A handling device and a wafer storage device

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of wafer handling equipment technology, and provides a handling device and a wafer storage device. The handling device is used to handle wafer cassettes or wafers. A base body moves under the drive of a robotic arm mechanism; a wafer cassette handling mechanism is used to secure the wafer cassette; a wafer wafer handling mechanism is used to secure the wafer; and a drive component is slidably mounted on the base body. By integrating the wafer cassette handling mechanism and the wafer wafer handling mechanism onto the same base body, two handling functions are achieved, effectively reducing the size of the handling device and improving space utilization. Both the wafer cassette handling mechanism and the wafer wafer handling mechanism have idle and operating states, which can be switched under the action of the drive component. The two handling mechanisms do not deploy simultaneously, avoiding space waste and reducing the risk of component interference. Through the above technical solution, the problem of large space occupation in existing handling devices in related technologies is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of wafer handling equipment technology, specifically to a handling device and a wafer storage device. Background Technology

[0002] In the modern semiconductor industry, wafers are the fundamental material for manufacturing various integrated circuit chips, and the complexity and precision of their processing technology determine the performance and quality of the entire semiconductor product. In the entire wafer fabrication process, wafer storage and handling are crucial, affecting not only production efficiency but also the safety and integrity of the wafers during transport.

[0003] Wafer storage devices are indispensable equipment in the wafer fabrication process, and their main function is to store and manage wafers at different process stages. Inside the wafer storage device, a transfer device is responsible for moving wafer cassettes or wafers between different process areas (such as photolithography, etching, ion implantation, etc.).

[0004] In actual production, on the one hand, in order to store more wafers in a limited space to improve production efficiency and reduce costs, and on the other hand, to minimize the risk of component interference, it is necessary to minimize the space occupied by the handling equipment. In the existing technology, wafer cassette handling equipment and wafer handling equipment are mostly set up independently, and the overall space occupied is relatively large.

[0005] Therefore, developing a handling device that can effectively integrate wafer cassette and wafer handling functions, occupy less space, and a corresponding wafer storage device is of great significance for improving the production efficiency and competitiveness of semiconductor manufacturing companies. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To overcome the above-mentioned defects, embodiments of the present invention provide a handling device and a wafer storage device, which solves the technical problem of large space occupation of existing handling devices in related technologies.

[0007] According to one aspect, at least one embodiment of the present invention provides a handling device for handling wafer cassettes or wafers, comprising:

[0008] The basic body is used to be installed at the end of the robotic arm mechanism and to move under the drive of the robotic arm mechanism;

[0009] A wafer cassette handling mechanism is provided on the base body. The wafer cassette handling mechanism has an idle state where it is folded up onto the base body and an operating state where it is unfolded from the base body to transfer the wafer cassette.

[0010] A wafer handling mechanism is provided on the base body. The wafer handling mechanism also has an idle state where it is folded up onto the base body and an operating state where it is unfolded from the base body to transfer wafers.

[0011] A driving component is slidably disposed on the base body, and the sliding stroke of the driving component includes a wafer cassette transport area, a transition area, and a wafer transport area;

[0012] When the driving component is located in the transition region, both the wafer cassette handling mechanism and the wafer handling mechanism are in an idle state.

[0013] When the drive unit is located in the wafer cassette transport area, it can drive the wafer cassette transport mechanism to unfold from the base body to switch to the working state;

[0014] When the drive unit is located in the wafer handling area, it can drive the wafer handling mechanism to unfold from the base body to switch to the working state.

[0015] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, a conveying device further includes:

[0016] The wafer cassette handling mechanism includes:

[0017] The grippers are slidably mounted on the base body, and the sliding direction of the grippers is perpendicular to the sliding direction of the drive component. The grippers are arranged in pairs and symmetrically distributed.

[0018] The first mounting block is slidably disposed on the base body. The sliding direction of the first mounting block is parallel to the sliding direction of the driving member. The first mounting block is hinged to the two grippers one-to-one through two first connecting rods. After the first mounting block slides, it can drive the two grippers to slide towards or away from each other by means of the first connecting rods, so that the two grippers can be unfolded or retracted from the base body.

