Wafer cassette handling apparatus

Abstract

This application relates to a wafer cassette processing apparatus, comprising: a rotating assembly including a rotating frame, a loading frame, and a door support, the door support being openable and closable and connected to the loading frame; a movable member movable along the axial direction of the rotating frame; a locking assembly including a first locking member and a second locking member; and a limiting assembly including a first limiting member and a second limiting member; when the movable member moves downward, the second locking member disengages from the first locking member, and the second limiting member engages with the first limiting member to limit the relative position of the movable member and the loading frame, switching from a first state to a second state; when the door support is closed on the loading frame, the first limiting member disengages from the second limiting member, the movable member moves upward, and the second locking member engages with the first locking member and restricts the radial movement of the door support on the rotating frame, switching from the second state to the first state. This apparatus has a simple structure and requires only simple operation to open and close the door support, thereby improving the loading and unloading efficiency of wafer cassettes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a wafer cell processing apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In the wafer manufacturing process, the wafer cassette serves as the carrier for holding and transporting wafers, and its cleanliness directly affects the wafer yield and quality.

[0003] Currently, to improve the cleaning efficiency of wafer cassettes, a loading rack is used to hold multiple wafer cassettes, enabling batch cleaning. During the cleaning process, the loading rack rotates, causing multiple wafer cassettes to rotate synchronously, thus achieving comprehensive cleaning and drying of different parts of the wafer cassettes.

[0004] To ensure the safety and stability of cleaning the wafer cassettes on the loading rack, the loading rack is equipped with door stops, which need to be opened or closed during the loading and unloading of the wafer cassettes.

[0005] The existing structures used for locking door stops are quite complex, which affects locking efficiency and increases the manufacturing cost of the locking device. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide a wafer cassette processing apparatus to solve at least one problem existing in the prior art.

[0007] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a wafer cassette processing apparatus, the wafer cassette processing apparatus comprising:

[0008] A rotating assembly includes a rotating frame, a loading frame mounted on the rotating frame, and a door support, wherein the door support is openably and closably connected to the loading frame, and the loading frame is used to hold wafer cassettes.

[0009] A movable component, connected to the loading frame, and movable along the axial direction of the rotating frame;

[0010] The locking assembly includes a first locking member and a second locking member, wherein the first locking member is connected to the door bracket and the second locking member is connected to the moving member;

[0011] The limiting assembly includes a first limiting member and a second limiting member, wherein the first limiting member is connected to the moving member and the second limiting member is connected to the loading frame;

[0012] The wafer cassette processing apparatus has a first state in which the door support is fixed relative to the loading rack and a second state in which the door support is rotatable relative to the loading rack; the moving member moves downward, the second locking member disengages from the first locking member, and the second limiting member engages with the first limiting member to limit the relative position of the moving member and the loading rack, and the wafer cassette processing apparatus switches from the first state to the second state;

[0013] When the door support is closed on the loading frame, the first limiting member disengages from the second limiting member, the moving member moves upward, the second locking member engages with the first locking member and restricts the radial movement of the door support on the rotating frame, and the wafer cassette processing device switches from the second state to the first state.

[0014] In conjunction with the first aspect of this application, in an optional embodiment, the wafer cassette processing apparatus further includes:

[0015] The first abutment is connected to the door bracket;

[0016] The second pushing member is connected to the second limiting member;

[0017] When the door support is closed to the loading frame, the first pushing member acts on the second pushing member, pushing the second limiting member to move with the second pushing member and disengage from the first limiting member.

[0018] In conjunction with the first aspect of this application, in an optional embodiment, the second pushing member and the second limiting member are integrally formed and constitute a U-shaped structure.

[0019] In conjunction with the first aspect of this application, in an optional embodiment, the wafer cassette processing apparatus further includes:

[0020] The first elastic member has one end connected to the loading frame and the other end connected to the second pushing member; the first limiting member has a limiting groove that engages with the second limiting member. During the movement of the moving member, the second limiting member moves into the limiting groove under the elastic force of the first elastic member to limit the relative position of the moving member and the loading frame.

[0021] In conjunction with the first aspect of this application, in an optional embodiment, the wafer cassette processing apparatus further includes:

[0022] The second elastic member has one end connected to the loading frame and the other end connected to the moving member; when the second limiting member disengages from the first limiting member under the action of the first pushing member, the second locking member moves with the moving member under the action of the second elastic member to engage with the first locking member.

