Wafer transfer cassette and wafer loading apparatus

Abstract

The application discloses a wafer conveying box and a wafer loading device, wherein the wafer conveying box comprises a box body and a sealing door sealingly connected with the box body, and the sealing door is fixed with the box body through a door lock assembly; the side of the box body is provided with an opening, the side where the opening is located is a positioning surface, and a part of a wafer extends out of the box body from the opening. The sealing door is arranged at the opening of the box body and can move up and down along the box body; a pair of mapping sensors capable of synchronously rising and falling with the sealing door are arranged on the sealing door; the pair of mapping sensors are located on both sides of the opening and detect the part of the wafer extending out of the box body. The door lock assembly comprises at least one corresponding lock groove and a lock disc; the lock groove is arranged on a boss; the lock disc is rotationally connected with the sealing door; and when the lock disc rotates under the action of a key, the lock disc can be screwed with the lock groove. The wafer storage and wafer detection functions are integrated, the sealing door can be quickly opened, and the wafer loading device is simplified.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor processing, and more particularly to a wafer transfer box and a wafer loading device. Background Technology

[0002] A wafer transfer box is a container used in semiconductor processing to protect, transport, and temporarily store wafers. Wafers are stacked inside the transfer box and are typically completely contained within it. A wafer transfer box usually consists of a box body and a sealed door. The box body has an opening, and the sealed door seals shut at the opening. During wafer loading, the sealed door needs to be opened using a wafer loading device to retrieve and place the wafer through the opening. See Appendix. Figure 1 The diagram shows an existing wafer transfer box. To ensure airtightness, the sealing door is recessed within the box. When loading a wafer, the sealing door is first removed from the box and moved a certain distance, typically a horizontal movement. Then, the sealing door is lowered to a designated position, a vertical movement. These two steps are generally accomplished by two cylinders or a combination of a motor and a cylinder. Simultaneously, after the sealing door is removed, a mapping sensor is needed to detect the wafer's placement within the box. Typically, the wafer loading device also includes a mapping mechanism. Even after the sealing door is removed, the wafer remains fully inside the box, and the mapping sensor detects the wafer's position based on left-right beams and horizontal downward movement. Therefore, see Appendix... Figure 2 As shown, in order to complete the detection action of the wafer by the mapping sensor, the mapping sensor first needs to move horizontally into the box to a certain depth. Then, the mapping sensor moves vertically downward to scan the position of the wafer to complete the information acquisition. After that, the mapping sensor needs to move horizontally to exit the wafer transfer box.

[0003] Although current wafer loading devices integrate the two steps of removing the sealing door and the three steps of wafer inspection into one, and use a common drive to complete the vertical downward movement, the sealing door and the mapping sensor still need to move separately, each requiring a horizontal drive. These two horizontal drives are mainly determined by the structure of the wafer transfer box. The traditional wafer transfer box structure results in a relatively complex mechanism for the corresponding wafer loader, reduced motion reliability, and relatively high cost. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings, the present invention aims to provide a wafer transfer box that integrates wafer storage and wafer inspection functions, facilitates quick opening of the sealed door, and simplifies the wafer loading device.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: a wafer transfer box, comprising a box body and a sealing door sealed to the box body, the sealing door being fixed to the box body by a door lock assembly, wherein an opening is provided on the side of the box body, the side where the opening is located serving as a positioning surface, and a portion of the wafer extending out of the box body from the opening; the sealing door is located at the opening of the box body and can move up and down along the box body, and a pair of mapping sensors are provided on the sealing door that can move up and down synchronously with it, the pair of mapping sensors being located on both sides of the opening and detecting the portion of the wafer extending out of the box body; the door lock assembly includes at least one correspondingly provided lock groove and lock disc, the positioning surface extending towards the sealing door has a protrusion located above the opening, the sealing door can abut against the protrusion, the lock groove has a protrusion, the lock disc is rotatably connected to the sealing door, and when the lock disc is rotated under the action of a key, it can engage with the lock groove.

[0006] The beneficial effects of this invention are twofold. First, the door lock assembly enables rapid vertical connection between the sealing door and the housing, allowing the sealing door to be removed from the housing with only a single vertical movement, accomplished by a single drive component. Second, the sealing door integrates the function of a detection device. Mapping sensors are directly mounted on the sealing door, allowing only vertical movement. As the sealing door opens and descends, a pair of mapping sensors synchronously move downwards to detect the wafer inside the housing, eliminating the need for an additional wafer detection device.

