Boat inlet and outlet conveying device of ALD equipment and control method of boat inlet and outlet conveying device

Abstract

The invention provides an in-and-out boat conveying device of ALD equipment and a control method thereof.The in-and-out boat conveying device of the ALD equipment comprises a fixing frame, a boat supporting mechanism, a boat storage mechanism and a conveying mechanism, and the conveying mechanism is provided with a boat supporting in-place detection module and a first boat in-place detection module; the boat support in-place detection module is used for detecting whether a boat support mechanism is arranged on the conveying mechanism or not, the first boat in-place detection module is used for detecting whether a slide boat is arranged on the boat support mechanism located at the boat transplanting position or not, the slide boat transferring accuracy is improved, and then the failure rate of the in-out boat conveying device can be reduced; the conveying mechanism is also provided with a double-module synchronous belt conveying structure; an independent boat supporting mechanism is also arranged for supporting the slide glass boat, so that separated supporting and conveying are realized; according to the invention, a guiding and position correcting structure is also arranged on the boat support mechanism and the conveying mechanism, and the designed guiding and position correcting structure can well realize accurate positioning of the boat support mechanism in actual movement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of solar cells, and more specifically, relates to an in-and-out boat conveying device of an ALD device and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of the photovoltaic industry, solar cell technology is constantly being updated and iterated, and ALD (atomic layer deposition) equipment is being used more and more widely in the production process of solar cells.

[0003] The existing boat inlet, outlet and boat storage system of the ALD equipment host station mostly adopts the structure of installing the boat support mechanism on the slider of the conveying mechanism, and dragging the boat support mechanism to reciprocate the wafer boat through the transmission method of gear rack. At the same time, the boat lifting mechanism is used to transfer the wafer boat. However, when the contact switch signal on the boat lifting mechanism is abnormal, the "boat is available" or "no boat" signal is lost, which may cause a "boat collision" accident, which will increase the failure rate of the boat inlet, outlet and boat storage system of the ALD equipment host station.

[0004] At the same time, based on comprehensive considerations of process stability, precise control, convenient maintenance, and cost control in the transportation and temporary storage of metal boats in the ALD equipment main station, a better ALD equipment main station boat in and out control and transportation device is urgently needed to adapt to the rapid development of technological iteration needs in the solar cell industry. Summary of the invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a boat-in-and-out conveying device for an ALD device, aiming to reduce the failure rate of the boat-in-and-out conveying device for the ALD device.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0007] The present invention provides an in-and-out boat transport device for an ALD device, comprising:

[0008] Fixed frame;

[0009] A boat supporting mechanism, used for carrying a film-carrying boat;

[0010] A boat storage mechanism, mounted on the fixing frame, for temporarily storing the boat supporting mechanism;

[0011] A conveying mechanism, mounted on the fixing frame and located above the boat storage mechanism, with two ends thereof being a boat support entry and exit position and a boat transfer position, respectively, for transferring the boat support mechanism back and forth between the boat support entry and exit position and the boat transfer position;

[0012] Among them, the conveying mechanism is provided with a boat support in-position detection module and a first boat in-position detection module, the boat support in-position detection module is used to detect whether the boat support mechanism is on the conveying mechanism, and the first boat in-position detection module is used to detect whether the wafer carrier boat is on the boat support mechanism located at the boat transplanting position.

[0013] Furthermore, the conveying mechanism is also provided with a deceleration detection module and an in-place stop detection module, the deceleration detection module is used to detect whether the boat supporting mechanism has reached the boat supporting deceleration position, and the in-place stop detection module is used to detect whether the boat supporting mechanism has reached the boat transplanting position.

[0014] Furthermore, the conveying mechanism includes a first conveying module and a second conveying module that are arranged opposite to each other, and the first conveying module and the second conveying module convey the boat supporting mechanism through a first synchronous belt and a second synchronous belt respectively.

[0015] Furthermore, the boat support in-position detection module adopts a through-beam photoelectric sensor, a transmitting end of the through-beam photoelectric sensor is installed on the first conveying module, and a receiving end of the through-beam photoelectric sensor is installed on the second conveying module.

[0016] Further, the in-place stop detection module is installed near the end of the second conveying module, and the distance between the in-place stop detection module and the end of the second conveying module is t, the total length of the second conveying module is S, the transmitting end of the through-beam photoelectric sensor is installed at the starting end of the first conveying module, and the installation distance between the receiving end and the transmitting end along the transmission direction of the second synchronous belt is X, where X>SLt.

[0017] Furthermore, it also includes:

[0018] A guide assembly is installed on the first conveying module and the second conveying module, and is used to guide and limit the position of the boat supporting mechanism on the conveying mechanism.

[0019] Further, the guide assembly includes a first guide bar installed on the first conveying module and located on one side of the first synchronous belt, a second guide bar installed on the second conveying module and located on one side of the second synchronous belt, a first in-position stopper installed at the end of the first conveying module, and a second in-position stopper installed at the end of the second conveying module.

[0020] Further, the guide assembly includes a plurality of guide blocks installed on the first conveying module and the second conveying module.

[0021] Furthermore, each guide block is provided with at least one waist-shaped hole, and the waist-shaped hole is used to adjust the installation position of the guide block.

