Rotary substrate library

Abstract

The present invention relates to a substrate magazine, and more particularly, to a rotary substrate magazine in which, in addition to a lifting operation, a substrate cassette of a storage magazine can perform a rotation operation, and substrates can be loaded on at least two surfaces of the four surfaces of the substrate cassette, thereby increasing the number of substrates loaded on the substrate cassette, and also increasing the number of substrates loaded on at least two surfaces of the substrate cassette. The process efficiency of the substrate can be improved by simplifying loading and / or unloading of the substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate library, and more particularly to a rotary substrate library, wherein a substrate box of the storage library can perform a rotating operation in addition to a lifting operation. Background Art

[0002] A magazine system is a well-known prior art technology. In the production process of wafers, solar cells, printed circuit boards or other planar substrates, or in the process of performing various processes on substrates, substrates need to be stored in substrate magazines for temporary storage or transportation (transfer, delivery) of substrates.

[0003] In the semiconductor process, the wafer library device refers to a device used to transport semiconductor wafers and put them into the work process. As dozens of wafers are put into the work line in a stacked state, the robot will take them out one by one and perform electroplating, etching, cleaning and other tasks.

[0004] In the display manufacturing process, since various substrates are used, it is necessary to use a substrate library to prepare the substrates in a stacked state according to the required number. Moreover, the substrate library is placed inside an openable and closable housing and supplied to the required parts in the manufacturing process.

[0005] This wafer library or substrate library serves as a storage device. The substrate library system disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0092934 (hereinafter referred to as "the prior art document") is not only used to store (or keep) flat substrates, but also can be used to store (or keep) substrate stacks, that is, multiple substrates stacked on top of one substrate.

[0006] However, among the four surfaces corresponding to the surrounding surfaces of the substrate library, the above-mentioned prior art document can only load substrates on one surface, and cannot use all four surfaces to load substrates. Therefore, not only the number of substrates that can be loaded in the substrate library is limited, but also the substrates cannot be loaded and / or unloaded in all directions. Summary of the invention

[0007] In order to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, the object of the present invention is to provide a rotary substrate library, that is, at least two of the four sides of a substrate box are capable of loading substrates, thereby not only increasing the number of substrates loaded in the substrate box, but also improving the process efficiency of the substrate by simplifying the loading and / or unloading of the substrates.

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the rotary substrate library of the present invention includes: a fixed plate, which is flatly arranged on the above-mentioned rotary substrate library; a substrate box, which is arranged on the upper side of the above-mentioned fixed plate in a manner that it can be lifted and rotated; a lifting unit, which is arranged on the lower side of the above-mentioned fixed plate and is used to lift the above-mentioned substrate box; and a rotating unit, which is arranged on the lower side of the above-mentioned fixed plate and is used to rotate the above-mentioned substrate box.

[0009] Among the four sides of the substrate box, substrates can be loaded on at least two sides.

[0010] Furthermore, the lifting unit includes a lifting rod, the lifting rod passes through the fixing plate, the upper portion of the lifting rod is fixedly coupled to the lower portion of the substrate box, and the lower portion of the lifting rod is coupled to the lifting driving module to be lifted and lowered by the lifting driving module.

[0011] The lifting drive module is disposed on a third rotating plate, and the third rotating plate is rotated by the rotating unit, so that the lifting rod combined with the lifting drive module rotates along with the rotation of the third rotating plate.

[0012] The present invention includes a second rotating plate rotatably coupled to the lower portion of the fixed plate, and the second rotating plate is connected to the lifting drive module to rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the third rotating plate.

[0013] Furthermore, the present invention includes a guide rod which is disposed through the substrate box and is used to guide the lifting and lowering operation of the substrate box.

[0014] The present invention includes a first rotating plate rotatably coupled to the upper portion of the fixed plate, the lower portion of the guide rod being coupled to the upper portion of the first rotating plate, and the first rotating plate rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the substrate box.

[0015] The rotary substrate warehouse of the present invention has the following effect, that is, since the substrate box of the substrate warehouse performs lifting and rotating operations, at least two of the four sides of the substrate box can be loaded with substrates, thereby not only increasing the number of substrates loaded in the substrate box, but also improving the process efficiency of the substrate by simplifying the loading and / or unloading of the substrate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional diagram of a rotary substrate storage according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 and Figure 3 The three-dimensional diagram is a perspective view of the rotary substrate storage according to the embodiment of the present invention, with the side plates and the like removed, viewed from different directions.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of a rotary substrate storage in an embodiment of the present invention with side plates and the like removed.

