Wafer transfer apparatus

Abstract

The application discloses a wafer conveying device, which comprises a module body, a placing table, a moving mechanism, a telescopic mechanism and a gripper. The module body comprises a shell and a loading table connected with the shell. The placing table is fixedly connected with the shell and is located in front of the shell together with the loading table. The moving mechanism is located in front of the placing table, and a conveying channel for wafer boxes to walk is arranged between the moving mechanism and the placing table. The telescopic mechanism is connected with the moving mechanism and can move along the left-right direction and the up-down direction under the driving of the moving mechanism. The telescopic mechanism comprises a telescopic arm and a balance block. The telescopic arm and the balance block are synchronously and reversely moved along the front-back direction under the driving of a driving assembly. The telescopic arm comprises a connecting portion and a cantilever portion located behind the connecting portion and capable of extending out of a seat plate. The gripper is fixed to the lower surface of the cantilever portion, and a groove is formed in the gripper and used for embedding a supporting protrusion of a wafer box. The wafer conveying device can store more wafer boxes and can realize stable conveying of the wafer boxes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wafer processing equipment technology, and more particularly to a wafer transport device. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, as production capacity increases, there is a need to increase the storage capacity of wafer cassettes. However, semiconductor factories often struggle to allocate entire areas for automated storage and retrieval systems (AS / RS) of wafer cassettes. While overhead wafer buffer stations can increase wafer cassette storage capacity, the process of overhead cranes retrieving and placing wafer cassettes from these stations can obstruct the passage of other cranes, thus impacting the efficiency of the crane system in transporting wafer cassettes. Therefore, some wafer transport equipment uses external placement platforms to store wafer cassettes. However, these platforms cannot be moved by overhead cranes, necessitating a suitable transport mechanism to move wafer cassettes between the loading and placement platforms. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings, the purpose of this invention is to provide a wafer transport device that can store more wafer cassettes and achieve stable handling of the wafer cassettes.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a wafer transmission device, comprising:

[0005] The module body includes a housing and a loading platform that docks with the housing;

[0006] A placement platform is fixedly connected to the housing and is located in front of the housing along with the loading platform;

[0007] A moving mechanism is located in front of the placement stage, and there is a transmission channel between the moving mechanism and the placement stage for the wafer cassette to move.

[0008] A telescopic mechanism includes a seat plate, a drive assembly, a sliding arm, a counterweight, and a first guide rail. The seat plate is connected to the moving mechanism and can move in the left-right and up-down directions under the drive of the moving mechanism. The sliding arm and the counterweight are connected to the drive assembly and can move synchronously in opposite directions in the front-back direction under the drive of the drive assembly. The sliding arm includes a connecting part and a cantilever part located behind the connecting part and extending rearward out of the seat plate. The first guide rail is fixed on the seat plate. The first guide rail includes a straight segment extending in the front-back direction and a lifting segment located behind the straight segment and inclined upward. A first slider and a second slider are slidably connected to the lifting segment and the straight segment, respectively. The connecting part is fixedly connected to the first slider and pivotally connected to the second slider.

[0009] A gripper is fixed to the lower surface of the overhang, and the gripper has a groove for the supporting protrusion of the wafer cassette to be inserted.

[0010] Furthermore, the drive assembly includes a drive member and a transmission belt that rotates under the drive member. The transmission belt has a closed-loop structure and includes an upper section and a lower section extending in the front-rear direction. The first slider and the second slider are fixedly connected to the lower section, and the balance block is fixedly connected to the upper section.

[0011] Furthermore, a connecting plate is fixed on the second slider, and a shaft extending in the left-right direction is fixed on the connecting plate. The connecting part is sleeved on the shaft and can swing up and down around the shaft.

[0012] Furthermore, the lifting section is an upwardly curved arc structure.

[0013] Furthermore, a boss is provided behind the groove, the upper surface of the boss is higher than the bearing surface of the groove that supports the supporting protrusion, and an inlet and outlet for the supporting protrusion to enter and exit is formed between the boss and the lower surface of the overhang.