[0022] Further, the boat supporting mechanism comprises:

[0023] The first bracket comprises a first supporting side plate and a second supporting side plate which are arranged opposite to each other, and a first supporting top plate and a second supporting top plate which are spaced apart and connected between the first supporting side plate and the second supporting side plate, wherein the first supporting side plate and the second supporting side plate are both provided with guide wheels, and the guide wheels cooperate with the guide blocks one by one to form a guide alignment structure;

[0024] A plurality of first support columns are vertically arranged on the first support top plate and the second support top plate, and are used to jointly support the wafer boat.

[0025] Furthermore, the first supporting side plate, the first supporting top plate, the second supporting side plate and the second supporting top plate are jointly arranged to form a receiving area, a buffer pad is arranged in the receiving area, and the buffer pad is used to receive the battery cell dropped from the wafer boat.

[0026] Furthermore, the number of the first support columns is four, two of which are erected at intervals on the first support top plate, and positioning pins are provided on the tops of the two first support columns, and the other two first support columns are erected at intervals on the second support top plate.

[0027] Furthermore, the boat storage mechanism includes: a second bracket, and a plurality of second support columns erected on the second bracket, and a second boat presence detection module is provided on the top of some of the second support columns, and the second boat presence detection module is used to detect whether the boat supporting mechanism is present on the boat storage mechanism.

[0028] The present invention also provides a method for controlling the transport of an ALD device in and out of a boat, comprising:

[0029] Controlling the conveying mechanism to convey the boat supporting mechanism carrying the wafer boat along the boat entering direction until the boat supporting mechanism reaches the boat transferring position;

[0030] When it is detected that the wafer boat is on the boat supporting mechanism located at the boat transfer position, allowing the wafer boat to be lifted by the boat lifting mechanism;

[0031] Controlling the conveying mechanism to convey the boat supporting mechanism along the boat exiting direction until the boat supporting mechanism reaches the boat supporting entry and exit position;

[0032] When it is detected that the boat supporting mechanism is absent on the conveying mechanism, the wafer boat is allowed to be transferred to the boat storing mechanism through the boat lifting mechanism.

[0033] Furthermore, before the boat supporting mechanism reaches the boat transplanting position, the method further includes:

[0034] When it is detected that the boat supporting mechanism reaches the boat supporting deceleration position, the transmission speed of the conveying mechanism is reduced so that the boat supporting mechanism is decelerated and reaches the boat transferring position.

[0035] Furthermore, it also includes:

[0036] When it is detected that the wafer boat is on the boat storage mechanism, the wafer boat is allowed to be transferred to the cell coating device through the boat lifting mechanism.

[0037] Furthermore, it also includes:

[0038] Controlling the conveying mechanism to convey the empty boat supporting mechanism along the boat entry direction until the boat supporting mechanism reaches the boat transfer position;

[0039] When it is detected that the wafer boat is on the boat supporting mechanism located at the boat transfer position, the conveying mechanism is controlled to convey the boat supporting mechanism carrying the wafer boat along the boat exiting direction, so that the wafer boat is conveyed to the battery cell loading and unloading equipment through the conveying mechanism.

[0040] Compared with the prior art, the in-and-out boat conveying device of the ALD equipment and the control method thereof provided by the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0041] 1. The present invention can detect whether there is a boat supporting mechanism and whether there is a wafer boat on the conveying mechanism, ensuring that the wafer boat can be accurately transferred to the boat storage mechanism through the boat lifting mechanism, thereby improving the accuracy of wafer boat transfer and reducing the failure rate of the in-and-out boat conveying device.

[0042] 2. The conveying mechanism of the present invention adopts a dual-module synchronous belt conveying structure, which has the advantages of smooth and stable transmission, precise detection and control positioning, low noise, high conveying cleanliness and easy installation and maintenance.

[0043] 3. The present invention utilizes an independent boat-supporting mechanism to support the wafer boat, thereby realizing separate supporting and conveying, reducing the battery cell fragmentation rate caused by the impact vibration generated by the integrated supporting and conveying structure during operation, and improving the convenience of equipment installation and maintenance.

[0044] 4. The present invention adopts a guide alignment structure provided on the boat supporting mechanism and the conveying mechanism. The designed guide alignment structure can well realize the precise positioning of the boat supporting mechanism in actual movement. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative labor.

[0046] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the in-and-out boat conveying device of the ALD equipment in the prior art;

[0047] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a boat transport device for an ALD device provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 3 A schematic top view of the structure of the in-and-out boat transport device of the ALD device provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a boat support mechanism carrying a wafer boat provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a boat support mechanism provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the top view of the boat support mechanism provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 7 for Figure 6 The enlarged structural diagram at A in the middle;

[0053] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a boat storage mechanism provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Fig. 9 A schematic flow chart of a control method for a boat transport device in and out of an ALD device provided by a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Among them, the main marks of the drawings in the figure are:

[0056] 1. Film boat; 2. Boat support mechanism; 3. Transport mechanism; 4. Fixing frame; 5. Boat storage mechanism;

