Storage box conveying system and semiconductor product processing system

Abstract

The invention discloses a storage box conveying system and a semiconductor product processing system, and the storage box conveying system is provided with an annular conveying line, carries out one-way conveying, and is combined with a plurality of supply conveying lines. The storage box can be effectively conveyed to a plurality of exit devices capable of being in butt joint with the carrier from the position where the carrier system cannot be directly operated, manual large-range carrying is not needed, and therefore the labor intensity is effectively reduced. And meanwhile, the annular conveying line can be effectively utilized to enable the storage boxes to circulate when necessary, so that the situation that a single storage box waits for transfer of a carrier for a long time, conveying of other storage boxes is hindered, and the conveying line is blocked is avoided, multiple supply conveying lines are connected to the side of the annular conveying line, and the conveying efficiency is improved. In this way, only the conveying line at the supply conveying line needs to be planned for each storage box, the conveying line at the annular conveying line does not need to be planned, the planning range and difficulty of the conveying lines can be effectively reduced, and the burden of a control system is reduced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor equipment, in particular to a storage box conveying system and a semiconductor product processing system. BACKGROUND

[0002] In a semiconductor factory, there are cases where an OHT system cannot directly reach a certain location, at which time manual handling of the storage box loaded with wafers is required to move to the predetermined docking position so that the storage box can be loaded into the OHT system for handling.

[0003] For example, for the Receiving Dock storage box loaded with new blank wafers or wafers returned from outside, the storage box needs to be manually removed from the transport box and placed in the predetermined docking position, and in order to improve efficiency, multiple docking positions are usually provided. SUMMARY

[0004] The purpose of the present application is to solve the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art, and to provide a storage box conveying system and a semiconductor product processing system.

[0005] The purpose of the present application is achieved by the following technical solutions: The storage box conveying system comprises a ring-shaped conveying line, which can convey the storage box in a single direction, a plurality of turning conveyors of the ring-shaped conveying line, a plurality of turning conveyors of the ring-shaped conveying line are respectively connected to an outlet device, and the other plurality of turning conveyors are respectively connected to a supply conveying line, the storage boxes on adjacent supply conveying lines can be transferred between them, and the conveyors of the ring-shaped conveying line and the supply conveying line are connected to a control system, the control system determines the feasible routes from the starting point of the storage box to be conveyed to the most downstream turning conveyor connected to the supply conveying line according to the starting point, and determines the score of each feasible route according to the type, number and state of the conveyors passed by each feasible route and selects the feasible route with the smallest score as the best conveying route of the storage box.

[0006] Preferably, the ring-shaped conveying line is rectangular, and the four top corners are respectively provided with turning conveyors, the turning conveyors for connecting to the outlet device and the turning conveyors for connecting to the supply conveying line are distributed on opposite sides of the ring-shaped conveying line.

[0007] Preferably, the supply conveying line comprises a first direction conveying section and a second direction conveying section, the conveying directions of the first direction conveying section and the second direction conveying section are perpendicular and they are connected through a connecting section, in adjacent two of the supply conveying lines, the connecting section of one on the inner side comprises at least one turning conveyor, the connecting section of the other on the outer side comprises three turning conveyors arranged in a right triangle, one turning conveyor of one on the inner side and the three turning conveyors of the other on the outer side are arranged in a square, and adjacent two of the four turning conveyors arranged in a direction are directly connected or connected through a straight line conveyor.

[0008] Preferably, the score of a feasible line is determined according to the following formula: S=W1*N1+W2*N2+W3*N3+W4*N4+W5*N5; Wherein, S is the score of the feasible line, W1 is the weight score of the straight line conveyor, N1 is the number of the straight line conveyors in the feasible line; W2 is the weight score of the turning conveyor, N2 is the number of the turning conveyors; W3 is the weight score of the conveyor running by the motor; N3 is the number of the conveyors running by the motor in the feasible line; W4 is the weight score of the material stop conveyor, N4 is the number of the material stop conveyors in the feasible line; W5 is the weight score of the conveyor alarming by the motor, N5 is the number of the conveyors alarming by the motor in the feasible line.

[0009] Preferably, the W1, W2, W3, W4 and W5 are determined according to the basic score and the dynamic adjustment coefficient.

[0010] Preferably, the dynamic adjustment coefficient is determined according to a first coefficient determined according to the task priority and a second coefficient determined according to the health degree of the conveyor.

[0011] Preferably, when the control system determines that a storage box cannot be conveyed to the outlet device at the turning conveyor connected with the outlet device to which the storage box needs to be conveyed, the control system determines whether the storage box can wait in place; if yes, the control system makes the storage box stop waiting at the turning conveyor connected with the outlet device to which the storage box needs to be conveyed; if no, the control system controls the turning conveyor where the storage box is located to convey the storage box downstream and controls the ring conveying line to make the storage box circulate back to the turning conveyor connected with the outlet device to which the storage box needs to be conveyed.

[0012] Preferably, during the process of controlling the optimal conveying line to convey the storage box, if the control system determines that there is an abnormal situation in the conveyor where the storage box has not moved to in the optimal conveying line, the control system re-determines the optimal conveying line to move to the one farthest downstream of the turning conveyors connected with the supply conveying line, starting from the current position of the storage box.

[0013] Preferably, the storage box conveying system further comprises a trolley system for taking away the storage box at the outlet device, each trolley of the trolley system can determine the wheel diameter of its moving wheel in line.

[0014] The semiconductor product processing system comprises the storage box conveying system according to any one of the preceding.

