Wafer carrying transfer apparatus

Abstract

The application discloses a wafer bearing transfer equipment, which comprises a box body, an opening is formed in the top of the box body, a door body is rotatably installed on the top of the box body, an inner frame is arranged in the box body, which comprises a rectangular frame and a bottom rod fixedly connected with the rectangular frame through two supporting plates, a damping mechanism is arranged between the rectangular frame and four side walls of the box body and between the bottom rod and a bottom wall of the box body, two side plates are symmetrically fixedly arranged on the inner side of the rectangular frame and are arranged in parallel with the bottom plate, a plurality of first clamping grooves are formed in the side plates, a supporting bottom plate is fixedly arranged on the bottom rod, a plurality of second clamping grooves are formed in the supporting bottom plate, and a plurality of supporting units are arranged in the first clamping grooves and the second clamping grooves, and at least one locking mechanism is arranged for rigidly connecting or disconnecting the inner frame and the box body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, specifically a wafer carrier and transfer device. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, wafers need to be frequently transferred between different process equipment. Currently, the industry generally uses front-opening universal wafer cassettes (FOUPs) as the standard carrier. FOUPs are front-opening designs with the door located on the side. The wafers inside are placed vertically and supported by slots on the side. While this design is compatible with automated material handling systems (AMHS), it also has some inherent drawbacks: First, vertically placed wafers, especially ultra-thin wafers, are susceptible to micro-bending or stress due to gravity during transportation; second, the sliding friction between the side slots and the wafer edges can easily generate particulate contamination; and third, when handling wafers horizontally, the robotic arm needs to be precisely aligned with the slots, which may pose a potential impact risk to the wafer edges.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a wafer carrier transfer device to solve the problems mentioned in the background art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a wafer carrier transfer device, comprising:

[0005] The box has an opening at the top;

[0006] The door is rotatably mounted on the top of the box body;

[0007] An inner frame, set inside the box, includes a rectangular frame and a bottom rod fixedly connected to the rectangular frame via two support plates. Shock-absorbing mechanisms are provided between the rectangular frame and the four side walls of the box, and between the bottom rod and the bottom wall of the box.

[0008] Two side plates are symmetrically fixed to the inside of the rectangular frame and are parallel to the bottom rod. Multiple first slots are provided on the side plates.

[0009] The base plate is fixedly mounted on the base rod, and the base plate is provided with multiple second slots, and multiple support units are arranged in both the first slot and the second slot.

[0010] At least one locking mechanism for rigidly connecting or disconnecting the inner frame from the housing.

[0011] Furthermore, preferably, the support unit includes:

[0012] The base is C-shaped, with its opening facing the interior space of the inner frame, and the base is provided with a mounting groove;

[0013] A first deformable body and two second deformable bodies, wherein the two second deformable bodies are respectively fixedly installed on two opposite walls in the mounting groove, and the first deformable body is fixedly installed on the wall between the two opposite walls in the mounting groove;

[0014] The first deformable body and the second deformable body are both provided with a sealed chamber filled with a fluid medium, and the base is provided with a flow channel that connects the two chambers.

[0015] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the shock absorption mechanism includes a first slide rod, a second slide rod, a first spherical block, a second spherical block, a first support plate, and a second support plate. The first slide rod and the second slide rod are slidably connected. The first spherical block is fixedly installed at one end of the first slide rod away from the second slide rod, and the first support plate is fixedly installed at the other end. The second slide rod is fixedly installed at one end of the second slide rod away from the first slide rod, and the second support plate is fixedly installed at the other end. A shock absorption spring is connected between the first support plate and the second support plate.

[0016] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the box body is provided with a first spherical socket that is adapted to the first spherical block, and the first spherical block is rotatably arranged along the first spherical socket;

[0017] Both the rectangular frame and the base rod are provided with a second ball socket that matches the second spherical block, and the second spherical block is rotatably arranged along the second ball socket.

[0018] Furthermore, preferably, the locking mechanism includes:

[0019] A tapered positioning groove is formed on the bottom rod;

[0020] A conical positioning block is slidably installed at the bottom of the box and corresponds to the conical positioning groove. A permanent magnet is embedded in the conical positioning block.

[0021] An electromagnetic coil is fixedly installed at the bottom of the box and corresponds to the position of the conical positioning block.