[0057] 21. first support column; 22. first bracket; 23. buffer pad; 24. positioning pin; 25. guide wheel; 221. first support side plate; 222. second support side plate; 223. first support top plate; 224. second support top plate;

[0058] 31. First conveying module; 32. Second conveying module; 310. First synchronous belt; 320. Second synchronous belt;

[0059] 41. Slider; 42. Slide rail;

[0060] 51. second support column; 52. second bracket;

[0061] 61. Boat support in-position detection module; 62. First boat in-position detection module; 63. In-position stop detection module; 64. Second boat in-position detection module; 65. Deceleration detection module; 611. Transmitter; 612. Receiver;

[0062] 71. First guide strip; 72. Second guide strip; 73. First stopper in place; 74. Second stopper in place; 75. Guide block; 751. Waist-shaped hole; 752. Round hole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0064] See also Figure 1 The existing ALD equipment host machine's boat in and out storage system is mostly installed on the slider 41 of the conveying mechanism 3 in terms of structure, and the boat support mechanism 2 is dragged by the gear rack transmission mode to reciprocate the boat. The existing structure has the following disadvantages: 1) The slide rail 42 is long and needs to be spliced ​​in multiple sections, which has high requirements for installation and positioning, high maintenance difficulty, and high manufacturing cost; 2) The power transmission rack is long and needs to be spliced ​​in multiple sections, which has high requirements for installation and positioning, high maintenance difficulty, and high manufacturing cost; 3) The splicing of the slide rail 42 is prone to impact vibration, resulting in an increase in the fragmentation rate of the battery cell, and the transmission noise is large; 4) The splicing of the rack is prone to impact vibration, resulting in an increase in the fragmentation rate of the battery cell, and the transmission noise is large; 5) The internal working temperature of the equipment is high, and the slide rail 42 and the rack are between the process link and the process link to be processed. The lubricating grease on the slide rail 42 and the rack is easy to volatilize in a high temperature environment and contaminate the battery cell; 6) The boat support mechanism 2 is fixed on the conveying structure. This integrated structure is time-consuming and laborious to disassemble and assemble during maintenance.

[0065] At the same time, the boat is moved by the boat lifting mechanism. However, when the contact switch signal on the boat lifting mechanism is abnormal, the "boat is available" or "no boat" signal is lost, which may cause a "boat collision" accident, and increase the failure rate of the boat in and out storage system of the ALD equipment host.

[0066] In this regard, the present invention provides a more excellent ALD equipment main station boat entry and exit control and transportation device based on comprehensive consideration of process stability, precise control, convenient maintenance, cost control and other aspects of the transportation and temporary storage of metal boats in the ALD equipment main station to adapt to the rapidly developing technology iteration needs of the solar cell industry.

[0067] Please also read Figures 2 to 9 The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an ALD equipment inlet and outlet boat conveying device, comprising:

[0068] Fixed frame 4;

[0069] The boat supporting mechanism 2 is used to carry the slide boat 1;

[0070] The boat storage mechanism 5 is installed on the fixing frame 4 and is used for temporarily storing the boat supporting mechanism 2;

[0071] The conveying mechanism 3 is installed on the fixing frame 4 and is located above the boat storage mechanism 5, and its two ends are respectively the boat support entry and exit position and the boat transfer position, and is used to transfer the boat support mechanism 2 back and forth between the boat support entry and exit position and the boat transfer position;

[0072] Among them, a boat support in-position detection module 61 and a first boat in-position detection module 62 are provided on the conveying mechanism 3. The boat support in-position detection module 61 is used to detect whether there is a boat support mechanism 2 on the conveying mechanism 3, and the first boat in-position detection module 62 is used to detect whether there is a carrier boat 1 on the boat support mechanism 2 located at the boat transfer position.

[0073] The in-and-out boat conveying device of the ALD equipment provided by the present invention adopts a boat support presence detection module 61 and a first boat presence detection module 62 set on the conveying mechanism 3, so as to detect whether there is a boat support mechanism 2 and whether there is a wafer boat 1 on the conveying mechanism 3, thereby ensuring that the wafer boat 1 can be accurately transferred to the boat storage mechanism 5 through the boat lifting mechanism, thereby improving the accuracy of wafer boat transfer and reducing the failure rate of the in-and-out boat conveying device.

[0074] In a preferred embodiment, if Figure 3 As shown, the conveying mechanism 3 is also provided with a deceleration detection module 65 and an in-place stop detection module 63. The deceleration detection module 65 is used to detect whether the boat supporting mechanism 2 has reached the boat supporting deceleration position, and the in-place stop detection module 63 is used to detect whether the boat supporting mechanism 2 has reached the boat transplanting position.

[0075] It should be noted that the boat support entry and exit position refers to the position where the boat support mechanism 2 enters or exits the transmission mechanism 3, and the boat support entry and exit position is located at one end of the transmission mechanism 3 close to the cell coating equipment. The boat transfer position refers to the position where the wafer boat 1 on the transmission mechanism 3 is lifted by the boat lifting mechanism, and also refers to the position where the conveying mechanism 3 receives the wafer boat 1 transferred by the boat lifting mechanism, and the boat transfer position is located at one end of the transmission mechanism 3 close to the cell coating equipment. The boat support deceleration position refers to the position that triggers the deceleration of the conveying mechanism 3, so that the boat support mechanism 2 decelerates smoothly and stably to reach the boat transfer position.

