Rear door opening device for semiconductor containers
The rear door opening device stabilizes pneumatic actuation in limited space by using a shock-resistant air nozzle and control module to prevent nozzle damage and jerky starts, ensuring reliable and durable semiconductor container handling.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- DE202026101942
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-04-08
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-28
- Estimated Expiration
- 2036-04-30
AI Technical Summary
Existing automated wafer handling systems face issues with pneumatic cylinders in limited installation space, leading to damage of air nozzles, unreliable sealing, unstable movements, and jerky starts due to pressure loss, compromising precision and reliability.
A rear door opening device with a shock-resistant, airtight air nozzle and a control module that stabilizes pneumatic actuation by controlling air supply and pressure equalization, using a cylinder drive within limited space, and converting vertical movements into forward and reverse directions.
Ensures stable, controllable movements and improved durability of components, preventing damage and pressure-related instabilities, enhancing the reliability and ease of maintenance of semiconductor container handling.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Field of invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a rear door opening device for semiconductor containers, which provides an easily replaceable, shock-resistant and airtight air nozzle for semiconductor containers and makes it possible to replace the drive source of both the carrier platform and the door opening device with a cylinder drive in limited installation space and at the same time improve the controllability and stability of the actuation of solenoid valves. State of the art
[0002] Existing automated wafer handling systems typically employ a carrier platform combined with an opening mechanism to dock, open, and eject wafer cassettes. To reduce costs and simplify design, some systems utilize pneumatic cylinders as the drive source for moving the carrier platform and the door opening mechanism. While such pneumatic structures offer fundamental advantages such as low cost, high thrust, and ease of maintenance, their limitations are becoming increasingly apparent as semiconductor manufacturing demands for precision, purity, and system reliability steadily rise.
[0003] Regarding the carrier platform, existing structures often feature an air nozzle at the front to create an airtight connection with the wafer cassette and to allow for evacuation or filling of the cassette interior with clean gas. However, compared to positioning pins, the air nozzle body has lower impact resistance and is frequently damaged in practical operation by operator errors or wafer cassette tolerances, leading to increased maintenance and replacement costs. Furthermore, the air nozzle must exhibit both high durability and reliable sealing performance, with the sealing fit with the wafer cassette subject to high precision requirements, making it difficult to achieve both reliability and ease of maintenance simultaneously.
[0004] Regarding the door opening mechanism, the use of pneumatic cylinders for horizontal extraction and vertical lifting or deflection leads to inherent limitations due to the restricted installation space on the front. The existing interface for wafer cassettes typically has an installation depth of only about 100 millimeters and must simultaneously accommodate the door locking mechanism, the door plate's adhesive surface, and the deflection mechanism. Under these conditions, integrating a pneumatic cylinder with a long stroke is often impossible due to its excessive size or results in interference at the docking position, thus significantly limiting design flexibility.
[0005] Furthermore, during the door opening process, it is often necessary to assume a top position or pause to perform compound movements such as unlocking, pulling out, and retracting. If the pneumatic cylinder is controlled solely by the on / off control of a solenoid valve, achieving a stable intermediate position is difficult. Moreover, a prolonged pause can easily lead to pressure loss, causing the door opening mechanism to unexpectedly sag or shift, compromising the operational reliability of the device and the repeatability of the positioning.
[0006] Finally, when using a pneumatic cylinder as the drive source for lateral movement of the wafer cassette on the carrier platform, a sudden acceleration or so-called "jerk start" can occur at the end of the stroke due to a prolonged pressure drop. This can not only impair the positioning structure of the wafer cassette but also lead to increased wear on components such as air nozzles, positioning pins, and guide rails, and even damage the wafers inside. Such unstable speed profiles pose a potential risk to the safety of wafer handling as well as to the service life of the equipment.
[0007] How the problems and shortcomings described above can be solved or rectified is of great importance to the inventor and the related industry and represents an important area of research. Object of the invention
[0008] In light of the shortcomings described above, the inventor has compiled relevant documentation, conducted numerous assessments and evaluations, and, drawing on many years of practical experience in this technical field, has finally developed a rear door opening device for semiconductor containers after repeated test setups and improvements. It features an easily replaceable, shock-resistant, and airtight air nozzle, replaces the drive source of the support platform and the door opening device with a cylinder drive within a limited installation space, and simultaneously improves the controllability and stability of the solenoid valve actuation.