[0022] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the electromagnetic coil is equipped with a control unit, which is configured to: generate a magnetic force that repels or attracts the permanent magnet by controlling the direction of the current flowing through the electromagnetic coil, and drive the conical positioning block to move away from or toward the conical positioning groove.

[0023] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the outer side of the box is provided with a mechanical interface for docking with an automated material handling system, and the orientation of the mechanical interface is configured such that when the box is gripped through the mechanical interface, the box is in a vertical posture with the loading opening facing upwards.

[0024] A wafer carrier transport system, comprising:

[0025] An attitude transformation loading port, which includes:

[0026] A docking platform is used to receive and fix the box body in a vertical position, and it is equipped with positioning pins and clamps.

[0027] A rotary drive mechanism is used to precisely rotate the drive docking platform together with the box body by 90° around a horizontal axis, so that the box body changes from a vertical posture to a horizontal posture with the opening facing the side.

[0028] The door opening and closing mechanism engages with the door and performs the opening and closing operation of the door when the box is in a horizontal position.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a wafer carrier transfer device, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0030] This invention employs a "multi-point elastic support system" composed of discretely arranged C-shaped adaptive support units. When the wafer is placed vertically, these units form cooperative elastic constraints from both sides and the bottom of the wafer. Its unique fluid connectivity design allows the pressure at any point to be redistributed through the fluid, triggering adaptive deformation of other support points. Simultaneously, it integrates an electromagnetically driven conical locking mechanism and a composite ball joint damping mechanism, achieving intelligent switching between "flexible vibration isolation during transportation and rigid stability during operation." Furthermore, the dual damping system composed of the "multi-point elastic support system" and the damping mechanism can effectively eliminate broadband vibrations generated during transportation, thereby ensuring that the wafer is not damaged during transportation. In addition, the locking mechanism is driven by non-contact electromagnetic force, and reliable locking and unlocking can be achieved through simple current direction control, with no mechanical wear, long life, and fast response. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the box structure in this invention;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the inner frame structure in this invention;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the side plate and the supporting base plate in this invention;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the shock absorption mechanism in this invention;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the support unit in this invention;

[0037] In the diagram: 1. Box body; 2. Door body; 3. Inner frame; 31. Rectangular frame; 32. Base rod; 4. Shock absorption mechanism; 41. First slide rod; 42. Second slide rod; 43. First spherical block; 44. Second spherical block; 45. First support plate; 46. Second support plate; 47. Shock absorption spring; 5. Side plate; 51. First slot; 6. Supporting base plate; 61. Second slot; 7. Support unit; 71. Base; 72. First deformable body; 73. Second deformable body; 8. Locking mechanism; 81. Conical positioning groove; 82. Conical positioning block; 9. Docking platform. Detailed Implementation

[0038] Please see Figures 1-6 In this embodiment of the invention, a wafer carrier transport device includes:

[0039] Box 1, with an opening at the top;

[0040] Door 2, which is rotatably mounted on the top of the box 1;

[0041] The inner frame 3 is set inside the box body 1. It includes a rectangular frame 31 and a bottom rod 32 fixedly connected to the rectangular frame 31 by two support plates. Shock-absorbing mechanisms 4 are provided between the rectangular frame 31 and the four side walls of the box body 1 and between the bottom rod 32 and the bottom wall of the box body 1.

[0042] Two side plates 5 are symmetrically fixed on the inner side of the rectangular frame 31 and the side plates 5 are parallel to the bottom rod 32. The side plates 5 are provided with a plurality of first slots 51.

[0043] The base plate 6 is fixedly mounted on the base rod 32, and the base plate 6 is provided with a plurality of second slots 61, and a plurality of support units 7 are arranged in both the first slot 51 and the second slot 61.

[0044] At least one locking mechanism 8 is used to rigidly connect or disconnect the inner frame 3 from the box body 1.

[0045] In this embodiment, the locking mechanism 8 includes:

[0046] A conical positioning groove 81 is formed on the bottom rod 32;

[0047] A conical positioning block 82 is slidably installed at the bottom of the box 1 and corresponds to the conical positioning groove 81. A permanent magnet is embedded in the conical positioning block 82.