[0076] It should also be noted that the present invention can be configured such that the boat support in-position detection module 61, the first boat in-position detection module 62, the in-position stop detection module 63 and the deceleration detection module 65 all use any one of photoelectric sensors, proximity switches and contact switches.

[0077] In a preferred embodiment, if Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the conveying mechanism 3 includes a first conveying module 31 and a second conveying module 32 which are arranged opposite to each other. The first conveying module 31 and the second conveying module 32 convey the boat supporting mechanism 2 via a first synchronous belt 310 and a second synchronous belt 320 respectively.

[0078] It should be understood that the working principle of the first conveying module 31 is the same as that of the second conveying module 32. Taking the first conveying module 31 as an example, the first conveying module 31 mainly includes a driving wheel, a driven wheel, a first synchronous belt 310 and a servo motor. For example, the driving wheel is installed at the starting end of the first conveying module 31, the driven wheel is installed at the end of the first conveying module 31, the first synchronous belt 310 connects the driving wheel and the driven wheel, the driving wheel is driven to rotate by the servo motor, the driven wheel is driven to rotate by the first synchronous belt 310, and the boat support mechanism 2 moves with the first synchronous belt 310. Further, the first conveying module 31 and the second conveying module 32 can also be set to share a servo motor. For example, the driving wheel of the first conveying module 31 is connected to the driving wheel of the second conveying module 32 through a connecting shaft, and the two driving wheels of the conveying mechanism 3 can be driven to rotate synchronously by a servo motor, driving the first synchronous belt 310 and the second synchronous belt 320 to move synchronously, so that the conveying mechanism 3 can transmit the boat support mechanism 2.

[0079] In the boat-in and boat-out conveying device of the ALD equipment provided by the present invention, the conveying mechanism 3 adopts a dual-module synchronous belt conveying structure, and the servo motor drives the first and second conveying modules to operate smoothly and accurately without impact vibration, thereby reducing transmission noise. At the same time, this conveying method has the characteristics of low manufacturing, installation and maintenance costs, convenient debugging, and strong compatibility. At the same time, there is no grease pollution source in this boat-in and boat-out conveying device, which improves the cleanliness of the equipment. The synchronous belt conveying structure has a shock-absorbing effect, reduces the fragmentation rate, and improves the output and yield of the equipment.

[0080] In a preferred embodiment, if Figure 3 As shown, the boat support in-position detection module 61 adopts a through-beam photoelectric sensor, a transmitting end 611 of the through-beam photoelectric sensor is installed on the first conveying module 31 , and a receiving end 612 of the through-beam photoelectric sensor is installed on the second conveying module 32 .

[0081] The boat support position detection module 61 adopts a through-beam photoelectric sensor, and the transmitting end 611 and the receiving end 612 of the through-beam photoelectric sensor are respectively arranged on the first conveying module 31 and the second conveying module 32. The boat support position detection module 61 uses the transmitting end 611 to emit light, and detects whether the light is blocked or reflected by the boat support mechanism 2 through the receiving end 612, thereby detecting whether there is a boat support mechanism 2.

[0082] In order to ensure that the boat support in-position detection module 61 can accurately detect whether there is a boat support mechanism 2 on the conveying mechanism 3, the installation position of the boat support in-position detection module 61 on the conveying mechanism 3 can also be set to meet the following conditions:

[0083] like Figure 3 As shown, the in-place stop detection module 63 is installed near the end of the second conveying module 32, and the distance between the in-place stop detection module 63 and the end of the second conveying module 32 is t, the total length of the second conveying module 32 is S, the transmitting end 611 of the through-beam photoelectric sensor is installed at the starting end of the first conveying module 31, and the installation distance between the receiving end 612 and the transmitting end 611 along the transmission direction of the second synchronous belt 320 is X, wherein X>SLt.

[0084] In a preferred embodiment, if Figure 3 As shown, the deceleration detection module 65 is installed near the end of the second conveying module 32 , and the deceleration detection module 65 is at a certain distance from the in-place stop detection module 63 .

[0085] In a preferred embodiment, if Figure 3 As shown, the number of the first boat in-position detection modules 62 is set to two, and the two first boat in-position detection modules 62 are arranged on the second conveying module 32 at intervals.

[0086] It should be understood that Figure 3 From the top view shown, one of the first boat in-position detection modules 62 is installed on the second delivery module near the position of the launch end 611 in the boat support in-position detection module 61, and the other first boat in-position detection module 62 is installed on the second delivery module near the position of the deceleration detection module 65. Figure 2From the stereoscopic diagram shown, two first boat in-position detection modules 62 are installed on the second conveying module 32 through supporting vertical plates. The two first boat in-position detection modules 62 are much higher than the second synchronous belt 320, so that the height positions of the two first boat in-position detection modules 62 are matched with the height positions of the wafer boat 1 supported by the boat supporting mechanism 2, thereby detecting whether there is a wafer boat 1.

[0087] In a preferred embodiment, the boat transport device for the ALD equipment further includes a guide assembly which is mounted on the first transport module 31 and the second transport module 32 and is used to guide and limit the position of the boat support mechanism 2 on the transport mechanism 3 .

