A wafer storage device

Abstract

This application provides a wafer storage device, comprising: a main housing with an internal storage space for storing wafers, the storage space having an opening; a baffle structure disposed at the opening and rotatably openable and closable; the baffle structure comprising a plurality of rotating baffles arranged in pairs, the plurality of rotating baffles being sequentially arranged adjacent to each other along the height direction of the main housing at the opening; each pair of rotating baffles being synchronously openable or closed; a first driving device movable along the height direction of the main housing and the axial direction of a first rotating shaft; the first driving device comprising a first driving body and two synchronously rotatable first driving parts, the two first driving parts being disposed on one side of the first driving body, each first driving part having a second coupling part at its end facing the first rotating shaft; when the two second coupling parts are inserted into the corresponding first coupling parts, the two first driving parts can drive the corresponding rotating baffles to swing. It has the advantages of low particulate contamination and long lifespan.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wafer storage, and more specifically, to a wafer storage device. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor wafer manufacturing, wafers undergo multiple precision processes, including slicing, photolithography, etching, ion implantation, and thin film deposition. Due to variations in equipment uptime for each process and the need for flexible production scheduling, wafers completing previous processes are often temporarily stored in dedicated storage containers, awaiting transfer to the next process node by an automated material handling system. This temporary storage process places extremely high demands on wafer surface cleanliness, oxidation prevention, and protection against physical damage. Especially as process nodes fall below 5nm, the space cost of FAB (Fab-Apartment) facilities has skyrocketed, making the distributed, dense storage of experimental wafers and the maintenance of high cleanliness a major industry challenge.

[0003] In related technologies, traditional wafer temporary storage mainly relies on front-opening standard wafer transfer cassettes (FOUPs). While these can provide a Class 1 clean environment (compliant with ISO 14644-1 standards) in a sealed state, they cannot maintain specific inert gas (such as nitrogen or argon) or low-pressure environments. Furthermore, open-shelf storage occupies a large space, making it unsuitable for dense storage needs. To address this issue, related technologies use linearly moving baffles to isolate the storage space and utilize clean gases to maintain a positive pressure environment. However, this existing technology suffers from drawbacks such as complex mechanical structures leading to severe wear, insufficient airtightness, and difficulty in wafer identification and positioning. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a wafer storage device that can solve the technical problems of complex mechanical structure and severe wear, and the generation of metal particles due to mechanical wear, which contaminates the wafer.

[0005] The embodiments of the present invention are implemented as follows:

[0006] This application provides a wafer storage device, including:

[0007] The main housing has an internal storage space for storing wafers, and the storage space has an opening;

[0008] A baffle structure is provided at the opening and can be rotated open and closed. When the baffle structure is in the closed state, it forms a sealed chamber with the main housing, and a protective gas is provided in the sealed chamber. The baffle structure includes a plurality of rotating baffles arranged in pairs, and the plurality of rotating baffles are arranged adjacent to each other along the height direction of the main housing at the opening. Each pair of rotating baffles can be opened or closed synchronously. Each rotating baffle is connected to the main housing at both ends through a first rotating shaft, and each first rotating shaft has a first coupling part at the end on the same side of the main housing.

[0009] The first driving device is movable along the height direction of the main housing and the axial direction of the first rotating shaft to move to the position where the first coupling part is provided on the first rotating shaft of the target rotating baffle. The first driving device includes a first driving body and two first driving parts that can rotate synchronously. The two first driving parts are both provided on one side of the first driving body. Each first driving part has a second coupling part at its end facing the first rotating shaft, and the distance between the two second coupling parts is equal to the distance between each pair of first coupling parts. When the two second coupling parts are inserted into the corresponding first coupling parts, the two first driving parts can drive the corresponding rotating baffle to swing.

[0010] In a possible implementation, each of the first coupling portions is a slot with a preset cross-sectional shape located at the end of the first rotating shaft, and each of the second coupling portions is a protrusion structure located at the end of the first driving portion. The cross-sectional shape and size of the protrusion structure match each of the slots, so that the torque applied to the second coupling portion can be transmitted to the corresponding first rotating shaft.