[0015] The advantages of the technical scheme of the present application mainly include: The storage box conveying system of the present application can effectively convey the storage box from a position that cannot be directly operated by the trolley system to a plurality of outlet devices capable of being docked with the trolley system to enable the storage box to be loaded into the trolley system, without manual large-scale carrying, thereby effectively reducing the labor intensity. Meanwhile, the outlet device is arranged at the side of the ring-shaped conveying line, which can effectively utilize the ring-shaped conveying line to enable the storage box to be circulated when necessary, thereby avoiding the blockage of the conveying line caused by the long-term waiting of a single storage box for the trolley transfer and hindering the conveying of other storage boxes, and enabling the plurality of supply conveying lines to be connected at the side of the ring-shaped conveying line, so that only the conveying line at the supply conveying line needs to be planned for each storage box, without planning the conveying line of the ring-shaped conveying line, which can effectively reduce the planning range and difficulty of the conveying line and reduce the burden of the control system.

[0016] The ring-shaped conveying line and the supply conveying line of the present application can be sequentially connected by simple straight conveyors and turning conveyors, which are easy to implement and can be conveniently expanded and flexibly adjusted according to the needs of the site, and are easy to practically popularize and apply.

[0017] The present application comprehensively considers key factors such as the type of conveyor, the running state, and the fault risk through a multi-dimensional weighted evaluation system, breaks through the limitations of traditional single-dimensional decision-making, realizes the quantitative evaluation of the comprehensive running cost and risk of the conveying line, and ensures the optimality and rationality of the selected conveying line.

[0018] The automatic optimization and dynamic adjustment of the conveying line of the present application effectively alleviate the problems of congestion and equipment overload of the conveying line, reduce the start-stop times and waiting time in the conveying process of the storage box, and compared with the traditional fixed conveying line mode, the conveying efficiency is improved by more than 30%, which helps to optimize and upgrade the production rhythm.

[0019] The dynamic weighting algorithm is used instead of the fixed weighting algorithm for each weight part of the present application, which can dynamically adjust the weight part of each weighted item according to real-time production task priority, conveyor health degree and other factors, and realize path optimization that is more suitable for actual working conditions.

[0020] The application makes the storage box machine at the turning conveyor connected with the export equipment circulate under suitable conditions, reduces the probability of congestion as much as possible, and effectively ensures that the task with high priority can be processed as soon as possible, thereby ensuring timeliness. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the storage box conveying system of the application; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the control system of the conveying system of the application in a storage box conveying process; Figure 3 is an example diagram of the conveying system of the application in a No. 1 storage box conveying process; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a feasible path 1 of the conveying system of the application in a No. 1 storage box conveying process; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a feasible path 2 of the conveying system of the application in a No. 1 storage box conveying process; Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a feasible path 3 of the conveying system of the application in a No. 1 storage box conveying process; Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the control system of the conveying system of the application in a storage box conveying process to make the storage box circulate; Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a reflective device and a bar code provided at each position recognition point of the trolley system of the application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The purposes, advantages and characteristics of the application will be illustrated and explained by the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments. These embodiments are only typical examples of application of the technical solutions of the application, and any technical solutions formed by equivalent replacement or equivalent transformation fall within the scope of the application.

[0023] In the description of the scheme, it should be noted that the orientations or position relationships indicated by the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer" and the like are based on the orientations or position relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of description and simplification of description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third" are only for description purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0024] Example 1 The storage box conveying system disclosed by the application will be described below in conjunction with the drawings, such as the drawings Figure 1As shown, the storage box conveying system includes a circular conveyor line 100, which enables the storage boxes to be conveyed in a unidirectional cycle. Several of the multiple turning conveyors of the circular conveyor line 100 are connected to an outlet device 500, and the other several are connected to a supply conveyor line 300. Storage boxes on two adjacent supply conveyor lines 300 can be transferred between them. Each conveyor of the circular conveyor line 100 and the supply conveyor line 300 is connected to a control system. The control system determines a feasible route from the starting point of the storage box to be conveyed to the downstream of the turning conveyor connected to the supply conveyor line 300, and determines the score of each feasible route based on the type, number, and status of the conveyors passed through by each feasible route, and selects the feasible route with the lowest score as the optimal conveying route for the storage box.

[0025] The circular conveyor line 100 is a closed conveyor line formed by a series of linear conveyors and steering conveyors connected in sequence. The linear conveyor can be a known belt conveyor, and the steering conveyor is obtained by mounting the belt conveyor on a rotating mechanism that drives its horizontal rotation. The rotating mechanism can be, for example, a known servo turntable, or other structures. For instance, the belt conveyor can be mounted on the outer gear ring of a slewing bearing, which is connected to a motor that drives the outer gear ring to rotate via gears meshing with the teeth on the outer circumference of the outer gear ring. The specific structure of the steering conveyor is not limited here. The specific number of steering and linear conveyors constituting the circular conveyor line 100 can be determined as needed and is not limited here. Furthermore, the linear conveyors of the circular conveyor line transport the storage boxes in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. In this embodiment, the clockwise transport of the storage boxes is used as an example, and the linear connector in Figure 1 shows the transport direction.

[0026] The specific shape of the annular conveyor line 100 can be set according to actual needs. For example, the annular conveyor line 100 can be a cross shape, a concave shape, a convex shape, or other feasible shapes. In a preferred embodiment, the annular conveyor line 100 is rectangular, with a turning conveyor set at each of its four apex positions. Multiple turning conveyors for docking with the outlet equipment 500 and multiple turning conveyors for docking with the supply conveyor line 300 are distributed on opposite sides of the annular conveyor line.

[0027] For ease of explanation, see attached Figure 1As shown, the turning conveyors at the four corner positions are defined as first turning conveyors 110, the turning conveyor used to dock with the outlet equipment 500 is defined as second turning conveyor 120, and the turning conveyor used to dock with the supply conveyor line 300 is defined as third turning conveyor 130. The two first turning conveyors 110 located on the short side are connected by multiple linear conveyors, and the two first turning conveyors 110 located on the long side are connected to a linear conveyor via either the first turning conveyor 110 or the second turning conveyor 120.

[0028] The number of the second steering conveyor 120 and the third steering conveyor 130 can be set as needed. In this embodiment, two second steering conveyors 120 and two third steering conveyors 130 are used as an example for explanation.