[0088] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the guide assembly includes a first guide bar 71 installed on the first conveying module 31 and located on one side of the first synchronous belt 310, a second guide bar 72 installed on the second conveying module 32 and located on one side of the second synchronous belt 320, a first in-position stopper 73 installed at the end of the first conveying module 31, and a second in-position stopper 74 installed at the end of the second conveying module 32.

[0089] The in-and-out boat conveying device of the ALD equipment provided by the present invention is provided with a guide assembly. Specifically, a first guide bar 71 and a first in-position stopper 73 are provided on the first conveying module 31, and a second guide bar 72 and a second in-position stopper 74 are provided on the second conveying module 32. The boat supporting mechanism 2 can be guided by the first guide bar 71 and the second guide bar 72 to prevent the boat supporting mechanism 2 from running off the conveying mechanism 3, and the boat supporting mechanism 2 can be limited by the first in-position stopper 73 and the second in-position stopper 74 to ensure that the boat supporting mechanism 2 stops at a predetermined position.

[0090] like Figure 3 , Figure 6 As shown, the guide assembly further includes a plurality of guide blocks 75 mounted on the first conveying module 31 and the second conveying module 32. Each guide block 75 is provided with at least one waist-shaped hole 751, and the waist-shaped hole 751 is used to adjust the installation position of the guide block 75.

[0091] It should be understood that if Figure 7 As shown, the guide blocks 75 on the conveying mechanism 3 cooperate with the guide wheels 25 on the boat supporting mechanism 2 to form a guide alignment structure. The guide alignment structure will be introduced in detail later and will not be described here.

[0092] In a preferred embodiment, if Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the boat supporting mechanism 2 includes a first bracket 22 and a plurality of first supporting columns 21 .

[0093] The first bracket 22 includes a first supporting side plate 221 and a second supporting side plate 222 that are arranged opposite to each other, and a first supporting top plate 223 and a second supporting top plate 224 that are spaced apart and connected between the first supporting side plate 221 and the second supporting side plate 222 . Guide wheels 25 are provided on the first supporting side plate 221 and the second supporting side plate 222 .

[0094] A plurality of first supporting columns 21 are vertically disposed on the first supporting top plate 223 and the second supporting top plate 224 and are used to jointly support the wafer boat 1 .

[0095] It should be noted that the present invention designs the boat supporting mechanism 2 and the conveying mechanism 3 separately. When the boat supporting mechanism 2 is placed on the conveying mechanism 3, the boat supporting mechanism 2 does not need to be rigidly connected to the conveying mechanism 3 by screws.

[0096] The first bracket 22 may be configured to be sequentially spliced ​​together by a first support side plate 221, a first support top plate 223, a second support side plate 222, and a second support top plate 224. The first bracket 22 is designed to be spliced ​​together, which facilitates disassembly and maintenance.

[0097] In addition, the first supporting side plate 221 , the first supporting top plate 223 , the second supporting side plate 222 and the second supporting top plate 224 together enclose a receiving area, in which a buffer pad 23 is provided, and the buffer pad 23 is used to receive the battery cell dropped from the wafer carrier boat 1 .

[0098] The buffer pad 23 is arranged in the first bracket 22 , and when the battery cells in the wafer boat 1 fall onto the buffer pad 23 during transportation, the buffer pad 23 can play a good buffering role to prevent the battery cells from breaking when falling, thereby reducing the fragmentation rate of the battery cells.

[0099] The buffer pad 23 may be made of a heat-insulating material. For example, the buffer pad 23 may be made of heat-insulating cotton, which can simultaneously play the role of heat insulation and buffering, thereby reducing the fragmentation rate of the battery cell during the process and also reducing the heat transferred from the wafer boat 1 that has completed the process to the conveying mechanism 3, thereby protecting the normal operation of the conveying mechanism 3.

[0100] The present invention takes the example of four first support columns 21, wherein two first support columns 21 are vertically arranged at intervals on the first support top plate 223, and positioning pins 24 are provided on the tops of the two first support columns 21, and the other two first support columns 21 are vertically arranged at intervals on the second support top plate 224.

[0101] Two of the first support columns 21 are provided with positioning pins 24, and the top of the positioning pins 24 is provided with a conical surface, which is conducive to guiding and positioning, thereby preventing the boat support mechanism 2 from sliding off the wafer boat 1 due to inertia or accidental collision during transportation. The other two second support columns 51 are not provided with positioning pins 24, so as to allow installation errors in the length direction of the first bracket 22, and the two second support columns 51 can only support the wafer boat 1. Compared with the implementation method in which all four first support columns 21 are provided with positioning pins 24, this preferred embodiment can reduce the installation accuracy requirements and save processing and labor resources.

[0102] The present invention can be provided with the first bracket 22 being made of metal material. For example, the first bracket 22 can be made of aluminum or other metal materials. The wafer boat 1 is usually also made of metal material, and in this case, the wafer boat 1 can also be called a metal boat.

[0103] It should be noted that the present invention adopts a method of setting a plurality of guide and alignment structures on the conveying mechanism 3 and the boat supporting mechanism 2. In actual movement, the guide and alignment structures can well realize the precise positioning of the boat supporting mechanism 2.