[0011] In a possible implementation, the main housing is connected to the first rotating shaft at both ends of each rotating baffle via a first chuck and a second chuck, respectively. The side of the rotating baffle connected to the first driving device is defined as the driving side. The first chuck is located on the driving side and is provided with a limiting hole. The second chuck is rotatably connected to the corresponding first rotating shaft.

[0012] The first rotating shaft has a leaf spring structure at the end on the drive side; the bottom end of the leaf spring structure is connected to the end face of the first rotating shaft, and the top end extends along the height direction and enters the limiting groove at the top end of the limiting hole. The leaf spring structure is a continuous curved structure from the bottom end to the top end, and the curved structure can deform under pressure. The first coupling part is provided on the side of the top end of the leaf spring. When the second coupling part is inserted into the first coupling part, a downward pressure is applied to the leaf spring structure, causing the top end of the leaf spring structure to disengage from the limiting groove.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the output shaft of the first drive body is connected to a first drive unit, and the two first drive units are connected by a synchronous belt; each first rotating shaft has a connecting key on its side wall to connect with the keyhole of the corresponding rotating baffle.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the baffle structure further includes a door panel disposed on the drive side, the door panel having an axis parallel to the height direction to swing open or close, and when the door panel and all the rotating baffles are in the closed state, they enclose the main housing to form a sealed chamber.

[0015] An image acquisition device is installed on the first driving body; wherein, when the door panel is rotated open, the image acquisition device is controlled to acquire the position information of the wafer, and after the acquisition is completed, the door panel is controlled to rotate and close, and a pair of rotating baffles opposite to the position of the wafer are controlled to open.

[0016] In a possible implementation, a second driving device and a third driving device are also included. The second driving device includes a second driving body and a second driving part. The second driving part is disposed on the second driving body and has a third coupling part. The third driving device is connected to the top of the door panel and has a fourth coupling part that matches the third coupling part. The third coupling part can be inserted into the fourth coupling part to drive the door panel to swing.

[0017] In a possible implementation, the third drive device includes a first bevel gear and a second bevel gear. The first bevel gear has a second rotating shaft with its axis horizontal, and the fourth coupling part is located at the end of the second rotating shaft. The second bevel gear has a third rotating shaft with its axis along the height direction, and the bottom of the third rotating shaft is connected to the top of the door panel.

[0018] In a possible implementation, it further includes a first slide rail and two second slide rails. The slide rail of the first slide rail is in the vertical direction, and the slide rails of the two second slide rails are in the horizontal direction and are respectively disposed on the first slide rail. The first driving device and the second driving device are respectively disposed on one of the second slide rails. Each second slide rail can move along the first slide rail, and the first driving device and the second driving device can move along the corresponding second slide rail.

[0019] In a possible implementation, a first sealing toothed bar is also included, the first sealing toothed bar being aligned with the length direction of the rotating baffle; the top and bottom of the opening of the main housing and the bottom of the inner side of each rotating baffle are respectively provided with the first sealing toothed bar; wherein, the bottom of the inner side of each rotating baffle is provided with a first sealing tooth, which is connected to a first meshing tooth for engaging with the corresponding first sealing toothed bar, and the top of the inner side of the topmost rotating baffle is also provided with a first sealing tooth, which is connected to the first meshing tooth of the first sealing toothed bar located at the top.

[0020] In a possible implementation, a second sealing rack is also included, which extends along the height direction; each of the rotating baffles is provided with a second sealing tooth at both ends for connecting with the second meshing tooth of the second sealing rack at both ends.

[0021] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention are:

[0022] (1) Extremely low leakage rate and high cleanliness: The labyrinth seal structure (multi-level stepped protrusions and recessed grooves) achieves an extremely low leakage rate by extending the leakage path and increasing the flow resistance, combined with the positive pressure inside the box; the rotating baffle has no metal friction, which effectively eliminates wear particles, and the cleanliness of the storage area reaches Class 1 (ISO 14644-11), meeting the process requirements below 3nm.

[0023] (2) Low particulate pollution and long life: The swing motion of the rotating baffle replaces the traditional linear sliding, eliminating sliding friction; the drive structure is simplified (a single XZ module drives multiple pairs of baffles), reducing independent drive components by 70%; the switching cycle life of the rotating baffle is improved, significantly reducing maintenance costs.