[0007] Furthermore, the sealing door includes a door body and a protruding edge extending along the door body toward the housing body. The protruding edge abuts against a positioning surface and has a U-shaped structure. The structure of the protruding edge on the sealing door, in conjunction with the door body, forms a clearance cavity for placing a portion of the wafer extending out of the housing body. Because the wafer portion extends out of the housing body, the structure of the sealing door provides storage space for the extended portion.

[0008] The housing includes a flange that matches the convex edge. The flange extends along the positioning surface toward the side of the sealing door. The upper end of the flange abuts against the boss. When the sealing door is locked to the housing, the inner side of the convex edge and the outer side of the flange fit together, improving the sealing performance.

[0009] Furthermore, the flanges include a left flange and a right flange vertically arranged on both sides of the opening, and a lower flange horizontally arranged on the side of the opening. The outer surfaces of the left and right flanges that abut against the convex edge are inclined, with the inclination direction from bottom to top, tilting towards the mutually distant sides. The convex edge includes a left edge, a right edge, and a lower edge, which abut against the left, right, and lower flanges respectively. The inner surfaces of the left and right flanges are inclined, matching the inclination direction and angle of their outer surfaces. Matching flanges and convex edges are provided in all directions of the opening to improve sealing. This inclined arrangement also takes into account that the sealing door and the box are locked vertically from bottom to top, ensuring that the fit between the flanges and convex edges becomes increasingly tighter as they are locked upwards, thus gradually improving the sealing performance.

[0010] Furthermore, the flange and the convex edge are provided with mutually cooperating grooves and protrusions, and the protrusions can be embedded in the grooves. The groove is provided on the outer side of the flange, and the protrusion is provided on the inner side of the flange. When the sealing door and the box are connected, the flange and the convex edge fit together, and the protrusion is embedded in the groove, so that the protrusion can achieve a tortuous sealing effect.

[0011] Furthermore, the pair of mapping sensors includes a transmitter and a receiver, which are respectively fixed to a left convex edge and a right convex edge. Placement slots are formed on the inner surfaces of the left and right convex edges, and the transmitter and receiver are embedded in the corresponding placement slots. The placement slots are located between the protrusion and the door body, in an area where the protrusion will not contact the flange, ensuring that when the protrusion slides along the flange, it will not interfere with the transmitter, receiver, or the transmitted light beam.

[0012] Furthermore, the sealed door is also provided with a conductive port, through which the cable of the mapping sensor is connected via a channel inside the sealed door. When the external lifting plate raises or lowers the sealed door, power can be supplied to the mapping sensor through the conductive port, and the wafer information collected by the mapping sensor can be read. There are two conductive ports, corresponding to the transmitting end and the receiving end respectively.

[0013] Furthermore, the locking groove is an arc-shaped groove, and a locking rod is formed below the arc-shaped groove. The locking disc has a circular structure, and an arc-shaped hook is provided on the edge of the locking disc. The hook can be screwed into the locking groove and engaged with the locking rod. The hook screwing into the locking groove and the locking rod presents a certain tensile stress, thereby achieving vertical locking.

[0014] Furthermore, the sealing door has a recessed groove that extends upwards through the sealing door. The lock disc is rotatably connected within the recessed groove, which provides space for the placement and rotation of the lock disc. The lock disc rotates within the recessed groove, and a hook can extend upwards into the lock groove to lock it in place. At least one centering shaft is fixed within the recessed groove, eccentrically positioned relative to the center of the lock disc. The lock disc has an arc-shaped guide channel, and the centering shaft passes through and slides within the guide channel. The centering shaft provides guidance and limits for the rotation of the lock disc.

[0015] Furthermore, a lock cover is fixed within the recessed groove by a centering shaft. The lock cover is flush with the surface of the sealed door, and the lock disc is confined between the lock cover and the bottom of the recessed groove. A protrusion extends from the side of the lock disc facing the lock cover, and this protrusion is located at the center of the lock disc. A keyhole is provided on the protrusion, which is flush with the surface of the lock cover. A through hole matching the protrusion is provided on the lock cover. The lock cover confines the lock disc within the recessed groove, ensuring that the lock disc will not fall out of the groove, while also protecting the lock disc and preventing it from being exposed to the outside.

[0016] The present invention also discloses a wafer loading device with a simple structure, requiring only one lifting drive component to realize the loading and unloading of the sealed door and the detection of wafers inside the box.