[0009] The main objective of the present invention is to achieve more stable control of the movements of the pneumatic air supply source by means of the air supplementation section, the air shut-off section and the holding section of a control module, so that the movements of a translation unit and a lifting / lowering arrangement can be reliably controlled and problems such as jerky start-up or sinking due to pressure loss are avoided.
[0010] Another object of the present invention is to design the slide rail components, the drive elements and the pivot connecting elements in such a way that the direction of action of the push rod sections is changed, thereby enabling the device to use the cylinder body as a drive source in limited installation space and thus to take advantage of the various benefits of pneumatic actuation.
[0011] Another object of the present invention is to design a metal tube body and an elastic pad in such a way as to increase the service life of nozzles and to ensure easy assembly and disassembly, a simple structural design, lower costs and good airtightness.
[0012] To solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention comprises a support platform, a translation unit, several nozzles, a metal tube body, a ventilation section, a first multi-way valve, an elastic pad, a door opening device, a door connecting element, a lifting / lowering arrangement, a cylinder body, two push rod sections, two slide rail components, two drive elements, two pivot connecting elements, several forward channels, several return channels, several five-way valves, a second multi-way valve, a control module, an air supplementation section, an air shut-off section, and a holding section, wherein the support platform serves to arrange a semiconductor container, the translation unit is arranged on one side of the support platform, the nozzles are attached to the support platform and each comprises a metal tube body, and the ventilation section is arranged on one side of the metal tube body and connected to it.the first multi-way valve is continuously connected to the ventilation section, the elastic pad is arranged at one end of the metal tube body, the door opening device is arranged on one side of the support platform, the door connecting element serves for combination with the door plate of the semiconductor container, the lifting / lowering arrangement is arranged on one side of the door connecting element, the cylinder body is arranged on one side of the lifting / lowering arrangement and has two parallel push rod sections, the slide rail components are arranged on one side of the door connecting element, the drive elements are fixedly connected to the door connecting element and are each movably arranged on the corresponding slide rail components, one end of each pivot connecting element is arranged on one side of the corresponding drive element and the other end is connected to the corresponding push rod section,a respective forward channel is continuously connected to the translation unit and the lift / lower arrangement, a respective return channel is continuously connected to the translation unit and the lift / lower arrangement, a respective five-way valve is continuously connected to the corresponding forward channel and the corresponding return channel, the second multi-way valve is continuously connected to the forward channel of the lift / lower arrangement, and the control module is electrically connected to the five-way valves and the second multi-way valve and comprises the air supplementation section, the air shut-off section, and the holding section.
[0013] When the user places a semiconductor container on the support platform, an airtight connection to the ventilation section is easily established using the metal tube body and the elastic pad. Switching the first multi-way valve between exhaust air and compressed air utilizes the increased structural strength provided by the metal tube body, while also benefiting from easy assembly and disassembly and high airtightness thanks to the elastic pad. Furthermore, the first multi-way valve allows for easy switching between exhaust air and compressed air operation of the ventilation section.In connection with the actuation of the carrier platform and the door opening device, the air supply section of the control module, prior to the compressed air supply to a given supply channel, first controls the corresponding five-way valve. This ensures that compressed air is supplied to the corresponding return channel first, thus replenishing the translation unit and preventing jerky starts. After the compressed air supply to a given supply channel is complete, the holding section of the control module controls the corresponding five-way valve as well as the second multi-way valve to continue supplying this supply channel with compressed air. This allows the door connecting element to be held stably in an upper position without continuous activation of a solenoid valve.By means of the air shut-off section of the control module, both the respective supply channel and the corresponding return channel can be simultaneously disconnected from the compressed air source after the air supplementation section has been actuated. This ensures that the pressures at both ends equalize stably and extends the dwell time in the intermediate position, thus preventing sagging due to pressure loss. By controlling the switching of the five-way valves and the second multi-way valve via the control module, the timing of the compressed air supply to the supply and return channels is adjusted, thereby improving the controllability and stability of the movements of the translation unit or the lift / lower assembly.The slide rail components, the drive elements and the pivot connecting elements are designed in such a way that the force acting in the vertical direction of the push rod sections of the cylinder body is converted into a force acting in the forward and reverse direction, so that pneumatic control of the door connecting element can be realized within a limited installation space, thereby simplifying the overall design and the control architecture while taking into account both the service life and the response speed.