[0024] (3) High reliability and airtightness: The leaf spring locking structure automatically embeds into the limiting groove when the baffle is closed, preventing the baffle from shifting due to positive pressure inside the box; the labyrinth seal and locking structure work together to ensure that the customized atmosphere of the storage environment can be stably maintained even with a small amount of clean gas supply.

[0025] (4) High-efficiency wafer identification and positioning: The image acquisition device adopts a single-sided scanning method, which eliminates the need for precise alignment of the two-sided photoelectric sensors, thus shortening the installation and debugging time; it improves the identification accuracy of abnormalities such as stacked wafers and skewed wafers, and after-sales maintenance only requires calibration of camera parameters, significantly improving convenience.

[0026] (5) Simplified structure and reduced cost: The integration of XZ axial drive module, bevel gear transmission and image recognition function reduces the overall size of the equipment and adapts to the needs of distributed dense storage; the labyrinth seal has lower requirements for processing accuracy than the linear sliding seal, which reduces manufacturing and assembly costs. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is an overall structural diagram of a wafer storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of a first driving device for a wafer storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 This is an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 Structural diagram of the first drive unit;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the first chuck and the first rotating shaft in a wafer storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 This is an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 Cross-sectional view;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of a third driving device in a wafer storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a front view of a wafer storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing multiple pairs of rotating baffles in a closed state.

[0035] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the back of a single rotating baffle in a wafer storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the back of a wafer storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing multiple pairs of rotating baffles in a closed state.

[0037] Icons: 1. Main housing; 21. Rotating baffle; 211. First sealing tooth; 22. First rotating shaft; 23. First chuck; 231. Limiting hole; 232. Limiting groove; 24. Second chuck; 25. Connecting key; 3. First driving device; 31. First driving body; 32. First driving part; 321. Second coupling part; 33. Synchronous belt; 4. Leaf spring structure; 41. Bending structure; 5. Door panel; 6. Image acquisition device; 7. Second driving device; 71. Third coupling part; 8. Third driving device; 81. Mounting plate; 82. First bevel gear; 83. Second bevel gear; 84. Second rotating shaft; 85. Third rotating shaft; 86. First slide rail; 87. Second slide rail; 91. First sealing rack; 92. Second sealing rack. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0039] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0040] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0041] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of this invention is in use. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are only used to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0042] Furthermore, terms such as "horizontal" and "vertical" do not imply that components must be absolutely horizontal or suspended, but rather that they can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical," and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0043] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0044] Please refer to Figures 1 to 9 This embodiment provides a wafer storage device, including a main housing 1, a baffle structure, a first driving device 3, a second driving device 7, a third driving device 8, an image acquisition device 6, and a sealing structure. The interior of the main housing 1 forms a sealed storage space for storing wafers, made of a rigid, highly airtight material (such as 304 stainless steel). The storage space can be filled with an inert gas (nitrogen or argon) or maintained in a low-pressure environment to isolate it from external air, moisture, oxygen, and particulate contamination. The main housing 1 has an opening on the front and a door panel 5 mounted on the side, independent of the opening. The baffle structure includes multiple pairs of rotating baffles 21 and a side door panel 5, used to open, close, and seal the storage space. Details are as follows:

[0045] Multiple pairs of rotating baffles 21 are sequentially arranged adjacent to each other along the height direction of the main housing 1 at the front opening. Each pair of rotating baffles 21 is symmetrically distributed and can be opened or closed synchronously. The two ends of each rotating baffle 21 are connected to the main housing 1 through a first rotating shaft 22. The first rotating shaft is provided with a connecting key 25 for strengthening the connection with the keyhole of the rotating baffle. The end of the first rotating shaft 22 on the same side (drive side) of the main housing 1 is provided with a first coupling part, and the other side is rotatably connected to the main housing 1 through a second chuck 24. When each pair of rotating baffles 21 is closed, it can cover the corresponding area of ​​the front opening. When all rotating baffles 21 are closed, they form a continuous sealing surface with the front opening of the main housing 1. The first coupling part and the second coupling part 321 of the first drive part 32 can achieve quick connection. They are slotted and protrusion structures, respectively. The slotted and protrusion structures are regular shape structures with matching shapes and sizes. For example, the cross-section (the cross-section along the radial direction of the first rotating shaft 22) can be partially circular, or it can be a polygon such as a triangle, rectangle, or pentagon. The size of the protrusion structure is slightly smaller than that of the slot, allowing the protrusion structure to be inserted into the slot via a plug-in method. With the rotation of the first drive unit 32, the corresponding protrusion structure can rotate accordingly. Since the protrusion structure and the groove have the same shape, the outer periphery of the protrusion structure and the groove can be limited, preventing the protrusion structure from spinning freely inside the groove. This causes the first rotating shaft 22 where the groove is located to rotate accordingly, ultimately driving the corresponding rotating baffle 21 to swing.