[0023] In conjunction with the first aspect of this application, in an optional embodiment, the wafer cassette processing apparatus further includes:

[0024] A first guide member is connected to the loading frame. The first guide member has an insertion through hole that engages with the moving member. The moving member is inserted into the insertion through hole and moves within the insertion through hole under the action of an external force.

[0025] In conjunction with the first aspect of this application, in an alternative embodiment, the movable member is a cylindrical movable rod, the movable rod having an anti-rotation portion configured to restrict the movable rod from rotating about its own axis.

[0026] In conjunction with the first aspect of this application, in an optional embodiment, the anti-rotation part is a planar structure; or the anti-rotation part is a protrusion protruding from the surface of the moving rod, and the inner wall of the insertion through hole is provided with an axially extending clearance groove that engages with the protrusion.

[0027] In conjunction with the first aspect of this application, in an optional embodiment, the wafer cassette processing apparatus further includes:

[0028] The positioning component includes a positioning pin and a positioning seat. The positioning seat has a positioning hole that engages with the positioning pin. The positioning pin is connected to the door bracket, and the positioning seat is connected to the loading frame. When the door bracket is closed to the loading frame, the positioning pin is inserted into the positioning hole.

[0029] In conjunction with the first aspect of this application, in an optional embodiment, the wafer cassette processing apparatus further includes:

[0030] A detection element, used to detect the movement position of the moving element;

[0031] An inspection carrier is located near the rotating frame. The inspection carrier has an inspection slot, and the inspection component is installed in the inspection slot of the inspection carrier. When the wafer cassette processing device is in the second state, at least a portion of the moving component is located in the inspection slot.

[0032] The wafer cassette processing apparatus provided in this application embodiment has the following characteristics: When the door support is closed to the loading rack, a second locking member engages with a first locking member and restricts the radial movement of the door support in the rotating assembly, while a first limiting member disengages from the second limiting member. When an external force is applied to a moving member and causes it to move axially along the rotating assembly, the second locking member follows the moving member and disengages from the first locking member, while the second limiting member engages with the first limiting member to limit the relative position of the moving member and the loading rack. This wafer cassette processing apparatus can achieve the disengagement of the door support from the loading rack and open the door support through a simple operation, namely, by applying external force to the moving member. In addition, it prepares for the closing of the door support at the same time as opening it, so as to facilitate the closing of the door support. The locking and limiting components for locking the door support and the loading rack in this application embodiment have simple structures and require only simple operations to open and close the door support, which can improve the loading and unloading efficiency of wafer cassettes.

[0033] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0034] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a state structure of the wafer cassette processing apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0037] Figure 3 Another structural schematic diagram of the wafer cassette processing apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged view of point B in the middle;

[0039] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of another state structure of the wafer cassette processing apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A magnified view of point C in the middle.

[0041] Figure label:

[0042] 100. Wafer cell processing equipment;

[0043] 10. Rotating assembly; 11. Rotating frame; 12. Loading rack; 13. Door support;

[0044] 20. Moving part; 21. Moving rod; 211. Anti-rotation part; 2111. Planar structure; 212. Clearance space;

[0045] 30. Locking component; 31. First locking element; 32. Second locking element;

[0046] 40. Limiting component; 41. First limiting member; 411. Limiting groove; 42. Second limiting member;

[0047] 50. First guide component;

[0048] 61. First pushing member; 62. Second pushing member; 63. First elastic member; 64. Second guide member;

[0049] 70. Positioning component; 71. Positioning pin; 72. Positioning seat; 721. Positioning hole;

[0050] 81. Test piece; 82. Test carrier; 821. Test tank;

[0051] 91. Motor; 92. Processing mechanism; 93. Second elastic element. Detailed Implementation

[0052] To make the technical solution and beneficial effects of the present invention more apparent and understandable, a detailed description is provided below by listing specific embodiments. The accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and local features may be enlarged or reduced to more clearly show the details of the local features; unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as those in the technical field to which this application pertains.

