Tray management equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for managing Tray discs, and the device comprises a storage cabinet which is internally provided with a plurality of storage bins which are independent from each other, and the storage bins are constructed to meet the requirement of stacking and storing Tray discs of various specifications; the transfer device is provided with a manual panel loading and unloading area, a manipulator carrying area and a conveyor belt for connecting the manual panel loading and unloading area with the manipulator carrying area in series; the manipulator is configured to be capable of carrying the tray between each storage bin and the manipulator carrying area; the tray identification module is used for identifying the specification of the tray located in the manipulator carrying area; and the man-machine interface can be used for an operator to input a disk taking or storing instruction. According to the equipment for managing the Tray, automatic management of the Tray can be achieved, and an operator can conveniently store and take the Tray.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of semiconductor testing equipment, and specifically relates to a device capable of managing trays used in semiconductor testing. Background Art

[0002] In semiconductor testing, trays are standardized containers used to carry, transport, and position chips. Trays can be moved between test stations using automated equipment (such as robotic arms and conveyor belts), enabling continuous testing and improving efficiency. Therefore, trays, which enable safe chip handling, efficient testing, and precise sorting, are an indispensable standardized carrier on automated production lines.

[0003] Currently, the semiconductor industry primarily uses tray racks to store trays. Because these racks are mostly open and lack seals and identification features, operators can freely access trays. However, the wide variety of tray types available makes locating trays inefficient. Furthermore, the diverse range of tray types on production lines creates the risk of operators mistaking similar trays. Furthermore, open racks create the risk of dust contamination. To address these issues, dedicated personnel are currently required to inspect trays that cannot be mixed, which increases production line labor costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a device for managing trays, which is used to solve the technical problems in the prior art such as the lack of card control in open tray racks, low efficiency of operators in taking trays and easy mistakes in taking trays.

[0005] To this end, the present application provides a device for managing trays, comprising: a storage cabinet, which is equipped with multiple independent storage bins, and the multiple storage bins are constructed to meet the needs of stacking and storing trays of various specifications; a transfer device, which is provided with a manual loading and unloading tray area, a robot handling area and a conveyor belt connecting the manual loading and unloading tray area and the robot handling area in series; a robot is configured to be able to transport trays between each of the storage bins and the robot handling area; a tray identification module for identifying the specifications of the trays located in the robot handling area; a tray stacking / separating device, which is arranged in the manual loading and unloading tray area, and is used to separate the individual trays in the tray stack located in the manual loading and unloading tray area in sequence and output them to the transfer device, and to stack the multiple trays input by the transfer device to the manual loading and unloading tray area into a tray stack; and a human-machine interface, which can allow an operator to input instructions for taking or storing trays.

[0006] In some embodiments, the tray stacking / separating device includes: a tray mechanism, which is constructed to selectively support the tray or tray stack sent into the manual upper and lower tray area; and an upper mechanism, which is constructed to selectively carry the tray or tray stack located in the manual upper and lower tray area up and down; wherein, the tray mechanism includes a plurality of tray components that can move in the horizontal direction.

[0007] In some embodiments, the pallet mechanism includes a plurality of pallet cylinders, which are distributed on the left and right sides of the manual upper and lower panel areas, and the piston rod of each pallet cylinder is configured to be movable in the left and right directions.

[0008] In some embodiments, the tray identification module includes a camera.

[0009] In some embodiments, each of the storage bins is provided with a bin door, and the bin door is configured to be openable from an external side of the storage cabinet.

[0010] In some embodiments, the device for managing the tray further includes: a status indicator light for allowing an operator to observe the working status of the device for managing the tray from the outside, and the status indicator light is configured to display at least three different colors of light to the outside.

[0011] In some embodiments, the device for managing trays further includes: a gantry module, and the robot is mounted on the gantry module.

[0012] In some embodiments, the apparatus for managing trays further includes: a cleaning device, which is arranged on a conveying path of the transfer device and is used to clean the trays passing through the transfer path.

[0013] In some embodiments, the cleaning device includes a brush, and the brush is placed horizontally above the conveyor belt.

[0014] Compared with the existing technology, the device for managing trays in this application can realize the automated management of trays, making it convenient for operators to store and retrieve trays in batches. Through management, it can effectively improve the efficiency of storing and retrieving trays and significantly reduce the error rate of operators when manually taking trays. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a device for managing trays according to an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a device for managing trays according to an embodiment of the present application; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a transfer device according to an embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a disk stacking / separating device according to an embodiment of the present application when performing a disk separation operation; Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the tray mechanism in the tray stacking / separating device when holding up a tray; Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the tray stacking / separating device in FIG. 1 , wherein the lifting mechanism lifts a tray upward; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the process when a transfer device according to an embodiment of the present application operates a tray.

