JP4060496B2 - Clean transport vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a clean carrier car which can keep boards or the like at high-speed carriage in a clean condition without the adhesion of dust. SOLUTION: This clean carrier car is equipped with a storage box 3 to store sheets 1 to be carried, and carries the sheets 1 to be carried in a condition where the sheets 1 to be carried in this storage box 3, and a bottom cover 2 of the storage box 3 is constituted capable of asceding and desceding to the upper body of the storage box 3, and the sheets 1 to be carried is placed on the bottom cover 2.

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a clean conveyance vehicle used in a semiconductor or liquid crystal production line, and more particularly to a clean conveyance vehicle suitably used for a single wafer conveyance system for conveying single wafer conveyance objects such as substrates one by one. is there.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a semiconductor or liquid crystal production line, a cassette carrying system that stores and carries a substrate or the like in a cassette has been mainly employed.
However, this cassette transport method requires a large cassette storage space and a heavy cassette. For example, the AGV (automated guided vehicle) becomes large and the space for the transport path increases, making it difficult to shorten the tact time. There were problems such as becoming.
[0003]
On the other hand, the single-wafer conveyance method for conveying single-wafer conveyance objects such as substrates one by one has the advantage that the space of the conveyance path in the process can be reduced and the tact time can be shortened. .
As a specific example of this single wafer transfer system, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, when the transport vehicle 12 traveling on the inter-process transport path 11 transports the cassette 13 and delivers it to the stocker 14, it is transferred from the cassette 13. The machine 15 picks up the substrates 1 one by one, and the single-wafer transport vehicle 5 in the process receives the substrate 1 and then travels at a high speed on the in-process transport path 16 to a predetermined transfer point 17 at a necessary timing. There is one in which the substrate 1 is delivered.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if the in-process transport is changed from the cassette transport system to the single wafer transport system, the number of substrates 1 that can be transported at one time is one sheet in the single wafer transport system. There is a need to double the speed.
When the transfer machine 15 travels at a high speed in the clean room in this way, turbulent flow is generated before and after the vehicle body of the transfer machine 15, and the turbulent flow disturbs the downflow state in the clean room. Dust adheres to the substrate 1 in the inside, which causes a reduction in product yield.
In addition, static electricity is generated due to friction with the running air, and the substrate 1 is charged. As a result, there is a problem that dust easily adheres to the substrate 1.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the conventional single wafer transfer system, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a clean transfer vehicle that can keep a substrate and the like during high-speed transfer in a clean state free from dust adhesion. is there.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, clean transport vehicle of the present invention comprises a storage box for storing a single wafer carrying material, transporting the storage box in a two state leaves conveyed storing sheet conveyed In the clean transport vehicle configured as described above, the bottom cover of the storage box is configured to be movable up and down with respect to the upper main body of the storage box so that the single-wafer transported object is placed on the bottom cover. On the outer edge, a notch is formed through which the support piece of the single-wafer transported object formed on the table placed below the storage box at the transfer point passes, and the bottom cover is lowered to the table from the bottom cover side. Further, it is characterized in that the sheet transported article is delivered from the cradle side to the bottom cover by raising the bottom cover .
[0007]
Since this clean transport vehicle can transport a single-wafer transported object placed on the bottom cover of the storage box, it can keep the single-wafer transported product clean and free of dust even during high-speed transport by single-wafer transport. it can.
Then, by placing the single-wafer transported object on the bottom cover of the storage box, the structure of the storage box can be simplified, and the single-wafer transported object can be easily delivered by raising and lowering the bottom cover.
[0008]
In particular, by forming a cutout on the outer edge of the bottom cover, through which the support piece of the single-wafer transported material formed on the table installed at the transfer point passes , the sheet is conveyed to the table only by lowering the bottom cover. The object can be delivered, and conversely, the sheet carrier can be received from the table only by raising the bottom cover.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0010]
1 to 3 show an embodiment of the clean transport vehicle of the present invention.
[0011]
The clean transport vehicle 5 includes a storage box 3 that stores the substrate 1 as a single-wafer transported item, and can transport a single wafer on a production line, which will be described later, with the substrate 1 stored in the storage box 3. It is configured.
[0012]
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the bottom cover 2 of the storage box 3 can be moved up and down with respect to the upper body of the storage box 3, and the substrate 1 can be placed on the upper surface of the bottom cover 2. I am doing so.
[0013]
The main body of the storage box 3 has a box shape in which only the bottom surface is open, and is fixed to the transport vehicle 5 by an inverted L-shaped fixed arm 4 as shown in FIG.
[0014]
The bottom cover 2 has a shape that closes the opening of the upper body of the storage box 3, and is fixed to an inverted L-shaped movable arm 6 that is slidable in the vertical direction with respect to the fixed arm 4. Yes.