[0014] Furthermore, a second guide rail is fixedly connected to the base plate above the first guide rail, the second guide rail extends in the front-back direction and a third slider is slidably connected thereon, and the balance block is fixedly connected to the third slider.

[0015] Furthermore, there are two of each of the first and second guide rails spaced apart in the left-right direction, the sliding arm is located between the two first guide rails, and the balance block is located between the two second guide rails.

[0016] Furthermore, the height of the upper surface of the sliding arm is lower than the height of the lower surface of the balance block.

[0017] Furthermore, the moving mechanism includes a first linear module and a second linear module. The second linear module is connected to the output end of the first linear module and moves in the left-right direction under the drive of the first linear module. The base plate is fixed to the output end of the second linear module and moves in the up-down direction under the drive of the second linear module.

[0018] Furthermore, the first linear module is fixed on the connecting frame, and the ends of the connecting frame in the left and right directions are flush with the module body. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of another embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention after the connecting frame is hidden, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention with the connecting frame hidden.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the docking of the telescopic mechanism in its retracted state with the wafer cassette in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the extension state of the telescopic mechanism and its docking with the wafer cassette in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the telescopic mechanism in the extended state in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the telescopic mechanism in its retracted state in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 9 This is an exploded view of the telescopic mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the first guide rail in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] In the picture:

[0030] 100. Robotic arm;

[0031] 1. Moving mechanism; 11. First linear module; 12. Second linear module; 13. Connecting bracket;

[0032] 2. Telescopic mechanism;

[0033] 21. Seat plate;

[0034] 22. Drive assembly; 221. Drive component; 222. Transmission belt; 223. Drive pulley; 224. Driven pulley;

[0035] 23. Telescopic arm assembly; 231. Sliding arm; 2311. Connecting part; 2312. Cantilever part; 232. First guide rail; 2321. Straight section; 2322. Lifting section; 233. First slider; 2331. Connecting piece; 234. Second slider; 2341. Hinge structure; 23411. Connecting plate; 23412. Shaft;

[0036] 24. Balancing assembly; 241. Balancing block; 242. Second guide rail; 243. Third slider;

[0037] 3. Handle; 31. Groove; 32. Boss; 321. Inlet / outlet;

[0038] 200. Placement platform;

[0039] 300. Module body; 301. Loading platform; 302. Housing;

[0040] 400. Connecting bracket;

[0041] 500. Wafer box; 501. Supporting protrusion;

[0042] 600. Transmission Channel. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that the advantages and features of the present invention can be more easily understood by those skilled in the art, thereby providing a clearer and more explicit definition of the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0044] See appendix Figure 1 Appendix Figure 2 and attached Figure 3 As shown, a wafer transfer device of the present invention includes a module body 300, a placement stage 200, a robotic arm 100, and a connecting frame 400.

[0045] The module body 300 includes a housing 302 and a loading stage 301 that docks with the housing 302. A handling robot (not shown in the figure) is installed inside the housing 302. A placement stage 200 is fixedly connected to the housing 302 and is located in front of the housing 302 along with the loading stage 301. Both the placement stage 200 and the loading stage 301 can hold wafer cassettes 500. A connecting frame 400 is located in front of the placement stage 200, and a robot 100 is located on the connecting frame 400. The robot 100 is used to move wafer cassettes 500 between the placement stage 200 and the loading stage 301.

[0046] See appendix Figure 3 Appendix Figure 4 and attached Figure 5 As shown, the robotic arm 100 includes a moving mechanism 1, a telescopic mechanism 2, and a gripper 3. The moving mechanism 1 is located in front of the placement stage 200, and a transmission channel 600 for the wafer cassette 500 to move between the moving mechanism 1 and the placement stage 200 is provided. The telescopic mechanism 2 is connected to the moving mechanism 1 and can move in the left-right and up-down directions under the drive of the moving mechanism 1. The gripper 3 is connected to the telescopic mechanism 2 and can extend or retract in the front-back direction through the telescopic mechanism 2. The gripper 3 has a groove 31 for the supporting protrusion 501 of the wafer cassette 500 to be inserted. The gripper 3 can grasp the wafer cassette 500, and the movement of the gripper 3 in three directions is achieved through the cooperation of the telescopic mechanism 2 and the moving mechanism 1, so as to transport the wafer cassette 500 between the loading stage 301 and the placement stage 200.

