倉儲控制器30若該入庫作業完成，便預先決定在已產生下一預定入庫之FOUP 16之 情形時將哪個貨架14設為入庫目的地。亦即，倉儲控制器30預先分配成為入庫目的地之貨架14以做好下一FOUP 16之保管的準備。另一方面，若自外部控制器38等被指示FOUP 16之出庫作業，倉儲控制器30便對搬送控制器32指定出庫對象之FOUP 16正被保管之貨架14，指示於該貨架14將FOUP 16裝載，並朝向出入庫埠進行出庫。再者，既可設置出入庫兼用之埠，亦可分別地設置入庫埠與出庫埠。
倉儲控制器30具備有儲存貨架檔案31等之檔案之記憶體，該記憶體儲存「空貨架」、「空貨架但已分配入庫容器」、「保管容器中」、「保管容器中但已分配出庫」等每個貨架14之狀態(status)。再者，既可藉由1個控制器物理性地構成控制器30、32、36之全部，或者，亦可藉由複數個電腦分別構成控制器30、32、36。
淨化控制器36若藉由載貨感測器21之信號而檢測出於貨架14有保管FOUP 16，便控制MFC 22進行保管用淨化(用以維持FOUP 16內之潔淨度之淨化)。又，若自倉儲控制器30被通知在預定入庫之FOUP 16之產生前(前一入庫作業完成後立即)任一貨架14已被預先分配至預定入庫之FOUP 16以做好接下來要發生之預定入庫之FOUP 16之入庫作業的準備，淨化控制器36便對所分配之貨架14進行噴嘴淨化(用以清潔噴嘴20之淨化)，而清潔噴嘴20。此外，若經由搬送控制器32及倉儲控制器30被通知移載裝置10之臂、叉架等為了卸載正朝向貨架14前進等，淨化控制器36亦進行用以清潔FOUP 16之底部(注入口)之底部淨化(清潔與噴嘴20對向之FOUP 16之底部之淨化)。再者，亦可省略底部淨化(bottom purge)。
淨化控制器36亦可不根據載貨感測器21之信號來執行保管用淨化，而根據自搬送控制器32經由倉儲控制器30被通知已 完成FOUP 16朝向貨架14之入庫作業來執行保管用淨化。
圖4表示實施例之FOUP 16之淨化演算法。藉由任一貨架14被預先分配至下一預定入庫之FOUP 16(e1)，淨化控制器36於該所分配之貨架14開始進行噴嘴淨化(S1)。然後，若起重機等搬送裝置6接近貨架14，且移載裝置10之臂或叉架等朝向貨架14開始前進時(e2)，淨化控制器36便將噴嘴淨化切換為底部淨化(S2)。然而，亦可省略底部淨化。又，淨化控制器36亦可根據臂或叉架等已開始下降(卸載)，而開始進行底部淨化。然後，若淨化控制器36藉由來自載貨感測器21或搬送控制器32等之信號而認知已將FOUP 16卸載至貨架14(e3)，淨化控制器36便執行保管用淨化(S3)。又，貨架14之狀態藉由FOUP 16自貨架14被裝載(e4)而恢復為空貨架，並於被分配為下一入庫之貨架前不需進行淨化。
圖5表示標準之淨化的圖案，淨化控制器36藉由任一貨架14被預先分配至下一預定入庫之FOUP 16，而於該分配之貨架14開始噴嘴淨化。噴嘴淨化較佳為藉由間歇性地、換言之，藉由每隔較短時間呈脈衝狀地自噴嘴20噴射潔淨氣體來進行。圖6之實線表示實施例之潔淨氣體之流量圖案。另一方面，若以相同總流量持續噴射固定流量之潔淨氣體，便會成為圖6之鏈線。若自噴嘴20每隔較短時間以大流量噴射潔淨氣體，便會藉由潔淨氣體之流動成為高速，以及將潔淨氣體之流動導通/截斷，使噴嘴20附近之壓力產生變化，藉此相較於持續噴射較小之固定流量之潔淨氣體之情形，可更有效率地清潔噴嘴。
間歇性地噴射潔淨氣體之噴嘴淨化，每1次潔淨氣體之噴射時間及噴射量既可為固定，亦可不固定。例如亦可在最初藉 由以相對較長時間噴射潔淨氣體來清潔噴嘴20，其後再每隔較最初還短之時間噴射潔淨氣體，來防止噴嘴20之再污染。又，亦可使潔淨氣體之流量變化，最初以較大之流量進行噴嘴淨化，其後再以較小之流量進行噴嘴淨化。
移載裝置10之臂、叉架等開始前進，或者臂、叉架等開始下降，意味著於貨架14之上方有FOUP 16存在。因此，在移載裝置10之臂、叉架等開始前進的時間點，或者臂、叉架等開始下降的時間點，會以大流量例如連續地自噴嘴20噴射潔淨氣體。藉此，清潔FOUP 16之底部，尤其清潔FOUP 16之底部之潔淨氣體之進氣用閥的附近。將該處理稱為底部淨化，並將流量圖案表示於圖7。再者，如圖8所示，底部淨化亦可省略。又，底部淨化，亦可藉由使來自噴嘴20之潔淨氣體之噴射導通/截止，而對進氣用閥之周圍施加潔淨氣體之脈動。若藉由載貨感測器21檢測出FOUP 16已被保管於貨架14，淨化控制器36便執行將FOUP 16內之氣體以潔淨氣體加以置換之保管用淨化。