[0017] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a wafer loading device, including a stand, a placement platform for placing the aforementioned wafer transfer box is provided on the stand, a lifting plate that can move up and down under the drive of a lifting drive component is slidably connected to the stand, an unlocking component and a conductive rod corresponding to a conductive port are provided on the lifting plate, and the unlocking component and the conductive rod move synchronously with the lifting plate.

[0018] The wafer loading device requires only a lifting platform that can be raised and lowered. A locking assembly unlocks and locks the door assembly, while a conductive rod powers and transmits information to the mapping sensors on the sealing plate. When a wafer needs to be loaded, the locking assembly rotates the lock disc to unlock. After unlocking, the lifting platform applies force to the sealing door via a key and the conductive rod, causing the door to move downwards. During this downward movement, a pair of mapping sensors detect the wafer inside the housing. This significantly simplifies the structure, reduces cost, and improves accuracy.

[0019] Furthermore, the conductive rod can be inserted into the conductive port. The conductive rod has a conductive ring, and the wall of the conductive port has a matching conductive ring. When the conductive rod is inserted into the conductive port, it connects with the conductive ring in the conductive port, providing power and signal transmission to the mapping sensor on the sealing door. On the one hand, the conductive rod can conduct power from the wafer loading device to the sealing door and feed back the signal from the mapping sensor to the control system; on the other hand, it can also move the sealing door up and down, providing force for the lifting and lowering of the sealing door.

[0020] Furthermore, the unlocking assembly includes a key corresponding to the lock disc and an unlocking motor. The key can be inserted into the keyhole and can rotate under the drive of the unlocking motor. The unlocking motor is fixed on the lifting plate.

[0021] Furthermore, the lifting plate has an L-shaped structure, including a horizontally arranged support part and a vertically arranged fixing part. The lower end face of the sealing door abuts against the support part, and the conductive rod and unlocking assembly are fixed to the fixing part. The lifting plate drives the sealing door to move up and down. The force applied to the sealing door by the conductive rod and the key causes the sealing door to move up and down, while the support part provides support to prevent the sealing door from falling. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the opening process of a wafer transfer box in the prior art;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the wafer inspection process in the existing wafer transfer box.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of a wafer transport box according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the sealed door in a half-open state in this invention;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the box body from one angle in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the box body from another angle in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 This is an exploded view of a door lock assembly and a sealing door according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of a sealing door according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the lock disc in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the lock cover in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the state of the wafer placed inside the box in this invention;

[0033] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram showing the locked state of the box and the sealing door in this invention;

[0034] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer loading device in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 14 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the lifting plate in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection state of the lifting plate and the sealing door in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] In the picture:

[0038] 1. Box body; 11. Positioning surface; 12. Boss; 121. Locking groove; 122. Locking rod; 13. Flange; 131. Groove;

[0039] 2. Sealed door; 21. Door body; 211. Recess; 212. Conductive opening; 22. Raised edge; 221. Protrusion;

[0040] 3. Door lock assembly; 31. Lock disc; 311. Hook; 312. Protrusion; 3121. Keyhole; 313. Guide channel; 32. Centering shaft; 33. Lock cover; 331. Through hole;

[0041] 4. Mapping sensor;

[0042] 5. Wafers;

[0043] 6. Frame; 7. Lifting plate; 71. Fixing part; 72. Support part; 8. Lifting drive component; 9. Unlocking assembly; 91. Key; 92. Unlocking motor; 10. Conductive rod. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that the advantages and features of the present invention can be more easily understood by those skilled in the art, thereby providing a clearer and more explicit definition of the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0045] See appendix Figure 3 As shown, a wafer transfer box in this embodiment includes a box body 1 and a sealing door 2 that is sealed to the box body 1. The sealing door 2 is fixed to the box body 1 by a door lock assembly 3 and can move up and down along the box body 1.

[0046] See appendix Figure 4 and attached Figure 5 As shown, the housing 1 is used to store wafers 5, with wafers 5 placed vertically spaced inside the housing 1. A grid for storing wafers 5 is provided inside the housing 1. An opening is provided on the side of the housing 1, through which wafers 5 can be placed and removed. When wafers 5 are placed inside the housing 1, a portion of wafers 5 extends out of the housing 1 from the opening. The side where the opening is located is a positioning surface 11. A sealing door 2 is provided at the opening and, together with the housing 1, forms a sealed placement cavity, within which wafers 5 are located.

[0047] See appendix Figure 12 As shown, the door lock assembly 3 includes a lock groove 121 and a lock disc 31. The lock groove 121 is disposed on the housing 1, and the lock disc 31 is rotatably connected to the sealed door 2. When the lock disc 31 is rotated under the action of the key 91, it can be screwed into the lock groove 121 to achieve locking, thereby fixing the sealed door 2 to the housing 1.