[0047] A transmission channel 600 is formed between the moving mechanism 1 and the placement stage 200. After the gripper 3 picks up the wafer cassette 500, it moves within the transmission channel 600 in the left-right and up-down directions. Compared to the prior art where a channel for the wafer cassette 500 to move is set between the placement stages 200, in this embodiment, the transmission channel 600 allows the placement stages 200 to be set more compactly, thereby accommodating more wafer cassettes 500. Simultaneously, the transmission channel 600 needs to be able to accommodate the movement of one wafer cassette 500; therefore, the length of the transmission channel 600 in the front-back direction is greater than the length of the wafer cassette 500 in the front-back direction, providing sufficient space for an operator to enter. Therefore, when the robotic arm 100 malfunctions, personnel can enter the transmission channel 600 to manually move the wafer cassette 500, thus preventing the module body 300 from stopping.

[0048] Multiple placement stages 200 are fixed on the housing 302. The placement stages 200 are arranged in an array. The placement stages 200 can place the wafer cassette 500 to be processed and the wafer cassette 500 of processed wafers according to the needs of the overhead crane and the loading stage 301.

[0049] In one embodiment, see Appendix Figure 1 As shown, the ends of the connecting frame 400 in the left and right directions are flush with the module body 300. At this time, the connecting frame 400 and the robot arm 100 on it can carry out the transport of wafer boxes 500 on all loading platforms 301 and placement platforms 200 without occupying the corridor in the left and right directions.

[0050] See appendix Figure 7 and attached Figure 8 As shown, the telescopic mechanism 2 includes a seat plate 21, a drive assembly 22, a telescopic arm assembly 23, and a balancing assembly 24. The seat plate 21 is connected to the moving mechanism 1 and can move in the left-right and up-down directions under the drive of the moving mechanism 1. The telescopic arm assembly 23 includes a sliding arm 231, which includes a connecting part 2311 and a cantilever part 2312 located behind the connecting part 2311 and extending rearward beyond the seat plate 21. The gripper 3 is fixed to the lower surface of the cantilever part 2312. The balancing assembly 24 includes a balancing block 241. The sliding arm 231 and the balancing block 241 are connected to the drive assembly 22 and move synchronously in opposite directions in the front-back direction under the drive of the drive assembly 22.

[0051] In existing technologies, only a sliding arm 231 is typically provided, without a counterweight 241. When the sliding arm 231 slides backward until the cantilever portion 2312 extends out of the seat plate 21 so that the gripper 3 can grasp the wafer cassette 500, the center of gravity of the telescopic mechanism 2 will shift backward. At this time, the gripper 3 may shift downward, causing the supporting protrusion 501 to not align with the groove 31 and thus not be able to smoothly enter the groove 31. Therefore, in this embodiment, a counterweight 241 is added. The counterweight 241 and the sliding arm 231 move synchronously in opposite directions at the same speed, ensuring that the center of gravity of the telescopic mechanism 2 remains unchanged, so as to avoid the supporting protrusion 501 not being able to be smoothly grasped by the gripper 3.

[0052] See appendix Figure 9 and attached Figure 10 As shown, the telescopic arm assembly 23 also includes a first guide rail 232, which is fixed on the base plate 21. The first guide rail 232 includes a straight section 2321 extending in the front-rear direction and a lifting section 2322 located behind the straight section 2321 and inclined upward. A first slider 233 and a second slider 234 are slidably connected to the lifting section 2322 and the straight section 2321, respectively. The connecting part 2311 is fixedly connected to the first slider 233 and pivotally connected to the second slider 234 through the hinge structure 2341.