[0048] An electromagnetic coil is fixedly installed at the bottom of the box 1 and corresponds to the position of the conical positioning block 82.

[0049] In this embodiment, the electromagnetic coil is equipped with a control unit, which is configured to: generate a magnetic force that repels or attracts the permanent magnet by controlling the direction of the current flowing through the electromagnetic coil, and drive the conical positioning block 82 to move away from or toward the conical positioning groove 81.

[0050] In this embodiment, the outer side of the box body 1 is provided with a mechanical interface for docking with an automated material handling system, and the orientation of the mechanical interface is configured such that when the box body 1 is gripped through the mechanical interface, the box body 1 is in a vertical posture with the loading opening facing upward.

[0051] A wafer carrier transport system, comprising:

[0052] An attitude transformation loading port, which includes:

[0053] The docking platform 9 is used to receive and fix the box 1 in a vertical position. It is equipped with positioning pins and clamps to ensure that the box 1 is placed accurately.

[0054] A rotary drive mechanism (not shown in the figure) is used to drive the docking platform 9 together with the box 1 to rotate precisely 90° around a horizontal axis, so that the box 1 changes from a vertical posture to a horizontal posture with the opening facing the side.

[0055] The door opening and closing mechanism (not shown in the figure) docks with the door 2 and performs the opening and closing operation of the door 2 when the box 1 is in a horizontal position.

[0056] Specifically, the automated material handling system transports and places the vertically positioned, upward-opening box 1 onto the docking platform 9. Subsequently, the control unit's locking mechanism 8 issues a locking command, energizing the electromagnetic coil to generate a repulsive force that pushes the conical positioning block 82 upwards into the conical positioning groove 81, thus rigidly locking the inner frame 3 to the box 1 to prevent the inner frame 3 from wobbling during subsequent rotation. Then, the rotation drive mechanism activates, driving the docking platform 9 and box 1 to rotate 90°, so that the opening faces a horizontal position. At this point, the door 2 opening and closing mechanism opens the door, allowing the standard robotic arm inside the process equipment to horizontally reach into the equipment to pick up or place wafers. This process is consistent with existing standard procedures. In a compatible manner, after the pick-up and drop-off operation is completed, the door opening and closing mechanism closes and locks the door 2. Then, the rotation drive mechanism rotates the docking platform 9 and the box 1 by 90° to restore them to a vertical position. After the equipment returns to a vertical position, the electromagnetic drive component changes the current direction of the electromagnetic coil, causing it to generate a suction force to attract the conical positioning block 82 and remove it from the conical positioning groove 81, thus releasing the rigid connection between the inner frame 3 and the box 1. Then, the transfer platform releases the box 1, and the automated material handling system removes it and transfers it to the next destination. During the transfer process, because the inner frame 3 is unlocked, the shock absorption mechanism 4 can effectively eliminate the vibration generated during transportation, protect the wafer, and prevent the wafer from being damaged.

[0057] In this embodiment, the support unit 7 includes:

[0058] The base 71 is C-shaped, with its opening facing the interior space of the inner frame 3, and the base 71 is provided with a mounting groove;

[0059] A first deformable body 72 and two second deformable bodies 73, wherein the two second deformable bodies 73 are respectively fixedly installed on two opposite walls in the mounting groove, and the first deformable body 72 is fixedly installed on the wall between the two opposite walls in the mounting groove. The outer surfaces of the first deformable body 72 and the second deformable bodies 73 are made of a smooth material, which enables the wafer to slide over with low friction, thereby significantly reducing particle generation and mechanical stress.

[0060] The first deformable body 72 and the second deformable body 73 are both provided with a sealed chamber filled with a fluid medium, and the base 71 is provided with a flow channel that connects the two chambers.

[0061] Specifically, during wafer insertion, the wafer presses against the first deformable body 72 on the support unit 7 located on the two side plates 5, forcing the fluid inside the first deformable body 72 to flow through the flow channel into the chambers of the two second deformable bodies 73, causing the second deformable bodies 73 to expand outward. This achieves the following:

[0062] 1) Lateral extrusion force is transformed into multi-directional constraint: The lateral extrusion force causes the upper and lower supports to expand, forming a more stable "embracing" effect on the wafer. At the same time, it guides the wafer during its movement, ensuring accurate wafer placement.