[0104] Each guide alignment structure is formed by the cooperation of a guide block 75 and a guide wheel 25. After installation, the guide block 75 is locked and cannot deflect automatically. When the guide wheel 25 contacts the guide block 75, the guide wheel 25 is forced to adapt to the current shape of the guide block 75 under the action of a strong force. It should be understood that the role of the guide alignment structure is to calibrate the shape of the entire boat support mechanism 2 when it is in place. The subsequent boat lifting mechanism needs to grab the film carrier boat 1 on the boat support mechanism 2, and the boat lifting mechanism will also produce errors during installation, so the current shape of the guide block 75 is determined by the boat lifting mechanism. The position of the guide wheel 25 is changed by hard squeezing of the guide block 75, thereby changing the shape of the entire boat support mechanism 2.

[0105] like Figure 6 As shown, the boat support mechanism 2 is provided with four guide wheels 25, and the four guide wheels 25 are installed on the four corners of the first bracket 22. That is to say, a guide wheel 25 is provided at both ends of the first supporting side plate 221 and the second supporting side plate 222, respectively.

[0106] like Figure 3 As shown, the conveying mechanism 3 is provided with four guide blocks 75 , wherein two guide blocks 75 are mounted on the first conveying module 31 , and the other two guide blocks 75 are mounted on the second conveying module 32 .

[0107] like Figure 7As shown, each guide block 75 is provided with three waist-shaped holes 751 and two circular holes 752 that are alternately distributed. Each guide block 75 is installed on the conveying mechanism 3 by screws passing through the corresponding waist-shaped holes 751 and top screws passing through the corresponding circular holes 752. It should be understood that the waist-shaped holes 751 can adjust the installation position of the guide block 75, and the screws will be locked after the installation position is determined. Because it is a waist-shaped hole 751, the screw has a certain amount of room for movement. If the force of the guide block 75 squeezing the guide wheel 25 is too large, the guide wheel 25 may not move but squeeze the guide block 75 out. At the same time, the top screw can increase the locking strength of the screw.

[0108] In a preferred embodiment, if Figure 8 As shown, the boat storage mechanism 5 includes a second bracket 52 and a plurality of second support columns 51 vertically disposed on the second bracket 52 , and a second boat in-position detection module 64 is disposed on the top of some of the second support columns 51 .

[0109] The present invention takes the number of the second support columns 51 as four as an example, in which case the boat storage mechanism 5 relies on four second support columns 51 to support and temporarily store the boat storage mechanism 5. A second boat position detection module 64 is provided on the top of two of the second support columns 51, and the second boat position detection module 64 detects whether there is a wafer boat 1 on the boat storage mechanism 5. The present invention can set the second boat position detection module 64 to use any one of a photoelectric sensor, a proximity switch, and a contact switch.

[0110] It should be noted that the boat transport device in and out of the ALD equipment also includes a control unit, which can respectively obtain the detection results of the boat support in-position detection module 61, the first boat in-position detection module 62, the in-position stop detection module 63, the second boat in-position detection module 64 and the deceleration detection module 65, and can also control the start, stop and deceleration of the transport mechanism 3, and can also control the wafer carrier boat 1 to be transferred to the transport mechanism 3 or the boat storage mechanism 5 through the boat lifting mechanism.

[0111] Based on the specific structure of the in-and-out boat conveying device of the ALD device described above, the present invention further provides an in-and-out boat conveying control method of the ALD device, and the in-and-out boat conveying control method of the ALD device at least comprises the following steps:

[0112] S10, controlling the conveying mechanism to convey the boat supporting mechanism carrying the wafer boat along the boat entry direction until the boat supporting mechanism reaches the boat transfer position;

[0113] S20, when it is detected that there is a film carrier boat on the boat supporting mechanism located at the boat transfer position, allowing the film carrier boat to be lifted by the boat lifting mechanism;

[0114] S30, controlling the conveying mechanism to convey the boat supporting mechanism along the boat exiting direction until the boat supporting mechanism reaches the boat supporting entry and exit position;

[0115] S40, when it is detected that there is no boat supporting mechanism on the conveying mechanism, allowing the wafer boat to be transferred to the boat storing mechanism through the boat lifting mechanism.

[0116] The boat transport control method for the ALD equipment provided by the present invention detects whether there is a wafer boat and a boat supporting mechanism on the transport mechanism, and based on this controls whether the boat lifting mechanism is allowed to perform the transfer action, thereby reducing the failure rate of the boat transport device.

[0117] In a preferred embodiment, the following steps are also included before the boat supporting mechanism reaches the boat transfer position:

[0118] S101. When it is detected that the boat supporting mechanism reaches the boat supporting deceleration position, the conveying speed of the conveying mechanism is reduced so that the boat supporting mechanism decelerates and reaches the boat transferring position.

[0119] In a preferred embodiment, the method for controlling the transport of the ALD device in and out of the boat further comprises the following steps:

[0120] S50, when it is detected that there is a wafer boat on the boat storage mechanism, the wafer boat is allowed to be transferred to the cell coating equipment through the boat lifting mechanism.