[0029] Two second steering conveyors 120 are located on the long side above the circular conveyor line 100, and the two second steering conveyors 120 are connected by multiple linear conveyors. The specific number of linear conveyors can be determined as needed and is not limited here. Of course, the two second steering conveyors 120 can also be arranged directly adjacent to each other. Each second steering conveyor 120 and its nearest first steering conveyor 110 can be connected by at least one linear conveyor. Of course, each second steering conveyor 120 can also be arranged directly adjacent to its nearest first steering conveyor 110.

[0030] The outlet device 500 is connected to the inner or outer side of each of the second steering conveyors 120. The outlet device 500 may be a straight conveyor whose conveying direction is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the straight conveyor connected between the second steering conveyors 120.

[0031] The two third steering conveyors 130 are located on the long side below the circular conveyor line 100, and they can be arranged adjacent to each other. Alternatively, they can be connected by a linear conveyor. Each third steering conveyor 130 can be connected to its nearest first steering conveyor 110 via a linear conveyor, or they can be directly arranged adjacent to each other, depending on the specific needs. Furthermore, of the two third steering conveyors 130, the one on the left is the downstream third steering conveyor 130.

[0032] The outer sides of the two third steering conveyors 130 (outer sides of the ring conveyor line 100) are respectively connected to a supply conveyor line 300. Each supply conveyor line 300 includes a first direction conveying section 310 and a second direction conveying section 320. The conveying directions of the first direction conveying section 310 and the second direction conveying section 320 are perpendicular and they are connected by a connecting section 330.

[0033] As attached Figure 1 As shown, the first direction conveying section 310 and the second direction conveying section 320 are respectively formed by multiple linear conveyors connected in sequence. The first direction F1 is from left to right, and the second direction F2 is from bottom to top. Of course, in other embodiments, the first direction F1 and the second direction can also be adjusted according to the overall layout. For example, the first direction F1 is from right to left; and when the supply conveying line 300 is on top and the circular conveying line is below, the second direction F2 is from top to bottom, etc. There is no limitation here.

[0034] In two adjacent supply conveyor lines 300, the connecting section 330 of the inner one includes at least one steering conveyor, and the connecting section 330 of the outer one includes three steering conveyors distributed in a right-angled triangle. The steering conveyor of the inner one and the three steering conveyors of the outer one are directly connected or connected through a straight conveyor among the four steering conveyors that are distributed in a square and directional manner.

[0035] For ease of explanation, the inner supply conveyor line 300 (the supply conveyor line 300 at the top of the first direction conveyor section) is defined as the first supply conveyor line, the outer supply conveyor line 300 (the supply conveyor line 300 at the bottom of the first direction conveyor section) is defined as the second supply conveyor line, and the turning conveyor of the connecting section 330 is defined as the fourth turning conveyor 331.

[0036] The connecting section of the first supply conveyor line includes one fourth turning conveyor 331, and the connecting section of the second supply conveyor line includes three fourth turning conveyors 331. Thus, in one embodiment, the four fourth turning conveyors 331 are arranged in a square, with adjacent pairs directly connected. Of course, in other embodiments, any two adjacent fourth turning conveyors 331 can also be connected by a linear conveyor. Furthermore, the linear conveyor 29, which connects the 6th fourth turning conveyor 331 of the first supply conveyor line and the 16th fourth turning conveyor 331 at the left end of the second supply conveyor line, conveys in the second direction F2, i.e., from bottom to top; the linear conveyor 30, which connects the 6th fourth turning conveyor 331 of the first supply conveyor line and the 21st fourth turning conveyor 331 at the upper right of the second supply conveyor line, conveys in the first direction F1, i.e., from left to right. Therefore, the storage box conveyed by the first supply conveyor line can be conveyed to the second supply conveyor line via the linear conveyor 30, and the storage box conveyed by the second supply conveyor line can be conveyed to the first supply conveyor line via the linear conveyor 29.

[0037] Of course, if there are more supply conveyor lines 300, the structure of the other supply conveyor lines 300 further out can be the same as the structure of the second supply conveyor line described above, and this is not limited here.

[0038] When transporting a storage box, as shown in the attached document... Figure 2 Appendix Figure 3 As shown, at the starting conveyor of a supply conveyor line 300 (the supply conveyor line is located at one end of the connecting ring conveyor line), storage boxes can be placed on the starting conveyor of the supply conveyor line 300 by manual labor or loading / unloading robots. The operator can then read the barcode, QR code, or tag data on the storage box by hand or through a barcode reader, electronic tag reader, or other device located at a fixed position next to the starting conveyor. This allows the control system to obtain the exit device (end point) to which the storage box needs to be transported and to determine the starting conveyor where the storage box is located, i.e., the starting point, based on the position of the barcode reader.

[0039] The control system stores a map of the entire conveying system, including the type, location, conveying direction, and connection relationships between each conveyor. The type of conveyor refers to whether it is a linear conveyor or a directional conveyor.

[0040] Simultaneously, the control system can acquire the real-time operating status of each conveyor. This operating status includes motor operation, material conveying stop, motor alarm, and shutdown. Motor operation refers to a state where there are currently no storage boxes on the conveyor and the conveyor motor can operate normally, such as normal conveying and normal steering. Material conveying stop refers to a state where, without any faults, the conveyor motor stops conveying due to material blockage at the front, and the storage box stops on the conveyor. Motor alarm indicates that the conveyor motor is malfunctioning. Furthermore, each conveyor can be equipped with an entry detection sensor, a position detection sensor, and a departure detection sensor. These can be known proximity sensors, through-beam sensors, etc., and are not limited here. The entry detection sensor detects whether a storage box has entered the conveyor; the position detection sensor detects whether the storage box has completely moved to a predetermined position on the conveyor; and the departure detection sensor detects whether the storage box has completely left the conveyor. The control system can determine whether a storage box exists on each conveyor based on the entry, position, and departure detection sensors, thereby determining whether each conveyor is in motor operation or material conveying stop state.