[0048] See appendix Figure 5 and attached Figure 6 As shown, the box body 1 also includes a boss 12, which extends along the positioning surface 11 toward the sealing door 2. The boss 12 is positioned above the opening, and the locking groove 121 is formed on the boss 12. When the sealing door 2 is fixed to the box body 1, the sealing door 2 abuts against the boss 12. Because the sealing door 2 moves vertically, it separates from the box body 1 during its downward movement. Therefore, the boss 12 is positioned above the opening, i.e., it is always located above the sealing door 2. The locking groove 121 extends downward through the boss 12, facilitating the insertion of the locking disc 31 into the locking groove 121.

[0049] See appendix Figure 8 As shown, the sealing door 2 includes a door body 21 and a protruding edge 22 extending along the door body 21. The protruding edge 22 can abut against the positioning surface 11, and the door body 21 can cover the opening. The protruding edge 22 has a U-shaped structure, including a left protruding edge 22, a right protruding edge 22, and a lower protruding edge 22. The left and right protruding edges 22 are vertically arranged, and the lower protruding edge 22 is horizontally arranged and located below the left and right protruding edges 22, abutting against them. When the sealing door 2 moves upward into position, the left and right protruding edges 22 can abut against the boss 12.

[0050] The structure of the upper protrusion 22 of the sealing door 2, together with the door body 21, forms a clearance cavity for placing the portion of the wafer 5 extending out of the box body 1. Because the wafer 5 extends out of the box body 1, the structure of the sealing door 2 allows the extended portion to have storage space.

[0051] In one embodiment, the housing 1 further includes a flange 13 that mates with the flange 22 facing the housing 1. The flange 13 extends along the positioning surface 11 toward the sealing door 2. When the sealing door 2 is fixed to the housing 1, the inner side of the flange 22 and the outer side of the flange 13 are in contact. Correspondingly, the flange 13 also has a U-shaped structure, including a left flange 13, a right flange 13, and a lower flange 13. The left flange 13 and the right flange 13 are located on the left and right sides of the opening, respectively, and their upper ends abut against the boss 12. The lower flange 13 is located below the opening. The cooperation between the flange 22 and the flange 13 improves the sealing performance between the sealing door 2 and the housing 1.

[0052] See appendix Figure 11 As shown, when wafer 5 is placed inside housing 1, a portion of wafer 5 protrudes from flange 13, ensuring that wafer 5 always extends beyond housing 1. This protrusion facilitates detection by mapping sensor 4. This requires ensuring that the depth of flange 22 is greater than the depth of flange 13, and that only a portion of flange 22 will fit against flange 13.

[0053] In one embodiment, to further improve the stability of the connection between the sealing door 2 and the housing 1, grooves 131 and protrusions 221 that cooperate with each other are provided on the flange 22 and the protrusion 13. In this embodiment, the groove 131 is provided on the outer side of the flange 13, and the protrusion 221 is provided on the inner side of the flange 22. When the sealing door 2 and the housing 1 are connected, the flange 22 fits against the flange 13, and the protrusion 221 is embedded in the groove 131, so the protrusion 221 can achieve a curved path sealing effect. Of course, if the positions of the groove 131 and the protrusion 221 are interchanged, with the groove 131 located on the flange 22 and the protrusion 221 located on the outer side of the flange 13, a curved path sealing can also be achieved.

[0054] Of course, in some embodiments, a sealing strip, sealing adhesive strip, or other sealing structure may be provided at the contact position between the flange 22 and the flange 13.

[0055] In one embodiment, a groove 131 and a protrusion 221 that cooperate with each other are also provided between the protruding edge 22 and the boss 12. The upper end face of the protruding edge 22 is provided with the protrusion 221, and the boss 12 is provided with the matching groove 131. In addition to the sealing effect, another function of the protrusion 221 and the groove 131 is to limit the sealing door 2 relative to the box body 1 in the direction of the vertical reference plane.

[0056] In one embodiment, see Appendix Figure 5 and attached Figure 6As shown, the outer surfaces of the left and right flanges 13 are inclined, meaning that the sides of the left and right flanges 13 that abut against the flange 22 are inclined from bottom to top, moving away from each other. The inner surfaces of the left and right flanges 22 are also inclined, matching the inclination direction and angle of the left and right flanges 13. This arrangement takes into account that the sealing door 2 and the box body 1 are locked vertically from bottom to top, ensuring that the fit between the flanges 13 and the flange 22 becomes increasingly tighter as they are locked upwards, thus gradually improving the sealing performance.