[0017] Among them: 100, equipment for managing trays; 1, storage cabinet; 2, transfer device; 3, manual loading and unloading area; 4, robot handling area; 5, robot; 6, tray identification module; 7, human-machine interface; 11, storage bin; 8, gantry module; 10, status indicator light; 21, conveyor belt; 22, transfer device motor; 23, cleaning device; 9, tray stacking / separating device; 91, tray mechanism; 92, lifting mechanism; 911, tray cylinder; 912, tray components; 921, lifting cylinder; 922, pallet; 800, tray stack; 801, tray. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts should fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0019] like Figure 1 、 Figure 2 As shown, it shows a device 100 for managing trays according to an embodiment of the present application. The device includes a storage cabinet 1, a transfer device 2, a manipulator 5, a tray identification module 6 and a human-machine interface 7. Among them, the storage cabinet 1 includes a plurality of storage bins 11 that can store trays of various specifications. The manipulator 5 is used to transfer trays between the storage cabinet 1 and the transfer device 2. The transfer device 2 includes a manual loading and unloading area 3 and a manipulator handling area 4 connected in series by a conveyor belt 21. The transfer device 2 is used to temporarily store trays to be used after being taken out from the storage cabinet 1, and to temporarily store trays to be stored. The tray identification module 6 is used to identify the specifications of the trays input into the device 100 or output from the device 100. The human-machine interface 7 can allow the operator to input instructions for taking or storing trays. The human-machine interface 7 is usually a PC (Personal Computer), and the operator can send instructions to the control system of the device through the PC. When the device 100 is working, the operator inputs the tray retrieval instruction through the human-machine interface 7 to take out the required tray from the storage cabinet 1 and send it to the manual upper and lower tray area 3 for the operator to pick up; the operator can also input the disk storage instruction through the human-machine interface 7 to send the tray placed in the manual upper and lower tray area 3 into the storage cabinet 1 for storage.

[0020] The storage cabinet 1 is provided with a plurality of independent storage bins 11, and the plurality of storage bins 11 are constructed to accommodate stacked trays of various specifications. In some embodiments, each storage bin is provided with a bin door, which is constructed to be opened from the outside of the storage cabinet; this enables each storage bin to be opened directly in an emergency such as a power outage. The outer surface of the storage cabinet 1 can be subjected to an anti-corrosion treatment, such as powder coating, nickel plating, and anodizing. Taking the length, width, and height of the entire device 100 as an example, which are 3300 mm, 1280 mm, and 2000 mm respectively, 60 storage bins can be designed, each of which can accommodate 50-60 trays. In this way, the total capacity of the storage cabinet can reach 3000-3600.

[0021] The tray management device 100 may further include a gantry module 8. This gantry module 8 provides guide rails for movement along the X, Y, and Z axes. The robot 5 is mounted on the gantry module 8 and is movable along the X, Y, and Z axes, allowing the robot 5 to move to each storage bin 11.

[0022] The robot 5 is configured to transport trays between various storage bins 11 and the robot handling area 4. In a typical embodiment, the robot comprises a robotic arm and a tray gripper attached to the end effector of the arm. For example, the tray gripper includes two gripping blades that extend and retract along the length of the tray to grip and release the tray. In some embodiments, the robot's tray gripper delivers the tray to the designated storage bin 11 based on the scanned barcode information.

[0023] The tray identification module 6 is typically located in the robotic handling area 4 and is capable of identifying the specifications of trays located in the robotic handling area 4. Based on this identification result, the control system of the device 100 can verify the specifications of trays being delivered from the storage bin 11 or of trays about to be delivered to the storage bin 11, so that the robotic arm can carry them to the appropriate storage bin. In a typical embodiment of the tray identification module, the tray identification module 6 includes a camera. The camera compares the current tray information with the device's internally stored tray database to ensure the correct access of trays by the robotic arm. The device 100 for managing trays also includes a status indicator 10. This status indicator 10 allows the operator to observe the current operating status of the device 100 from the outside. The status indicator 10 is configured to display at least three different colors, such as red, yellow, and green. The lighting of the status indicator 10 allows the operator to directly determine whether the device is in the storage, retrieval, or standby state.

[0024] like Figure 3 As shown, the transfer device 2 is capable of transporting trays in the front, back, and upper directions. The transfer device 2 also includes a transfer device motor 22. The transfer device motor 22 rotates forward or reversely according to the tray loading and unloading signal, thereby driving the conveyor belt 21 to transport the tray from the manual loading and unloading area 3 to the robot handling area 4 or to transport the tray from the robot handling area 4 to the manual loading and unloading area 3. A cleaning device 23 is also arranged on the conveying path of the transfer device 2. The cleaning device 23 is used to wipe the dust from the tray passing through here to reduce the dust residue on the surface of the tray. In one embodiment, the cleaning device 23 includes a brush, which is placed horizontally above the conveyor belt 21. A tray in place detection component is also provided on the transfer device 2 to detect whether the tray has moved to the target position of the robot handling area 4.

