Loadlock offset detection alarm device based on intelligent sensor
By combining intelligent sensors with multi-dimensional data monitoring and automatic compensation functions, the Loadlock offset detection alarm device solves the problem of existing technologies being unable to identify the cause of offset and perform self-correction. It achieves high-precision and reliable equipment monitoring and automated correction, reducing the probability of equipment malfunctions.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-19
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-17
AI Technical Summary
Existing Loadlock device offset detection alarm devices can only detect offsets, but cannot identify the cause of the offset, and cannot correct themselves. They rely heavily on manual adjustment, resulting in inaccurate monitoring and untimely correction.
The device employs a smart sensor-based detection system, combining a motor encoder, magnetic scale, torque sensor group, pressure sensor group, and displacement sensor group to achieve multi-dimensional data cross-verification. It is equipped with a cleaning structure and a tensioning structure to monitor and automatically compensate for the tension of the transmission belt in real time, ensuring precise operation of the equipment.
It improves monitoring accuracy and reliability, reduces the risk of misjudgment, and prevents offset problems through active cleaning and automatic compensation functions, reducing the probability of equipment malfunctions and achieving efficient autonomous correction and real-time monitoring.
Smart Images
Figure CN121676640A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology, and in particular to a Loadlock offset detection alarm device based on a smart sensor. Background Technology
[0002] As a transition chamber in high-vacuum equipment in fields such as semiconductors, the loadlock (pre-loading chamber) may experience deviations in its actual lifting position due to loosening of mechanical components during use. This could lead to scratches or even collisions and breakage when gripping the wafer. If the HOME sensor becomes loose, the entire device will shift after HOME. Therefore, to avoid positional shifts in the pre-loading chamber that could cause wafer scratches, collisions, and breakage, it is necessary to monitor the slider position in real time and confirm that its deviation from the motor drive position and the HOME position is within the specified range.
[0003] Common causes of Loadlock device position deviation include loose drive belts, worn / bent lead screws, stuck sliders / contaminated guide rails, etc. However, existing Loadlock device deviation detection alarm devices can only detect whether there is a deviation, but cannot automatically correct it according to the detection structure, and rely heavily on manual adjustment. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing Loadlock device offset detection alarm devices, which can only detect whether an offset has occurred but cannot detect the cause of the offset, nor can they perform self-correction and are highly dependent on manual adjustment. Therefore, this invention proposes a Loadlock offset detection alarm device based on intelligent sensors.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A Loadlock offset detection alarm device based on intelligent sensors includes: a machine base, a drive motor, a motor encoder, a transmission structure, a tensioning structure, a lead screw structure, a cleaning structure, a magnetic scale, a detection structure, and a control and monitoring system; The lead screw structure includes a lead screw body, a slider, a threaded rod, and a sliding rod. The lead screw body is mounted on a transmission wheel of the transmission structure, the threaded rod and the sliding rod are both mounted on the machine base, and the slider is mounted on the lead screw body and slidably engaged with the threaded rod and the sliding rod. The cleaning structure includes a rotating cylinder, a cleaning conveyor belt, and a cleaning fluid storage box. The rotating cylinder is located at the connection between the slider and the threaded rod. One end of the cleaning conveyor belt is sleeved on the rotating cylinder, and the other end is sleeved on the lead screw body. The cleaning fluid storage box is located on the slider and corresponds to the inner side of the cleaning conveyor belt, and is used to output cleaning fluid to the cleaning conveyor belt.
[0006] As a further embodiment of the present invention, the drive motor is installed in the machine tool, the motor encoder is installed in the drive motor, the drive motor and the lead screw structure are connected by a transmission structure, the tensioning structure abuts against the transmission structure, the cleaning structure acts on the lead screw structure, and the magnetic scale is installed on the lead screw structure.
[0007] As a further embodiment of the present invention, the tensioning structure includes a cylinder, a connecting frame, and a tensioning wheel. The cylinder drives the tensioning wheel through the connecting frame, and the tensioning wheel abuts against the transmission belt of the transmission structure.
[0008] As a further aspect of the present invention, the rotation direction of the rotating cylinder is opposite to the rotation direction of the lead screw body, and the frictional force between the rotating cylinder and the cleaning transmission belt is greater than the frictional force between the lead screw body and the cleaning transmission belt.
[0009] As a further embodiment of the present invention, the slider is provided with a constraint frame that constrains the movement trajectory of the cleaning transmission belt.
