Intelligent target blank storing and taking device and intelligent target blank storing and taking method

Abstract

The invention provides an intelligent target blank storing and taking device and an intelligent target blank storing and taking method. The intelligent target blank storing and taking device comprises a box body, a storage unit, a conveying device, a protection device and an identification positioning device. A storage unit is arranged in the box body, the storage unit comprises at least two storage grooves which are independently separated, and the storage grooves are separated through interlayers; the identification positioning device comprises at least two sensing devices, and the sensing devices are arranged on the surface of the box body and are in one-to-one correspondence with the storage grooves; a conveying device and a protection device are arranged in the storage tank; the protection device comprises a fastening hanger and a protection hanging ring used for protecting the target blank with the identification code, and the fastening hanger is connected with the protection hanging ring through a fixing structure. And a clamping part matched with the protection device is arranged in the storage groove. According to the invention, intelligent input of the target blank, intelligent search when the target blank needs to be taken out and automatic pop-up can be realized, and the labor cost is greatly reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of target materials, and in particular to a target blank intelligent storage and access device and a target blank intelligent storage and access method. Background Art

[0002] Target blanks are the core materials in magnetron sputtering coating technology and are mainly used in high-tech fields such as semiconductors, display panels, solar cells, etc. With the continuous miniaturization of integrated circuit manufacturing processes, the demand for target materials is also increasing.

[0003] At present, target blanks are subjected to quality control inspection after production. However, due to the delay in the quality control inspection data, the target blanks are placed in a storage and retrieval box after the quality control inspection. After the quality control inspection data is completed, it is determined whether the target blanks are qualified or meet the needs of certain customers. Traditional target blank storage and retrieval mainly relies on manual operation and simple mechanical devices, which has the following problems:

[0004] 1. Inefficiency: Manual operation is slow and difficult to meet the needs of large-scale production.

[0005] 2. Insufficient precision: Manual operation can easily cause collision or damage to the target blank during storage and retrieval, affecting product quality.

[0006] 3. Inconvenient management: The lack of an intelligent management system makes it difficult to achieve accurate positioning, status monitoring and data analysis of the target blank.

[0007] That is, the current target blank storage and retrieval technology has the problem that it is difficult to find the corresponding target blank later, and it is difficult to clearly determine whether there is a target blank in the storage and retrieval box.

[0008] Therefore, it is necessary to develop intelligently managed target blank storage and retrieval devices and intelligently managed target blank storage and retrieval methods to improve the current target material production efficiency and quality assurance effect. Summary of the invention

[0009] In view of the deficiencies in the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an intelligent target blank storage and retrieval device and an intelligent target blank storage and retrieval method. By adopting an identification and positioning device and a protective device, automatic identification of target blank storage and retrieval and effective protection during storage can be effectively achieved.

[0010] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0011] In the first aspect, the present invention provides a target blank intelligent storage and retrieval device, which comprises a box body, a storage unit, a conveying device, a protective device and an identification and positioning device; a storage unit is arranged in the box body, and the storage unit comprises at least two independently separated storage slots, and the storage slots are separated by partitions; the identification and positioning device comprises at least two sensing devices, and the sensing devices are arranged on the surface of the box body and correspond one to one to a single storage slot; a conveying device and a protective device are arranged in the storage slot; the protective device comprises a fastening hanger and a protective hanging ring for protecting a target blank with an identification code, and the fastening hanger is connected to the protective hanging ring through a fixed structure; a clamping part matching the protective device is arranged in the storage slot.

[0012] The target blank intelligent storage and retrieval device provided by the present invention has the following advantages: the target blank intelligent storage and retrieval device provided by the present invention can realize automatic storage and retrieval, intelligent identification and precise positioning of the target blank, which significantly improves the production efficiency and quality control effect of the target blank in current production.