[0019] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, a conveying device further includes:

[0020] The wafer handling mechanism includes:

[0021] The tray is oscillating and mounted on the base body.

[0022] The second mounting block is slidably disposed on the base body. The sliding direction of the second mounting block is parallel to the sliding direction of the driving member. The second mounting block is hinged to the tray through the second connecting rod. After the second mounting block slides, it can drive the tray to swing by means of the second connecting rod, so that the tray can be unfolded or retracted from the base body.

[0023] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, a conveying device further includes:

[0024] The first mounting block is located in the wafer cassette transport area, the second mounting block is located in the wafer transport area, the driving component is located between the first mounting block and the second mounting block, a first spring is connected between the driving component and the first mounting block, and a second spring is connected between the driving component and the second mounting block.

[0025] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, a conveying device further includes:

[0026] A drive screw and a guide rod are provided on the base body along the sliding direction of the drive component. The drive screw is rotatably mounted on the base body, and the guide rod passes through the drive component. The drive component is threadedly connected to the drive screw.

[0027] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, a conveying device further includes:

[0028] The wafer cassette handling mechanism and the wafer handling mechanism are respectively located on both sides of the base body and face away from each other;

[0029] The robotic arm mechanism includes a lifting body and several connecting arms. The lifting body is used to install the connecting arms and can drive the lifting and sliding. The connecting arms are hinged end to end and connected between the lifting body and the base body.

[0030] According to another aspect, at least one embodiment of the present invention also provides a wafer storage device, including the aforementioned handling device, further including a housing and a wafer storage platform, the wafer storage platform being disposed within the housing and having several layers, the wafer storage platform being used to store wafer cassettes, and the handling device being disposed within the housing for handling wafer cassettes or wafers.

[0031] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, a wafer memory device further includes:

[0032] The wafer storage platform is provided with a plurality of carriers for supporting wafer cassettes. The plurality of carriers are distributed around the transport device so that the plurality of wafer cassettes are all facing the transport device.

[0033] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, a wafer memory device further includes:

[0034] The carrier has several circumferentially arranged mounting positions for mounting wafer cassettes. The carrier is rotatably mounted on the wafer storage platform and can rotate to face the wafer cassettes of the transport device.

[0035] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, a wafer memory device further includes:

[0036] Each of the bearing seats has a pulley at its bottom center, and a synchronous belt is fitted onto the pulleys of several bearing seats to drive the several bearing seats to rotate synchronously.

[0037] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention are as follows:

[0038] In this invention, the wafer cassette handling mechanism and the wafer handling mechanism are first set on the same basic body, realizing the integration of the two handling functions. The integrated design can effectively reduce the overall volume of the handling device and improve space utilization.

[0039] Secondly, both the wafer cassette handling mechanism and the wafer handling mechanism have idle and operating states, which can be flexibly switched by the drive mechanism. The retractable design in the idle state allows the handling mechanism to fit snugly against the base, greatly reducing the space occupied by the handling device when not in operation. In the operating state, the handling mechanism unfolds from the base, accurately securing and transporting the wafer cassette or wafer, ensuring smooth handling operations.

[0040] Furthermore, by setting up a driving component and its specific sliding stroke area, time-sharing actuation of the wafer cassette handling mechanism and the wafer handling mechanism is achieved. The sliding of the driving component in different areas allows it to connect with and drive the corresponding handling mechanism to unfold or retract. At any given time, the driving component can only be in one sliding stroke area, thus enabling only one handling mechanism to switch to the operating state. This ensures that the two handling mechanisms do not unfold simultaneously, avoiding wasted space and reducing the risk of component interference. Attached Figure Description

[0041] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some exemplary embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the content of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention and these drawings without any creative effort.