[0041] After determining the starting point, since the conveying route of the storage box at the circular conveyor line 100 is fixed, the control system only needs to determine the optimal conveying route for the storage box to be conveyed from the starting point to the third turning conveyor 130 on the left.

[0042] Correspondingly, as shown in the appendix Figure 2 Appendix Figure 3 As shown, assuming that the starting point of storage box 700 (No. 1) is on the second supply conveyor line, and its destination is the downstream (right) one of the two second steering conveyors 120, the control system can determine three feasible routes based on the starting point of storage box 700, as follows: As attached Figure 4 As shown, feasible route 1: starting from conveyor 11, passing through conveyors 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 29, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and finally to conveyor 28; As attached Figure 5 As shown, feasible route 2: starting from conveyor 11, passing through conveyors 12-27, and finally reaching conveyor 28; As attached Figure 6 As shown, feasible route 3: starting from conveyor 211, passing through conveyors 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 29, 6, 30, and 21-27, and finally reaching conveyor 28.

[0043] For each feasible route, the control system determines a score for that route using the following formula: S=W1*N1+W2*N2+W3*N3+W4*N4+W5*N5; Wherein, S is the score of the feasible route, W1 is the weight score of the linear conveyor, N1 is the number of linear conveyors in the feasible route; W2 is the weight score of the steering conveyor, N2 is the number of steering conveyors; W3 is the weight score of the motor-operated conveyor, N3 is the number of motor-operated conveyors in the feasible route; W4 is the weight score of the material-carrying stopped conveyor, N4 is the number of material-carrying stopped conveyors in the feasible route; W5 is the weight score of the motor alarm conveyor, N5 is the number of motor alarm conveyors in the feasible route.

[0044] The values ​​W1, W2, W3, W4 and W5 can be fixed values. For example, W1 is 1, W2 is 3, W3 is 2, W4 is 8 and W5 is 9999. Assuming that in feasible route 1, conveyors 9 and 10 are in a state of material stoppage, while the other conveyors are in a state of motor operation, then the score for feasible route 1 is as follows: S=1*10+3*2+2*10+8*2+9999*0=52.

[0045] The scoring method for other feasible routes is the same as above, and will not be repeated here.

[0046] Of course, in a better embodiment, in order to make the weight scores more accurately match the actual situation of each conveyor, W1, W2, W3, W4 and W5 can be determined based on the base score and the dynamic adjustment coefficient. Specifically, W1, W2, W3, W4 and W5 are obtained by multiplying the base score by the dynamic coefficient.

[0047] Specifically, for example, the base score for W1 is 1, the base score for W2 is 3, the base score for W3 is 2, the base score for W4 is 8, and the base score for W5 is 9999.

[0048] The dynamic adjustment coefficient is determined based on a first coefficient determined by task priority and a second coefficient determined based on conveyor health.

[0049] The first coefficient is determined according to the task priority. The coefficient is determined according to the following table for different task priorities, different conveyor types, and conveyor statuses.

[0050] The second coefficient is determined based on the health score H corresponding to the health of each conveyor. The health score of the conveyor can be obtained by collecting various data during the operation of each conveyor, such as current, voltage, temperature, vibration, belt alignment status, etc., to train the conveyor health score model. Subsequently, various data collected in real time can be input into the trained conveyor health score model to obtain the health score of each conveyor. The specific model and model training method are known and are not innovative in this invention, so they will not be described in detail here.

[0051] The relationship between the health score and the second coefficient is as follows: H≥90: K h =0.8 (If the equipment is in good condition, the weight is reduced); 70≤H<90:K h =1.0 (normal state); 50≤H<70:K h =1.5 (Sub-health condition, weight increased); H < 50: K h =3.0 (High risk, weight significantly increased).

[0052] Therefore, the dynamic adjustment coefficient is determined by multiplying the first coefficient and the second coefficient. For example, if a conveyor is a linear conveyor with a health score of 95, and the current task priority of the storage box to be conveyed is an urgent task, then the weight score of the conveyor is W1 = 1 * 1.5 * 0.8 = 1.2.

[0053] As attached Figure 2As shown, after determining the scores of the three feasible routes, the feasible route with the lowest score is selected as the optimal transport route for the storage box. For example, the scores of the three feasible routes are as follows: Feasible route 1 scores 65 points, feasible route 2 scores 70 points, and feasible route 3 scores 60 points. Therefore, the control system selects feasible route 3 as the optimal conveying route for conveying storage box 700. Furthermore, when the control system is controlling the conveyors in the optimal conveying route, if it determines that one of the conveyors in the optimal conveying route is in a stopped state, and another storage box is being loaded onto the nearest upstream conveyor of the stopped conveyor, the control system will stop the loaded storage box on that conveyor. After determining that the storage box on the stopped conveyor has been removed, the control system will then transport the loaded storage box downstream.

[0054] During the transport of storage box 700 along the optimal transport route, if the state of storage box 700 not having moved to at least one of the conveyors along the optimal transport route changes to an abnormal situation such as a fault alarm or abnormal shutdown, the control system will re-determine the optimal transport route starting from the current position of storage box 700. If the optimal transport route cannot be determined at this time, it will determine whether storage box 700 can be transported in reverse to the nearest turning device. If so, that is, the optimal transport routes of other storage boxes on the first and second supply conveyors do not need to pass through the nearest upstream reverse conveyor of storage box 700, then storage box 700 will be transported in reverse to the nearest turning conveyor. Otherwise, storage box 700 will wait in place until the reverse transport is possible before being transported in reverse. This allows for emergency handling when the optimal transport route is blocked, while avoiding interference with the transport routes of other storage boxes, ensuring safety.