[0121] In a preferred embodiment, the method for controlling the transport of the ALD device in and out of the boat further comprises the following steps:

[0122] S60, controlling the conveying mechanism to convey the empty boat supporting mechanism along the boat entering direction until the boat supporting mechanism reaches the boat transferring position;

[0123] S70, when it is detected that there is a wafer boat on the boat supporting mechanism located at the boat transfer position, the conveying mechanism is controlled to convey the boat supporting mechanism carrying the wafer boat along the boat exiting direction, so that the wafer boat is conveyed to the battery cell loading and unloading equipment through the conveying mechanism.

[0124] For a better understanding, let's combine Fig. 9 A more complete description is given of the method for controlling the transport of wafers in and out of the ALD equipment. It should be understood that the wafer boat to be processed will be referred to as a waiting boat, and the wafer boat that has completed the process will be referred to as a processed boat.

[0125] 1) The battery cell loading and unloading equipment sends out the boat to be processed, and the boat to be processed enters the conveying mechanism through the support of the boat support mechanism.

[0126] 2) When the boat support in-place detection module detects the boat support mechanism, it sends a boat support signal to the control unit, turns on the conveying mechanism, and then the boat support mechanism is conveyed through the conveying mechanism. At the same time, the first guide bar and the second guide bar jointly guide the boat support mechanism to prevent deviation.

[0127] 3) When the deceleration detection module detects the boat-supporting mechanism, the first synchronous belt and the second synchronous belt of the conveying mechanism are triggered to decelerate, so that the boat-supporting mechanism decelerates smoothly and stably to reach the predetermined position.

[0128] 4) When the boat support mechanism moves to abut against the first stopper and the second stopper, the guide wheels on the boat support mechanism and the guide blocks on the conveying mechanism cooperate with each other to form a guide positioning structure, through which the position of the boat support mechanism can be accurately calibrated. At the same time, after the in-place stop detection module detects that the boat support mechanism is in place, it controls the conveying mechanism to stop running.

[0129] 5) When the first boat in-place detection module detects the boat to be processed on the boat supporting mechanism, the boat lifting mechanism performs a transfer action to lift the boat to be processed on the boat supporting mechanism. At the same time, the conveying mechanism is turned on to make the empty boat supporting mechanism return along the original route until it exits the conveying mechanism. When the boat supporting in-place detection module detects that there is no boat supporting mechanism on the conveying mechanism, the boat lifting mechanism performs a transfer action to transfer the boat to be processed to the boat storage mechanism, and the boat storage mechanism temporarily stores the boat to be processed. Afterwards, when the second boat in-place detection module detects the boat to be processed on the boat storage mechanism, the boat lifting mechanism performs a transfer action to transfer the boat to be processed to the battery cell coating equipment of the boat storage mechanism, and then the boat lifting mechanism returns to the origin. After the boat lifting mechanism reaches the origin, the boat supporting mechanism enters the conveying mechanism again, and the boat supporting mechanism stops moving after it is in place, waiting for instructions to transport the processed boat.

[0130] 6) After the cell coating equipment completes the coating process, the cell coating equipment sends out the processed boat. The boat lifting mechanism performs a grabbing action to transfer the processed boat to the boat supporting mechanism, and then the boat lifting mechanism returns to the origin. When the first boat in-situ detection module detects the processed boat on the boat supporting mechanism, the conveying mechanism is turned on, and the boat supporting mechanism carrying the processed boat is sent out to the cell loading and unloading equipment through the conveying mechanism.

[0131] 7) The above-mentioned execution actions are repeated in a reciprocating cycle to realize the turnover of the wafer boat by the in-and-out boat conveying device.

[0132] The in-and-out boat conveying device provided by the present invention has the advantages of smooth and stable conveying of wafer boats, precise detection and control positioning, low noise, high conveying cleanliness, and easy installation and maintenance. At the same time, by optimizing the in-and-out boat conveying structure and control method, the shortcomings of the current industry are solved, and the stability and cleanliness of the conveying turnover of the wafer boat are improved, thereby providing a reliable application technology for the process stability, equipment maintenance, cost control, etc. of conveying and temporarily storing metal boats in the main station of ALD coating equipment.

[0133] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A boat transport device for an ALD device, characterized in that: include: Fixed frame; A boat supporting mechanism, used for carrying a film-carrying boat; A boat storage mechanism, mounted on the fixing frame, for temporarily storing the boat supporting mechanism; A conveying mechanism, mounted on the fixing frame and located above the boat storage mechanism, with two ends thereof being a boat support entry and exit position and a boat transfer position, respectively, for transferring the boat support mechanism back and forth between the boat support entry and exit position and the boat transfer position; Among them, the conveying mechanism is provided with a boat support in-position detection module and a first boat in-position detection module, the boat support in-position detection module is used to detect whether the boat support mechanism is on the conveying mechanism, and the first boat in-position detection module is used to detect whether the wafer carrier boat is on the boat support mechanism located at the boat transplanting position.

2. The boat transport device for ALD equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conveying mechanism is also provided with a deceleration detection module and an in-place stop detection module. The deceleration detection module is used to detect whether the boat supporting mechanism has reached the boat supporting deceleration position, and the in-place stop detection module is used to detect whether the boat supporting mechanism has reached the boat transplanting position.