[0057] In one embodiment, see Appendix Figure 4 and attached Figure 8 As shown, a pair of mapping sensors 4 are also provided on the sealing door 2. The pair of mapping sensors 4 move up and down synchronously with the sealing door 2, and the beams emitted by the pair of mapping sensors 4 are horizontal and perpendicular to the direction of movement of the sealing door 2. In this application, the sealing door 2 only moves in the vertical direction. When the sealing door 2 is opening and descending, the pair of mapping sensors 4 detect the wafer 5 inside the housing 1 in a synchronous process. No additional wafer 5 detection device is required; the detection device is built into the sealing door 2.

[0058] A pair of mapping sensors 4 are fixed on the protrusion 22 to detect the portion of the wafer 5 extending out of the housing 1. When the transmitted light is blocked, it indicates that a wafer 5 is present at that location. To ensure that the sealing door 2 can detect all the wafers 5 inside the housing 1 when it moves downward, a pair of mapping sensors 4 are fixed at the upper end of the protrusion 22, i.e., near the boss 12. In this way, when the sealing door 2 is connected to the housing 1, the pair of mapping sensors 4 are located above the opening. When the sealing door 2 moves downward, it can pass through all the wafers 5 inside the housing 1 and perform a top-down scan of the wafers 5, without any missed detections.

[0059] See appendix Figure 8 As shown, a pair of mapping sensors 4 includes a transmitter and a receiver, which are fixed to the left and right convex edges 22, respectively. Placement slots are formed on the inner surfaces of the left and right convex edges 22, and the transmitter and receiver are embedded in the corresponding placement slots. The placement slots are located between the protrusion 221 and the door body 21, in an area where the convex edge 22 will not contact the flange 13, ensuring that when the convex edge 22 slides along the flange 13, it will not interfere with the transmitter, receiver, or the transmitted light beam.

[0060] See appendix Figure 4As shown, a conductive port 212 is also provided on the sealed door 2. The cable of the mapping sensor 4 is connected to the conductive port 212 through a channel inside the sealed door 2. When the external lifting plate 7 raises or lowers the sealed door 2, power can be supplied to the mapping sensor through the conductive port 212, and the information of the wafer 5 collected by the mapping sensor 4 can be read. There are two conductive ports 212, corresponding to the transmitting end and the receiving end respectively.

[0061] See appendix Figure 5 As shown, the locking groove 121 has an arc-shaped structure. The locking groove 121 is an arc-shaped groove with openings at both ends, extending upwards along the lower end face of the boss 12. A locking rod 122 is formed below the arc-shaped groove. See appendix. Figure 9 As shown, the lock disc 31 has a circular structure, and an arc-shaped hook 311 is provided on the edge of the lock disc 31. The hook 311 can be screwed into the lock groove 121 and engaged with the lock rod 122, thus fixing the sealing door 2 to the box body 1. The lock disc 31 has a notch corresponding to the lock groove 121. When the hook 311 is screwed out of the lock groove 121, the notch corresponds to the position of the boss 12. When the sealing door 2 and the box body 1 are connected, the center of the hook 311 coincides with the center of the lock groove 121. The hook 311 and the lock rod 122 are generally eccentrically set, which can make the hook 311 screw into the lock groove 121 and the lock rod 122 present a certain tensile stress, thereby achieving vertical locking.

[0062] See appendix Figure 7 As shown, a recessed groove 211 is provided at the upper end of one side of the sealed door 2 away from the box body 1, extending upward through the sealed door 2. A locking disc 31 is rotatably connected within the recessed groove 211, which provides space for the placement and rotation of the locking disc 31. As the locking disc 31 rotates within the recessed groove 211, the hook 311 can extend upward into the locking groove 121 to achieve locking.

[0063] At least one centering shaft 32 is fixed inside the groove 211, providing guidance and limiting for the rotation of the locking disc 31. The centering shaft 32 is eccentrically positioned relative to the center of the locking disc 31. The locking disc 31 has an arc-shaped guide channel 313, and the centering shaft 32 passes through the guide channel 313 and can slide within it. When the locking disc 31 rotates, it rotates along the centering shaft 32, ensuring that the rotation of the locking disc 31 does not become eccentric. At the same time, when the centering shaft 32 abuts against the two ends of the guide channel 313, the locking disc 31 rotates into position, either locked into the locking groove 121 or slid out of the locking groove 121.