That is, the bottom cover 2 moves up and down from the position constituting the bottom wall of the storage box 3 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 to the lowered position shown in FIG. 1 by sliding the movable arm 6 in the vertical direction by the cylinder 7. Have been able to.
[0015]
When the transport vehicle 5 stops at the transfer point 17, the bottom cover 2 is lowered with the substrate 1 placed thereon as shown in FIG. 5, and the substrate 1 is placed on the table 8 as shown in FIG. And hand it over.
Although the stand 8 is not particularly limited, as shown in FIG. 4, as shown in FIG. 4, the support 8 has support pieces 9 at eight places so that the substrate 1 can be mounted and supported by these support pieces 9. Has been.
[0016]
On the other hand, the bottom cover 2 moves downward from the upper side of the cradle 8 or vice versa, so that the notch 10 is located at a position corresponding to the support piece 9 so as not to interfere with the support piece 9 of the cradle 8. Eight places are provided.
[0017]
Accordingly, the substrate 1 can be transferred to the support piece 9 of the pedestal 8 simply by lowering the bottom cover 2, and conversely, the substrate 1 can be transferred from the support piece 9 of the pedestal 8 only by raising the bottom cover 2. 1 can be received.
[0018]
The clean transport vehicle 5 is used, for example, for carrying a single wafer in a liquid crystal production line as shown in FIG.
In the single wafer transfer, when the transport vehicle 12 traveling on the inter-process transport path 11 transports the cassette 13 and delivers it to the stocker 14, the transfer machine 15 takes out the substrates 1 one by one from the cassette 13 and cleans the process in the process. After the transport vehicle 5 receives the substrate 1, the transport vehicle 5 travels at a high speed on the in-process transport path 16 and delivers the substrate 1 to a predetermined transfer point 17 at a necessary timing.
[0019]
In this way, it is possible to reduce the transport path space of the intra-process transport path and further reduce the tact time in the process, but it is necessary to transport at a higher speed in the single wafer transport.
For example, in the conventional cassette conveyance system, for example, when the AGV in the process is operating at a maximum traveling speed of 40 m / min, if this is changed to the single wafer conveyance system, the maximum traveling speed is 150 m / min. I need.
[0020]
When the transport vehicle 5 travels at a high speed in the clean room as described above, turbulent flow is generated before and after the vehicle body of the transport vehicle 5 to disturb the downflow state in the clean room, and static electricity is generated by friction with the traveling air. The substrate 1 is charged and dust is likely to adhere to the substrate 1 being transported by a single wafer. In this clean transport vehicle 5, by placing the substrate 1 on the bottom cover 2 of the storage box 3, Since the board | substrate 1 can be conveyed in the state accommodated in the storage box 3, it can prevent that dust adheres to the board | substrate 1 also by high speed conveyance, and can maintain it in a clean state.
Then, by placing the substrate 1 on the bottom cover 2 of the storage box 3, the configuration of the storage box 3 can be simplified, and the substrate 1 can be easily transferred by raising and lowering the bottom cover 2.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
According to the clean transport vehicle of the present invention, since the single-wafer transported object can be placed and transported on the bottom cover of the storage box, the single-wafer transported object is in a clean state free of dust even during high-speed transport by single-wafer transport. Therefore, the yield of products in the single wafer conveyance system can be improved.
And by placing the single-wafer transported object on the bottom cover of the storage box, the structure of the storage box is simplified, and the single-wafer transported object can be easily delivered by raising and lowering the bottom cover, Work efficiency can be improved.
[0022]
In particular, by forming a cutout on the outer edge of the bottom cover, through which the support piece of the single-wafer transported material formed on the table installed at the transfer point passes, the sheet is conveyed to the table only by lowering the bottom cover. The object can be delivered, and conversely, the sheet carrier can be received from the table only by raising the bottom cover.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a clean transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention and showing a state where a substrate is placed on a table.
FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state in which the substrate is placed on a cradle.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing a state in which the substrate is transported.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a bottom cover and a table.
FIG. 5 is a partial sectional plan view showing a bottom cover and a storage box.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of sheet feeding.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Substrate (sheet-like material)
2 Bottom cover 3 Storage box 4 Fixed arm 5 Clean transport vehicle 6 Movable arm 7 Cylinder 8 Stand 9 Supporting piece 10 Notch

Claims (1)

In a clean transport vehicle having a storage box for storing a single sheet transported item and transporting the single sheet transported product in a state in which the single sheet transported product is stored in the storage box, a bottom cover of the storage box Is configured to be movable up and down with respect to the upper body of the storage box so that the single-wafer transported object is placed on the bottom cover, and placed on the outer edge of the bottom cover at the transfer point below the storage box. Form a notch through which the support piece of the single-wafer transported material formed on the base passes, and lower the bottom cover to drop the bottom cover side to the stand, and raise the bottom cover to lift the bottom cover to the bottom cover In addition, a clean transport vehicle characterized in that a single-wafer transported item is delivered .

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