[0046] The side door panel 5 is located at the mounting opening of the door panel 5 on the side of the main housing 1. The door panel 5 rotates to open and close around an axis parallel to the height direction of the main housing 1. The top of the pivot of the door panel 5 extends to the outside of the main housing 1 and is connected to the third drive device 8. When closed, it forms a seal with the side of the main housing 1 and works in conjunction with all the rotating baffles 21 to form a complete sealed chamber, which can prevent the leakage of protective gas. The first drive device 3 is used to drive the target rotating baffles 21 (a pair of rotating baffles 21 that need to be opened) to rotate, and includes a first drive body 31 and two first drive parts 32. The output shaft of the first drive body 31 is connected to a first drive unit 32 via a coupling. The two first drive units 32 are driven by a synchronous belt 33 to ensure synchronous rotation. Each first drive unit 32 has a second coupling part 321 (a square drive column adapted to the first coupling part) at the end facing the first rotating shaft 22. The distance between the two second coupling parts 321 is equal to the distance between the first coupling parts of each pair of rotating baffles 21. They can be simultaneously inserted into the first coupling parts of a pair of rotating baffles 21 to transmit torque to drive the rotating baffles 21 to swing. The gap formed when the swing opens is used for the robot to access the wafer.

[0047] The first drive device 3 is mounted on the second slide rail 87, which is slidably mounted on the first slide rail 86. The second slide rail 87 is a horizontal (X-axis direction) slide rail, and the first slide rail 86 is a vertical (i.e., height direction, Z-axis direction) slide rail. The first drive device 3 can move along the X-axis direction to align with the first rotating shaft 22 of the target rotating baffle 21, and can also move along the Z-axis direction to adapt to rotating baffles 21 of different heights, thereby achieving selective driving of any pair of rotating baffles 21.

[0048] A locking structure is located at the drive side end of the first rotating shaft 22 to ensure locking and sealing when the rotating baffle 21 is closed. This is achieved through a leaf spring structure 4 located at the limiting hole 231 of the first rotating shaft 22. A first chuck 23 is provided on the drive side of the main housing 1 corresponding to the position of the first rotating shaft 22. The first chuck 23 has a limiting hole 231, and a limiting groove 232 is provided at the top of the limiting hole 231. A leaf spring structure 4 is provided at the drive side end of the first rotating shaft 22. The bottom end of the leaf spring structure 4 is fixedly connected to the end face of the first rotating shaft 22, and the top end extends along the height direction and extends into the limiting groove 232. The leaf spring structure 4 is a continuous curved structure 41 from the bottom end to the top end, which can generate elastic deformation when subjected to downward pressure. When the second coupling part 321 is inserted into the first coupling part, the square drive column presses down on the top of the leaf spring structure 4, causing the top of the leaf spring to disengage from the limiting groove 232, releasing the rotational lock on the first rotating shaft 22, and at the same time, it can be inserted into the square groove to achieve coupling between the two; when the rotating baffle 21 is closed, the second coupling part 321 moves upward and disengages, the leaf spring structure 4 is reset, and the top is re-embedded into the limiting groove 232, thereby locking the rotating baffle 21 and preventing the positive pressure inside the box from pushing the baffle to move.

[0049] The second drive device 7 and the third drive device 8 are used to drive the side door panel 5 to open and close. The second drive device 7 includes a second drive body and a second drive part. The end of the second drive part is provided with a third coupling part 71. The second drive device 7 is installed on another horizontal beam slide rail and can move along the X axis and Z axis.