3. The boat transport device for ALD equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The conveying mechanism comprises a first conveying module and a second conveying module which are arranged opposite to each other. The first conveying module and the second conveying module convey the boat supporting mechanism via a first synchronous belt and a second synchronous belt respectively.

4. The boat transport device for ALD equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The boat support in-position detection module adopts a through-beam photoelectric sensor, a transmitting end of the through-beam photoelectric sensor is installed on the first conveying module, and a receiving end of the through-beam photoelectric sensor is installed on the second conveying module.

5. The boat transport device for ALD equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The in-position stop detection module is installed near the end of the second conveying module, and the distance between the in-position stop detection module and the end of the second conveying module is t, the total length of the second conveying module is S, the transmitting end of the through-beam photoelectric sensor is installed at the starting end of the first conveying module, and the installation distance between the receiving end and the transmitting end along the transmission direction of the second synchronous belt is X, where X>SLt.

6. The boat transport device for ALD equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: Also includes: A guide assembly is installed on the first conveying module and the second conveying module, and is used to guide and limit the position of the boat supporting mechanism on the conveying mechanism.

7. The boat transport device for ALD equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that: The guide assembly includes a first guide bar installed on the first conveying module and located on one side of the first synchronous belt, a second guide bar installed on the second conveying module and located on one side of the second synchronous belt, a first in-position stopper installed at the end of the first conveying module, and a second in-position stopper installed at the end of the second conveying module.

8. The boat transport device for ALD equipment according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that: The guide assembly includes a plurality of guide blocks mounted on the first conveying module and the second conveying module.

9. The boat transport device for ALD equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: Each guide block is provided with at least one waist-shaped hole, and the waist-shaped hole is used to adjust the installation position of the guide block.

10. The boat transport device for ALD equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that: The boat supporting mechanism comprises: The first bracket comprises a first supporting side plate and a second supporting side plate which are arranged opposite to each other, and a first supporting top plate and a second supporting top plate which are spaced apart and connected between the first supporting side plate and the second supporting side plate, wherein the first supporting side plate and the second supporting side plate are both provided with guide wheels, and the guide wheels cooperate with the guide blocks one by one to form a guide alignment structure; A plurality of first support columns are vertically arranged on the first support top plate and the second support top plate, and are used to jointly support the wafer boat.

11. The boat transport device for ALD equipment according to claim 10, characterized in that: The first supporting side plate, the first supporting top plate, the second supporting side plate and the second supporting top plate together enclose a containing area, a buffer pad is arranged in the containing area, and the buffer pad is used to receive the battery cell dropped from the wafer boat.

12. The boat transport device for ALD equipment according to claim 10, characterized in that: There are four first support columns, two of which are vertically arranged on the first support top plate at intervals, and positioning pins are provided on the tops of the two first support columns, and the other two first support columns are vertically arranged on the second support top plate at intervals.

13. The boat transport device for ALD equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The boat storage mechanism comprises: a second bracket, and a plurality of second support columns vertically arranged on the second bracket, and a second boat position detection module is arranged on the top of some of the second support columns, and the second boat position detection module is used to detect whether the boat storage mechanism has the boat supporting mechanism.

14. A method for controlling the transport of an ALD device in and out of a boat, characterized in that: include: Controlling the conveying mechanism to convey the boat supporting mechanism carrying the wafer boat along the boat entering direction until the boat supporting mechanism reaches the boat transferring position; When it is detected that the wafer boat is on the boat supporting mechanism located at the boat transfer position, allowing the wafer boat to be lifted by the boat lifting mechanism; Controlling the conveying mechanism to convey the boat supporting mechanism along the boat exiting direction until the boat supporting mechanism reaches the boat supporting entry and exit position; When it is detected that the boat supporting mechanism is absent on the conveying mechanism, the wafer boat is allowed to be transferred to the boat storing mechanism through the boat lifting mechanism.

15. The method for controlling the transport of an ALD device in and out of a boat as claimed in claim 14, wherein: Before the boat supporting mechanism reaches the boat transplanting position, the method further includes: When it is detected that the boat supporting mechanism reaches the boat supporting deceleration position, the conveying speed of the conveying mechanism is reduced so that the boat supporting mechanism is decelerated and reaches the boat transferring position.

16. The method for controlling the transport of an ALD device in and out of a boat as claimed in claim 14, wherein: Also includes: When it is detected that the wafer boat is on the boat storage mechanism, the wafer boat is allowed to be transferred to the cell coating device through the boat lifting mechanism.

17. The method for controlling the transport of an ALD device in and out of a boat as claimed in claim 16, wherein: Also includes: Controlling the conveying mechanism to convey the empty boat supporting mechanism along the boat entry direction until the boat supporting mechanism reaches the boat transfer position; When it is detected that the wafer boat is on the boat supporting mechanism located at the boat transfer position, the conveying mechanism is controlled to convey the boat supporting mechanism carrying the wafer boat along the boat exiting direction, so that the wafer boat is conveyed to the battery cell loading and unloading equipment through the conveying mechanism.

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