[0010] As a further embodiment of the present invention, the magnetic scale includes a mounting bracket, a magnetic scale, and a reading head. The two ends of the mounting bracket are respectively fixedly mounted on the two ends of the threaded rod. The magnetic scale is mounted on the mounting bracket, and the reading head is mounted on the slider. The reading head is matched with the magnetic scale.
[0011] As a further aspect of the present invention, the detection structure includes a torque sensor group acting on the drive motor, a pressure sensor group acting on the tensioning structure, and a displacement sensor group acting on the lead screw structure.
[0012] As a further aspect of the present invention, the control and monitoring system includes a monitoring module, a control module, and an operation module, which are used to monitor equipment information, control equipment operation, and adjust equipment parameters, respectively.
[0013] As a further aspect of the present invention, the control and monitoring system monitors the real-time data of the motor encoder and calculates the driving distance of the drive motor. The control and monitoring system reads the data of the magnetic scale and calculates the sliding distance. When the difference between the sliding distance and the driving distance of the drive motor exceeds a preset value, the system operates according to the preset scheme.
[0014] As a further aspect of the present invention, when the device is running normally, a special point is marked on the magnetic scale. When the device is OUT, the load / unload position on the magnetic scale is recorded. When the position difference between the special point and the load / unload position exceeds a preset value, the device operates according to the preset scheme.
[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: This application features high monitoring accuracy and reliability. It employs a dual-channel displacement monitoring scheme with a motor encoder and a magnetic scale, combined with auxiliary monitoring from torque and pressure sensor groups, to achieve multi-dimensional data cross-verification. This effectively reduces the risk of misjudgment caused by a single sensor failure. The magnetic scale is fixed to both ends of the threaded rod by a mounting bracket, and the reading head moves synchronously with the slider to ensure the real-time performance and accuracy of displacement monitoring. This application incorporates a cleaning structure and a tensioning structure, thereby enabling active control. By cleaning the lead screw structure in real time and automatically compensating for the tension of the transmission belt, it reduces the deviation caused by impurities and transmission slack from the source, achieving a protection logic that prioritizes prevention and supplements monitoring, thus reducing the probability of abnormalities. Attached Figure Description
[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a Loadlock offset detection alarm device based on a smart sensor proposed in this invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the tensioning structure of a Loadlock offset detection alarm device based on a smart sensor proposed in this invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the lead screw structure of a Loadlock offset detection alarm device based on a smart sensor proposed in this invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cleaning structure of a Loadlock offset detection alarm device based on a smart sensor proposed in this invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a magnetic scale ruler for a Loadlock offset detection alarm device based on a smart sensor proposed in this invention.
[0017] In the diagram: 100, machine base; 200, drive motor; 300, transmission structure; 400, tensioning structure; 410, cylinder; 420, connecting frame; 430, tensioning wheel; 500, lead screw structure; 510, lead screw body; 520, slider; 521, constraint frame; 530, threaded rod; 540, sliding rod; 600, cleaning structure; 610, rotating cylinder; 620, cleaning transmission belt; 630, cleaning fluid storage box; 700, magnetic scale; 710, mounting bracket; 720, magnetic scale; 730, reading head. Detailed Implementation
[0018] To make the technical means, creative features, objectives and effects of this invention easier to understand, the invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments.