[0050] The third drive device 8 includes a first bevel gear 82 and a second bevel gear 83, which are fixed on the mounting plate 81. The first bevel gear 82 has a second rotating shaft 84 with a horizontal axis. The end of the second rotating shaft 84 has a fourth coupling part, which can be inserted into the third coupling part 71. The fourth coupling part also has a leaf spring structure 4 similar to the second coupling part 321. Since the leaf spring structure 4 and the third coupling part 71 and the fourth coupling part are implemented in the same way as the first coupling part and the second coupling part 321, they will not be described again here. The second bevel gear 83 has a third rotating shaft 85 along the height direction of the main body 1. The bottom end of the third rotating shaft 85 is fixedly connected to the top end of the side door panel 5. The first bevel gear 82 and the second bevel gear 83 mesh. When the second drive device 7 drives the first bevel gear 82 to rotate, the second bevel gear 83 can drive the door panel 5 to rotate and open and close.

[0051] The image acquisition device 6 uses an industrial camera, mounted on the first drive device 3, and can move along the X and Z axes. When the side door panel 5 is opened, the image acquisition device 6 moves along the Z axis to scan and locate the wafers inside the main housing 1, identifying the number and position of the wafers and whether there are any abnormalities such as stacking or tilting. The positioning accuracy can reach ±0.01mm. When a storage command is received, the first drive device 3 moves along the Z axis to the open or closed position of the target height rotating baffle, and then moves along the X axis to the position of the target rotating baffle in that row. When the target rotating baffle is precisely located at the pivot position, the first coupling part and the second coupling part 321 are quickly coupled together. After the connection is completed, the first drive device 3 directly drives the target rotating baffle to rotate, opening the required gap, through which the robot arm stores and retrieves the wafers. After the drive is completed, the first drive device 3 moves horizontally along the X axis to disengage the first coupling part from the second coupling part 321, and moves to the standby position or the next target position.

[0052] The sealing structure includes a first sealing rack 91 and a second sealing rack 92, forming a multi-stage labyrinth seal. The first sealing rack 91 extends along the length of the rotating baffle 21 and is located at the top and bottom of the front opening of the main housing 1, as well as at the bottom of the inner side of each rotating baffle 21. The top (topmost rotating baffle 21) and bottom of the inner side of each rotating baffle 21 are provided with first sealing teeth 211. The first sealing teeth 211 are stepped protrusions with a trapezoidal cross-section and an inclined sidewall at an angle of 45°±2° to the horizontal plane. The first sealing teeth 211 are adapted to the first meshing teeth (recessed grooves) of the first sealing rack 91, forming at least three levels of non-contact staggered nesting when closed, with a nesting gap of 0.05-0.1mm and a nesting depth ≥3mm. The second sealing toothed strip 92 extends along the height direction of the main housing 1 and is located on both sides of the front opening of the main housing 1; each rotating baffle 21 has a second sealing tooth (same structure as the first sealing tooth 211) at both ends, which is adapted to the second meshing tooth of the second sealing toothed strip 92, forming the same multi-stage labyrinth seal when closed; the edge of the side door panel 5 is also provided with labyrinth sealing teeth adapted to the mounting opening of the side door panel 5 of the main housing 1, to ensure the airtightness of the door panel 5 when closed.

[0053] The wafer storage device in this embodiment mainly operates in two stages: “wafer identification and positioning” and “wafer access”, as detailed below:

[0054] Wafer identification and positioning stage:

[0055] The control system receives a scanning command and drives the second drive device 7 to move along the Z-axis to the height of the third drive device 8 on the side door panel 5, and then moves along the X-axis to make the third coupling part 71 (square groove) of the second drive part connect with the fourth coupling part (square drive column) of the third drive device 8.

[0056] The second drive unit starts, and through the transmission between the first bevel gear 82 and the second bevel gear 83, it drives the side door panel 5 to rotate 90° and open.

[0057] The image acquisition device 6 is driven to move at a constant speed along the Z-axis to scan the wafers in the main housing 1 one by one, and to collect the position, quantity and status information of the wafers. The scanned data is transmitted to the control system to complete the position positioning.

[0058] After the scan is completed, the second drive body reverses and drives the door panel 5 to rotate and close until the leaf spring structure 4 is reset and locked; the second drive device 7 moves along the X-axis and Z-axis to the standby position, and the door panel 5 fits into the labyrinth sealing structure of the main box 1, restoring the airtightness of the storage space.