[0019] Figure 5 It is a three-dimensional cross-sectional view of a rotary substrate storage according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A partial enlarged view of .

[0021] Figure 7 and Figure 8 The three-dimensional view and the cross-sectional view are shown in the state where the substrate box is raised in the rotary substrate storage according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Hereinafter, a rotary substrate library according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to achieve the above technical objectives, technical solutions and effects.

[0023] like Figures 1 to 8 As shown, as a substrate library for loading substrates into a substrate box 30, the rotary substrate library of an embodiment of the present invention includes: a fixed plate 10, which is flatly arranged on the above-mentioned rotary substrate library; a substrate box 30, which is arranged on the upper side of the above-mentioned fixed plate 10 in a manner that it can be lifted and rotated; a lifting unit 60, which is arranged on the lower side of the above-mentioned fixed plate 10, and is used to lift the above-mentioned substrate box 30; and a rotating unit 70, which is arranged on the lower side of the above-mentioned fixed plate 10, and is used to rotate the above-mentioned substrate box 30.

[0024] The rotary substrate storage 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention can be applied to semiconductor processes and display processes. Although it can be applied to processes performed by large companies, it is preferably applied to processes performed in a vacuum state.

[0025] The rotary substrate storage 100 of the present invention is connected to form a basic framework by a basic frame 1. The fixing plate 10 is fixedly mounted on the frame 1 and arranged in parallel in a horizontal manner.

[0026] The substrate box 30 is disposed on the upper side of the fixing plate 10, and the substrate box 30 is disposed in a manner that it can be raised and lowered and rotated. That is, the substrate box 30 is disposed on the upper side of the fixing plate 10 so as to be raised and lowered, and further, is disposed on the upper side of the fixing plate 10 so as to be rotated. As described above, in addition to being raised and lowered, the substrate box 30 applied in the present invention can also be rotated.

[0027] In order to lift the substrate box 30, the lifting unit 60 is disposed on the lower side of the fixed plate 10. That is, the lifting unit 60 is disposed on the lower side of the fixed plate 10, and is used to lift the substrate box 30. Therefore, the substrates can be loaded sequentially along the height direction of the substrate box 30, or the loaded substrates can be unloaded sequentially. On the other hand, in order to rotate the substrate box 30, the rotating unit 70 is disposed on the lower side of the fixed plate 10. That is, the rotating unit 70 is disposed on the lower side of the fixed plate 10, and is used to rotate the substrate box 30. Therefore, among the four side surfaces of the substrate box 30, substrates can be loaded on at least two side surfaces, and substrates loaded on multiple side surfaces can be unloaded sequentially.

[0028] The substrate box 30 includes a lower plate 31 , an upper plate 32 disposed opposite to the upper side of the lower plate 31 , and a mounting bracket 33 disposed between the lower plate 31 and the upper plate 32 for loading the substrate.

[0029] The mounting bracket 33 is in a square frame shape and is supported by the edge portions of the lower plate 31 and the upper plate 32. In the substrate box 30 to which the present invention is applied, substrates can be loaded on at least two of the four side surfaces. Therefore, the mounting bracket 33 is supported by the edge portions of the lower plate 31 and the upper plate 32, and at least two mounting brackets are arranged adjacent to each other.

[0030] In the present invention, the substrate box 30 is rotatable. Since the main purpose of the present invention is to load a large number of substrates, preferably, at least two mounting brackets 33 are adjacently arranged, and four mounting brackets 33 are adjacently arranged at right angles to each other, so that the whole constitutes four sides.

[0031] The mounting bracket 33 used in the present invention is in the shape of a square frame, and mounting slots 34 are formed on the inner side surfaces facing each other, and are arranged at predetermined intervals along the height direction. The mounting slots 34 formed on the inner side surfaces of the mounting bracket 33 are used to insert the substrate fixture 7 on which the substrate is placed. For example, the edge portions of both sides of each substrate fixture 7 on which two substrates are placed can be inserted and mounted in the mounting slots 34 formed on the two inner side surfaces of the mounting bracket 33.

[0032] The substrate box 30 having the above structure can be maintained in an exposed state, but can also be maintained in a closed state. To this end, the substrate box 30 can be maintained in a closed state by the side plates 3 and the cover plate 4. In this case, in order to load a substrate onto the mounting bracket 33 of the substrate box 30 or unload the loaded substrate, preferably, openings 5 ​​are formed in two side plates 3 facing each other among the four side plates 3.