[0019] like Figures 1-4As shown, a Loadlock offset detection alarm device based on intelligent sensors includes: a machine base 100, a drive motor 200, a motor encoder, a transmission structure 300, a tensioning structure 400, a lead screw structure 500, a cleaning structure 600, a magnetic scale 700, a detection structure, and a control and monitoring system. like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the lead screw structure 500 includes a lead screw body 510, a slider 520, a threaded rod 530, and a slide rod 540. The lead screw body 510 is mounted on a transmission wheel of the transmission structure 300. The threaded rod 530 and the slide rod 540 are both mounted on the machine base 100. The slider 520 is mounted on the lead screw body 510 and is slidably sleeved with the threaded rod 530 and the slide rod 540. like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the cleaning structure 600 includes a rotating cylinder 610, a cleaning transmission belt 620, and a cleaning fluid storage box 630. The rotating cylinder 610 is located at the connection between the slider 520 and the threaded rod 530. One end of the cleaning transmission belt 620 is sleeved on the rotating cylinder 610, and the other end is sleeved on the lead screw body 510. The cleaning fluid storage box 630 is located on the slider 520 and corresponds to the inner side of the cleaning transmission belt 620, and is used to output cleaning fluid to the cleaning transmission belt 620. The cleaning structure 600 consists of a rotating cylinder 610, a cleaning transmission belt 620, and a cleaning fluid storage box 630. The rotating cylinder 610 is mounted at the connection between the slider 520 and the threaded rod 530 via bearings, with its axis parallel to the threaded rod 530. The outer surface of the rotating cylinder 610 has anti-slip textures. The cleaning transmission belt 620 is made of a flexible, wear-resistant, and dust-free material, with one end tightly fitted onto the rotating cylinder 610 and the other end fitted onto the lead screw body 510, forming a closed transmission circuit. The cleaning fluid storage box 630 is fixedly mounted on the slider 520, and its side has evenly distributed outlet holes corresponding to the inner side of the cleaning transmission belt 620. The box contains a special cleaning solution adapted to the clean environment of semiconductors. An appropriate amount of cleaning solution is continuously output to the cleaning conveyor belt 620 through the liquid outlet. The slider 520 is also equipped with a constraint frame 521, which surrounds the outside of the cleaning conveyor belt 620 to limit the movement trajectory of the cleaning conveyor belt 620 and prevent it from deviating or falling off. The rotation direction of the rotating cylinder 610 is opposite to the rotation direction of the lead screw body 510, and the friction between the rotating cylinder 610 and the cleaning conveyor belt 620 is greater than the friction between the lead screw body 510 and the cleaning conveyor belt 620, ensuring that when the lead screw body 510 rotates, it can drive the rotating cylinder 610 to rotate synchronously in the opposite direction through the cleaning conveyor belt 620. The cleaning structure 600 moves synchronously with the slider 520, enabling real-time cleaning of the surface of the lead screw body 510 and the connection between the slider 520 and the threaded rod 530 during the operation of the lead screw structure 500. This promptly removes dust, impurities, and other contaminants generated during operation, preventing problems such as slider 520 jamming, thread wear, or decreased positioning accuracy caused by contaminant adhesion. The use of a special cleaning fluid enhances the cleaning effect without contaminating the semiconductor wafer or equipment, meeting cleanroom requirements. The constraint frame 521 ensures the operational stability of the cleaning transmission belt 620, preventing deviation or detachment that could affect the cleaning effect. The frictional design between the rotating cylinder 610 and the cleaning transmission belt 620 ensures reliable transmission of the cleaning transmission belt 620, and the reverse rotation further improves cleaning efficiency, extending the maintenance cycle and service life of the lead screw structure 500.
[0020] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the drive motor 200 is installed in the machine base 100, the motor encoder is installed in the drive motor 200, the drive motor 200 and the lead screw structure 500 are connected by the transmission structure 300, the tensioning structure 400 abuts against the transmission structure 300, the cleaning structure 600 acts on the lead screw structure 500, and the magnetic scale 700 is installed on the lead screw structure 500.
[0021] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the tensioning structure 400 includes a cylinder 410, a connecting frame 420 and a tensioning wheel 430. The cylinder 410 drives the tensioning wheel 430 through the connecting frame 420, and the tensioning wheel 430 abuts against the transmission belt of the transmission structure 300. The tensioning structure 400 consists of a cylinder 410, a connecting frame 420, and a tensioning wheel 430. The cylinder 410 is mounted on the machine base 100 via a fixed bracket. The piston rod of the cylinder 410 is rigidly connected to the tensioning wheel 430 via the connecting frame 420. The wheel surface of the tensioning wheel 430 is in close contact with the outer surface of the transmission belt of the transmission structure 300. The cylinder 410 is equipped with a pressure regulating valve and a pressure sensor group. The pressure sensor group is electrically connected to the control and monitoring system, which can collect the gas pressure value in the cylinder 410 in real time and feed it back to the control and monitoring system. When the transmission belt becomes slack, the control and monitoring system controls the piston rod of the cylinder 410 to extend according to the feedback signal from the pressure sensor group, pushing the tensioning wheel 430 to move away from the center of the transmission belt, increasing the tension of the transmission belt. When the tension reaches the preset value, the cylinder 410 stops operating and maintains the tensioned state. The tensioning pulley 430 driven by cylinder 410 can automatically compensate for the tension of the transmission belt, eliminating the loosening caused by long-term operation, thermal expansion and contraction, or wear of the transmission belt in real time. This avoids the cumbersome operation and lag of manual tensioning. The real-time monitoring of the pressure sensor group ensures the accuracy of tension adjustment, keeping the transmission belt at the optimal tension range. This prevents excessive tension from accelerating belt aging and avoids insufficient tension from causing transmission slippage, ensuring transmission accuracy. The flexible contact between the tensioning pulley 430 and the transmission belt reduces wear on the transmission belt, extends its service life, and improves the overall stability of the transmission system.