[0053] In the description of this invention, the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "height," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the purpose of simplifying the description of this invention and do not indicate that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. That is, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0054] In this invention, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating the relative importance of the indicated features or the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature specified as "first" or "second" can explicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc.; "several" means at least one, such as one, two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0055] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," and "setting," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can also refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0056] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, the terms "above," "on top of," "over," "above," "below," "below," "below," or "below" for "first feature above second feature" can refer to the first and second features being in direct contact, or to the first and second features being in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "below" for "first feature above second feature" can mean the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than the horizontal height of the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "below" for "first feature below second feature" can mean the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than the horizontal height of the second feature.

[0057] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 This application provides a wafer cassette processing apparatus 100, which includes a rotating assembly 10, a processing mechanism 92, and a motor 91. The processing mechanism 92 is located at the center of the rotating assembly 10, and the motor 91 is connected to the rotating assembly 10 for transmission. The processing mechanism 92 includes at least a cleaning device and a drying device. The rotating assembly 10 includes a rotating frame 11, a loading frame 12 mounted on the rotating frame 11, and a door support 13. The door support 13 is closable and connected to the loading frame 12, which is used to hold wafer cassettes (not shown in the figure). The rotating assembly 10 rotates under the drive of the motor 91, and drives the wafer cassettes to rotate synchronously, so that the processing mechanism 92 can perform cleaning, drying, and other operations on various parts of the wafer cassettes.

[0058] The gantry 13 and loading rack 12 are subjected to centrifugal force during rotation, therefore, the stability of the gantry 13 locked to the loading rack 12 is crucial; at the same time, the efficiency of opening and closing the gantry 13 is equally important. Currently, the locking structure used to lock the gantry 13 and loading rack 12 is relatively complex, which not only affects the locking efficiency but also increases the manufacturing cost of the locking device.

[0059] Based on this, this application provides a wafer cassette processing apparatus 100. This wafer cassette processing apparatus 100 can achieve the separation of the door support 13 from the loading rack 12 through a simple operation, that is, by applying external force to the moving part 20, thereby opening the door support 13. In addition, while opening the door support 13, it also prepares for closing the door support 13, so as to facilitate closing the door support 13. The locking component 30 and the limiting component 40 used to lock the door support 13 and the loading rack 12 in this application embodiment have simple structures and only require simple operations to open and close the door support 13, thereby improving the loading and unloading efficiency of the wafer cassette.

[0060] For details, please refer to Figures 1 to 6 The wafer cassette processing apparatus 100 provided in this embodiment further includes a movable member 20, a locking assembly 30, and a limiting assembly 40. The movable member 20 is connected to the loading rack 12 and is movable along the axial direction of the rotating assembly 10. The movable member 20 is connected to the loading rack 12 near the door support 13 and extends axially to facilitate operator operation.

[0061] The locking assembly 30 includes a first locking member 31 and a second locking member 32. The first locking member 31 is connected to the door bracket 13, and the second locking member 32 is connected to the moving member 20. By simple operation of the moving member 20 by the operator or by applying external force to the moving member 20 using a mechanical structure, the first locking member 31 and the second locking member 32 can be locked or unlocked, thereby opening or closing the door bracket 13.

[0062] The limiting assembly 40 includes a first limiting member 41 and a second limiting member 42. The first limiting member 41 is connected to the moving member 20, and the second limiting member 42 is connected to the loading rack 12. When the first locking member 31 and the second locking member 32 are unlocked, the first limiting member 41 and the second limiting member 42 limit the position between the moving member 20 and the loading rack 12, preparing for the first locking member 31 and the second locking member 32 to lock again, improving the locking efficiency between the door bracket 13 and the loading rack 12, and thus improving the loading and unloading efficiency of the wafer cassette.

[0063] The wafer cassette processing apparatus 100 has a first state in which the door support 13 is fixed relative to the loading rack 12, and a second state in which the door support 13 is rotatable relative to the loading rack 12. When the moving member 20 moves downward, the second locking member 32 disengages from the first locking member 31, and the second limiting member 42 engages with the first limiting member 41 to limit the relative position of the moving member 20 and the loading rack 12, and the wafer cassette processing apparatus 100 switches from the first state to the second state. When the door support 13 is closed to the loading rack 12, the first limiting member 41 disengages from the second limiting member 42, the moving member 20 moves upward, the second locking member 32 engages with the first locking member 31 and restricts the radial movement of the door support 13 on the rotating frame 11, and the wafer cassette processing apparatus 100 switches from the second state to the first state.

[0064] Figure 1 and Figure 3 The diagram shows a wafer cassette processing apparatus 100 in a first state. Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the wafer cassette processing apparatus 100 in a second state is shown.