[0055] For example, when storage box 700 is being conveyed to conveyor 23, the control system determines that conveyor 25 is malfunctioning. At this time, the control system stops conveying and re-determines the optimal conveying route. Since there is only one feasible route to the third turning conveyor 130 (number 28), and this feasible route is not feasible, the control system determines whether the optimal conveying route for any of the other storage boxes on the first and second supply conveyor lines requires passing through the fourth turning conveyor 331 (number 21), which is closest to storage box 700. If so, conveyor 1 stops at conveyor 23 and waits; otherwise, conveyor 1 moves back to the fourth turning conveyor 331 and the optimal conveying route is re-determined.

[0056] As attached Figure 2As shown, when the No. 1 storage box 700 is conveyed to the No. 28 third turning conveyor 130, the control system controls the circular conveyor line to convey the No. 1 storage box 700 clockwise to the right-side second turning conveyor 120. When the No. 1 storage box 700 is conveyed to the right-side second turning conveyor 120, if it is determined that there is no storage box on the outlet device 500 connected to the right-side second turning conveyor 120, the conveying direction is adjusted and the No. 1 storage box 700 is conveyed to its connected outlet device 500. If there is another storage box at the outlet device 500 connected to the right-side second turning conveyor 120, the No. 1 storage box 700 waits for conveying at the right-side second turning conveyor 120, and can wait at its current second turning conveyor 120 until it can be conveyed to the docking outlet device 500.

[0057] Even better, as shown in the attached document. Figure 7 As shown, the control system can also determine whether the No. 1 storage box can wait indefinitely. For example, if no other storage box needs to pass through the second steering conveyor 120 where the No. 1 storage box 700 is located, the No. 1 storage box 700 can wait indefinitely. If another No. 2 storage box needs to be transported through the second steering conveyor 120 where the No. 1 storage box is located, then when the No. 2 storage box is transported to an adjacent linear conveyor upstream of the second steering conveyor on the right, the second steering conveyor 120 can be directly controlled to transport the No. 1 storage box 700 downstream and the circular conveyor line can be controlled to make the No. 1 storage box 700 cycle back to the second steering conveyor 120 on the right.

[0058] Of course, other methods can also be used to determine whether the No. 1 storage box 700 can wait at the second turning conveyor 120 on the right.

[0059] For example, when it is determined that there is another storage box at the adjacent linear conveyor upstream of the second steering conveyor on the right, a timer is started, and it is determined whether the timer duration for which storage box 700 700 remains at the second steering conveyor 120 on the right has reached a set duration, such as 30 seconds, 1 minute, etc., which is determined according to needs. If it is determined that the timer duration has not reached the set duration, storage box 700 can wait at the second steering conveyor 120 on the right. Conversely, when it is determined that the timer duration has reached the set duration, the second steering conveyor on the right drives storage box 700 downstream in a cyclical manner.

[0060] In another embodiment, the determination can be made based on whether a storage box is present on a predetermined number of conveyors immediately upstream of the second steering conveyor on the right. For example, if the predetermined number is 3, then when it is determined that a storage box is present on each of the 3 conveyors immediately upstream of the second steering conveyor on the right, the second steering conveyor on the right will drive storage box 1 downstream in a cyclical manner. Conversely, storage box 1 can wait at the second steering conveyor on the right, thus alleviating congestion as much as possible.

[0061] In another embodiment, the judgment can also be made based on task priority. For example, when it is determined that the task priority of storage box No. 2 is higher than that of storage box No. 1, when it is determined that storage box No. 2 moves to an upstream adjacent conveyor of the second steering conveyor (the second steering conveyor on the right) where storage box No. 1 is located, the second steering conveyor where storage box No. 1 is located is controlled to transport storage box No. 1 downstream.

[0062] If it is determined that the task priority of storage box #2 is not higher than that of storage box #1, then the distance between storage box #2 and its nearest upstream storage box #3 is determined. If the distance between them is greater than a set value, storage box #1 waits at its current second steering conveyor, and storage box #2 waits at the adjacent straight conveyor upstream of the second steering conveyor where storage box #1 is located. When the distance between storage box #2 and its nearest upstream storage box #3 is less than the set value, the steering conveyor where storage box #1 is located is controlled to transport storage box #1 downstream. This effectively balances emergency task requirements with reducing the risk of congestion.

[0063] Furthermore, the storage box conveying system also includes a transport vehicle system for removing the storage boxes from the exit device 500. Each transport vehicle in the transport vehicle system can determine the wheel diameter of its moving wheels online, thereby enabling convenient and timely knowledge of the moving wheel's operation for safe transport control.

[0064] Similar to existing overhead transport (OHT) systems, it includes a predetermined track suspended below the ceiling or ceiling and multiple transport vehicles moving along the track. The specific structure of the track and transport vehicles is known technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0065] Location identification points will be set at predetermined locations on the track, as shown in the attached diagram. Figure 8 As shown, a reflective device and a barcode are set at each location identification point. The reflective device can be, for example, a reflective sticker, a reflector, or a reflector mirror, and the barcode can be a QR code, an electronic tag, or the like.

[0066] Each transport vehicle is equipped with a trigger sensor for detecting the reflective device, such as a self-reflective photoelectric sensor. Simultaneously, an information reader is also installed on the transport vehicle to read information from the barcode next to the reflective device. When the trigger sensor detects the reflective device, it can be determined that the transport vehicle has moved to the location identification point. At this time, the information reader can read the barcode information next to the reflective device, allowing the transport vehicle's onboard controller to accurately determine which location identification point it has currently moved to.

[0067] Since the distance between the position recognition points is fixed, when the moving wheels of the transport vehicle wear down, their diameter decreases, and the current circumference of the moving wheels decreases relative to the initial state (unworn). Therefore, when the transport vehicle moves from one position recognition point to another, the actual number of rotations of the moving wheels will increase relative to the initial state. Correspondingly, the increment of the encoder values ​​collected at the two position recognition points will increase relative to the increment of the encoder values ​​collected at those two points in the initial state. Therefore, the real-time wheel diameter of the moving wheels can be determined based on the change in the increment of the two encoder values ​​collected when the transport vehicle moves from one position recognition point to another.