[0059] Wafer access stage:

[0060] Based on the positioning results, the control system determines the pair of rotating baffles 21 corresponding to the target wafer; drives the first driving device 3 to move along the Z-axis to the height of the target rotating baffle 21, and moves along the X-axis to make the second coupling part 321 (square driving post) of the two first driving parts 32 insert into the first coupling part (square slot) of the target rotating baffle 21;

[0061] The second coupling part 321 presses down on the top of the leaf spring structure 4, causing the top of the leaf spring to disengage from the limiting groove 232 and release the lock of the rotating baffle 21; the first driving body 31 starts and drives the two first driving parts 32 to rotate synchronously through the synchronous belt 33, driving the target rotating baffle 21 to rotate 90° to open and form a gap.

[0062] An external robotic arm extends into the gap along a preset straight path to complete the wafer storage and retrieval operation;

[0063] After the storage and retrieval are completed, the first driving body 31 reverses and drives the rotating baffle 21 to rotate and close; the first driving device 3 moves upward along the X-axis, the second coupling part 321 disengages from the first coupling part, the leaf spring structure 4 resets, and the top end is embedded in the limiting groove 232 to lock the rotating baffle 21; the first driving device 3 moves to the standby position and completes one storage and retrieval cycle.

[0064] In summary, based on the above technical solution, this embodiment provides a wafer storage device with the following beneficial effects:

[0065] (1) Extremely low leakage rate and high cleanliness: The labyrinth seal structure (multi-level stepped protrusions and recessed grooves) achieves an extremely low leakage rate by extending the leakage path and increasing the flow resistance, combined with the positive pressure inside the box; the rotating baffle 21 has no metal friction, effectively eliminating wear particles, and the cleanliness of the storage area reaches Class 1 (ISO 14644-11), meeting the process requirements below 3nm.

[0066] (2) Low particulate pollution and long life: The swing motion of the rotating baffle 21 replaces the traditional linear sliding, eliminating sliding friction; the drive structure is simplified (a single XZ module drives multiple pairs of baffles), reducing independent drive components by 70%; the switching cycle life of the rotating baffle 21 is improved, significantly reducing maintenance costs.

[0067] (3) High reliability and airtightness: The leaf spring locking structure automatically embeds into the limiting groove 232 when the baffle is closed, preventing the baffle from shifting due to positive pressure inside the box; the labyrinth seal and locking structure work together to ensure that the customized atmosphere of the storage environment can be stably maintained even with a small amount of clean gas supply.

[0068] (4) High-efficiency wafer identification and positioning: The image acquisition device 6 adopts a single-sided scanning method, which eliminates the need for precise alignment of the two-sided photoelectric sensors, thus shortening the installation and debugging time; it improves the identification accuracy of abnormalities such as stacked wafers and skewed wafers, and after-sales maintenance only requires calibration of camera parameters, significantly improving convenience.

[0069] (5) Simplified structure and reduced cost: The integration of XZ axial drive module, bevel gear transmission and image recognition function reduces the overall size of the equipment and adapts to the needs of distributed dense storage; the labyrinth seal has lower requirements for processing accuracy than the linear sliding seal, which reduces manufacturing and assembly costs.