[0065] In one alternative embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 The wafer cassette processing apparatus 100 further includes a first guide member 50, which is connected to the loading frame 12. The first guide member 50 has an insertion through hole that engages with the movable member 20. The movable member 20 is inserted into the insertion through hole and moves within the insertion through hole under the action of external force. The first guide member 50 can be a guide sleeve connected to the loading frame 12, and multiple guide sleeves can be provided axially. The size of the guide sleeves can be selected according to requirements, and this embodiment does not limit the size.

[0066] In this embodiment, the first guide member 50 is used to guide the movement of the moving member 20 in the insertion through hole, so that the moving member 20 has directional consistency during the movement, which can improve the ease of operation for the operator, and at the same time improve the cooperation efficiency of the locking component 30 and the limiting component 40.

[0067] In an optional embodiment, the movable member 20 is a cylindrical movable rod 21, which is provided with an anti-rotation part 211, which is configured to restrict the movable rod 21 from rotating about its own axis.

[0068] This can be understood as the anti-rotation part 211 restricting the circumferential rotation of the moving member 20, but not restricting the axial movement of the moving member 20. The anti-rotation part 211 can restrict the rotation of the moving rod 21, thereby preventing the position of the second limiting member 42 from rotating, thus ensuring the locking effect between the second limiting member 42 and the first limiting member 41.

[0069] In an optional embodiment, the anti-rotation part 211 is a planar structure 2111, which can be understood as the planar structure 2111 being formed by cutting off a portion of the cylindrical moving member 20 along the axial direction, thereby preventing the moving rod 21 from rotating within the guide sleeve that it is engaged with.

[0070] In an alternative embodiment, the anti-rotation part 211 can also be a protrusion protruding from the surface of the moving rod 21, and the inner wall of the insertion through hole is provided with an axially extending clearance groove that engages with the protrusion. It can be understood that the moving rod 21 is a cylindrical structure, with a protrusion protruding from its surface. This protrusion, engaging with the clearance groove, can restrict the rotation of the moving rod 21, while the protrusion can move axially within the clearance groove, thus not restricting the axial movement of the moving rod 21. The anti-rotation part 211 provided in this embodiment has a simple structure and can ensure the efficiency of locking and unlocking the door bracket 13 and the loading rack 12 in a straight line. Of course, the anti-rotation part 211 can also be other structures, based on the ability to prevent the moving part 20 from rotating and to allow axial movement.

[0071] In an optional embodiment, the wafer cassette processing apparatus 100 further includes a first pusher 61 and a second pusher 62. The first pusher 61 is connected to the door support 13, and the second pusher 62 is connected to the second limiting member 42. When the door support 13 is closed to the loading frame 12, the first pusher 61 acts on the second pusher 62, pushing the second limiting member 42 to move with the second pusher 62 and disengage from the first limiting member 41.

[0072] In this embodiment, the first pushing member 61 is a push block connected to the door bracket 13 and extending to one side of the loading rack 12. This can be understood as follows: when the door bracket 13 is closed to the loading rack 12, the push block extends onto the second pushing member 62 connected to the loading rack 12 and can push the second pushing member 62 to move, thereby causing the second limiting member 42 to move synchronously with the second pushing member 62. It can also be understood that the first pushing member 61 and the second pushing member 62 are on the same horizontal plane, so that when the door bracket 13 is closed, the first pushing member 61 acts on the second pushing member 62.

[0073] In this embodiment, the first pushing member 61 acts on the second pushing member 62 during the closing of the loading frame 12 by the door bracket 13, thereby disengaging the first limiting member 41 from the second limiting member 42 and further locking the first locking member 31 from the second locking member 32. It can be understood that when the door bracket 13 needs to be opened, only an external force needs to be applied to the moving member 20 to move it axially; when the door bracket 13 needs to be closed, only rotating the door bracket 13 to the closed state is required to close and lock it to the loading frame 12. This embodiment makes the closing and opening of the door bracket 13 convenient, and the locking component 30 and the limiting component 40 have simple structures, thereby improving the loading and unloading efficiency of the wafer cassette and reducing the manufacturing cost of the device.