[0013] Moreover, the target blank targeted by the present invention requires strict control of surface friction compared to other objects. Since the material of the target blank is generally alloy or metal, and the downstream industry has extremely high quality control requirements for the target surface, if scratches occur, it will lead to failure of the downstream sputtering process. Therefore, the present invention provides a protective device, which is a removable device structure independent of the storage slot, wherein the inside of the protective hanging ring is used to install the target blank, and the protective hanging ring is an open-loop structure, which is convenient for fixing the target blank without contacting the surrounding of the protective hanging ring. The target blank can be fixed subsequently by tightening the hanging ring. During the storage and retrieval process, the target blank does not need to contact any components in the storage slot to realize the identification and precise positioning of the target blank in the storage slot.

[0014] Preferably, the box body comprises a frame, side panels and a bottom panel, the side panels and the bottom panel are fixed on the frame, and the side panels are vertically arranged to the bottom panel, and the side panels comprise sub-side panels which are interconnected to form an enclosure structure.

[0015] Preferably, the sensing device includes an indicator, a sensor, and a circuit structure connecting the indicator and the sensor.

[0016] Preferably, the indicator comprises an indicator light and / or an indicator sound device.

[0017] Preferably, the indicator light includes a first indication state, a second indication state and a flashing state.

[0018] The first indication state indicates that there is no target blank in the corresponding storage slot, the second indication state indicates that there is a target blank in the corresponding storage slot, and the flashing state indicates that the state changes from the state with target blank to the state without target blank within 1 minute.

[0019] Exemplarily, the indication status of the indicator light provided by the present invention includes:

[0020] 1. Initial state: The system enters the idle state when it starts up, and when the system is in the idle state, the red LED is on and the green and blue LEDs are off.

[0021] 2. Filling state: When the storage key is pressed, the system enters the filling state, the red LED flashes at a frequency of 1Hz, and the green and blue LEDs are off.

[0022] 3. Occupancy state: When an object is detected, the system enters the occupation state, at which time the green LED lights up and the red and blue LEDs go out.

[0023] 4. Removing state: When the object changes from the occupied state to the detected no object within 1 minute, the system enters the removing state, at which time the green and red lights go out and the blue light flashes until it changes to the idle state. If no object is detected within 1 minute, the system returns to the idle state.

[0024] The present invention preferably provides an indicator light and a guiding sound device at the same time, wherein the guiding sound device is configured to emit a guiding sound when the clamping portion automatically pops out the protective device, and the combination of the indicator light and the guiding sound device can better achieve accurate and rapid positioning of the target blank.

[0025] In the present invention, whether there is a target blank in the storage groove is determined by whether the clamping portion is clamped and fixed.

[0026] Preferably, the sensor is a sensing element capable of identifying the presence or absence of the target blank in the storage slot.

[0027] The present invention has no special requirements for the sensing element, and the sensing elements commonly used by those skilled in the art may be used.

[0028] Exemplarily, the sensing element includes an infrared reflection sensor and / or a mode switching button, wherein there is one infrared reflection sensor for each storage position and one mode switching button for the entire system.

[0029] Preferably, the sensor comprises a pressure sensor and / or a light sensor.

[0030] Preferably, the clamping portion includes an elastic buckle provided with a storage slot bottom.

[0031] Preferably, the elastic buckle includes a buckle portion for buckling with the protective hanging ring, and an elastic arm connecting the buckle portion and the bottom plate.

[0032] Preferably, both ends of the buckle portion have arc-shaped surfaces so that when the protective lifting ring is pressed downward, the arc-shaped surfaces undergo elastic deformation, and the arc-shaped surfaces are connected to the elastic arm.

[0033] Preferably, the fastening hook is a fastening threaded rod, and the fastening threaded rod includes an adjusting rod and a nut fixedly connected to the adjusting rod, and the nut is arranged in the middle of the adjusting rod.

[0034] The protective lifting ring comprises an open ring structure and a fixed end arranged at the opening of the open ring structure, and the fixed end is provided with a threaded hole matching the fastening lifting nut.

[0035] Preferably, the target blank intelligent storage and access device also includes a control system.

[0036] Preferably, the control system comprises a target blank information storage module and an input module connected to the sensing device.