[0014] The technical measures described above overcome the problems inherent in conventional cylinder-actuated carrier platforms and door opening devices used in the semiconductor industry, namely the insufficient shock resistance of air nozzles, the difficult arrangement of pneumatic cylinders due to limited front installation space, and the unstable movement states resulting from pressure loss during prolonged periods of inactivity, thereby achieving the aforementioned advantages and enabling commercial applicability. Brief description of the drawings Fig. Figure 1 shows a perspective view according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a first schematic view of the support platform according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 3 shows a second schematic view of the support platform according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 4 shows a schematic view of the door opening device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 5 shows a block diagram of the control module according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 6 shows a schematic view of the combination with a nozzle according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 7 shows a schematic view of the jerk-start protection function according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 8 shows a schematic view of holding in the upper position according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 9 shows a schematic view of an intermediate stop according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 10 shows a first schematic view of the actuation of the door opening device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 11 shows a second schematic view of the actuation of the door opening device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Detailed description of the exemplary embodiment
[0015] To solve the above problems and achieve the advantageous effects, the technical means and design features used by the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings and a preferred embodiment, in order to provide a complete understanding of the features and functions.
[0016] It will be directed to the Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5 to Fig. 6 referenced. Fig. Figure 1 shows a perspective view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a first schematic view of the support platform according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 3 shows a second schematic view of the support platform according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 4 shows a schematic view of the door opening device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 5 shows a block diagram of the control module according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. Figure 6 shows a schematic view of the combination with a nozzle according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is clearly evident from the figures that the present invention comprises the following: a support platform 1 which serves to arrange a semiconductor container 8, wherein the semiconductor container 8 is exemplified as a wafer cassette; a translation unit 2 which is arranged on one side of the support platform 1, wherein the translation unit 2 in the present embodiment is designed as a mechanism driven by a pneumatic cylinder and therefore has an internally movable push rod 21; several nozzles 3, which are attached to the carrier platform 1 and each comprise a metal tube body 31, a ventilation section 32 provided on one side of the metal tube body 31, a first multi-way valve 33 continuously connected to the ventilation section 32 and an elastic pad 34 arranged at one end of the metal tube body 31; a door opening device 4, which is arranged on one side of the support platform 1 and comprises the following: a door connecting element 41, which serves to be combined with the door plate of the semiconductor container 8; a lifting / lowering arrangement 42, which is arranged on one side of the door connecting element 41; a cylinder body 43, which is arranged on one side of the lifting / lowering arrangement 42 and has two parallel push rod sections 431, wherein the extension and retraction direction of each push rod section 431 corresponds to an upward and downward direction which corresponds to the lifting and lowering movement of the door connecting element 41; two slide rail components 44, which are arranged on one side of the door connecting element 41 and extend in a forward and backward direction which corresponds to the opening and closing direction of the door connecting element 41; two drive elements 45, which are fixedly attached to the door connecting element 41 and are each movably arranged on the corresponding slide rail components 44; two pivot connecting elements 46, wherein one end of each pivot connecting element 46 is arranged on one side of the corresponding drive element 45 and the other end is connected to the corresponding push rod section 431; several forward channels, each comprising a forward channel 51a continuously connected to the translation unit 2 and a forward channel 51b continuously connected to the lifting / lowering arrangement 42; several return channels, each comprising a return channel 52a continuously connected to the translation unit 2 and a return channel 52b continuously connected to the lift / lower arrangement 42; several five-way valves, wherein each five-way valve 53a is continuously connected to the translation unit 2, for example as a 5 / 2-way solenoid valve, and each five-way valve 53b is continuously connected to the lift / lower arrangement 42, for example as a 5 / 3-way solenoid valve; a second multi-way valve 54, which is continuously connected to the forward channel 51b of the lift / lower arrangement 42; a control module 6, which is electrically connected to the five-way valves 53a, 53b and the second multi-way valve 54 and comprises the following: an air supplement section 61, which controls the corresponding five-way valve 53a, 53b before the compressed air supply to a forward channel 51a, 51b in such a way that a compressed air supply to the corresponding return channel 52a, 52b is initially effected; an air shut-off section 62 which, after completion of the operation of the air supplementation section 61, simultaneously separates a respective supply channel 51b and the corresponding return channel 52b from a compressed air source; and a holding section 63 which, after completion of the compressed air supply to a respective forward channel 51b, controls the corresponding five-way valve 53b and the corresponding second multi-way valve 54 in such a way that this forward channel 51b is continuously supplied with compressed air.