[0042] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a conveying device at an angle in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a conveying device from another angle in one embodiment;

[0044] Figure 3for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the basic body at one angle in the embodiment;

[0045] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the basic body from another angle in the embodiment;

[0046] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure in the embodiment where the driving component is located in the transition region;

[0047] Figure 6 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the drive unit located in the wafer cassette transport area in the embodiment;

[0048] Figure 7 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure in the embodiment where the driving component is located in the wafer transport area;

[0049] Figure 8 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the wafer cassette handling mechanism and the wafer cassette in the embodiment;

[0050] Figure 9 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the robotic arm mechanism at one angle in the embodiment;

[0051] Figure 10 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the robotic arm mechanism from another angle in the embodiment;

[0052] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer memory device in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an existing wafer memory platform;

[0054] Figure 13 for Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the structure above the wafer storage platform in the embodiment;

[0055] Figure 14 for Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the structure beneath the wafer storage platform in the embodiment;

[0056] Figure 15 for Figure 11 A schematic diagram showing the positions of the wafer storage platform and the handling device in the embodiment;

[0057] Figure 16 for Figure 11 The embodiment shows a schematic diagram of the pulley and timing belt.

[0058] In the diagram: 100, base body; 200, robotic arm mechanism; 300, wafer cassette handling mechanism; 400, wafer handling mechanism; 500, drive unit; 501, wafer cassette handling area; 502, transition area; 503, wafer handling area; 301, gripper; 3011, insert plate; 3012, slot; 302, first connecting rod; 303, first mounting block; 401, tray; 402, second connecting rod; 403, second mounting block; 304, first spring; 404, second spring; 600, drive screw; 700, guide rod; 201, lifting body; 202, connecting arm; 800, housing; 801, wafer storage platform; 802, bearing seat; 8021, mounting position; 803, pulley; 804, synchronous belt. Detailed Implementation

[0059] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit it.

[0060] To keep the drawings concise, each drawing only schematically shows the parts relevant to the invention; these do not represent the actual structure of the product. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, in some drawings, only one of components with the same structure or function is schematically shown, or only one is labeled. In this document, "one" not only means "only one," but can also mean "more than one," and "several" includes "two" and "more than two."

[0061] In this document, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0062] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0063] In the description of this embodiment, terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of description and simplification of operation, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0064] Furthermore, in the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0065] like Figures 1-2 The diagram illustrates a handling device according to an embodiment of the present invention, used for handling wafer cassettes or wafers, including a base body 100, a wafer cassette handling mechanism 300, a wafer handling mechanism 400, and a drive unit 500. Wherein:

[0066] The base body 100, as the core load-bearing structure of the entire handling device, can be a rectangular plate or a box with a receiving cavity. It can be installed at the execution end of the robotic arm mechanism 200 to install the wafer box handling mechanism 300, the wafer handling mechanism 400, and the drive unit 500.

[0067] The wafer cassette handling mechanism 300 is mounted on the base body 100 and may include a fastening component and a drive component. The fastening component can secure the wafer cassette using clamping, magnetic attraction, snap-fitting, or supporting methods, and moves closer to the wafer cassette under the actuation of the robotic arm mechanism 200. The drive component controls the extension or retraction of the fastening component, enabling the wafer cassette handling mechanism 300 to switch between idle and operating states. In the idle state, the drive component retracts the fastening component to the surface of the base body 100, causing the wafer cassette handling mechanism 300 to close and conform to the base body 100, minimizing space occupation and reducing the risk of interference with other components. When the drive unit 500 drives the wafer cassette handling mechanism 300 to switch to the operating state, the drive component causes the fastening component to unfold from the base body 100 and move to a suitable position to clamp the wafer cassette.

[0068] The wafer handling mechanism 400 is also mounted on the base body 100 and may include a support component and a drive component. The support component is used to secure the wafers and typically employs common wafer handling methods such as vacuum trays 401 or electrostatic trays 401. The support component and the base body 100 can be connected by a telescopic or swing-type connection. The drive component switches between idle and operational states by controlling the telescopic or swing-type movement of the support component. In the idle state, the drive component controls the support component to retract or swing back to the surface of the base body 100, causing the wafer handling mechanism 400 to close and adhere to the base body 100, thereby reducing space occupation and the risk of interference with other components. In the operational state, the drive component controls the support component to extend or unfold from the base body 100 and move to the appropriate position to support the wafers.