[0033] The opening 5 formed on a specific side panel 3 is used to load a substrate onto the mounting bracket 33 of the substrate box 30 through a robot arm, and the opening 5 formed on another side panel is used to unload the placed substrate from the mounting bracket 33 of the substrate box 30 through a robot arm. Preferably, the opening 5 can be opened or closed by a baffle.

[0034] On the other hand, the substrates loaded in the substrate box 30 of the present invention can be equivalent to various substrates such as semiconductor wafers and display substrates. As a result, the rotary substrate library used in the present invention can be applied to various processes such as semiconductor processes and display processes such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs).

[0035] The lifting unit 60 used in the present invention includes a lifting rod 61 and a lifting drive module 62 for lifting the substrate box 30. Specifically, the lifting unit 60 includes a lifting rod 61 that passes through the fixed plate 10, the upper part of the lifting rod 61 is fixedly combined with the lower part of the substrate box 30, and the lower part of the lifting rod 61 is combined with the lifting drive module 62 to be lifted and lowered by the lifting drive module 62.

[0036] The lifting rod 61 is vertically arranged, and penetrates the fixed plate 10 in a manner that allows it to be lifted and lowered. The upper portion of the lifting rod 61 is fixedly coupled to the substrate box 30, specifically, fixedly coupled to the lower portion of the lower plate 31, and the lower portion of the lifting rod 61 is coupled to the lifting driving module 62. Therefore, the lifting rod 61 can be driven to lift by the lifting driving module 62, and finally, the substrate box 30 fixedly coupled in a manner supported by the upper portion of the lifting rod 61 can be lifted and lowered.

[0037] The above-mentioned lifting drive module 62 includes: a rack structure 63; a mounting plate 64; a pinion structure 65, fixedly mounted on the above-mentioned mounting plate 64 and meshing with the above-mentioned rack structure 63; a rotating shaft 66, used to transmit rotational force to the pinion structure 65; a driving body 67, fixedly mounted on the above-mentioned mounting plate 64, used to provide rotational force to the above-mentioned rotating shaft 66; and a fixed body 68, fixedly mounted on the above-mentioned mounting plate 64, and fixedly combined with the lower part of the above-mentioned lifting rod 61.

[0038] The rack structure 63 is fixedly coupled to the third rotating plate 50. Preferably, the rack structures 63 may be spaced apart from each other to form a pair. The rack structure 63 includes a vertically disposed rack gear.

[0039] The mounting plate 64 is horizontally disposed on the third rotating plate 50 to fix the pinion structure 65, the driving body 67 and the fixing body 68. The mounting plate 64 can be raised and lowered as the lifting driving module 62 is driven.

[0040] The pinion gear structure 65 is fixedly mounted on the mounting plate 64 and can mesh with the corresponding rack gear structure 63. Preferably, the pinion gear structure 65 can also form a pair corresponding to the pair of rack gear structures 63. The pinion gear structure 65 includes a pinion gear to mesh with the rack gear of the corresponding rack gear structure 63.

[0041] The pinion gear structure 65 is connected to the rotating shaft 66 , and the pinion gear can rotate due to the rotating force of the rotating shaft. Finally, the pinion gear structure 65 can be raised and lowered in a state of being meshed with the rack structure 63 fixedly coupled to the third rotating plate 50 .

[0042] The rotational force of the rotating shaft 66 is provided by the driving body 67. The driving body 67 can be constructed in various ways, as long as it can provide the rotational force to the rotating shaft 66. For example, the driving body 67 can include: a driving motor; and a bevel gear assembly, which is used to transmit the rotational force of the driving motor to the rotating shaft 66. Preferably, the driving body 67 having the above structure can also be fixedly combined with the mounting plate 64.

[0043] The fixing body 68 is fixedly mounted on the mounting plate 64 and fixedly coupled to the lower portion of the lifting rod 61. Therefore, if the fixing body 68 is raised or lowered, the lifting rod 61 can also be raised or lowered.

[0044] As described above, as the lifting driving module 62 operates, the substrate box 30 may be lifted or lowered by the lifting and lowering operation of the lifting rod 61 . The process will be described below.