[0017] In one embodiment, each driver element 45 has a reinforced combination section 451 on one side, wherein the reinforced combination section 451 is designed as a positioning rod extending over this driver element 45, so that the attachment point of this driver element 45 and of the door connecting element 41 is closer to the center of the door connecting element 41, so that the external forces required for opening and closing the door connecting element 41 are transmitted effectively and evenly.
[0018] In one embodiment, a synchronization component 432 is arranged on all pushrod sections 431, with the respective pivot connecting elements 46 being connected to the corresponding pushrod sections 431 via the synchronization component 432. The synchronization component 432 is block-shaped, with its underside connected to the two pushrod sections 431 and its left and right sides connected to the corresponding pivot connecting elements 46, so that the synchronization component 432 limits the synchronous upward and downward movement of the pushrod sections 431 and simultaneously ensures that the pivoting movements of the two pivot connecting elements 46 are identical with respect to stroke and speed, in order to prevent tilting during force transmission and thereby prevent power losses or damage to the mechanism.
[0019] In one embodiment, one end of a respective metal tube body 31 has a locking hook section 311, wherein the outer edge of the corresponding elastic pad 34 has a docking section 341, and this docking section 341 is connected to this locking hook section 311. By utilizing the elastic elongation of a respective elastic pad 34 and its attachment to the corresponding locking hook section 311, the three functions of fixation, protection, and airtightness are achieved simultaneously, which further simplifies assembly and disassembly.
[0020] In one embodiment, the slide rail components 44, the drive elements 45, and the pivot connecting elements 46 are housed within a casing 7, the casing 7 having a movement space 71 that allows movement of the push rod sections 431. The casing 7 protects the slide rail components 44, the drive elements 45, and the pivot connecting elements 46 from dust particles and isolates them from one another to prevent dust particles from adhering to them, which could otherwise lead to uneven movement or even additional wear and a reduction in service life. At the same time, the sufficiently dimensioned movement space 71 ensures reliable protection throughout the entire movement sequence.
[0021] The structure of the present technology is evident from the above description. Through the corresponding interaction based on this structure, an easily replaceable, shock-resistant, and airtight air nozzle for the semiconductor container 8 can be provided. Furthermore, it makes it possible, within a limited installation space, to replace the drive source of the carrier platform 1 and the door opening device 4 with a cylinder drive, while simultaneously improving the controllability and stability of the solenoid valve actuation. A detailed explanation follows.