[0069] The drive component 500 is slidably mounted on the base body 100. Its shape can be block-like. The sliding drive force of the drive component 500 can be achieved using a lead screw, pneumatic, or electric actuator. The sliding stroke of the drive component 500 is divided into a wafer cassette transport area 501, a transition area 502, and a wafer transport area 503. In the transition area 502, the drive component 500 does not interact with the wafer cassette transport mechanism 300 or the wafer transport mechanism 400; both transport mechanisms are idle and retracted onto the base body 100. When the drive component 500 slides to the wafer cassette transport area 501, it can connect with the drive assembly of the wafer cassette transport mechanism 300. By controlling the drive assembly of the wafer cassette transport mechanism 300, the wafer cassette transport mechanism 300 is deployed from the base body 100 and switched to the operating state, while the wafer transport mechanism 400 remains idle. Similarly, when the drive unit 500 slides to the wafer transport area 503, the drive unit 500 connects with the drive component of the wafer transport mechanism 400 and controls the wafer transport mechanism 400 to unfold from the base body 100 and switch to the working state, while the wafer box transport mechanism 300 remains idle.

[0070] First, the wafer box handling mechanism 300 and the wafer handling mechanism 400 are set on the same base body 100, realizing the integration of the two handling functions. The integrated design can effectively reduce the overall volume of the handling device and improve the space utilization rate.

[0071] Secondly, both the wafer cassette handling mechanism 300 and the wafer handling mechanism 400 have idle and operating states, which can be flexibly switched under the action of the drive unit 500. The retractable design in the idle state allows the handling mechanism to fit snugly against the base body 100, greatly reducing the space occupied by the handling device when not in operation. In the operating state, the handling mechanism unfolds from the base body 100, accurately securing and transporting the wafer cassette or wafer, ensuring smooth handling operations.

[0072] Furthermore, by setting the driving component 500 and its specific sliding stroke area, time-sharing driving of the wafer cassette handling mechanism 300 and the wafer handling mechanism 400 is achieved. The sliding of the driving component 500 in different areas can connect with and drive the corresponding handling mechanism to unfold or retract. At any given time, the driving component 500 can only be in one sliding stroke area, thus only driving one handling mechanism to switch to the operating state. This ensures that the two handling mechanisms will not unfold simultaneously, avoiding space waste and reducing the risk of component interference.

[0073] In some examples, such as Figures 3-4 As shown, in the wafer cassette handling mechanism 300 of this solution, the fastening component is a gripper 301, and the driving component includes a first connecting rod 302 and a first mounting block 303.

[0074] Specifically, the grippers 301 are arranged in pairs and symmetrically, slidingly mounted on the base body 100, with their sliding direction perpendicular to the sliding direction of the drive component 500. The grippers 301 are designed as plate-like structures, with their inner surfaces adapted to the outer contour of the wafer cassette to ensure a tight fit. The inner surfaces of the grippers 301 have insert plates 3011, with multiple insert plates 3011 arranged along the vertical direction. Corresponding slots 3012 are designed on the outer wall of the wafer cassette to the insert plates 3011.

[0075] The first connecting rods 302 are also arranged in pairs, corresponding one-to-one with the grippers 301. The first mounting block 303 is slidably mounted on the base body 100, and its sliding direction is parallel to the driving component 500. The two ends of the first connecting rod 302 are respectively hinged to the first mounting block 303 and the corresponding gripper 301, forming a movable linkage mechanism. This structural design allows the first mounting block 303 to drive the two grippers 301 to slide towards or away from each other through the first connecting rod 302 when sliding. For example, when the first mounting block 303 slides upward, through the transmission of the first connecting rod 302, the two grippers 301 will slide outward and unfold from the base body 100 to enter the working state; conversely, when the first mounting block 303 slides downward, the grippers 301 will retract inward.

[0076] In the wafer handling mechanism 400 of this solution, the supporting component is a tray 401, and the driving component includes a second connecting rod 402 and a second mounting block 403.

[0077] Specifically, the tray 401 is oscillating on the base body 100. The tray 401 can adopt existing common methods such as vacuum adsorption, Bernoulli adsorption, or gas blowing to ensure stable support of the wafer. The tray 401 is connected to the base body 100 through one or more hinge points, and damping devices are installed at the hinge points to control the oscillation speed and stability of the tray 401.