[0074] In one alternative embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 6 The second pushing member 62 and the second limiting member 42 are parallel and spaced apart. When the second limiting member 42 is inserted into the first limiting member 41, the moving member 20 is located between the second limiting member 42 and the second pushing member 62. To improve the structural compactness of the second pushing member 62 and the second limiting member 42, a clearance space 212 is provided at the position of the moving member 20 corresponding to the first pushing member 61. The clearance space 212 is formed by a cut portion on one side of the moving rod 21. The second pushing member 62 and the second limiting member 42 form a relatively compact structure, which can improve the flexibility of movement and thus ensure the stability of the limiting position.

[0075] Please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 6 The clearance space 212 is a notch extending along the axis of the movable member 20. When the door bracket 13 needs to be opened, an external force is applied to the movable member 20, causing it to move downwards. When the first abutting member 61 blocks the movable member 20 from moving further, that is, when the upper inner wall of the notch abuts against the first abutting member 61, the second limiting member 42 corresponds to the limiting groove 411 provided by the first limiting member 41. By providing the clearance space 212 on the movable member 20, the engagement stability between the first limiting member 41 and the limiting groove 411 can be ensured, and the situation where the first limiting member 41 cannot move into the limiting groove 411 due to the operator using a large and fast force to drive the movable member 20 can be avoided.

[0076] In an optional embodiment, the second pushing member 62 and the second limiting member 42 are integrally formed to form a U-shaped structure. In this embodiment, the second pushing member 62 is used to cooperate with the first pushing member 61, and the second limiting member 42 is used to hold the first limiting member 41. The integrally formed U-shaped structure can ensure the consistency of movement between the second pushing member 62 and the second limiting member 42, thereby ensuring the stability of the limiting position.

[0077] In an optional embodiment, the wafer cassette processing apparatus 100 further includes a first elastic member 63, one end of which is connected to the loading frame 12, and the other end is connected to the second pushing member 62. The first limiting member 41 is provided with a limiting groove 411 that engages with the second limiting member 42. During the movement of the moving member 20, the second limiting member 42 moves into the limiting groove 411 under the elastic force of the first elastic member 63, thereby limiting the relative position of the moving member 20 and the loading frame 12.

[0078] In the embodiments of this application, the first elastic element 63 refers to a mechanical element capable of generating elastic deformation, which can be implemented by a compression spring or a tension spring. Its function is to drive the second limiting element 42 to be inserted into the limiting groove 411 of the first limiting element 41 by storing and releasing elastic force.

[0079] This can be understood as follows: when the door bracket 13 is closed to the loading rack 12, the first locking member 31 and the second locking member 32 are engaged, and the first pushing member 61 abuts against the second pushing member 62. When an external force is applied to the moving member 20 and causes it to move axially, the second locking member 32 moves with the moving member 20 and slowly disengages from the first locking member 31. When the second locking member 32 disengages from the first locking member 31, the second limiting member 42 moves to a position opposite to the limiting groove 411 of the first limiting member 41. When the second locking member 32 disengages from the first locking member 31, the first pushing member 61 is no longer restrained by external force, and the second limiting member 42 and the second pushing member 62 move under the elastic force of the first elastic member 63, and the second limiting member 42 moves into the limiting groove 411 of the first limiting member 41, thereby limiting the relative position of the moving member 20 and the loading rack 12.

[0080] Please refer to Figure 4 When an external force is applied to the moving part 20 and it moves downward, the second locking part 32 can disengage from the first locking part 31, and at the same time the second limiting part 42 can be inserted into the limiting groove 411 of the first limiting part 41.

[0081] In an optional embodiment, the wafer cassette processing apparatus 100 further includes a second guide member 64, which is connected to the loading frame 12. A second pusher member 62 is inserted into the second guide member 64, and the second pusher member 62 and the second limiting member 42 are movable relative to the second guide member 64. Under the guidance of the second guide member 64, the second pusher member 62 and the second limiting member 42 can improve the consistency of their movement direction, and further ensure the holding stability of the second limiting member 42 and the first limiting member 41. The second guide member 64 can be a guide block connected to the loading frame 12, and a guide channel adapted to the second pusher member 62 is provided inside the guide block, in which the second pusher member 62 reciprocates.

[0082] In an optional embodiment, the wafer cassette processing apparatus 100 further includes a second elastic member 93, one end of which is connected to the loading frame 12 and the other end of which is connected to the moving member 20. When the second limiting member 42 disengages from the first limiting member 41 under the action of the first pushing member 61, the second locking member 32 moves along with the moving member 20 under the action of the second elastic member 93 to engage with the first locking member 31.