[0022] It will simultaneously refer to the Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7, Fig. 8, Fig. 9, Fig. 10 to Fig. 11. Referenced. Fig. Figure 1 shows a perspective view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a first schematic view of the support platform according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 3 shows a second schematic view of the support platform according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 4 shows a schematic view of the door opening device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 5 shows a block diagram of the control module according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 6 shows a schematic view of the combination with a nozzle according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 7 shows a schematic view of the jerk-start protection function according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 8 shows a schematic view of holding in the upper position according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 9 shows a schematic view of an intermediate stop according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 10 shows a first schematic view of the actuation of the door opening device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Fig.Figure 11 shows a second schematic view of the actuation of the door opening device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.It is clearly evident from the drawings that when the user places the semiconductor container 8 onto the carrier platform 1 during the assembly of the above components, simple assembly, simple replacement, or simple disassembly of each metal tube body 31 and the corresponding elastic pad 34 can be facilitated, sufficient buffering effect can be provided, damage resulting from unintentional impacts during docking of the semiconductor container 8 can be reduced, and sufficient airtightness for the connection between the semiconductor container 8 and a respective ventilation section 32 can be ensured, since the metal tube body 31, designed as the main body of a respective nozzle 3, has sufficient strength to withstand high-pressure air due to its hard structure, and the corresponding elastic pad 34 is made of non-metallic materials such as engineering plastic or silicone.During operation, the switching or selection of the exhaust air or compressed air function of the nozzles 3 can be controlled by simply switching the first multi-way valve 33 between exhaust air and compressed air operation, whereby the first multi-way valve 33 can be designed as a 3 / 2-way solenoid valve, a 5 / 2-way solenoid valve, or a 5 / 3-way solenoid valve. In the present embodiment, a 3 / 2-way solenoid valve is used as an example.
[0023] The movements of the carrier platform 1 and the door opening device 4 are explained below using the general graphic symbol for a solenoid valve. In the present embodiment, a respective supply channel 51a and the corresponding return channel 52a are connected to a five-way valve 53a. Regarding the translation unit 2 of the carrier platform 1, when compressed air is supplied to a respective supply channel 51a, the corresponding push rod 21 is extended, while when compressed air is supplied to the corresponding return channel 52a, this push rod 21 is retracted.In other words, to extend a respective pushrod 21, the five-way valve 53a of the corresponding supply channel 51a is opened and the five-way valve 53a of the corresponding return channel 52a is closed, whereas to retract a respective pushrod 21, the five-way valve 53a of the corresponding supply channel 51a is closed and the five-way valve 53a of the corresponding return channel 52a is opened. However, if a respective supply channel 51a or a respective return channel 52a is held in the same state for an extended period, a pressure loss could easily occur, so that when switching states, a jerky start-up could occur due to insufficient pressure in the other channel.For example, if a return channel 52a is open for a period of time and a pressure loss occurs, the compressed air supply to the corresponding forward channel 51a might not be adequately compensated for by the pressure in this return channel 52a when the corresponding push rod 21 is subsequently extended, resulting in an excessively large momentary displacement and a jerky start-up. In the present invention, this problem is solved by the air supplementation section 61 of the control module 6 controlling the corresponding five-way valve 53a upstream of the compressed air supply to a respective forward channel 51a. This ensures that compressed air is first supplied to the corresponding return channel 52a, thereby replenishing the translation unit 2 and preventing a jerky start-up. Only after the pressure has normalized is this forward channel 51a supplied with compressed air.Of course, the five-way valves 53a of the translation unit 2 can also be designed as 5 / 3-way solenoid valves and are not limited to 5 / 2-way solenoid valves.
[0024] Regarding the lifting / lowering arrangement 42 of the door opening device 4, a respective forward channel 51b serves as a channel for the upward movement of the door connecting element 41, while the corresponding return channel 52b serves as a channel for the downward movement of the door connecting element 41. Due to operational requirements, it is sometimes necessary to hold the door connecting element 41 in an upper position (fixed in the highest position). However, if the energized state of a solenoid valve is used to overcome gravity and hold the door connecting element 41 in the upper position, this not only leads to a reduction in service life due to the characteristics of a solenoid valve, which is not designed for prolonged energization, but there is also a risk of delayed pressure loss, which would cause the door connecting element 41 to lower unintentionally and the door to open.In the present invention, the holding section 63 of the control module 6 is therefore used to actuate the corresponding five-way valve 53b and the corresponding second multi-way valve 54 after the pressurization of a respective supply channel 51b, thereby continuously supplying this supply channel 51b with compressed air. In this way, the door connecting element 41 can be held stably in the upper position without continuous energizing of a solenoid valve. Specifically, each supply channel 51b and the corresponding return channel 52b are connected together to the corresponding five-way valve 53b, while the corresponding second multi-way valve 54 is designed as a 5 / 2-way solenoid valve that is open in the de-energized state and closed when energized, and is integrated into this supply channel 51b.During normal lifting and lowering operation, the control module 6 controls a respective five-way valve 53b to switch to the left position (raising) or the right position (lowering), while the corresponding second multi-way valve 54 remains in the right position for air blocking. If the door connecting element 41 is to be held in the upper position, the holding section 63 switches a respective five-way valve 53b to a central, air-blocking position, while the corresponding second multi-way valve 54 switches to the left position for air supply, so that the normal air-permeable state of the corresponding second multi-way valve 54 holds the door connecting element 41 in the upper position without this five-way valve 53b or the corresponding second multi-way valve 54 needing to be energized for an extended period.