[0045] When the driving body 67 generates a driving force and provides a rotational force to the rotating shaft 66, the pinion of the pinion gear structure 65 can be raised and lowered by the rack gear of the rack gear structure 63, thereby the pinion gear structure 65 can be raised and lowered. The pinion gear structure 65 is fixedly coupled to the mounting plate 64, and finally, the mounting plate 64 can also be raised and lowered, thereby the fixing body 68 fixedly coupled to the mounting plate 64 can also be raised and lowered. Finally, the lifting rod 61 coupled to the fixing body 68 can be raised and lowered, thereby the substrate box 30 fixedly coupled in a manner supported by the lifting rod 61 can be raised and lowered.

[0046] Figure 7 and Figure 8The figure shows a state in which the pinion structure 65 is raised along the rack structure 63 due to the upward drive of the driving body 67, and the lifting rod 61 combined with the fixed body 68 fixedly coupled to the mounting plate 64 is raised through the above process, thereby the substrate box 30 is raised. On the contrary, as the pinion structure 65 is lowered along the rack structure 63 due to the downward drive of the driving body 67, the lifting rod 61 combined with the fixed body 68 fixedly coupled to the mounting plate 64 can be lowered through the above process, thereby the substrate box 30 can be lowered.

[0047] On the other hand, the lifting driving module 62 is disposed on the third rotating plate 50 , and the third rotating plate 50 may be rotated by the rotating unit 70 . As the third rotating plate 50 rotates, the lifting rod 61 combined with the lifting driving module 62 may rotate.

[0048] The lifting rod 61 is rotated by receiving a rotational force from the third rotating plate 50 rotated by the rotating unit 70 through the lifting driving module 62 disposed on the third rotating plate 50 , and the substrate box 30 is rotated by the rotation of the lifting rod 61 .

[0049] Specifically, the rack structure 63 constituting the lifting drive module 62 is fixedly coupled to the third rotating plate 50. Therefore, if the third rotating plate 50 is rotated by the rotating unit 70, the rack structure 63 may also rotate. Since the rack structure 63 is meshed with the pinion structure 65, the pinion structure 65 also rotates. The pinion structure 65 is fixedly coupled to the mounting plate 64, the fixed body 68 is fixedly coupled to the mounting plate 64, and the fixed body 68 is coupled to the lifting rod 61. Therefore, the lifting rod 61 also rotates. Finally, the substrate box 30 fixedly coupled in a manner supported by the lifting rod 61 can be rotated.

[0050] As described above, the substrate cassette 30 may be rotated while being supported by the elevating rods 61 . In order to transmit a more stable rotation force to the substrate cassette 30 , a reinforcement structure is preferably used.

[0051] To this end, the rotary substrate storage 100 of the present invention includes a second rotary plate 40 rotatably coupled to the lower portion of the fixed plate 10 , and the second rotary plate 40 is connected to the lifting drive module 62 and rotates together with the rotation of the third rotary plate 50 .

[0052] Specifically, the second rotating plate 40 is rotatably coupled to the lower portion of the fixed plate 10. That is, a second track 12 is formed at the lower portion of the fixed plate 10, and the second rotating plate 40 can be engaged with the second track 12 for rotation. Preferably, in order to facilitate the rotation of the second rotating plate 40, the second track 12 is circular and is disposed on one of the fixed plate 10 and the second rotating plate 40.

[0053] Specifically, in order to make the second rotating plate 40 rotate together with the third rotating plate 50, the lifting driving module 62 is fixedly coupled to the upper portion of the rack structure 63. Therefore, when the third rotating plate 50 rotates due to the rotating unit 70, since the rack structure 63 is fixedly coupled to the upper portion of the third rotating plate 50 and the second rotating plate 40 is fixedly coupled to the upper portion of the rack structure 63, the second rotating plate 40 can also rotate in conjunction.

[0054] The second rotating plate 40 can rotate while supporting the fixed plate 10. Since the second rotating plate 40 is fixedly coupled to the rack structure 63, and the rack structure 63 is fixedly coupled to the third rotating plate 50, the rotation of the third rotating plate 50 can be made more stable. As a result, the substrate box 30 rotating while being supported by the lifting rod 61 can also rotate more stably.

[0055] On the other hand, preferably, during the lifting process, the substrate box 30 is lifted and lowered in a more stable manner. To this end, preferably, the rotary substrate storage 100 of the present invention includes a guide rod 25 that passes through the substrate box 30 to guide the lifting of the substrate box 30.