[0022] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the rotation direction of the rotating cylinder 610 is opposite to that of the lead screw body 510, and the friction between the rotating cylinder 610 and the cleaning transmission belt 620 is greater than the friction between the lead screw body 510 and the cleaning transmission belt 620.
[0023] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the slider 520 is provided with a constraint frame 521 that constrains the movement trajectory of the cleaning transmission belt 620.
[0024] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the magnetic scale 700 includes a mounting bracket 710, a magnetic scale 720, and a reading head 730. The two ends of the mounting bracket 710 are respectively fixedly mounted on the two ends of the threaded rod 530. The magnetic scale 720 is mounted on the mounting bracket 710, and the reading head 730 is mounted on the slider 520. The reading head 730 is matched with the magnetic scale 720.
[0025] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the detection structure includes a torque sensor group acting on the drive motor 200, a pressure sensor group acting on the tensioning structure 400, and a displacement sensor group acting on the lead screw structure 500. The detection structure of this application includes a torque sensor group, a pressure sensor group, and a displacement sensor group. All three sensor groups are electrically connected to the control and monitoring system to realize real-time transmission of detection data. The torque sensor group is installed at the connection between the drive motor 200 and the transmission structure 300, and can collect the torque change data of the output shaft of the drive motor 200 in real time, reflecting the load state of the drive motor 200 and the operating resistance of the transmission system. The pressure sensor group is integrated into the cylinder 410 of the tensioning structure 400, and monitors the pressure value in the cylinder 410 in real time, indirectly reflecting the tension state of the transmission belt. The displacement sensor group is installed at a key position of the lead screw structure 500, including a laser displacement sensor for monitoring the radial runout of the lead screw body 510 and an auxiliary displacement sensor for assisting in monitoring the position of the slider 520. It can collect the operating status data of the lead screw structure 500 and assist in judging whether there are problems such as bending or wear in the lead screw body 510.
[0026] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the control and monitoring system includes a monitoring module, a control module, and an operation module, which are used to monitor equipment information, control equipment operation, and adjust equipment parameters, respectively.
[0027] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the control and monitoring system monitors the real-time data of the motor encoder and calculates the driving distance of the drive motor 200. The control and monitoring system reads the data of the magnetic scale 700 and calculates the moving distance of the slider 520. When the difference between the moving distance of the slider 520 and the driving distance of the drive motor 200 exceeds the preset value, the system operates according to the preset scheme.
[0028] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, when the equipment is running normally, a special point is marked on the magnetic scale 700. When the equipment is OUT, the load / unload position on the magnetic scale 700 is recorded. When the position difference between the special point and the load / unload position exceeds the preset value, the equipment will operate according to the preset scheme.
[0029] The default scheme in this application is as follows: After data acquisition, filtering is performed to remove minor interference from environmental fluctuations. After data preprocessing, the monitoring module judges the authenticity of the step loss to avoid false alarms caused by data interference or momentary sensor failure. Specifically, when the position difference exceeds the preset value, the subsequent processes of the equipment stop, and the equipment is reset to restart. When the position difference exceeds the preset value three times in a row, it is judged as a real step loss. Based on the data from the three equipment movements, the cause of the step loss is determined (e.g., if the step loss value increases gradually, the increase is more obvious under load, and the vibration frequency is consistent with the pulley speed, it indicates that the transmission belt is loose; if D fluctuates periodically; the vibration acceleration of the lead screw body 510 exceeds the standard, it indicates that the lead screw is worn or bent; if the step loss value suddenly increases, accompanied by a sharp rise in vibration peak and a sharp increase in the running resistance of the slider 520, it indicates that the slider 520 is stuck or the guide rail is contaminated). The equipment will adjust itself according to the cause of the step loss. If the equipment cannot adjust itself, different alarms will be issued according to the cause of the step loss.
[0030] The beneficial effects of this application are: This application features high monitoring accuracy and reliability. It employs a dual-channel displacement monitoring scheme with a motor encoder and a magnetic scale 700, combined with auxiliary monitoring from torque and pressure sensor groups, to achieve multi-dimensional data cross-verification. This effectively reduces the risk of misjudgment caused by a single sensor failure. The magnetic scale 700 is fixed to both ends of the threaded rod 530 via a mounting bracket 710. The reading head 730 and the slider 520 move synchronously to ensure the real-time performance and accuracy of displacement monitoring. This application incorporates a cleaning structure 600 and a tensioning structure 400, thereby enabling active control. By cleaning the lead screw structure 500 in real time and automatically compensating for the tension of the transmission belt, it reduces the deviation caused by impurities and transmission slack from the source, achieving a protection logic that prioritizes prevention and supplements monitoring, thus reducing the probability of abnormalities.