[0083] In the embodiments of this application, the second elastic element 93 refers to a mechanical element capable of generating elastic deformation, which can be implemented by a compression spring or a tension spring. Its function is to drive the moving element 20 to reset by storing and releasing elastic force.

[0084] In this embodiment, the operator only needs to rotate the door bracket 13 to close it to the loading rack 12 to achieve automatic locking of the first locking member 31 and the second locking member 32. The operation is simple and convenient, and the locking effect can be guaranteed.

[0085] In one alternative embodiment, please refer to Figure 6 The wafer cassette processing apparatus 100 also includes a positioning component 70, which includes a positioning pin 71 and a positioning seat 72. The positioning seat 72 is provided with a positioning hole 721 that engages with the positioning pin 71. The positioning pin 71 is connected to the door bracket 13, and the positioning seat 72 is connected to the loading frame 12. When the door bracket 13 is closed to the loading frame 12, the positioning pin 71 is inserted into the positioning hole 721.

[0086] In this embodiment, the positioning pin 71 and the positioning hole 721 are engaged to ensure the closure consistency of the door bracket 13 and further enhance the locking effect between the door bracket 13 and the loading rack 12.

[0087] In one alternative embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 6 The wafer cell processing apparatus 100 also includes a detection element 81, which is located near the moving element 20 and is used to detect the moving position of the moving element 20.

[0088] The detection in this application embodiment can be a proximity switch sensor, photoelectric sensor, position sensor, etc., and this application embodiment is not limited to any particular type. When the detection element 81 detects the moving element 20, it indicates that the moving element 20 has moved downward to a detectable position. At this time, the wafer cassette processing device 100 is in the second state, that is, the door bracket 13 and the loading rack 12 are rotatable relative to each other, and the door bracket 13 can be opened freely. The detection element 81 feeds back the detected signal to the controller, and the controller sends a prohibition rotation command to the drive element used to drive the rotating rack 11 to rotate, so that the rotating rack 11 is prohibited from rotating, thus preventing the wafer cassette located on the loading rack 12 from being thrown out. Conversely, when the detection element 81 cannot detect the signal, the moving element 20 moves upward and away from the detectable position. At this time, the wafer cassette processing device 100 is in the first state, that is, the door bracket 13 and the loading rack 12 are fixed relative to each other, and the rotating rack 11 can rotate.

[0089] Optionally, the wafer cassette processing device 100 also includes a feedback element. The controller sends instructions to the feedback element based on the detection results, and the feedback element can notify the operator of the results. The feedback element can be sound, a display, or different colored lights, but is not limited to these.

[0090] In this embodiment, the detection element 81 can electronically confirm whether the door bracket 13 is locked on the loading rack 12, thereby ensuring the safety and stability of the wafer cassette during the cleaning process.

[0091] Furthermore, the wafer cell processing apparatus 100 also includes a testing carrier 82, which is located near the rotating assembly 10. The testing carrier 82 has a testing groove 821, and the testing element 81 is installed in the testing groove 821 of the testing carrier 82.

[0092] The rotating assembly 10 disengages from the detection carrier 82 during rotation, without affecting the rotation of the rotating assembly 10. For example, the detection element 81 is a proximity switch sensor. Figure 6 As shown, when the end of the moving part 20 moves into the detection slot 821, the proximity switch sensor can detect a signal and provide feedback, indicating that the door bracket 13 is open. When the end of the moving part 20 moves out of the detection slot 821, the proximity switch sensor cannot detect a signal, indicating that the door bracket 13 is locked to the loading rack 12. In addition, when the moving part 20 moves into the detection slot 821, the detection carrier 82 can restrict the rotation of the loading rack 12, improving the stability of the loading rack 12 during wafer cassette loading and unloading, thereby improving the loading and unloading efficiency of the wafer cassette.

[0093] It should be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and not intended to encompass all possible implementations. Various modifications and changes can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Similarly, the various technical features of the above embodiments can be arbitrarily combined to form other embodiments of this application that may not be explicitly described. Therefore, the above embodiments only illustrate several implementations of this application and do not limit the scope of protection of this patent application.