[0056] The guide rods 25 penetrate the lower plate 31 and the upper plate 32 of the substrate box 30 and are respectively arranged at four edge portions, preferably formed in four portions. As described above, since the guide rods 25 penetrate the four edge portions of the lower plate 31 and the upper plate 32 of the substrate box 30, the guide rods 25 can guide the substrate box 30 in a stable manner during the ascending or descending process of the substrate box 30.

[0057] Preferably, a reinforcing structure for stably rotating the substrate box 30 may also be applied to the upper side of the fixed plate 10. To this end, the rotary substrate storage 100 of the present invention includes a first rotating plate 20 rotatably coupled to the upper portion of the fixed plate 10, and the lower portion of the guide rod 25 is coupled to the upper portion of the first rotating plate 20.

[0058] Specifically, the first rotating plate 20 is rotatably disposed on the upper portion of the fixed plate 10. That is, a first track 11 is formed on the upper portion of the fixed plate 10, and the first rotating plate 20 can be engaged with the first track 11 to rotate. Preferably, in order to facilitate the rotation of the first rotating plate 20, the first track 11 is circular and is disposed on one of the upper portion of the fixed plate 10 and the lower portion of the first rotating plate 20.

[0059] Since the substrate box 30 needs to be lifted, it cannot be rotatably fixed on the first rotating plate 20. That is, the substrate box 30 is supported by the lifting rod 61 and is arranged on the first rotating plate 20 in a liftable manner. If the substrate box 30 rotates, the first rotating plate 20 is rotated by the guide rod 25.

[0060] More specifically, the lower portion of the guide rod 25 is fixedly coupled to the upper portion of the first rotating plate 20, and in this state, the guide rod 25 can penetrate the four edge portions of the lower plate 31 and the upper plate 32 of the substrate box 30. Therefore, if the substrate box 30 is rotated by the rotation drive of the rotating unit 70, the rotation force of the substrate box 30 is transmitted to the first rotating plate 20 through the guide rod 25. Finally, since the substrate box 30 is rotated together with the first rotating plate 20 through the guide rod 25, it can rotate in a more stable state.

[0061] On the other hand, the rotating unit 70 may include a bottom plate 71 , a supporting body 72 , a third rail 73 and a rotating driving module 74 .

[0062] The bottom plate 71 may be fixedly disposed on the bottom surface or movably disposed on the bottom surface. A support body 72 is formed on the upper portion of the bottom plate 71, and the support body 72 is used to support the third rotating plate 50, so that the third rotating plate 50 is rotatably supported on the upper portion thereof. To this end, the third track 73 may be formed on one of the lower portion of the third rotating plate 50 and the upper portion of the support body 72. Moreover, the driving module 74 is placed on the bottom plate 71, so that the third rotating plate 50 can rotate.

[0063] Although limited embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, a person skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations within the equivalent scope of the technical concept and protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A rotary substrate library, It is characterized in that include: A fixed plate, flatly arranged on the above-mentioned rotating substrate library; The substrate box is arranged on the upper side of the fixing plate in a manner that it can be lifted and rotated; A lifting unit is disposed on the lower side of the fixing plate and is used to lift the substrate box; as well as The rotating unit is disposed at the lower side of the fixing plate and is used to rotate the substrate box.

2. The rotary substrate storage according to claim 1, It is characterized in that Among the four sides of the substrate cassette, substrates can be loaded on at least two sides.

3. The rotary substrate storage according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The lifting unit includes a lifting rod, and the lifting rod passes through the fixing plate. The upper part of the lifting rod is fixedly combined with the lower part of the substrate box, and the lower part of the lifting rod is combined with the lifting driving module to be lifted and lowered by the lifting driving module.

4. The rotary substrate storage according to claim 3, It is characterized in that The lifting drive module is disposed on the third rotating plate. The third rotating plate is rotated by the rotating unit, so that the lifting rod combined with the lifting drive module rotates along with the rotation of the third rotating plate.

5. The rotary substrate storage according to claim 4, It is characterized in that A second rotating plate is rotatably coupled to the lower portion of the fixed plate. The second rotating plate is connected to the lifting driving module to rotate together with the rotation of the third rotating plate.

6. The rotary substrate storage according to claim 3, It is characterized in that It comprises a guide rod which is arranged through the substrate box and is used for guiding the lifting work of the substrate box.

7. The rotary substrate storage according to claim 6, It is characterized in that The first rotating plate is rotatably coupled to the upper portion of the fixed plate. The lower portion of the guide rod is coupled to the upper portion of the first rotating plate, and the first rotating plate rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the substrate cassette.

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