於實施例中淨化控制器36由於，藉由分配朝向貨架14預定入庫之FOUP 16，而開始噴嘴20之淨化，因此有充分之時間可進行淨化。因此，不會發生在淨化不完全之狀態下卸載FOUP 16、或者卸載要等到完成淨化為止才進行之情形。又，若間歇性地進行噴嘴淨化，便可以較小之總流量有效率地清潔噴嘴。
圖9表示將複數個貨架14設為1組進行控制之變形例中之1組內之潔淨氣體的流量圖案。該變形例適用於以貨架之列或層為1個單位而設置共用之MFC 22之情形。若倉儲控制器30將1組內之任一貨架14分配至預定入庫之FOUP 16，淨化控制器36便對組 內之所有貨架14開始進行噴嘴淨化。然後，若開始進行FOUP 16自搬送裝置6朝向分配至入庫用之貨架14之移載，淨化控制器36便藉由增加潔淨氣體之流量，來淨化FOUP 16之底部。若FOUP 16朝向貨架14之卸載完成，在相同組內有至少1個空貨架存在之情形時，倉儲控制器30將1個空貨架分配給接下來要入庫之FOUP 16。同時，為了已卸載之FOUP 16進行保管用淨化，為將FOUP 16內之氣體以潔淨氣體加以置換。然後，若保管用淨化完成，淨化控制器36便重新開始噴嘴淨化。再者，於組內不存在空貨架之情形時(於組內之貨架都裝滿之情形時)，倉儲控制器將另一組之空貨架分配至接下來要入庫之FOUP 16。然後，淨化控制器36開始對該另一組內之所有貨架14進行噴嘴淨化。
於圖10表示將高架搬送車系統作為保管系統使用之實施例。複數台高架搬送車42沿著移行軌道40移行，且沿著移行軌道40設置有複數個用以暫時保管FOUP之緩衝區44。再者，緩衝區44處之貨架45之數量既可為1個，亦可為複數個。而且，系統控制器46控制高架搬送車系統整體，與外部之控制器進行通信，而受理FOUP之搬送要求。又，緩衝區44如圖10之右上所示，每個貨架45具備有噴嘴20，淨化控制器48控制MFC 22而朝向噴嘴20供給潔淨氣體。
系統控制器46若被外部之控制器要求進行FOUP之搬送，或者不等待來自外部之要求而自發地，預先分配用以暫時保管FOUP之空的緩衝區44。然後，系統控制器46指示分配到之空的緩衝區44之淨化控制器48、開始進行噴嘴淨化。又，於可檢測出高架搬送車42之移載裝置已進入貨架45上之情形時，淨化控制器48執行 底部淨化。

Claims (4)

  1. 一種保管系統，其具備有：複數個貨架，其等設置有朝向容器之內部供給潔淨氣體之噴嘴；複數個流量控制部，其等控制上述潔淨氣體朝向上述噴嘴之供給量；搬送裝置，其對上述貨架搬入搬出上述容器；及控制器，其控制上述搬送裝置與上述流量控制部；其特徵在於，上述控制器係構成為：於預定保管之上述容器之產生前，預先分配至少1個上述貨架以做好上述容器之保管的準備，並且根據該分配結果，以在上述搬送裝置開始動作之前使上述潔淨氣體間歇性地噴射而朝向該至少1個上述貨架之上述噴嘴供給上述潔淨氣體之方式，來控制上述流量控制部。
  2. 如請求項1之保管系統，其中，上述保管系統為淨化倉儲，且進一步具備有出入庫埠，上述搬送裝置於上述出入庫埠與上述貨架之間搬送上述容器，上述控制器係構成為，在應入庫之上述容器到達上述出入庫埠前，預先分配上述至少1個貨架。
  3. 如請求項1或2之保管系統，其中，上述搬送裝置具備有朝向貨架進入並將上述容器卸載之移載裝置，上述控制器係構成為，以自上述移載裝置朝向上述貨架開始前進至完成卸載為止，朝向上述噴嘴供給較上述移載裝置之開始前進前更大流量之上述潔淨氣體之方式，來控制上述流量控制部。
  4. 一種保管系統之淨化方法，該保管系統具備有：複數個貨架，其等設置有朝向容器之內部供給潔淨氣體之噴嘴；複數個流量控制 部，其等控制上述潔淨氣體朝向上述噴嘴之供給量；搬送裝置，其對上述貨架搬入搬出上述容器；及控制器，其控制上述搬送裝置與上述流量控制部；如此之保管系統之淨化方法，其特徵在於：藉由上述控制器，於預定保管之上述容器之產生前，預先分配至少1個上述貨架以做好上述容器之保管的準備，並且根據該分配結果，在上述搬送裝置開始動作之前使上述潔淨氣體間歇性地噴射而朝向該至少1個上述貨架之上述噴嘴供給上述潔淨氣體。
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