[0031] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claimed invention.
Claims
1. A smart sensor based Loadlock excursion detection alarm device, characterized in that, Include: Machine table (100), drive motor (200), motor encoder, transmission structure (300), tensioning structure (400), screw structure (500), cleaning structure (600), magnetic grating ruler (700), detection structure and control monitoring system; The screw structure (500) comprises a screw body (510), a sliding block (520), a threaded rod (530) and a sliding rod (540), the screw body (510) is arranged on one transmission wheel of the transmission structure (300), the threaded rod (530) and the sliding rod (540) are arranged on the machine table (100), and the sliding block (520) is installed on the screw body (510) and is sleeved with the threaded rod (530) and the sliding rod (540). The cleaning structure (600) comprises a rotating cylinder (610), a cleaning transmission belt (620) and a cleaning liquid storage box (630), the rotating cylinder (610) is arranged at the connection between the sliding block (520) and the threaded rod (530), one end of the cleaning transmission belt (620) is sleeved on the rotating cylinder (610), the other end is sleeved on the screw body (510), and the cleaning liquid storage box (630) is arranged on the sliding block (520) and corresponds to the inner side of the cleaning transmission belt (620) for outputting cleaning liquid to the cleaning transmission belt (620).
2. The smart sensor based load lock offset detection and alarm device according to claim 1, wherein, The drive motor (200) is arranged in the machine table (100), the motor encoder is arranged in the drive motor (200), the drive motor (200) is drivingly connected with the screw structure (500) through the transmission structure (300), the tensioning structure (400) abuts against the transmission structure (300), the cleaning structure (600) acts on the screw structure (500), and the magnetic grating ruler (700) is arranged on the screw structure (500).
3. The smart sensor based load lock excursion detection and alarm device of claim 1, wherein, The tensioning structure (400) comprises a gas cylinder (410), a connecting frame (420) and a tensioning wheel (430), the gas cylinder (410) drives the tensioning wheel (430) through the connecting frame (420), and the tensioning wheel (430) abuts against the transmission belt of the transmission structure (300).
4. The smart sensor based load lock excursion detection and alarm device of claim 1, wherein, The rotating direction of the rotating cylinder (610) is opposite to the rotating direction of the screw body (510), and the friction between the rotating cylinder (610) and the cleaning transmission belt (620) is greater than the friction between the screw body (510) and the cleaning transmission belt (620).
5. The smart sensor based load lock excursion detection and alarm device of claim 1, wherein, The sliding block (520) is provided with a constraint frame (521) for constraining the motion track of the cleaning transmission belt (620).
6. The smart sensor based load lock excursion detection and alarm device of claim 1, wherein, The magnetic grating ruler (700) comprises a mounting frame (710), a magnetic scale (720) and a reading head (730), both ends of the mounting frame (710) are fixedly installed at both ends of the threaded rod (530), the magnetic scale (720) is installed on the mounting frame (710), the reading head (730) is installed on the sliding block (520), and the reading head (730) is matched with the magnetic scale (720).
7. The smart sensor based load lock excursion detection and alarm device of claim 1, wherein, The detection structure comprises a torque sensor group acting on the driving motor (200), a pressure sensor group acting on the tensioning structure (400), and a displacement sensor group acting on the screw structure (500).
8. The smart sensor based load lock excursion detection and alarm device of claim 1, wherein, The control monitoring system comprises a monitoring module, a control module and an operation module, which are respectively used for monitoring equipment information, controlling equipment operation and adjusting equipment parameters.
9. The smart sensor based load lock excursion detection and alarm device of claim 8, wherein, The control monitoring system monitors motor encoder real-time data, calculates driving distance of the driving motor (200), reads data of the magnetic grating ruler (700), calculates moving distance of the sliding block (520), and performs operation according to a preset scheme when the difference between the moving distance of the sliding block (520) and the driving distance of the driving motor (200) exceeds a preset value.
10. The smart sensor based load lock excursion detection and alarm device of claim 8, wherein, When the equipment is normally operated, a special point is marked on the magnetic grating ruler (700), when the equipment is OUT, the load / unload position on the magnetic grating ruler (700) is recorded, and when the position difference between the special point and the load / unload position exceeds a preset value, operation is performed according to a preset scheme.