[0053] When gripper 3 extends to grab wafer cassette 500, see appendix. Figure 7 As shown, the drive assembly 22 drives the sliding arm 231 to extend rearward, and the first slider 233 moves upward along the lifting section 2322. During this process, because the connecting part 2311 and the second slider 234 are pivotally connected, the sliding arm 231 swings upward around the pivot point of the connecting part 2311 and the second slider 234, and the overhang 2312 is raised to the raised position. At this time, the height of the supporting protrusion 501 is higher than the bearing surface of the groove 31 that supports the supporting protrusion 501. See Appendix Figure 6 As shown, after the supporting protrusion 501 is completely located in the groove 31, the moving mechanism 1 drives the telescopic mechanism 2 to move upward slightly. At this time, the supporting protrusion 501 abuts against the bearing surface of the groove 31, and the wafer box 500 is lifted to the height position that allows translation. Under the gravity of the wafer box 500 containing the wafer, the sliding arm 231 falls back from the lifted position to the horizontal position before the lift. The wafer box 500 remains horizontal and there is no vertical displacement.

[0054] When the gripper 3 extends to place the wafer cassette 500, the moving mechanism 1 moves again so that the wafer cassette 500 held by the gripper 3 is positioned directly opposite the placement platform 200 or loading platform 301 where the wafer cassette 500 is to be placed. The drive assembly 22 drives the sliding arm 231 to extend backward. When the telescopic arm is about to move directly above the placement platform 200 or loading platform 301, the first slider 233 moves in the lifting section 2322, which can overcome the weight of the wafer cassette 500 carrying the wafer, so that the cantilever part 2312 carrying the wafer cassette 500 is in a horizontal position, and the wafer cassette 500 remains horizontal without any vertical displacement. When the moving mechanism 1 lowers the telescopic mechanism 2 carrying the wafer cassette 500, it can accurately place the wafer cassette 500 on the placement platform 200 or loading platform 301. After the wafer cassette 500 is placed, the telescopic mechanism 2 retracts, and the supporting protrusion 501 moves out of the groove 31 of the mechanical gripper 3.

[0055] In this embodiment, because the sliding arm 231 will deform downward due to the gravity of the wafer cassette 500 after the gripper 3 grasps the wafer cassette 500 when it is in the extended state, the first guide rail 232 is designed as a lifting section 2322 and a straight section 2321. Together with the first slider 233, the second slider 234 and the hinge structure 2341 between the connecting part 2311 and the second slider 234, the sliding arm 231 carrying the wafer cassette 500 can be in a horizontal position when it is in the extended state and the gripper 3 grasps the wafer cassette 500, so that the wafer cassette 500 can be accurately placed on the placement stage 200 or the loading stage 301.

[0056] The balance block 241 and the first guide rail 232 are designed to keep the gripper 3 horizontal when the telescopic mechanism 2 extends. During the placement and gripping of the wafer cassette 500, the balance block 241 and the first guide rail 232 work together to further improve the stability of gripping and placing the wafer cassette 500.

[0057] See appendix Figure 9 As shown, the drive assembly 22 includes a drive member 221, a transmission belt 222, a drive pulley 223, and a driven pulley 224. The drive pulley 223 and the driven pulley 224 are rotatably connected to the seat plate 21. The transmission belt 222 is wound around the drive pulley 223 and the driven pulley 224. The drive pulley 223 is connected to the rotation shaft of the drive member 221. The drive member 221 drives the drive pulley 223 to rotate, thereby driving the transmission belt 222 to rotate.

[0058] The transmission belt 222 is a closed-loop structure and includes an upper section and a lower section extending in the front-to-back direction. The first slider 233 and the second slider 234 are fixedly connected to the lower section via a connecting piece 2331, and the balance block 241 is fixedly connected to the upper section. When the transmission belt 222 rotates, the upper and lower sections move synchronously in opposite directions, thereby driving the sliding arm 231 and the balance block 241 to move synchronously in opposite directions. Because the first slider 233 will slide upwards when sliding, it is fixedly connected to the deformable transmission belt 222. Even if the part of the upper section fixedly connected to the first slider 233 has a slight upward deformation, the transmission belt 222 can still rotate without affecting the movement of the sliding arm 231 and the balance block 241 in the front-to-back direction.

[0059] The drive assembly 22 can also be a bidirectional lead screw, a nut seat, and a drive component. The bidirectional lead screw includes two threaded sections with opposite threads. The nut seat and the threaded sections are correspondingly arranged and threadedly connected. The second slider 234 and the balance block 241 are respectively fixed to the two nut seats.