[0025] Due to operational requirements, it is sometimes necessary to hold the door connecting element 41 in an intermediate position during the lifting or lowering process of the lifting / lowering arrangement 42 of the door opening device 4. In this case, the air shut-off section 62 of the control module 6 can be used to simultaneously disconnect both the respective supply channel 51b and the corresponding return channel 52b from the compressed air source after the air supply section 61 has been actuated. This ensures that the pressures at both ends equalize and extends the dwell time in the intermediate position, thus preventing sagging due to pressure loss. In this operating state, the respective return channel 52b serves as the channel for the upward movement of the door connecting element 41, while the corresponding supply channel 51b serves as the channel for the downward movement of the door connecting element 41.More precisely, a five-way valve 53b supplies the corresponding supply channel 51b with compressed air to lower the door connecting element 41. If an intermediate stop is required during this process, the air supply section 61 is activated so that a corresponding return channel 52b is supplied with a counter-flowing compressed air supply. This creates a braking effect and also fills the corresponding return channel 52b with compressed air, thus equalizing the pressures in the respective supply channel 51b and the corresponding return channel 52b. Subsequently, the air shut-off section 62 switches a corresponding five-way valve 53b to a neutral, air-blocking position, further increasing the stability of the intermediate stop.
[0026] By controlling the switching of the five-way valves 53a, 53b and the second multi-way valve 54 by means of the control module 6, the timing of the compressed air supply in the forward channels 51a, 51b and the return channels 52a, 52b is adjusted, thereby improving the controllability and stability of the movements of the translation unit 2 or the lift / lower assembly 42. As can be seen from the description above, the forward channels 51a, 51b and the return channels 52a, 52b are not limited to specific extension or retraction states of the pushrod sections 431 of the cylinder body 43.
[0027] Regarding the opening and closing movement of the door connecting element 41 of the door opening device 4, the slide rail components 44, the drive elements 45, and the pivot connecting elements 46 are designed such that the force acting in the vertical direction of the push rod sections 431 of the cylinder body 43 is converted into a force acting in the forward and reverse directions. Specifically, to comply with the standards of Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI), the door opening device 4 is often housed in a cavity with an effective depth of approximately 100 mm to 120 mm.For this purpose, the push rod sections 431 of the cylinder body 43 are arranged vertically within the door opening device 4, with each of the two push rod sections 431 being connected to a pivot connecting element 46, one end of each pivot connecting element 46 being connected to a drive element 45, and each drive element 45 being movable exclusively along the corresponding slide rail component 44 arranged in the forward and reverse directions. This necessarily converts the vertical stroke movement of each push rod section 431 into a forward and reverse movement, thus minimizing the lateral space requirement and enabling pneumatic actuation of the door connecting element 41 within a limited installation space.In addition, two slide rail components 44, two drive elements 45 and two pivot connecting elements 46 are provided, so that the overall structure operates in the form of a double linkage and a double linear guide, thereby giving the door opening device 4 greater strength and stability during the transfer process.
[0028] The present invention is designed such that the entire drive source can utilize fully pneumatic actuators, all of which are implemented as solenoid valves. This simplifies the control logic and eliminates the need for multiple servo drives, encoder lines, or motor lines, thereby fundamentally avoiding the problem of motor heating. Consequently, the elimination of heat sinks, fans, and the need for control cabinet air conditioning indirectly saves installation space. Compared to motor-driven systems, pneumatic actuators are characterized by greater actuation force, stable output power, extremely simple structure, easy maintenance, stable motion sequences, longer service life, higher actuation speed, and shorter response time.