[0068] Specifically, the on-board controller of the transport vehicle controls the transport vehicle to move along the track according to the movement path determined by the upper-level scheduling system. Furthermore, the on-board controller of the transport vehicle can determine its real-time position based on the encoder value fed back by the servo driver, and can know the location identification points it needs to pass through based on the movement path.

[0069] When the vehicle controller determines that the transport vehicle has moved to position 1 on the track, it obtains the encoder value (number of pulses) fed back by the servo drive. When the vehicle controller determines that the transport vehicle has moved to position 2 downstream of position 1, it obtains the encoder value fed back by the servo driver. The vehicle controller determines the current encoder value increment N for the transport vehicle to move from the identification point at position 1 to the identification point at position 2 based on two encoder values ​​obtained at identification points 1 and 2. 当 That is, the encoder value obtained at the identification point at position 2 is subtracted from the encoder value obtained at the identification point at position 1 to obtain the current encoder value increment; The vehicle controller determines the real-time wheel diameter of the moving wheels of the transport vehicle according to the following formula; d 当 =N 当 ×d 初 / N 初 ; Where, d当 N is the real-time wheel diameter of the moving wheel. 当 Increment of the current encoder value; d 初 N is the initial wheel diameter when the moving wheel is not worn; 初 This is the standard encoder value increment when the moving wheel is not worn, and the transport vehicle moves from position 1 to position 2. The specific calculation method is the same as the current encoder value increment calculation method, which will not be repeated here.

[0070] The No. 1 and No. 2 location identification points can be two adjacent location identification points on the track, and can be any two adjacent location identification points on the track. Of course, this is not mandatory. The No. 1 and No. 2 location identification points can also have at least one other location identification point between them, that is, the No. 1 and No. 2 location identification points are not adjacent.

[0071] In a preferred embodiment, position identification point 1 and position identification point 2 are two adjacent position identification points, and they are located on the same straight section of the track. If there are four position identification points on a straight section, when the transport vehicle moves past the four position identification points in sequence, the wheel diameter needs to be calculated three times according to the above wheel diameter determination method. Furthermore, position identification point 2 in the first calculation is position identification point 1 in the second calculation, and position identification point 2 in the second calculation is position identification point 1 in the third calculation.

[0072] Of course, in other embodiments, the No. 1 and No. 2 position identification points can be selected from all position identification points. For example, one point can be selected as the No. 1 position identification point and another as the No. 2 position identification point from all position identification points on each straight rail segment. This can appropriately reduce the frequency of wheel diameter determination. Alternatively, all two adjacent position identification points on the track that are located on the same straight rail segment can be used as the No. 1 and No. 2 position identification points. Thus, the above wheel diameter determination process is performed once each time the transport vehicle moves from a No. 1 position identification point to a No. 2 position identification point, which can ensure the timeliness of wheel diameter determination.

[0073] When the moving wheels are not worn, the standard encoder value increment of the transport vehicle moving from position identification point 1 to position identification point 2 can be measured in advance and stored in memory for later retrieval. Before the transport vehicle is officially put into use, one or more transport vehicles can be allowed to travel on the track and the standard encoder value increment can be calibrated. Furthermore, the corresponding encoder value can be recorded as the transport vehicle moves at a constant speed through each position identification point on the straight track section. Subsequently, the standard encoder value increment of the transport vehicle moving from position identification point 1 to position identification point 2 can be calculated based on the actual positions of position identification points 1 and 2 and the encoder values ​​obtained at the corresponding positions. Alternatively, the standard encoder value increment between two adjacent position identification points on the straight track section can be determined in advance. If position identification points 1 and 2 are not adjacent, the sum of the standard encoder value increments between all adjacent positions between position identification points 1 and 2 can be calculated. The initial wheel diameter when the moving wheels are not worn can be measured using tools such as micrometers and vernier calipers.

[0074] Furthermore, if the encoder value fed back by the servo drive is only acquired once when the transport vehicle reaches the identification point 1 and the identification point 2, there are various abnormal situations that may lead to inaccurate encoder values, or even the risk of not effectively acquiring encoder values.

[0075] Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the encoder values ​​when the transport vehicle moves to the No. 1 and No. 2 position identification points can be determined based on the encoder values ​​fed back by the servo drive of the transport vehicle obtained when the transport vehicle moves to the No. 1 and No. 2 position identification points and before and after a certain period of time.

[0076] For example, the vehicle controller can determine the real-time position of the transport vehicle on the track by obtaining encoder values ​​from the servo driver in real time, and determine the distance between the real-time position of the transport vehicle on the track and a position identification point (number 1) that it is about to pass through on its movement path. When the distance between the real-time position of the transport vehicle and the position identification point (number 1) that it is about to pass through reaches a certain set distance, the encoder values ​​fed back by the servo driver can be acquired at a predetermined period. The set distance is, for example, 10mm, 20mm, etc., and can be determined according to the specific needs, without limitation here. The predetermined period is, for example, 1 millisecond, 5 milliseconds, 10 milliseconds, etc., and can be set according to the specific needs, without limitation here. Furthermore, after the trigger sensor determines that the transport vehicle has reached the position identification point (number 1), the encoder values ​​fed back by the servo driver continue to be acquired at the predetermined period as described above. The period is, for example, 100 milliseconds, 50 milliseconds, etc., and can be determined according to the specific needs, without limitation here.

[0077] Then, the final encoder value N when the transport vehicle arrives at the identification point 1 can be determined based on a set of encoder values ​​collected when the transport vehicle arrives at the identification point 1, as well as before and after that location. 终 For example, a linear relationship between encoder values ​​and time can be obtained by fitting a set of encoder values ​​and their corresponding timestamps. Then, the timestamp when the trigger sensor is triggered can be determined, and the encoder value obtained by substituting it into the linear relationship can be used as the final encoder value N when the transport vehicle arrives at the identification point at position 1. 终 This ensures the accuracy of the acquired encoder values. The specific method for determining the encoder value at position 2 of the transport vehicle is the same as above and will not be repeated here.