[0060] See appendix Figure 9 As shown, the hinge structure 2341 includes a connecting plate 23411 and a shaft 23412. The connecting plate 23411 is fixed to the second slider 234. The shaft 23412 is fixedly connected to the connecting plate 23411 and extends in the left-right direction. The connecting part 2311 is sleeved on the shaft 23412 and can swing up and down around the shaft 23412. The hinge structure 2341 realizes the pivotal connection between the connecting part 2311 and the second slider 234, ensuring that the sliding arm 231 can swing up and down to achieve the lifting and horizontal reset of the gripper 3.

[0061] See appendix Figure 10 As shown, the lifting section 2322 is an upwardly curved arc structure. The front end of the lifting section 2322 connects with the straight section 2321, and the rear end is higher than the front end. The first slider 233 can slide on both the arc-shaped lifting section 2322 and the straight section 2321. The arc-shaped lifting section 2322 allows the first slider 233 to move upward while moving backward. The first slider 233 adopts a slider structure that can slide on both the arc-shaped track and the straight track.

[0062] The lifting section 2322 can also be a straight track and a transition track. The straight track is inclined upward from front to back, and the transition track is an arc structure to realize the arc transition between the straight track and the straight section 2321.

[0063] See appendix Figure 7As shown, the balancing assembly 24 also includes a second guide rail 242 and a third slider 243. The second guide rail 242 is fixed on the base plate 21 and located above the first guide rail 232. The second guide rail 242 extends in the front-rear direction. The balance block 241 is fixedly connected to the third slider 243. The third slider 243 can also be fixedly connected to the lower section through a connecting piece 2331. The third slider 243 slides along the second guide rail 242. The second guide rail 242 and the third slider 243 form a guiding structure to guide the movement of the balance block 241.

[0064] The upper surface of the sliding arm 231 is positioned lower than the lower surface of the balance block 241 to ensure that the sliding arm 231 and the balance block 241 do not collide during relative movement. (See appendix) Figure 8 As shown, when the telescopic mechanism 2 is in the retracted state, the sliding arm 231 and the balance block 241 can overlap in the vertical direction, saving space in the front-back direction of the telescopic mechanism 2.

[0065] See appendix Figure 9 As shown, there are two first guide rails 232 and two second guide rails 242 spaced apart in the left-right direction. The sliding arm 231 is located between the two first guide rails 232, and the balance block 241 is located between the two second guide rails 242. The wafer cassette 500 requires extremely high handling stability, which requires the sliding arm 231 to slide stably. The two first guide rails 232 and the second guide rails 242 guide the balance block 241 and the sliding arm 231 in the left-right direction, respectively, to improve the sliding stability of the sliding arm 231 and ensure the stability of the gripper 3 when gripping the wafer cassette 500.

[0066] The base plate 21 also includes two base plate bodies spaced apart in the left and right direction. A channel is formed between the two base plate bodies for the sliding arm 231 and the balance block 241 to slide. After the gripper 3 grabs the wafer cassette 500, the sliding arm 231 can slide to the retracted position. At this time, the wafer cassette 500 can move directly under the base plate 21 and enter the transfer channel 600 for transportation.

[0067] See appendix Figure 9 As shown, a boss 32 is provided behind the groove 31. The upper surface of the boss 32 is higher than the bearing surface of the groove 31. An inlet and outlet 321 for supporting the protrusion 501 to enter and exit is formed between the boss 32 and the lower surface of the overhang 2312.

[0068] During the process of gripper 3 gripping and placing wafer cassette 500, the inlet / outlet 321 and the supporting protrusion 501 are first aligned. After alignment, the supporting protrusion 501 enters and exits the groove 31 through the inlet / outlet 321. The protrusion 32 is designed to ensure that after the supporting protrusion 501 enters and exits the groove 31 through the inlet / outlet 321, the supporting protrusion 501 is higher than the bearing surface of the groove 31 and separates from the bearing surface. This prevents the gripper 3 from touching the wafer cassette 500 and causing it to shake when it extends or retracts. At the same time, when the supporting protrusion 501 is supported by the bearing surface of the groove 31, the protrusion 32 acts as a limiter, restricting the supporting protrusion 501 from moving backward and preventing the wafer cassette 500 from falling out of the groove 31.