[0029] The foregoing description represents only a preferred embodiment of the invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims. All equivalent changes and modifications that can be made by a person skilled in the art in this field according to the description and drawings of the invention are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Reference symbol list 1 carrier platform 2 translation units 21 Push rod 3 nozzles 31 metal tube bodies 311 Latch section 32 Ventilation section 33 first multi-way valve 34 elastic pads 341 Docking section 4 Door opening device 41 Door connecting element 42 Lifting / Lowering Arrangement 43 cylinder bodies 431 Push rod section 432 Synchronization component 44 Slide rail component 45 Drive element 451 reinforcing combination section 46 Swivel connection element 51a, 51b Outbound channel 52a, 52b Return channel 53a, 53b Five-way valve 54 second multi-way valve 6 Control module 61 Air Supplement Section 62 Air barrier section 63 Stop section 7 cases 71 Movement room 8 semiconductor containers
Claims
A rear door opening device for semiconductor containers, comprising: a support platform for mounting a semiconductor container; a translation unit arranged on one side of the support platform; several nozzles attached to the support platform, each comprising a metal tube body, a vent section provided on one side of the metal tube body, a first multi-way valve continuously connected to the vent section, and an elastic pad arranged at one end of the metal tube body; a door opening device arranged on one side of the support platform, comprising: a door connecting element for combination with the door plate of the semiconductor container; a lift / lower assembly arranged on one side of the door connecting element;a cylinder body arranged on one side of the lifting / lowering arrangement and comprising two parallel push rod sections, wherein the extension and retraction direction of each push rod section corresponds to an upward and downward direction which coincides with the lifting and lowering movement of the door connecting element; two slide rail components arranged on one side of the door connecting element and extending in a forward and backward direction which corresponds to the opening and closing direction of the door connecting element; two drive elements fixed to the door connecting element and each movably arranged on the corresponding slide rail components; two pivot connecting elements, wherein one end of each pivot connecting element is arranged on one side of the corresponding drive element and the other end is connected to the corresponding push rod section;several forward channels continuously connected to the translation unit or the lift / lower assembly; several return channels continuously connected to the translation unit or the lift / lower assembly; several five-way valves continuously connected to the corresponding forward channels or the corresponding return channels; a second multi-way valve continuously connected to the forward channel of the lift / lower assembly; and a control module electrically connected to the five-way valves and the second multi-way valve, comprising: an air supplementation section that, prior to the compressed air supply to a forward channel, controls the corresponding five-way valve to first supply compressed air to the corresponding return channel; an air shut-off section that, after the air supplementation section has finished operating, simultaneously disconnects each forward channel and the corresponding return channel from a compressed air source;and a holding section which, after the compressed air supply to a respective inbound channel has been completed, controls the corresponding five-way valve and the corresponding second multi-way valve in such a way that this inbound channel is continuously supplied with compressed air. Rear door opening device for semiconductor containers according to claim 1, wherein a respective drive element has a reinforced combination section on one side. Rear door opening device for semiconductor containers according to claim 1, in which a synchronization component is arranged on all push rod sections together, wherein the respective pivot connecting elements are connected to the corresponding push rod sections via the synchronization component. Rear door opening device for semiconductor containers according to claim 1, wherein an end of a respective metal tube body has a latching hook section, wherein the outer edge of the corresponding elastic pad has a docking section and this docking section is connected correspondingly to this latching hook section. Rear door opening device for semiconductor containers according to claim 1, wherein the slide rail components, the drive elements and the pivot connecting elements are accommodated within a housing. Rear door opening device for semiconductor containers according to claim 5, wherein the housing has a movement space that allows movement of the push rod sections. Rear door opening device for semiconductor containers according to claim 1, wherein the five-way valves are 5 / 2-way solenoid valves or 5 / 3-way solenoid valves. Rear door opening device for semiconductor containers according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor container is a wafer cassette.