[0063] 2) Uniform stress distribution: Fluid transmission prevents pressure from concentrating at a single point, reducing contact stress at the wafer edge and effectively preventing the formation of microcracks.

[0064] 3) Adaptive to different thicknesses: Wafers of different thicknesses will induce different degrees of fluid transfer and deformation expansion, achieving adaptive clamping force, while also being able to adapt to wafers with slight warping.

[0065] When the wafer slides to contact the support unit 7 on the support base plate 6, the wafer will squeeze the first deformable body 72, causing the second deformable body 73 to expand and wrap around the wafer, thus forming a stable three-point clamping for the wafer. When the box 1 rotates to a vertical position, the base plate 5 will be located on both sides of the wafer, and the support base plate 6 will be located at the bottom of the wafer, at which point the wafer is placed vertically.

[0066] When vibration occurs during transport and the wafer tends to shift laterally, it compresses the first deformable body 72 on one side. According to the aforementioned fluid dynamics principle, this compression causes fluid to flow through the channels within the base 71 to the two second deformable bodies 73 in the same unit, causing them to expand. This process produces two crucial mechanical effects in the vertical position:

[0067] 1) Enhanced adaptive clamping force: Lateral extrusion triggers the expansion of the support unit in the direction perpendicular to the extrusion, thereby constraining the wafer from more dimensions, improving stability in a vibration environment, and preventing the wafer from "wobbling" in the slot.

[0068] 2) Stress diffusion under gravity load: For the bottom support unit 7, when the wafer sinks slightly due to vibration, the pressure of the bottom edge on the first deformable body 72 drives the fluid to flow to the second deformable body 73, causing it to expand upwards and generating a dynamic "lifting" effect. This transforms the localized impact of gravity load into a softer, more widely distributed supporting force. This design completely changes the drawback of the traditional rigid slot of the wafer transfer box, where stress is concentrated in a "line" at the bottom edge when placed vertically. It disperses the concentrated stress to multiple discrete elastic contact points and gives them dynamic buffering capabilities, thus providing low-stress, high-damping protection for wafers, especially ultra-thin wafers, under the necessary vertical transport posture.

[0069] In this embodiment, the shock absorption mechanism 4 includes a first slide rod 41, a second slide rod 42, a first spherical block 43, a second spherical block 44, a first support plate 45, and a second support plate 46. The first slide rod 41 and the second slide rod 42 are slidably connected. The first spherical block 43 is fixedly installed at one end of the first slide rod 41 away from the second slide rod 42, and the first support plate 45 is fixedly installed at the other end. The second slide rod 42 is fixedly installed at one end of the second slide rod 42 away from the first slide rod 41, and the second support plate 46 is fixedly installed at the other end. A shock absorption spring 47 is connected between the first support plate 45 and the second support plate 46.

[0070] In this embodiment, the box body 1 is provided with a first ball socket that is adapted to the first spherical block 43, and the first spherical block 43 is rotatably arranged along the first ball socket;

[0071] Both the rectangular frame 31 and the base rod 32 are provided with a second ball socket that is adapted to the second spherical block 44, and the second spherical block 44 is rotatably arranged along the second ball socket.

[0072] In implementation, this structure allows the inner frame 3 to move slightly flat and rotate in any direction when subjected to external vibration. Its kinetic energy can be effectively dissipated by the friction of the damping spring 47 and the ball joint connection, thereby keeping the inner frame 3 as stable as possible, completing the first damping work, reducing the impact of vibration on the wafer, that is, providing the first layer of damping protection for the wafer.

[0073] In summary, this invention employs a "multi-point elastic support system" composed of discretely arranged C-shaped adaptive support units 7. When the wafer is placed vertically, these units form cooperative elastic constraints from both sides and the bottom of the wafer. Its unique fluid connectivity design allows the pressure at any point to be redistributed through the fluid, triggering adaptive deformation of other support points. Simultaneously, it integrates an electromagnetically driven conical locking mechanism 8 and a composite ball joint damping mechanism 4, achieving intelligent switching between "flexible vibration isolation during transportation and rigid stability during operation." Furthermore, the dual damping system composed of the "multi-point elastic support system" and the damping mechanism 4 effectively eliminates broadband vibrations generated during transport, thereby ensuring that the wafer is not damaged during transport. In addition, the locking mechanism 8 is driven by non-contact electromagnetic force, and reliable locking and unlocking can be achieved through simple current direction control, with no mechanical wear, long life, and fast response.