[0025] like Figure 4As shown, the apparatus 100 for managing trays further includes a tray stacking / separating device 9. The tray stacking / separating device 9 is disposed at the manual loading and unloading area 3 and is configured to sequentially separate individual trays 801 from a tray stack 800 located in the manual loading and unloading area 3 and output them to the transfer device 2, or to stack multiple trays 801 inputted from the transfer device 2 into a tray stack 800.

[0026] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the tray stacking / separating device 9 includes a tray mechanism 91 and a lifting mechanism 92. The tray mechanism 91 is configured to selectively lift a tray or a stack of trays fed into the manual loading and unloading area 3. The lifting mechanism 92 is configured to selectively carry a stack of trays or a single tray in the manual loading and unloading area 3 and move it up and down.

[0027] The tray mechanism 91 includes a plurality of tray cylinders 911 and tray components 912 fixed to the top ends of the piston rods of the plurality of tray cylinders 911. These tray cylinders 911 and tray components 912 are distributed on the left and right sides of the manual upper and lower tray area 3. The piston rods of each tray cylinder 911 are constructed to be movable in the left and right directions. When the piston rods of the tray cylinders 911 are extended, they apply force to the corresponding tray component 912, thereby lifting the tray stack or tray and maintaining it at the current height; when the piston rods of the tray cylinders 911 are retracted, the tray component 912 will leave the tray stack or tray.

[0028] The lifting mechanism 92 includes a plurality of lifting cylinders 921 and a support plate 922. The support plate 922 is fixed to the top of the piston rods of the plurality of lifting cylinders 921. The plurality of lifting cylinders 921 and the support plate 922 are distributed on the lower side of the manual upper and lower plate area 3, and the piston rod of each lifting cylinder 921 is constructed to be able to move in the up and down directions. When the piston rods of these lifting cylinders 921 are all extended upward, they jointly apply force to the support plate 922, thereby realizing the use of the support plate 922 to lift the tray or the tray stack upward; and when the piston rods of these lifting cylinders 921 are all retracted, a tray that is not clamped by the clamping block 912 will follow the support plate 922 and descend to the conveyor belt 21 of the transfer device 2.

[0029] When the tray stacking / separating device 9 is used to separate the trays stacked in the manual upper and lower tray area 3, the action process of the tray mechanism 91 and the lifting mechanism 92 is as follows: the tray stack stacked in the manual upper and lower tray area 3 is lifted by the multiple tray components 912 of the tray mechanism 91; after the lifting mechanism 92 lifts the entire tray stack, the tray cylinder of the tray mechanism 91 retreats; then, the lifting mechanism 92 descends by a distance of the height of a tray, and the tray cylinder extends again to support the second tray from the bottom to the top in the tray stack, and then the lifting mechanism 92 descends with the lowest tray to the conveyor belt 21 of the transfer device 2, thereby completing the separation action of a tray. After the tray is separated, the transfer device motor 22 of the transfer device 2 is started, thereby sending the tray to the robot handling area 4. After the robot transport area 4 takes away the tray, the second to last tray, the third to last tray, and so on are separated in the same way as above until all the trays are separated.

[0030] When the stacking / separating device 9 is used to stack the trays in the robot transport area 4 one by one to the manual upper and lower tray area 3 for stacking operations, the action process of the tray mechanism 91 and the lifting mechanism 92 is as follows: after the first tray is transported to the robot transport area 4 by the robot 5, the transfer device motor 22 of the transfer device 2 is started to transport the first tray to the manual upper and lower tray area 3, and the multiple lifting cylinders 921 of the lifting mechanism 92 are raised and the support plate 922 is used to push the first tray upward away from the conveyor belt 21. When the first tray is lifted to the height of the multiple tray components 912 of the tray dragging mechanism 91, the tray cylinder of the tray mechanism 91 extends, thereby replacing the tray 922 to lift the first tray; the multiple lifting cylinders 921 and the tray 922 of the lifting mechanism 92 descend to the initial position (located on the conveyor belt 21) ); then when the second tray is transported to the manual upper and lower tray area 3, the multiple lifting cylinders 921 of the upper lifting mechanism 92 rise again and use the supporting plate 922 to push the second tray upward away from the conveyor belt 21 and move it to the position stacked below the first tray, the multiple tray cylinders 911 of the tray mechanism 91 retract, and then the multiple lifting cylinders 921 drive the supporting plate 922 to continue to rise a distance of one tray height to the height of the multiple tray components 912 of the tray mechanism 91, the tray cylinders 911 of the tray mechanism 91 extend again to lift the stacked first and second trays at the same time, and then stack the third tray, the fourth tray... in the manual upper and lower tray area 3 in the same way as above until the number of trays to be taken (or the maximum number of trays stacked) is stacked.