[0078] The second mounting block 403 is slidably mounted on the base body 100, with its sliding direction parallel to the driving component 500. The two ends of the second connecting rod 402 are hinged to the second mounting block 403 and the tray 401 respectively, forming a linkage mechanism. When the second mounting block 403 slides, the second connecting rod 402 drives the tray 401 to swing. For example, when the second mounting block 403 slides downwards, the second connecting rod 402 causes the tray 401 to swing outwards, unfolding from the base body 100 and entering the working state; when the second mounting block 403 slides upwards, the tray 401 retracts inwards.

[0079] Furthermore, the first mounting block 303 is located in the wafer cassette transport area 501, the second mounting block 403 is located in the wafer transport area 503, and the drive unit 500 is located between the two. A first spring 304 connects the drive unit 500 to the first mounting block 303, and a second spring 404 connects the drive unit 500 to the second mounting block 403. During the sliding process of the drive unit 500, the springs serve to transmit force and provide a cushioning effect to avoid rigid impacts during movement.

[0080] like Figures 5-8 As shown, the movement process and state of the drive component 500 are described below:

[0081] When the drive unit 500 is in the transition region 502, both the first spring 304 and the second spring 404 are in a stretched state, and both the wafer cassette handling mechanism 300 and the wafer handling mechanism 400 are in an idle state.

[0082] When the drive unit 500 slides towards the wafer cassette transport area 501, the first spring 304, which is in a stretched state, will first return to its normal state, while the second spring 404 will be further stretched to ensure that the wafer transport mechanism 400 remains idle. As the drive unit 500 continues to slide, the first spring 304 will be compressed and simultaneously push the first mounting block 303. Then, with the help of the first connecting rod 302, the two grippers 301 will unfold. After moving to the wafer cassette position, the drive unit 500 will slide back, driving the two grippers 301 to clamp the wafer cassette, and the insert plate 3011 on the gripper 301 will be inserted laterally into the slot 3012 on the wafer cassette to achieve the fastening of the wafer cassette. (It should be emphasized here that the force for fastening the wafer cassette is mainly the snapping force provided by the insert plate 3011 after it is inserted into the slot 3012, rather than the lateral clamping force of the gripper 301. The insert plate 3011 and the slot 3012 can prevent the wafer cassette from coming off the gripper 301 due to its weight.)

[0083] When the drive component 500 slides towards the wafer transport area 503, the second spring 404, which is in a stretched state, will first return to its normal state, while the first spring 304 will be further stretched to ensure that the wafer cassette transport mechanism 300 remains idle. As the drive component 500 continues to slide, the second spring 404 will be compressed and simultaneously push the second mounting block 403. Then, with the help of the second connecting rod 402, the tray 401 will swing and unfold to a horizontal state. Driven by the robotic arm mechanism 200, the tray 401 will first move to the bottom of the wafer and support the wafer. Then, driven by the robotic arm mechanism 200, the wafer will be transported to the working position of other processes or procedures.

[0084] To control the sliding of the driving component 500, a driving screw 600 and a guide rod 700 are provided on the base body 100 along the sliding direction of the driving component 500. The driving screw 600 is rotatably mounted on the base body 100, and one end of it can be connected to a drive motor (not shown in the figure, which can be installed on the outer wall or inside the base body 100 and driven by the driving screw 600). The rotation of the motor drives the driving screw 600 to rotate. The driving component 500 is connected to the driving screw 600 by threads. When the driving screw 600 rotates, the driving component 500 slides along the axial direction of the screw. The guide rod 700 passes through the driving component 500 to guide the sliding of the driving component 500, ensuring that the driving component 500 does not deviate during the sliding process and improving the stability of the movement.

[0085] It is important to emphasize that the wafer cassette handling mechanism 300 and the wafer handling mechanism 400 are oriented in opposite directions. This design allows the two handling mechanisms to be spatially offset, avoiding potential interference or mutual disturbance caused by their proximity, thus optimizing the spatial layout of the handling device and improving the overall operational stability.