[0074] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wafer carrier transport device, characterized in that, include: The box body (1) has an opening at the top; The door (2) is rotatably mounted on the top of the box (1); The inner frame (3) is set inside the box (1), and includes a rectangular frame (31) and a bottom rod (32) fixedly connected to the rectangular frame (31) by two support plates. A shock-absorbing mechanism (4) is provided between the rectangular frame (31) and the four side walls of the box (1) and between the bottom rod (32) and the bottom wall of the box (1). Two side plates (5) are symmetrically fixed on the inner side of the rectangular frame (31) and the side plates (5) are parallel to the bottom rod (32). Multiple first slots (51) are provided on the side plates (5). The base plate (6) is fixedly mounted on the base rod (32), and the base plate (6) is provided with a plurality of second slots (61), and a plurality of support units (7) are arranged in both the first slot (51) and the second slots (61). At least one locking mechanism (8) is used to rigidly connect or disconnect the inner frame (3) from the box body (1); The support unit (7) includes: A C-shaped base (71) with its opening facing the interior space of the inner frame (3) and a mounting groove provided in the base (71); The first deformable body (72) and two second deformable bodies (73) are fixedly installed on two opposite walls in the mounting groove, and the first deformable body (72) is fixedly installed on the wall between the two opposite walls in the mounting groove. The first deformable body (72) and the second deformable body (73) are both provided with sealed chambers filled with fluid medium, and the base (71) is provided with a flow channel that connects the two chambers. The locking mechanism (8) includes: A conical positioning groove (81) is provided on the bottom rod (32); A conical positioning block (82) is slidably installed at the bottom of the box (1) and corresponds to the conical positioning groove (81). A permanent magnet is embedded in the conical positioning block (82). An electromagnetic coil is fixedly installed at the bottom of the box (1) and corresponds to the position of the conical positioning block (82).

2. The wafer carrier transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shock absorption mechanism (4) includes a first slide rod (41), a second slide rod (42), a first spherical block (43), a second spherical block (44), a first support plate (45), and a second support plate (46). The first slide rod (41) and the second slide rod (42) are slidably connected. The first spherical block (43) is fixedly installed at one end of the first slide rod (41) away from the second slide rod (42), and the first support plate (45) is fixedly installed at the other end. The second slide rod (42) is fixedly installed at one end of the second slide rod (42) away from the first slide rod (41), and the second support plate (46) is fixedly installed at the other end. A shock absorption spring (47) is connected between the first support plate (45) and the second support plate (46).

3. The wafer carrier transfer device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The box body (1) is provided with a first spherical socket that is adapted to the first spherical block (43), and the first spherical block (43) is rotatably arranged along the first spherical socket; Both the rectangular frame (31) and the bottom rod (32) are provided with a second ball socket that is adapted to the second spherical block (44), and the second spherical block (44) is rotatably arranged along the second ball socket.

4. The wafer carrier transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electromagnetic coil is equipped with a control unit, which is configured to: generate a magnetic force that repels or attracts the permanent magnet by controlling the direction of the current flowing through the electromagnetic coil and drive the conical positioning block (82) to move away from or toward the conical positioning groove (81).

5. The wafer carrier transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer side of the box (1) is provided with a mechanical interface for docking with an automated material handling system, and the orientation of the mechanical interface is configured such that when the box (1) is gripped through the mechanical interface, the box (1) is in a vertical posture with the loading port facing upward.

6. A wafer carrier transport system, employing the wafer carrier transport equipment according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, include: An attitude transformation loading port, which includes: The docking platform (9) is used to receive and fix the box (1) in a vertical position, and is provided with positioning pins and clamps. A rotary drive mechanism is used to drive the docking platform (9) together with the box (1) to rotate precisely 90° around a horizontal axis, so that the box (1) changes from a vertical posture to a horizontal posture and the opening faces the side. The door opening and closing mechanism, when the box (1) is in a horizontal position, docks with the door (2) and performs the opening and closing operation of the door (2).

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