[0064] See appendix Figure 7 As shown, in order to provide a more stable guide for the lock disc 31, the recess 211 is an arc-shaped structure concentric with the lock disc 31. A clearance groove for the key is provided at the center of the recess 211, and the clearance groove is concentric with the center of the lock disc 31.

[0065] In one embodiment, three centering shafts 32 are provided within a settling groove 211. The distance from the center of the settling groove 211 to the three centering shafts 32 is the same, and the distance from the guide channel 313 to the center of the locking disc 31 is also the same, ensuring that all three centering shafts 32 are within the guide channel 313 and guide the rotation of the locking disc 31. The centering shafts 32 are cylindrical, and their circumference radius matches the groove width of the guide channel 313. One, two, four, or more centering shafts 32 can also be provided. In this embodiment, three centering shafts 32 are used to improve safety; even if one shaft fails, the other two can still ensure stable rotation.

[0066] In one embodiment, to protect the locking disc 31, a locking cover 33 is provided on the outer side of the locking disc 31. The locking cover 33 is disposed on the recess 211 and fixed to the recess 211 by a centering shaft 32. The locking cover 33 confines the locking disc 31 in the recess 211, ensuring that the locking disc 31 will not fall out of the recess 211, while also protecting the locking disc 31 and preventing it from being exposed to the outside.

[0067] To ensure the flatness of the sealing door 2, the lock cover 33 is embedded in the semi-open recess 211. The lock cover 33 is flush with the surface of the sealing door 2. Therefore, a stepped surface is provided at the edge of the recess 211, and the lock cover 33 is located in the stepped surface. The thickness of the lock cover 33 is the same as the depth of the stepped surface.

[0068] See appendix Figure 9 As shown, a rectangular keyhole 3121 is provided in the center of the lock disc 31. When the key of the wafer loading device is inserted into the keyhole 3121 of the lock disc 31, the rotation of the key drives the lock disc 31 to rotate, driving the hook 311 to rotate 90° and unscrew from the lock groove 121, thus unlocking the sealed door 2 from the box body 1.

[0069] See appendix Figure 9 As shown, a protrusion 312 extends from the side of the lock disc 31 facing the lock cover 33 towards the lock cover 33. The protrusion 312 is located at the center of the lock disc 31, and the keyhole 3121 is formed on the protrusion 312. The surface of the protrusion 312 is flush with the surface of the lock cover 33, ensuring that the lock disc 31 does not protrude from the lock cover 33. See attached diagram. Figure 10 As shown, the lock cover 33 has a through hole 331 that matches the protrusion 312.

[0070] In one embodiment, two locking discs 31 are provided, located on the left and right sides of the sealing door 2, to fix the sealing door 2 and the box body 1 from both sides, improving stability. Of course, one can also be provided, located in the middle, or three, four or more can be provided. In this embodiment, two locking discs 31 are provided to fix the sealing door 2 from the left and right sides, which is low in cost and has a good fixing and sealing effect.

[0071] See appendix Figure 11As shown, this is the state when wafer 5 is placed inside housing 1, with a portion of wafer 5 extending out from flange 13 and at a certain distance from flange 13. When sealing door 2 is fixed to housing 1, see attached diagram. Figure 12 As shown, the hook 311 on the lock disc 31 screws into the lock groove 121 and engages with the lock rod 122, generating a pulling force that tightly fits the upper side of the sealing door 2 against the lower surface of the boss 12, thus locking the sealing door 2 relative to the box body 1. When it is necessary to open the sealing door 2, the key is inserted into the keyhole 3121 on the lock disc 31. After the key is rotated 90° in a certain direction, it causes the hook 311 on the lock disc 31 to rotate 90°, and the hook 311 screws out of the lock groove 121 and disengages from the lock rod 122. At this time, the sealing door 2 is unlocked from the box body 1. After the sealing door 2 and the box body 1 are unlocked, the wafer loading device moves the entire sealing door 2 downward. Since a pair of mapping sensors 4 are provided on the sealing door 2, see Appendix Figure 4 As shown, during the downward movement of the sealing door 2, the mapping sensor 4 is located on both sides of the wafer 5 protruding from the flange 13 to detect the wafer 5. When the sealing door 2 needs to be locked again between the sealing door 2 and the housing 1, the wafer loading device drives the sealing door 2 to move vertically upward, and the flange 22 moves from bottom to top along the positioning surface 11 of the housing 1. When the sealing door 2 moves to the lower surface of the protrusion 12 that fits against the housing 1, it stops moving upward. At this time, the flange 22 fits against the flange 13, and the protrusion 221 is embedded in the groove 131, achieving a seal. The entire wafer 5 transfer box only requires a vertical movement to remove the sealing door 2 from the housing 1 and to detect the wafer 5, which can be completed by a single driving component. Compared with traditional wafer 5 transfer boxes, it is compatible with wafer 5 detection devices and greatly simplifies the structure and control system of the corresponding wafer loading device.