[0086] like Figures 9-10 As shown, the base body 100 moves in three-dimensional space driven by the robotic arm mechanism 200. Specifically, the robotic arm mechanism 200 includes a lifting body 201 and several connecting arms 202. The lifting body 201 is used to mount the connecting arms 202 and can achieve lifting and sliding through an external drive unit (such as a motor, hydraulic cylinder, etc.). The connecting arms 202 are hinged end to end, connecting the lifting body 201 and the base body 100. The multi-segment hinged connecting arm structure allows the base body 100 to move flexibly in three-dimensional space. For example, by controlling the angle changes between different connecting arms 202 and the lifting movement of the lifting body 201, the base body 100 can reach different positions, heights, and angles, thereby realizing the transfer of wafer cassettes or wafers between different process areas.

[0087] like Figures 11-16As shown, a wafer storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, including the aforementioned handling device, and further including a housing 800 and a wafer storage platform 801, wherein:

[0088] The enclosure 800 serves as the outer shell of the entire storage device. Inside the enclosure 800 is a wafer storage platform 801. The wafer storage platform 801 is designed with a multi-layer structure to fully utilize the vertical space of the enclosure 800. Each layer of the wafer storage platform 801 can be a rectangular flat plate. Several support seats 802 are provided on the wafer storage platform 801. Each support seat 802 can rotate around its center. Several mounting positions 8021 are evenly distributed along the circumference of each support seat 802; in this design, there are three. The mounting positions 8021 can position and support the wafer cassettes, ensuring the stability of the wafer cassette placement. A pulley 803 is located at the center of the bottom of each support seat 802. A synchronous belt 804 is fitted onto the pulleys 803 at the bottom of the support seats 802. The synchronous belt 804 is typically a toothed rubber belt to ensure that slippage does not occur during transmission, guaranteeing that multiple support seats 802 can rotate synchronously.

[0089] The aforementioned handling device is installed inside the housing 800, and its base 100 can perform three-dimensional movement within the housing 800 via the robotic arm mechanism 200. The wafer cassette handling mechanism 300 and the wafer handling mechanism 400 in the handling device are installed on the base 100 in the aforementioned manner, and can be extended or retracted according to actual needs to realize the handling of wafer cassettes or wafers.

[0090] Several carriers 802 are distributed around the transport device, rather than in a conventional straight-line arrangement. Because the wafer cassettes on each carrier 802 face the transport device, the transport device only needs to rotate a certain angle around its center to align with different wafer cassettes when transporting them, without requiring complex translational movements. This layout simplifies the movement path of the transport device and improves transport efficiency.

[0091] To increase the storage capacity of a wafer memory device, the traditional approach is to increase the height of the wafer memory device, thereby increasing the number of layers in the wafer memory platform 801. However, increasing the height of the wafer memory device means that the lifting stroke of the lifting body 201 must be increased accordingly. The greater the lifting stroke, the less stable the lifting body 201 becomes during operation.

[0092] Therefore, in this design, the carrier 802 is rotatably mounted on the wafer storage platform 801 around its own center. A motor drives one of the pulleys 803 to rotate, which in turn drives the pulleys 803 at the bottom of the other carriers 802 to rotate synchronously via a synchronous belt 804, thus achieving synchronous rotation of several carriers 802. In this way, wafer cassettes at different mounting positions 8021 on each carrier 802 can be rotated to face the handling device, facilitating handling. This design increases and fully utilizes the circumferential space of the carrier 802, increasing the number of wafer cassettes that can be placed on each carrier 802 without increasing the vertical volume of the wafer storage device, thereby improving the overall storage capacity of the wafer storage device and avoiding increasing the lifting stroke of the lifting body 201.

[0093] The transmission method using pulleys 803 and synchronous belts 804 is employed because the synchronous belt 804 can accurately transmit power to each pulley 803 through its own tooth profile and meshing relationship with the pulleys 803, ensuring that multiple carrier seats 802 rotate synchronously and at the same angle. This not only guarantees the accuracy of the rotation of the carrier seats 802 but also avoids positional deviations caused by slippage, ensuring the precision of the fit between the conveying device and the carrier seats 802.