[0037] Preferably, the input information of the input module includes target blank information and storage slot information corresponding to the target blank information, and the input information is transmitted to the target blank information storage module.

[0038] Preferably, the input module comprises a target blank identification component for identifying an identification code on the target blank, and a coding identification component arranged on the sensing device.

[0039] Preferably, the control system further comprises a regulating part connected to the clamping part via an electrical signal.

[0040] Exemplarily, the control system includes a STM32F103C8T6 master control, and / or a 74HC595 shift register (LED expansion).

[0041] Preferably, the control system further comprises a quality control information storage module, and the quality control information storage module is connected to the quality control module via an electrical signal.

[0042] The quality control information storage module in the present invention can directly receive the data detected by the quality control module and correspond to the corresponding target blank information, thereby realizing the integrated linkage management of production detection.

[0043] Preferably, a ring gasket is provided on the inner side of the protective lifting ring.

[0044] Preferably, the material hardness of the ring gasket is less than the hardness of the target blank.

[0045] The present invention can provide better protection for the target blank by adopting a ring pad material with a hardness lower than that of the target blank.

[0046] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a target blank intelligent storage and access method, which is performed using the target blank intelligent storage and access device described in the first aspect.

[0047] Preferably, the target blank intelligent access method comprises the following steps:

[0048] S1. Place the target blank into the protective lifting ring and tighten it to obtain the protective assembly.

[0049] S2. The protection component is placed in a storage slot, and at the same time, the sensing device corresponding to the storage slot responds to identify the presence or absence of the target blank in the storage slot.

[0050] Preferably, before the target blank is loaded into the protective lifting ring, step S1 further comprises: using a target blank identification member in the input module to identify an identification code on the target blank.

[0051] Preferably, step S2 further comprises: when the protection component is placed in the storage slot, the coding identification component synchronously transmits the storage slot information to the target blank information storage module to establish a one-to-one correspondence between the target blank and the storage slot;

[0052] Preferably, the target blank intelligent access method also includes: S3, when the target blank needs to be accessed, the target blank information is input into the target blank information storage module for searching, the corresponding storage slot information is found, and the control system can be used to directly start the guidance sound device of the sensing device in the corresponding storage slot, and at the same time, the control unit is used to electrically control the elastic buckle to pop out the protective hanging ring in the corresponding storage slot.

[0053] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0054] (1) The target blank intelligent storage and access device provided by the present invention can realize the automatic entry of target blank information, the automatic correspondence of storage slot positions, and the automatic correspondence of detection quality control information. At the same time, it can also quickly search and automatically take out the corresponding target blank through the control system, realizing the intelligent storage and access of target blanks and information entry, and has broad application prospects;

[0055] (2) The target blank intelligent storage and retrieval device provided by the present invention preferably has an indicator light and / or a guiding sound device in the identification and positioning device at the same time, so as to quickly find the corresponding target blank, thereby improving the search efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the target blank intelligent storage and access device provided in Example 1 of the present invention.

[0057] In the figure, 1-fastening hanger; 2-protective lifting ring; 3-sensing device; 4-storage slot; 5-interlayer; 6-box. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] For the convenience of understanding the present invention, the present invention lists the following embodiments. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments are only to help understand the present invention and should not be regarded as specific limitations of the present invention.

[0059] It should be noted that in the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "disposed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood by specific circumstances.

[0060] Example 1

[0061] This embodiment provides a target blank intelligent storage and access device, such as Figure 1 As shown, the intelligent storage and retrieval device for the target blank includes a box body 6, a storage unit, a conveying device, a protective device and an identification and positioning device; a storage unit is arranged in the box body 6, and the storage unit includes at least two independently separated storage slots 4, and the storage slots 4 are separated by a partition 5; the identification and positioning device includes at least two sensing devices 3, and the sensing devices 3 are arranged on the surface of the box body 6 and are arranged one-to-one with a single storage slot 4; a conveying device and a protective device are arranged in the storage slot 4; the protective device includes a fastening hanger 1 and a protective hanging ring 2 for protecting the target blank with an identification code, and the fastening hanger 1 is connected to the protective hanging ring 2 through a fixed structure; a clamping part matching the protective device is arranged in the storage slot 4.