[0070] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wafer stocker characterized by comprising: The utility model relates to a wafer storage box, comprising: a main box body, an internal storage space for storing wafers is formed, the storage space is equipped with an opening; a baffle structure is arranged at the opening and can be rotated to open and close, when the baffle structure is in a closed state, a sealed chamber is formed with the main box body, and the sealed chamber is equipped with a protective gas; the baffle structure comprises a plurality of rotating baffles arranged in pairs, a plurality of rotating baffles are sequentially and adjacently arranged at the opening along the height direction of the main box body; each pair of rotating baffles can be synchronously opened or closed; wherein, both ends of each rotating baffle are connected with the main box body through a first rotating shaft, and the end part of each first rotating shaft on the same side of the main box body is equipped with a first coupling part; the baffle structure further comprises a door plate arranged on the driving side, the door plate has an axis parallel to the height direction to swing to open or close, when the door plate and all rotating baffles are in a closed state, the sealed chamber is formed with the main box body; a first driving device can move along the height direction of the main box body and the axis direction of the first rotating shaft to move to the position of the first rotating shaft of the target rotating baffle equipped with the first coupling part; the first driving device comprises a first driving body and two first driving parts that can be synchronously rotated, both first driving parts are arranged on one side of the first driving body, each first driving part is equipped with a second coupling part towards the end part of the first rotating shaft, and the distance between the two second coupling parts is equal to the distance between each pair of first coupling parts; when the two second coupling parts are inserted with the corresponding first coupling parts, the corresponding pair of rotating baffles can be driven to swing through the two first driving parts; further comprising a first sealing rack, the length direction of the rotating baffle is consistent with the first sealing rack; the top, bottom of the opening of the main box body and the bottom of the inner side of each rotating baffle are respectively equipped with the first sealing rack; wherein, the bottom of the inner side of each rotating baffle is provided with a first sealing tooth connected with the first meshing tooth of the corresponding first sealing rack, and the top of the inner side of the rotating baffle located at the top is also equipped with the first sealing tooth for connecting with the first meshing tooth of the first sealing rack located at the top; further comprising a second sealing rack, the second sealing rack extends along the height direction; the two ends of each rotating baffle are respectively equipped with a second sealing tooth for connecting with the second meshing tooth of the second sealing rack arranged at the two ends.

2. The wafer stocker according to claim 1, characterized by, Each first coupling part is a groove with a preset cross-sectional shape arranged at the end part of the first rotating shaft, each second coupling part is a protruding block structure arranged at the end part of the first driving part, the cross-sectional shape and size of the protruding block structure match each groove, so that the torque applied to the second coupling part can be transmitted to the corresponding first rotating shaft.

3. The wafer stocker according to claim 2, characterized by, The first chuck and the second chuck are respectively connected between the main box and the first rotating shaft at both ends of each rotating baffle, and the side of the rotating baffle connected with the first driving device is defined as a driving side, the first chuck is located on the driving side and is provided with a limiting hole, and the second chuck is rotationally connected with the corresponding first rotating shaft; The plate spring structure is connected with the end surface of the first rotating shaft at the bottom end, extends along the height direction at the top end, and extends into the limiting groove at the top end of the limiting hole, the plate spring structure is a continuous curved structure from the bottom end to the top end, and the curved structure is deformable when bearing pressure, the first coupling part is arranged on the side surface of the top end of the plate spring structure, and when the second coupling part is inserted with the first coupling part, downward pressure is applied to the plate spring structure, so that the top end of the plate spring structure is separated from the limiting groove.

4. The wafer stocker according to claim 3, characterized by The output shaft of the first driving body is in transmission connection with the first driving part, and the two first driving parts are in transmission connection through a synchronous belt; the side wall of each first rotating shaft is provided with a connecting key to be connected with the key hole of the corresponding rotating baffle.

5. The wafer stocker according to claim 4, characterized by An image acquisition device is mounted on the first driving body; when the door plate is rotated to open, the image acquisition device is controlled to acquire the position information of the wafer, and after the acquisition is completed, the door plate is controlled to rotate to close, and a pair of rotating baffles opposite to the wafer position are controlled to open.

6. The wafer stocker according to claim 5, characterized by The second driving device and the third driving device are further included, the second driving device includes a second driving body and a second driving part, the second driving part is arranged on the second driving body and is provided with a third coupling part; the third driving device is connected with the top of the door plate and is provided with a fourth coupling part matched with the third coupling part; wherein the third coupling part can be inserted with the fourth coupling part to drive the door plate to swing.

7. The wafer stocker according to claim 6, characterized by The third driving device includes a first bevel gear and a second bevel gear, the first bevel gear is provided with a second rotating shaft with an axis horizontal, and the fourth coupling part is arranged at the end of the second rotating shaft; the second bevel gear is provided with a third rotating shaft with an axis along the height direction, and the bottom of the third rotating shaft is connected with the top of the door plate.

8. The wafer stocker according to claim 6, characterized by The first sliding rail and two second sliding rails are further included, the sliding direction of the first sliding rail is the height direction, the sliding directions of the two second sliding rails are horizontal directions and the two second sliding rails are respectively arranged on the first sliding rail, and the first driving device and the second driving device are respectively arranged on one second sliding rail; wherein each second sliding rail can move along the first sliding rail, and the first driving device and the second driving device can move along the corresponding second sliding rail.

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