[0094] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A handling device for handling wafer cassettes or wafers, characterized in that, include: The base body (100) is used to be installed at the end of the robotic arm mechanism (200) and to move under the drive of the robotic arm mechanism (200); A wafer cassette handling mechanism (300) is provided on the base body (100). The wafer cassette handling mechanism (300) has an idle state that is retracted onto the base body (100) and an operating state that is unfolded from the base body (100) to transfer the wafer cassette. A wafer handling mechanism (400) is provided on the base body (100). The wafer handling mechanism (400) also has an idle state that is folded onto the base body (100) and an operating state that is unfolded from the base body (100) to transfer wafers. A drive unit (500) is slidably disposed on the base body (100), and the sliding stroke of the drive unit (500) includes a wafer cassette transport area (501), a transition area (502) and a wafer transport area (503). When the drive unit (500) is located in the transition region (502), both the wafer cassette handling mechanism (300) and the wafer handling mechanism (400) are in an idle state. When the drive unit (500) is located in the wafer cassette transport area (501), it can drive the wafer cassette transport mechanism (300) to unfold from the base body (100) to switch to the working state. When the drive unit (500) is located in the wafer transport area (503), it can drive the wafer transport mechanism (400) to unfold from the base body (100) to switch to the working state; The wafer cassette handling mechanism (300) includes: The gripper (301) is slidably disposed on the base body (100). The sliding direction of the gripper (301) is perpendicular to the sliding direction of the drive member (500). The grippers (301) are arranged in pairs and symmetrically distributed. The first mounting block (303) is slidably disposed on the base body (100). The sliding direction of the first mounting block (303) is parallel to the sliding direction of the driving member (500). The first mounting block (303) is hinged to the two grippers (301) one-to-one through two first connecting rods (302). After the first mounting block (303) slides, it can drive the two grippers (301) to slide towards or away from each other by means of the first connecting rods (302), so that the two grippers (301) can be unfolded or retracted from the base body (100). The wafer handling mechanism (400) includes: The tray (401) is swaying on the base body (100); The second mounting block (403) is slidably disposed on the base body (100). The sliding direction of the second mounting block (403) is parallel to the sliding direction of the driving member (500). The second mounting block (403) is hinged to the tray (401) through the second connecting rod (402). After the second mounting block (403) slides, it can drive the tray (401) to swing by means of the second connecting rod (402) so that the tray (401) can be unfolded or retracted from the base body (100).

2. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first mounting block (303) is located in the wafer cassette transport area (501), the second mounting block (403) is located in the wafer transport area (503), the driving member (500) is located between the first mounting block (303) and the second mounting block (403), a first spring (304) is connected between the driving member (500) and the first mounting block (303), and a second spring (404) is connected between the driving member (500) and the second mounting block (403).

3. The conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A drive screw (600) and a guide rod (700) are provided on the base body (100) along the sliding direction of the drive member (500). The drive screw (600) is rotatably mounted on the base body (100), and the guide rod (700) passes through the drive member (500). The drive member (500) is threadedly connected to the drive screw (600).

4. A conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer cassette handling mechanism (300) and the wafer handling mechanism (400) are respectively disposed on both sides of the base body (100) and face away from each other; The robotic arm mechanism (200) includes a lifting body (201) and several connecting arms (202). The lifting body (201) is used to install the connecting arms (202) and can drive the 202 to lift and slide. The several connecting arms (202) are hinged end to end and connected between the lifting body (201) and the base body (100).

5. A wafer memory device, comprising a handling device according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, It also includes a housing (800) and a wafer storage platform (801), the wafer storage platform (801) being located inside the housing (800) and having several layers, the wafer storage platform (801) being used to store wafer boxes, and the handling device being located inside the housing (800) being used to handle wafer boxes or wafers.

6. A wafer memory device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The wafer storage platform (801) is provided with a plurality of carriers (802), which are used to carry wafer cassettes. The plurality of carriers (802) are distributed around the transport device so that the plurality of wafer cassettes are all facing the transport device.

7. A wafer memory device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The carrier (802) has a plurality of circumferentially arranged mounting positions (8021), the mounting positions (8021) are used to mount wafer cassettes, the carrier (802) is rotatably mounted on the wafer storage platform (801), and the carrier (802) can rotate to face the wafer cassette of the transport device.

8. A wafer memory device according to claim 7, characterized in that, Each of the bearing seats (802) has a pulley (803) at the bottom center, and a synchronous belt (804) is fitted on the pulleys (803) of several bearing seats (802). The synchronous belt (804) is used to drive several bearing seats (802) to rotate synchronously.

Images