[0072] In one embodiment, see Appendix Figure 13 As shown, the present invention also discloses a wafer loading device, including a stand 6, on which a placement platform is provided for placing the aforementioned wafer transfer box. During the loading process, the wafer transfer box 5 is always fixed on the placement platform. A lifting plate 7 is slidably connected to the stand 6, and an unlocking component 9 is provided on the lifting plate 7. The lifting plate 7 can be lifted and lowered along the stand 6 under the drive of the lifting drive component 8, moving upward to the position of the placement platform, where the wafer transfer box is installed. Then, the door lock component 3 is unlocked by the unlocking component 9. After unlocking, the lifting plate 7 drives the sealing door 2 to move downward as a whole.

[0073] See appendix Figure 14 and attached Figure 15As shown, the unlocking assembly 9 includes a key corresponding to the lock disc 31 and an unlocking motor 92. The key rotates under the drive of the unlocking motor 92, which is fixed on the lifting plate 7. After the key 91 is inserted into the keyhole 3121, the unlocking motor 92 drives the key 91 to rotate, which in turn drives the lock disc 31 to rotate. The lock disc 31 completes the unlocking and locking processes during clockwise and counterclockwise rotation. The key 91 has a rectangular cylindrical structure that matches the shape of the keyhole 3121. In this embodiment, there are two lock discs 31 arranged on the left and right sides, therefore, there are also two unlocking assemblies 9 arranged on the left and right sides of the lifting plate 7.

[0074] See appendix Figure 14 As shown, the lifting plate 7 is also equipped with a conductive rod 10 that rises and falls synchronously with it. The conductive rod 10 is correspondingly arranged with the conductive port 212 and can be inserted into the conductive port 212. The conductive rod 10 has a conductive ring, and the wall of the conductive port 212 has a conductive ring that matches it.

[0075] The conductive rod 10 is inserted into the conductive port 212, and is connected to the conductive ring in the conductive port 212 via a conductive ring on the conductive rod 10, providing power and signal transmission to the mapping sensor 4 on the sealing door 2. The conductive rod 10 can, on the one hand, conduct power from the wafer loading device to the sealing door 2 and feed back the signal from the mapping sensor 4 to the control system; on the other hand, it can also move the sealing door 2 up and down, providing force for the lifting and lowering of the sealing door 2.

[0076] In one embodiment, see Appendix Figure 15 As shown, the lifting plate 7 has an L-shaped structure, including a horizontally arranged support part 72 and a vertically arranged fixing part 71. The lower end face of the sealing door 2 abuts against the support part 72, and the conductive rod 10 and the unlocking assembly 9 are fixed to the fixing part 71. The lifting plate 7 drives the sealing door 2 to move up and down. The sealing door 2 moves up and down by the force applied to it by the conductive rod 10 and the key 91. At the same time, the support part 72 provides support to prevent the sealing door 2 from falling.

[0077] In this embodiment, the wafer loading device requires only a lifting plate 7 that can be raised and lowered. The unlocking motor 92 on the lifting plate 7 unlocks and locks the door lock assembly 3 by rotating forward and backward. At the same time, it supplies power and transmits information to the mapping sensors 4 on the sealing plate through the conductive rod 10. When it is necessary to load the wafer 5, the unlocking assembly 9 rotates the lock disc 31 to unlock. After unlocking, the lifting plate 7 applies force to the sealing door 2 through the key and the conductive rod 10, causing the sealing door 2 to move downward. During the downward movement of the sealing door 2, a pair of mapping sensors 4 detect the wafer 5 inside the housing 1. The wafer loading device in this embodiment has only one lifting plate 7 and a lifting drive component 8, which greatly simplifies the structure, reduces costs, and improves accuracy.