[0062] The box body 6 includes a frame, side panels and a bottom panel, wherein the side panels and the bottom panel are fixed on the frame, and the side panels are vertically arranged to the bottom panel, and the side panels include sub-side panels that are interconnected to form an enclosure structure.

[0063] The sensing device 3 includes an indicator, a sensor, and a circuit structure connecting the indicator to the sensor. The indicator includes an indicator light and a guide sound device; the sensor is a sensing element that can identify the state of the target blank in the storage slot 4; the sensor includes a pressure sensor and / or a light sensor. The guide sound device is configured to emit a guide sound when the snap-on portion automatically pops out the protective device, and the indicator light includes a first indication state, a second indication state, and a flashing state. The first indication state indicates that there is no target blank in the corresponding storage slot 4, the second indication state indicates that there is a target blank in the corresponding storage slot 4, and the flashing state indicates that the state of the target blank is converted to the state of the target blank within 1 minute.

[0064] The clamping part includes an elastic clamp provided at the bottom of the storage groove 4. The elastic clamp includes a clamping part for clamping with the protective ring 2 and an elastic arm connecting the clamping part and the bottom plate; both ends of the clamping part have arc surfaces, so that when the protective ring 2 is pressed down, the arc surface undergoes elastic deformation, and the arc surface is connected to the elastic arm. A ring gasket is provided on the inner side of the protective ring 2. The material hardness of the ring gasket is less than the hardness of the target blank.

[0065] The fastening hook 1 is a fastening threaded rod, which includes an adjusting rod and a nut fixedly connected to the adjusting rod, and the nut is arranged at the middle of the adjusting rod. The protective hanging ring 2 includes an open ring structure and a fixed end arranged at the opening of the open ring structure, and a threaded hole matching the nut on the fastening hook 1 is arranged on the fixed end.

[0066] The target blank intelligent storage and access device also includes a control system. The control system includes a target blank information storage module and an input module connected to the sensing device 3; the input information of the input module includes target blank information and information of the storage slot 4 into which the target blank information is placed, and the input information is transmitted to the target blank information storage module; the input module includes a target blank identification part for identifying an identification code on the target blank, and a coding identification part arranged on the sensing device 3.

[0067] The control system further comprises a regulating part connected to the clamping part through an electrical signal. The control system further comprises a quality control information storage module, and the quality control information storage module is connected to the quality control module through an electrical signal.

[0068] This embodiment also provides a target blank intelligent access method using the target blank intelligent access device, and the target blank intelligent access method includes the following steps:

[0069] S1. Use the target blank identification piece in the input module to identify the identification code on the target blank, install the target blank into the protective hanging ring, and tighten the hanging ring to obtain the protective assembly;

[0070] S2, placing the protection component in the storage slot, the coding identification component synchronously transmits the storage slot information to the target blank information storage module to establish a one-to-one correspondence between the target blank and the storage slot, and at the same time, the sensing device corresponding to the storage slot responds to identify the state of the target blank in the storage slot;

[0071] S3. When the quality control test is completed, the test information is directly transmitted to the quality control information storage module, so as to determine the target blank to be taken according to the quality control information; then the target blank information is input into the target blank information storage module for searching, the corresponding storage slot information is found, and the control system can be used to directly start the guidance sound device of the sensing device in the corresponding storage slot, and at the same time, the control unit electrically controls the elastic buckle to pop out the protective hanging ring in the corresponding storage slot.

[0072] The target blank intelligent storage and access device provided in this embodiment can realize automatic entry of target blank information, automatic transmission of detection information, automatic correspondence of storage slot positions, and can also realize intelligent access and information entry of required target blanks, so as to quickly find the corresponding target blanks, thereby improving search efficiency.