[0069] See appendix Figure 3 and attached Figure 4 As shown, the moving mechanism 1 includes a first linear module 11 and a second linear module 12. The second linear module 12 is connected to the output end of the first linear module 11 and moves in the left-right direction under the drive of the first linear module 11. The base plate 21 is fixed to the output end of the second linear module 12 and moves in the up-down direction under the drive of the second linear module 12. The two linear modules cooperate to drive the telescopic mechanism 2 to move in the left-right and up-down directions, so that the gripper 3 on the telescopic mechanism 2 is aligned with the wafer cassette 500 on different placement stages 200 or loading stages 301.

[0070] Two first linear modules 11 are spaced apart vertically, and the output ends of the two first linear modules 11 are fixed to a connecting bracket 13. Two second linear modules 12 are mounted on the connecting bracket 13 and spaced apart horizontally. A base plate 21 is located between the two second linear modules 12 and connected to their output ends. The presence of two first linear modules 11 and two second linear modules 12 provides greater power for the movement of the telescopic mechanism 2 and makes its movement more stable.

[0071] When it is necessary to move a wafer cassette 500 from one placement stage 200 to another placement stage 200, see Appendix Figure 5 As shown, the first linear module 11 and the second linear module 12 move the telescopic mechanism 2 to a position directly in front of the wafer cassette 500 to be retrieved, at which point the inlet / outlet 321 and the supporting protrusion 501 of the wafer cassette 500 are aligned. The drive component of the drive assembly 22 begins to rotate, the transmission belt 222 rotates, and the first slider 233 and the second slider 234, which are connected to the lower section of the transmission belt 222 via the connecting piece 2331, slide the sliding arm 231 backward. During the extension of the sliding arm 231, the upper section of the transmission belt 222 drives the balance block 241 to move forward synchronously, thus reducing the offset of the center of gravity of the telescopic mechanism 2 when the sliding arm 231 extends, allowing the gripper 3 on the sliding arm 231 to move smoothly towards the wafer cassette 500.

[0072] The sliding arm 231 continues to move to move the supporting protrusion 501 of the wafer cassette 500 from the inlet / outlet 321 into the groove 31. During this process, the first slider 233 moves along the lifting section 2322 of the first guide rail 232, causing the overhanging portion 2312 of the sliding part to rise upward. The hinge structure 2341 connected to the second slider 234 allows the connecting portion 2311 of the sliding arm 231 to swing upward with the lifting of the overhanging portion 2312 until the supporting protrusion 501 is completely located in the through slot of the gripper 3. Then, the second linear module 12 drives the telescopic mechanism 2 to move upward slightly, and the supporting protrusion 501 is supported on the bearing surface of the groove 31. The wafer cassette 500 is lifted to the height position that allows translation. Under the influence of gravity of the wafer cassette 500 containing the wafer, the sliding arm 231 falls back from the raised position to the horizontal position before being raised. Then, the drive component 221 of the drive assembly 22 rotates in the opposite direction. The upper section of the transmission belt 222 drives the balance block 241 to move towards the middle of the telescopic mechanism 2, and the lower section of the transmission belt 222 drives the sliding arm 231 to slide forward until it reaches the retracted state.