[0031] Figure 7The figure shows a schematic diagram of the process of operating a tray 801 on the transfer device 2. After the operator places the tray in the manual loading and unloading area 3, the lifting mechanism 92 on the stacking / separating device 9 lifts the tray 801 upward, and at the same time, the tray cylinder of the tray mechanism 91 retracts. The lifting mechanism 92 then carries the tray 801 downward to the conveyor belt 21 of the transfer device 2. The transfer device motor 22 of the transfer device 2 is activated, and the tray 801 is transported to the robot handling area 4. During this process, the brush of the cleaning device 23 completes the dust removal work on the tray 801.

[0032] When the tray management device 100 performs a storage operation, the operator places the tray stack to be stored in the manual loading and unloading area 3. The stacking / separating device 9 separates the trays from the stack one by one and transfers them to the robotic handling area 4 using the transfer device 2. Each tray transferred to the robotic handling area 4 is photographed by the camera of the tray recognition module for comparison. Based on the comparison results, the robotic arm 5 accurately transfers each tray to the appropriate storage bin 11. During this process, the status indicator light 10 illuminates, indicating that the device 100 is in the storage working state.

[0033] When the tray management device 100 performs a tray retrieval operation, the operator enters the material number through the human-machine interface 7. The robot 5 then delivers the trays corresponding to the material number to the robot handling area 4 according to the plan. Each tray delivered to the robot handling area 4 is photographed by the camera of the tray recognition module for comparison to ensure that the tray to be output matches the material number. The transfer device 2 then reverses the process and delivers the trays one by one to the manual loading and unloading area 3. The stacking / separating device 9 then delivers the trays to the manual loading and unloading area 3 for stacking. The stacked trays are then removed by the operator. During this process, the status indicator light 10 illuminates, indicating the tray retrieval status.

[0034] The device 100 for managing trays of the present application can facilitate operators to access trays, automate management, and reduce error rates; the robot can quickly locate and access trays, improve efficiency, reduce human operation, and monitor the status of trays in each storage bin in real time, record access information, and facilitate abnormal tracking; the surface of the tray can be cleaned during the process of accessing the tray to prevent dust from contaminating the tray and reduce abnormal outflow.

[0035] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present application is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the present application can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the present application. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as illustrative and non-restrictive, and the scope of the present application is defined by the appended claims, not the foregoing description, and all variations within the meaning and range of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included therein. Any reference sign in a claim should not be construed as limiting the claim to which it relates.

[0036] In addition, it should be understood that although this specification is described in terms of implementation methods, not every implementation method contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative method of the specification is only for the sake of clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other implementation methods that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A device for managing Tray disks, characterized in that: include: The storage cabinet is provided with a plurality of independent storage compartments, wherein the plurality of storage compartments are configured to accommodate trays of various specifications; The transfer device is provided with a manual loading and unloading area, a robot handling area, and a conveyor belt connecting the manual loading and unloading area and the robot handling area in series; A robot is configured to transport trays between each of the storage bins and the robot transport area; A tray identification module is used to identify the specifications of the tray located in the handling area of ​​the robot; a tray stacking / separating device, arranged in the manual loading and unloading area, and used to sequentially separate the individual trays in the tray stack located in the manual loading and unloading area and output them to the transfer device, and to stack the multiple trays input from the transfer device to the manual loading and unloading area into a tray stack; and The human-machine interface allows operators to input disk retrieval or storage instructions.

2. The device for managing Tray disks according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tray stacking / separating device includes: a tray mechanism, which is constructed to selectively support the tray or tray stack sent into the manual upper and lower tray area; and a lifting mechanism, which is constructed to selectively carry the tray or tray stack located in the manual upper and lower tray area and move it up and down; wherein, the tray mechanism includes a plurality of tray components that can move in the horizontal direction.

3. The device for managing Tray disks according to claim 2, characterized in that: The pallet mechanism includes a plurality of pallet cylinders, which are distributed on the left and right sides of the manual upper and lower panel area, and the piston rod of each pallet cylinder is configured to be movable in the left and right directions.

4. The device for managing Tray disks according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tray identification module includes a camera.

5. The device for managing Tray disks according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the storage bins is provided with a bin door, and the bin door is configured to be openable from an external side of the storage cabinet.

6. The device for managing Tray disks according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: A status indicator light is used for an operator to observe the working status of the device managing the tray from the outside; The status indicator light is configured to display at least three different colors of light.

7. The device for managing Tray disks according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: Gantry module, the manipulator is loaded on the gantry module.

8. The device for managing Tray disks according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: The cleaning device is arranged on the conveying path of the transfer device and is used to clean the tray passing through the transfer device.

9. The device for managing Tray disks according to claim 8, characterized in that: The cleaning device comprises a brush which is placed horizontally above the conveyor belt.

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