[0073] Example 2

[0074] This embodiment provides a target blank intelligent storage and access device, which is the same as the first embodiment except that the guide sound device is not provided.

[0075] Since the present embodiment does not have a guiding sound device, when the target blank is to be taken, the ejected target blank can only be found by human eyes by identifying the change of the indicator light. When there are many storage slots and access boxes, the finding efficiency is lower than that of the first embodiment.

[0076] Example 3

[0077] The present embodiment provides a target blank intelligent storage and access device, which is the same as the first embodiment except that the indicator light changes color only according to whether a target blank is arranged in the storage slot and does not flash when the target blank is ejected.

[0078] In this embodiment, since the indicator light does not have a flashing function, when the target blank is to be taken, the storage slot can only be preliminarily located by relying on the guiding sound. When there are no target blanks set in the storage slots around the target blank being sought, it is difficult to quickly and accurately find the corresponding target blank, and the finding efficiency is reduced compared to Example 1.

[0079] Example 4

[0080] This embodiment provides a target blank intelligent storage and access device, which is the same as the first embodiment except that no ring gasket is provided on the inner side of the protective lifting ring.

[0081] In this embodiment, since no ring pad is provided on the inner side of the protective lifting ring, the target blank is scratched by the protective lifting ring during storage and retrieval, and the quality control of the product is reduced.

[0082] Example 5

[0083] This embodiment provides a target blank intelligent storage and access device, which is the same as the first embodiment except that the control system is not provided with an electrical signal connected to the quality control module and a corresponding quality control information storage module.

[0084] In this embodiment, since the target blank intelligent storage and access device is not connected to the quality control module, manual identification and entry of quality control test data are required after the quality control test data is completed, and the efficiency of the overall joint control is reduced compared with Example 1.

[0085] Comparative Example 1

[0086] This comparative example provides a target blank intelligent storage and access device, which is the same as Example 1 except that no protective device is provided and protective pads are directly provided on the inner side and bottom of the storage slot as a protective measure, and will not be described again.

[0087] Since no protective device is provided in this comparative example, although protective pads are added to the bottom and inner side of the storage slot, on the one hand, the friction between the target blank and the side of the storage slot during the placement process is increased, and after the protective pads are added around, it is difficult to set the sensing element corresponding to the sensing device in the storage slot, as well as the clamping part at the bottom, and the overall identification, clamping fixation and intelligent functions are difficult to achieve. In Example 1, a protective device is provided, and a protective hanging ring is cleverly provided. On the one hand, the width of the protective hanging ring is wider than the thickness of the target blank, which can effectively protect the target blank from contacting the side of the storage slot during the placement process; on the other hand, the clamping in the storage slot and the contact with the sensing element rely on the protective hanging ring, thereby reducing the contact friction between the target blank and other devices; further, the target blank can be effectively protected by simply installing it in a protective hanging ring provided with a ring pad under a suspended condition. The design is simple and convenient, and the application prospect is broad.

[0088] Comparative Example 2

[0089] This comparative example provides a target blank intelligent storage and retrieval device, which is the same as Example 1 except that the protective device only includes a protective lifting ring without a fastening hanger, and the protective lifting ring is a closed ring structure, and the diameter of the closed ring structure matches the diameter of the target blank so that the target blank can be placed therein.

[0090] The structural design in this comparative example makes it difficult for the target blank to be placed directly into the ring pad during placement, but it needs to be in contact and friction with the side wall of the protective hanging ring, which will cause friction damage to the target blank.

[0091] The present invention illustrates the detailed features of the present invention through the above embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above detailed features, that is, it does not mean that the present invention must rely on the above detailed features to be implemented. Those skilled in the art should understand that any improvement to the present invention, equivalent replacement of the technical features selected by the present invention, addition of auxiliary technical features, selection of specific methods, etc., all fall within the protection scope and disclosure scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A target blank intelligent storage and retrieval device, characterized in that: The target blank intelligent storage and retrieval device comprises a box, a storage unit, a conveying device, a protective device and a marking and positioning device; A storage unit is disposed in the box, and the storage unit includes at least two independently separated storage slots, and the storage slots are separated by a partition; The identification and positioning device includes at least two sensing devices, which are arranged on the surface of the box body and correspond to the individual storage slots one by one; The storage tank is provided with a conveying device and a protective device; the protective device comprises a fastening hanger and a protective hanging ring for protecting the target blank with an identification code, and the fastening hanger is connected to the protective hanging ring through a fixed structure; A clamping portion matching the protective device is arranged in the storage slot.