[0073] At this time, the wafer cassette 500 gripped by the gripper 3 is located in the transmission channel 600. The first linear module 11 and the second linear module 12 move again to make the wafer cassette 500 gripped by the gripper 3 until the wafer cassette 500 is in the position directly opposite the placement stage 200 where the wafer cassette is to be placed. The drive component 221 of the drive assembly 22 drives the transmission belt 222 to rotate, which in turn drives the sliding arm 231 to slide backward. During this process, the upper section of the transmission belt 222 drives the balance block 241 to move forward. In this way, when the sliding arm 231 extends with the wafer cassette 500, it can reduce the offset of the center of gravity of the telescopic mechanism 2, so that the wafer cassette 500 on the gripper 3 can move smoothly towards the placement stage 200. When the sliding arm 231 is about to move directly above the placement platform 200, the first slider 233 moves along the lifting section 2322 of the first guide rail 232, allowing the gripper 3 carrying the wafer cassette 500 to overcome the gravity of the wafer cassette 500 and be positioned horizontally. When the second linear module 12 lowers the telescopic mechanism 2 carrying the wafer cassette 500, it can accurately place the wafer cassette 500 onto the placement platform 200. After the wafer cassette 500 is placed on the placement platform 200, the supporting protrusion 501 and the inlet / outlet 321 are aligned. The drive unit 221 reverses again, and the drive unit 221 drives the sliding arm 231 to move forward by driving the lower transmission belt 222 to rotate. The supporting protrusion 501 moves out of the inlet / outlet 321 to separate from the gripper 3. At this time, the upper section of the transmission belt 222 drives the balance block 241 to move towards the middle of the telescopic mechanism 2, keeping the center of gravity of the telescopic mechanism 2 unchanged.

[0074] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention. Their purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it. They should not be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wafer transmission device, characterized in that: include: The module body includes a housing and a loading platform that docks with the housing; A placement platform is fixedly connected to the housing and is located in front of the housing along with the loading platform; A moving mechanism is located in front of the placement stage, and there is a transmission channel between the moving mechanism and the placement stage for the wafer cassette to move. A telescopic mechanism includes a seat plate, a drive assembly, a sliding arm, a counterweight, and a first guide rail. The seat plate is connected to the moving mechanism and can move in the left-right and up-down directions under the drive of the moving mechanism. The sliding arm and the counterweight are connected to the drive assembly and can move synchronously in opposite directions in the front-back direction under the drive of the drive assembly. The sliding arm includes a connecting part and a cantilever part located behind the connecting part and extending rearward out of the seat plate. The first guide rail is fixed on the seat plate. The first guide rail includes a straight segment extending in the front-back direction and a lifting segment located behind the straight segment and inclined upward. A first slider and a second slider are slidably connected to the lifting segment and the straight segment, respectively. The connecting part is fixedly connected to the first slider and pivotally connected to the second slider. A gripper is fixed to the lower surface of the overhang, and the gripper has a groove for the supporting protrusion of the wafer cassette to be inserted.

2. The wafer transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive assembly includes a drive element and a transmission belt that rotates under the drive element. The transmission belt has a closed-loop structure and includes an upper section and a lower section extending in the front-back direction. The first slider and the second slider are fixedly connected to the lower section, and the balance block is fixedly connected to the upper section.

3. The wafer transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A connecting plate is fixed on the second slider, and a shaft extending in the left-right direction is fixed on the connecting plate. The connecting part is sleeved on the shaft and can swing up and down around the shaft.

4. The wafer transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting section is an upward-curving arc structure.

5. The wafer transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A boss is provided behind the groove. The upper surface of the boss is higher than the bearing surface of the groove that supports the supporting protrusion. An inlet and outlet for the supporting protrusion to enter and exit are formed between the boss and the lower surface of the overhang.

6. The wafer transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A second guide rail is fixedly connected to the base plate above the first guide rail. The second guide rail extends in the front-back direction and a third slider is slidably connected to it. The balance block is fixedly connected to the third slider.

7. The wafer transfer device according to claim 6, characterized in that: Two of each of the first and second guide rails are spaced apart in the left-right direction. The sliding arm is located between the two first guide rails, and the balance block is located between the two second guide rails.

8. The wafer transfer device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The height of the upper surface of the sliding arm is lower than the height of the lower surface of the balance block.

9. The wafer transmission device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The moving mechanism includes a first linear module and a second linear module. The second linear module is connected to the output end of the first linear module and moves in the left-right direction under the drive of the first linear module. The base plate is fixed to the output end of the second linear module and moves in the up-down direction under the drive of the second linear module.

10. The wafer transfer device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The first linear module is fixed on the connecting frame, and the ends of the connecting frame in the left and right directions are flush with the module body.

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