Claims

1. A wafer cell processing apparatus, characterized in that, The wafer cassette processing apparatus (100) includes: The rotating assembly (10) includes a rotating frame (11), a loading frame (12) mounted on the rotating frame (11), and a door support (13). The door support (13) is closable and connected to the loading frame (12). The loading frame (12) is used to hold wafer cassettes. The movable component (20) is connected to the loading frame (12) and can move along the axial direction of the rotating frame (11); The locking assembly (30) includes a first locking member (31) and a second locking member (32), the first locking member (31) being connected to the door bracket (13) and the second locking member (32) being connected to the moving member (20). The limiting component (40) includes a first limiting member (41) and a second limiting member (42), wherein the first limiting member (41) is connected to the moving member (20) and the second limiting member (42) is connected to the loading frame (12). The wafer cassette processing apparatus (100) has a first state in which the door support (13) is fixed relative to the loading rack (12) and a second state in which the door support (13) is rotatable relative to the loading rack (12); the moving member (20) moves downward, the second locking member (32) disengages from the first locking member (31), and the second limiting member (42) engages with the first limiting member (41) to limit the relative position of the moving member (20) and the loading rack (12), and the wafer cassette processing apparatus (100) switches from the first state to the second state; When the door support (13) is closed on the loading frame (12), the first limiting member (41) disengages from the second limiting member (42), the moving member (20) moves upward, the second locking member (32) engages with the first locking member (31) and restricts the radial movement of the door support (13) on the rotating frame (11), and the wafer cassette processing device (100) switches from the second state to the first state.

2. The wafer cassette processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer cassette processing apparatus (100) further includes: The first pusher (61) is connected to the door bracket (13). The second pusher (62) is connected to the second limiter (42); When the door support (13) is closed to the loading frame (12), the first pusher (61) acts on the second pusher (62), pushing the second limiter (42) to move with the second pusher (62) and disengage from the first limiter (41).

3. The wafer cassette processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second pushing member (62) and the second limiting member (42) are integrally formed and constitute a U-shaped structure.

4. The wafer cassette processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The wafer cassette processing apparatus (100) further includes: The first elastic member (63) has one end connected to the loading frame (12) and the other end connected to the second pushing member (62); the first limiting member (41) is provided with a limiting groove (411) that engages with the second limiting member (42). During the movement of the moving member (20), the second limiting member (42) moves into the limiting groove (411) under the elastic force of the first elastic member (63) to limit the relative position of the moving member (20) and the loading frame (12).

5. The wafer cassette processing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The wafer cassette processing apparatus (100) further includes: The second elastic member (93) is connected at one end to the loading frame (12) and at the other end to the moving member (20). When the second limiting member (42) is disengaged from the first limiting member (41) under the action of the first pushing member (61), the second locking member (32) moves with the moving member (20) to be engaged with the first locking member (31) under the action of the second elastic member (93).

6. The wafer cassette processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer cassette processing apparatus (100) further includes: The first guide (50) is connected to the loading frame (12). The first guide (50) is provided with an insertion through hole that engages with the moving part (20). The moving part (20) is inserted into the insertion through hole and moves within the insertion through hole under the action of external force.

7. The wafer cassette processing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The moving part (20) is a cylindrical moving rod (21), and the moving rod (21) is provided with an anti-rotation part (211), which is configured to restrict the moving rod (21) from rotating about its own axis.

8. The wafer cassette processing apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The anti-rotation part (211) is a planar structure (2111); or the anti-rotation part (211) is a protrusion protruding from the surface of the moving rod (21), and the inner wall of the insertion through hole is provided with an avoidance through groove extending along the axial direction that engages with the protrusion.

9. The wafer cassette processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The wafer cassette processing apparatus (100) further includes: The positioning component (70) includes a positioning pin (71) and a positioning seat (72). The positioning seat (72) is provided with a positioning hole (721) that engages with the positioning pin (71). The positioning pin (71) is connected to the door bracket (13), and the positioning seat (72) is connected to the loading frame (12). When the door bracket (13) is closed to the loading frame (12), the positioning pin (71) is inserted into the positioning hole (721).

10. The wafer cassette processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The wafer cassette processing apparatus (100) further includes: The detection element (81) is used to detect the moving position of the moving element (20); The testing carrier (82) is located near the rotating frame (11). The testing carrier (82) has a testing slot (821). The testing component (81) is installed in the testing slot (821) of the testing carrier (82). When the wafer cassette processing device is in the second state, at least a portion of the moving component (20) is located in the testing slot (821).

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