2. The target blank intelligent storage and access device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The box body comprises a frame, side panels and a bottom panel, wherein the side panels and the bottom panel are fixed on the frame, and the side panels are arranged vertically to the bottom panel, and the side panels comprise sub-side panels which are connected to each other to form an enclosure structure.

3. The target blank intelligent storage and access device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The sensing device includes an indicator, a sensor, and a circuit structure connecting the indicator and the sensor; Preferably, the indicator includes an indicator light and / or an indicator sound device; Preferably, the sensor is a sensing element capable of identifying the presence or absence of the target blank in the storage slot; Preferably, the sensor comprises a pressure sensor and / or a light sensor.

4. The target blank intelligent storage and retrieval device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The clamping portion includes an elastic buckle provided with a storage slot bottom; Preferably, the elastic buckle comprises a buckle portion for buckling with the protective lifting ring, and an elastic arm connecting the buckle portion and the bottom plate; Preferably, both ends of the buckle portion have arc-shaped surfaces so that when the protective lifting ring is pressed down, the arc-shaped surfaces undergo elastic deformation, and the arc-shaped surfaces are connected to the elastic arm.

5. The target blank intelligent storage and access device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The fastening hook is a fastening threaded rod, and the fastening threaded rod includes an adjusting rod and a nut fixedly connected to the adjusting rod, and the nut is arranged in the middle of the adjusting rod; Preferably, the protective lifting ring comprises an open ring structure and a fixed end arranged at the opening of the open ring structure, and the fixed end is provided with a threaded hole matching the fastening lifting nut.

6. The target blank intelligent storage and access device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The target blank intelligent storage and access device also includes a control system; Preferably, the control system includes a target blank information storage module and an input module connected to the sensing device; Preferably, the input information of the input module includes target blank information and storage slot information corresponding to the target blank information, and the input information is transmitted to the target blank information storage module; Preferably, the input module includes a target blank identification member for identifying an identification code on the target blank, and a coding identification member arranged on the sensing device; Preferably, the control system further comprises a regulating part connected to the clamping part via an electrical signal.

7. The target blank intelligent storage and access device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: A ring pad is arranged on the inner side of the protective lifting ring; Preferably, the material hardness of the ring gasket is less than the hardness of the target blank.

8. A target blank intelligent storage and retrieval method, characterized in that: The target blank intelligent storage and access method is performed using the target blank intelligent storage and access device described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The target blank intelligent access method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The target blank intelligent access method comprises the following steps: S1. Place the target blank into the protective lifting ring and tighten it to obtain a protective assembly; S2. The protection component is placed in a storage slot, and at the same time, the sensing device corresponding to the storage slot responds to identify the presence or absence of the target blank in the storage slot.

10. The target blank intelligent storage and access method according to claim 9, characterized in that: Before the target blank is loaded into the protective lifting ring, step S1 further includes: using the target blank identification member in the input module to identify the identification code on the target blank; Step S2 also includes: when the protection component is placed in the storage slot, the coding identification component synchronously transmits the storage slot information to the target blank information storage module to establish a one-to-one correspondence between the target blank and the storage slot; The target blank intelligent access method also includes: S3, when the target blank needs to be accessed, the target blank information is input into the target blank information storage module for searching, the corresponding storage slot information is found, and the control system can be used to directly start the guidance sound device of the sensing device in the corresponding storage slot, and at the same time, the control unit is used to electrically control the elastic buckle to pop out the protective hanging ring in the corresponding storage slot.

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