[0078] Furthermore, since the track's length changes due to thermal contraction caused by temperature variations, high-precision temperature sensors can be placed at appropriate locations to minimize the impact of temperature changes. For example, temperature sensors can be installed at each or selected straight sections of the track, or at sections where the transport vehicle can move at a constant speed. Alternatively, temperature sensors can be placed near straight sections of the track, depending on the specific needs; no limitation is made here. Alternatively, the real-time ambient temperature can be detected by temperature sensors as the real-time track temperature. This allows for the correction of the encoder value increment determined when the transport vehicle moves from position 1 to position 2 based on the real-time determined track temperature. The encoder value increment can be a standard encoder value increment determined during calibration, or a current encoder value increment determined in real-time.

[0079] Specifically, the encoder value increment determined by the encoder values ​​obtained by the transport vehicle at identification points 1 and 2 can be corrected according to the following formula: N 校 =N 增 / [1+α×(T 测 –T 标 )]; Where: N 校 To correct the encoder value increment to the standard reference temperature; N 增 The encoder value increment; α is the linear thermal expansion coefficient of the track; T 测 To determine the track temperature measured when the encoder value increment is calculated, the average temperature measured when the encoder value increment is calculated can be taken. When the N... 增 Increment N of standard encoder value 初 When, then T 测 To determine N 初 The temperature measured at time N 增 Current encoder value increment N当 When, then T 测 To determine N 当 Temperature measured at time; T 标 This is the standard reference temperature, which is determined according to specific needs, for example, 25℃.

[0080] Furthermore, the standard encoder value increment between adjacent identification points can be corrected in advance according to the above formula and stored in the system so that it can be directly called later to determine the standard encoder value increment when the transport vehicle moves from identification point 1 to identification point 2 after being corrected to the standard reference temperature.

[0081] After determining the current encoder value increment when the transport vehicle moves from position 1 to position 2, it can be corrected according to the above formula, and the real-time wheel diameter of the moving wheel can be determined based on the temperature-corrected current encoder value increment and the standard encoder value increment.

[0082] After determining the real-time wheel diameter of the transport vehicle's moving wheels, the wear condition of the moving wheels can be determined based on the real-time wheel diameter. For example, the real-time wheel diameter can be compared with a set threshold. If the real-time wheel diameter is not less than the set threshold, the moving wheels are determined to be normal, and the real-time wheel diameter and whether the moving wheels are normal can be continuously determined in the above manner.

[0083] If the real-time wheel diameter of the mobile wheel is less than a set threshold, the mobile wheel is determined to be abnormal and requires repair or replacement. The transport vehicle can then report the abnormality and / or request repair to the upper-level dispatch system. The upper-level dispatch system plans a movement path for the transport vehicle to the repair station and instructs the transport vehicle to move to the repair station according to the path for repair. The upper-level dispatch system and the control system can be integrated into a single control device; alternatively, they can be independent control devices.

[0084] Of course, in other embodiments, each transport vehicle can also feed back the real-time wheel diameter of its moving wheels to the upper-level scheduling system, which will then determine the wear condition of the moving wheels. When the upper-level scheduling system determines that a transport vehicle's moving wheels need to be replaced based on the real-time wheel diameter, it can directly plan a movement path for the transport vehicle to the repair station and instruct it to move there. Furthermore, the upper-level scheduling system can schedule each transport vehicle based on the wear condition of its wheels. For example, when a new transport task needs to be executed, the upper-level scheduling system can prioritize the transport vehicle with the least wear on its wheels from among the available transport vehicles. Alternatively, it can determine the distance or time required for each available transport vehicle to move from its current position to the starting point of the transport task using known methods, and then fine-tune the determined distance or time based on the wear condition of each vehicle's wheels. For example, after determining the distance or time from an available transport vehicle to the starting point, it adds the wear condition of the corresponding wheel of the transport vehicle to the product of a certain weighting coefficient to obtain an integrated value. Finally, it selects the transport vehicle with the smallest integrated value from among multiple integrated values ​​to execute the transport task. This effectively balances efficiency and wheel wear.

[0085] Furthermore, if the wear condition of the moving wheel is determined solely by the real-time wheel diameter of a single, determined movement, misjudgments can easily occur.

[0086] Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, as shown in the appendix Figure 4 As shown, the onboard controller of the transport vehicle can determine a judgment window based on the current position of the transport vehicle, which includes n consecutive location identification points it will pass through, where n ≥ 3. The onboard controller can determine the real-time position (current position) of the transport vehicle based on its initial position or the position information determined when it passes through a location identification point, and the travel distance determined based on the encoder data fed back by the servo driver. Simultaneously, the transport vehicle determines the location identification points it will pass through ahead of its current position based on the movement path planned for it by the upper-level scheduling system. Furthermore, the real-time wheel diameters of multiple moving wheels during a judgment window can be determined only after it is determined that the transport vehicle can reach the n consecutive location identification points at a constant speed; however, this is not mandatory.

[0087] The real-time wheel diameter of the moving wheels is determined based on the encoder values ​​when the transport vehicle passes through two adjacent position recognition points in the judgment window. The upstream position of any two adjacent position recognition points is designated as position recognition point 1, and the downstream position as position recognition point 2. Within a single judgment window, the real-time wheel diameters of at least two moving wheels will be calculated.

[0088] The final value of the real-time wheel diameter of the transport vehicle's moving wheels is determined based on the real-time wheel diameters of multiple moving wheels obtained during the judgment window. For example, the average of the real-time wheel diameters of multiple moving wheels obtained during the judgment window can be directly calculated; or, outliers in the real-time wheel diameters of multiple moving wheels obtained during the judgment window can be removed before calculating the average; of course, other methods can also be used to calculate the final value, which are not limited here.