[0078] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention. Their purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it. They should not be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wafer transport box, comprising a box body and a sealing door sealed to the box body, wherein the sealing door is fixed to the box body by a door lock assembly, characterized in that: in An opening is provided on the side of the box body, and the side where the opening is located is a positioning surface. The wafer extends out of the box body from the opening. The sealing door is located at the opening of the box and can move up and down along the box. The sealing door is equipped with a pair of mapping sensors that can move up and down synchronously with it. The pair of mapping sensors are located on both sides of the opening and detect the wafers extending out of the box. The door lock assembly includes at least one corresponding lock groove and lock disc. The positioning surface extends toward the side of the sealed door and has a protrusion located above the opening. The sealed door can abut against the protrusion. The lock groove has a protrusion. The lock disc is rotatably connected to the sealed door. When the lock disc is rotated under the action of the key, it can be screwed into the lock groove. The sealing door includes a door body and a protruding edge extending along the door body toward the box body. The protruding edge can abut against the positioning surface. The protruding edge has a U-shaped structure and cooperates with the door body to form a clearance cavity for placing a portion of the wafer extending out of the box body. The box body includes a flange that matches the convex edge. The flange extends along the positioning surface toward the side of the sealing door. The upper end of the flange abuts against the boss. When the sealing door is locked to the box body, the inner side of the convex edge and the outer side of the flange fit together.

2. The wafer transfer box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flange includes a left flange and a right flange located on both sides of the opening and arranged vertically, and a lower flange located on the side of the opening and arranged horizontally. The outer surfaces of the left flange and the right flange that abut against the flange are inclined, and the inclination direction of the outer surfaces is from bottom to top and inclined towards the two sides that are far apart from each other. The convex edge includes a left convex edge, a right convex edge, and a lower convex edge. The left convex edge, the right convex edge, and the lower convex edge abut against the left flange, the right flange, and the lower flange, respectively. The inner surfaces of the left convex edge and the right convex edge are inclined and match the inclination direction and inclination angle of the outer surfaces of the left flange and the right flange.

3. The wafer transfer box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The convex edge and flange are provided with mutually cooperating grooves and protrusions, and the protrusions can be embedded in the grooves.

4. The wafer transfer box according to claim 2, characterized in that: A pair of mapping sensors includes a transmitter and a receiver, which are respectively fixed on a left convex edge and a right convex edge. Placement slots are provided on the inner surfaces of the left and right convex edges, and the transmitter and receiver are embedded in the corresponding placement slots.

5. The wafer transfer box according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: The locking groove is an arc-shaped groove, and a locking rod is formed below the arc-shaped groove. The locking disc is a circular structure, and an arc-shaped hook is provided on the edge of the locking disc. The hook can be screwed into the locking groove and engaged with the locking rod.

6. The wafer transfer box according to claim 4, characterized in that: The sealing door has a recessed groove that passes upward through the sealing door, and the locking disc is rotatably connected in the recessed groove; at least one centering shaft is fixed in the recessed groove, and the centering shaft is eccentrically positioned relative to the center of the locking disc; the locking disc has a guide channel with an arc structure, and the centering shaft passes through the guide channel and can slide in the guide channel; The sealed door is also provided with a conductive port, and the cable of the mapping sensor is connected to the conductive port through a channel inside the sealed door.

7. The wafer transfer box according to claim 6, characterized in that: A lock cover is also fixed inside the settling tank by a centering shaft. The lock cover is flush with the surface of the sealing door, and the lock disc is limited between the lock cover and the bottom of the settling tank. The lock disc has a protrusion extending toward the lock cover on one side. The protrusion is located at the center of the lock disc and has a keyhole. The surface of the protrusion is flush with the surface of the lock cover, and the lock cover has a through hole that matches the protrusion.

8. A wafer loading device, characterized in that: The device includes a support frame, on which a placement platform is provided for placing the wafer transfer box as described in any one of claims 6-7. A lifting plate that can move up and down under the drive of a lifting drive component is slidably connected to the support frame. The lifting plate is provided with an unlocking component and a conductive rod corresponding to a conductive port. The unlocking component and the conductive rod move synchronously with the lifting plate.

9. The wafer loading apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that: The conductive rod can be inserted into the conductive port, and the conductive rod has a conductive ring, and the wall of the conductive port has a corresponding conductive ring.

10. The wafer loading apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that: The unlocking assembly includes a key corresponding to the lock disc and an unlocking motor. The key can be inserted into the keyhole and can rotate under the drive of the unlocking motor. The unlocking motor is fixed on the lifting plate.

11. The wafer loading apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that: The lifting plate has an L-shaped structure, including a horizontally arranged support part and a vertically arranged fixing part. The lower end face of the sealing door abuts against the support part, and the conductive rod and the unlocking assembly are fixed to the fixing part.

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