[0089] For example, a judgment window has four position recognition points, which are defined sequentially according to the movement direction of the transport vehicle as the first position recognition point, the second position recognition point, the third position recognition point, and the fourth position recognition point. The first and second position recognition points are defined as the first judgment interval, the second and third position recognition points are defined as the second judgment interval, and the third and fourth position recognition points are defined as the third judgment interval. For the first judgment interval, the first position recognition point is position 1 and the second position recognition point is position 2; for the second judgment interval, the second position recognition point is position 1 and the third position recognition point is position 2; for the third judgment interval, the third position recognition point is position 1 and the fourth position recognition point is position 2.

[0090] Assuming that the real-time wheel diameter of the moving wheel is 100mm in the first judgment interval, 98mm in the second judgment interval, and 102mm in the third judgment interval, the average of the three (100mm) can be calculated as the final value of the real-time wheel diameter of the moving wheel determined by the transport vehicle in the judgment window.

[0091] Finally, the final value can be compared with a set threshold. If the final value is lower than the set threshold, the moving wheel is determined to be abnormal; otherwise, if the final value is not less than the set threshold, the moving wheel is determined to be normal.

[0092] To further avoid misjudgments, it can be determined whether the final value of the real-time wheel diameter obtained from several consecutive judgment windows is lower than a set threshold. If the final value of the real-time wheel diameter obtained from several consecutive judgment windows is lower than the set threshold, the wheel is determined to be abnormal. For example, if there are three consecutive judgment windows, and the final value obtained from all three windows is less than the set threshold, the wheel is determined to be abnormal and requires repair. Conversely, if two consecutive judgment windows detect an abnormality, but the third judgment window detects a normal value, the wheel diameter cannot be determined to be abnormal, and further observation is required.

[0093] Example 2 This embodiment discloses a semiconductor product processing system, including a memory box conveying system as described above, and various processing equipment, other handling equipment, storage devices, etc. The handling equipment may be, for example, a memory box elevator, and the storage device may be, for example, a buffer device installed on the track of the transport vehicle system. The transport vehicle system in the memory box conveying system can transport memory boxes to various processing equipment. Of course, the transport vehicle can also transport memory boxes to other handling equipment or storage devices; this is not limited here.

[0094] This invention has many other embodiments, and all technical solutions formed by equivalent transformation or equivalent transformation fall within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A storage box conveying system, characterized in that: The system includes a circular conveyor line that enables storage boxes to be transported in a unidirectional cycle. Several of the multiple detour conveyors on the circular conveyor line are connected to an outlet device, and the other several are connected to a supply conveyor line. Storage boxes on adjacent supply conveyor lines can be transferred between them. Each conveyor on the circular conveyor line and the supply conveyor line is connected to a control system. The control system determines a feasible route from the starting point of the storage box to the downstream of the detour conveyor connected to the supply conveyor line, and determines a score for each feasible route based on the type, number, and status of the conveyors it passes through, and selects the feasible route with the lowest score as the optimal transport route for the storage box.

2. The storage box conveying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The circular conveyor line is rectangular, with a turning conveyor installed at each of its four apex positions. The turning conveyor for docking with the outlet equipment and the turning conveyor for docking with the supply conveyor line are distributed on opposite sides of the circular conveyor line.

3. The storage box conveying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The supply conveyor line includes a first direction conveying section and a second direction conveying section. The first direction conveying section and the second direction conveying section are perpendicular in their conveying directions and are connected by a connecting section. In two adjacent supply conveyor lines, the connecting section of the inner one includes at least one steering conveyor, and the connecting section of the outer one includes three steering conveyors distributed in a right-angled triangle. The steering conveyor of the inner one and the three steering conveyors of the outer one are directly connected or connected by a straight conveyor among the four steering conveyors that are distributed in a square and directional manner.

4. The storage box conveying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The score for a feasible route is determined using the following formula: S=W1*N1+W2*N2+W3*N3+W4*N4+W5*N5; Wherein, S is the score of the feasible route, W1 is the weight score of the linear conveyor, N1 is the number of linear conveyors in the feasible route; W2 is the weight score of the steering conveyor, N2 is the number of steering conveyors; W3 is the weight score of the motor-operated conveyor, N3 is the number of motor-operated conveyors in the feasible route; W4 is the weight score of the material-carrying stopped conveyor, N4 is the number of material-carrying stopped conveyors in the feasible route; W5 is the weight score of the motor alarm conveyor, N5 is the number of motor alarm conveyors in the feasible route.

5. The storage box conveying system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The values ​​W1, W2, W3, W4, and W5 are determined based on the base score and the dynamic adjustment coefficient.

6. The storage box conveying system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The dynamic adjustment coefficient is determined based on a first coefficient determined by task priority and a second coefficient determined based on conveyor health.

7. The storage box conveying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the control system determines that a storage box cannot be delivered to the outlet device it is to be delivered to at the turning conveyor, it determines whether the storage box can wait in place. If so, the control system stops the storage box at the turning conveyor where it is to be delivered to the outlet device. If not, the control system controls the turning conveyor where the storage box is located to deliver the storage box downstream and controls the circular conveyor line to make the storage box cycle back to the turning conveyor where it is to be delivered to the outlet device.

8. The storage box conveying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: If, during the process of controlling the optimal conveyor line to transport the storage box, the control system determines that there is an abnormality in the conveyor of the optimal conveyor line where the storage box has not yet been moved, then the control system will use the current position of the storage box as the starting point to re-determine the optimal conveyor line to move the storage box to the downstream of the diverting conveyor that is connected to the supply conveyor line.

9. The storage box conveying system according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that: It also includes a transport vehicle system for removing storage boxes from the exit equipment, wherein the wheel diameter of each transport vehicle in the transport vehicle system can be determined online.

10. A semiconductor product processing system, characterized in that: Includes the storage box delivery system as described in any one of claims 1-9.

Images