Wafer carrier two-side external clamping mechanism

Abstract

The application provides a wafer carrier two-side external clamp mechanism, and relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The wafer carrier two-side external clamp mechanism comprises a carrier placing platform, double-acting cylinders and break-type photoelectric sensors. Four double-acting cylinders are evenly installed above the carrier placing platform and located on both sides of the wafer carrier through fixed frames I. The output end of each double-acting cylinder is provided with a clamp hook. Two five-way solenoid valves synchronously control the actions of the four double-acting cylinders. Four break-type photoelectric sensors are fixedly installed through fixed frames II and fixed frames I. The carrier placing platform is provided with uniformly and symmetrically distributed disc surface air charging ports between the four groups of double-acting cylinders. The wafer carrier two-side external clamp mechanism has the advantages of good stress balance, strong clamping stability, wide application range, high action reliability, excellent art adaptability and the like, and improves the stability and applicability of wafer carrier clamping.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology, and more specifically, to a wafer carrier with external clamping mechanism on both sides. Background Technology

[0002] In the semiconductor manufacturing process, multiple stages of the wafer fabrication process (such as LoadPort equipment, gas filling platform, etc.) require the carrier (foup) for transporting wafers to be fixed in order to prevent the carrier from shifting, tipping over or vibrating, thereby avoiding affecting the processing accuracy and safety of the wafers.

[0003] In existing technologies, the clamping mechanism of a wafer carrier is typically located in the middle of the carrier, but this presents the following technical problems in practical applications: 1. Uneven force: For a vehicle with only two inflation ports, the clamping force of the clamp in the middle position is not at the midline of the reaction force between the two inflation ports, which leads to an imbalance of force on the vehicle and affects its fixed stability. 2. Limited clamping force: The force of the central clamping is concentrated at a single point of action. If the clamping force is too large, it will easily cause the base of the vehicle to deform. Therefore, the clamping force cannot be effectively increased, making it difficult to meet the requirements of high stability fixation. 3. Poor applicability: Some equipment has other mechanisms, moving parts or mounting parts in the middle of the carrier placement area, which makes it impossible to install the clamping mechanism in the middle position, thus limiting the application scenarios of the mechanism.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of clamping mechanism that can solve the above problems in order to improve the stability, reliability and applicability of wafer carrier fixation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this application proposes an external clamping mechanism on both sides of a wafer carrier, addressing the issues of unbalanced force, limited clamping force, and poor applicability in the intermediate clamping mechanism of the wafer carrier in the prior art.

[0006] An external clamping mechanism for both sides of a wafer carrier according to an embodiment of this application includes: a carrier placement platform, double-acting cylinders, and interruption-type photoelectric sensors. Four double-acting cylinders are evenly distributed and installed on both sides of the wafer carrier above the carrier placement platform via a fixing frame I, with two cylinders on each side, and the four double-acting cylinders are arranged symmetrically about the center of the wafer carrier. Each double-acting cylinder has a clamping claw at its output end, and the double-acting cylinder drives the clamping claw to perform rotation and lifting actions respectively. The four sets of double-acting cylinders are connected in parallel to a two-position five-way solenoid valve, which synchronously controls the actions of the four double-acting cylinders. Four interruption-type photoelectric sensors are fixedly installed by docking with the fixing frame I via a fixing frame II, and the four interruption-type photoelectric sensors are used to detect whether the clamping or releasing action of the clamping claw is in place. The carrier placement platform is provided with uniformly and symmetrically distributed disk inflation ports between four sets of double-acting cylinders. After the clamping claws of the four sets of double-acting cylinders fix the wafer carrier, the inflation port at the bottom of the wafer carrier is aligned with the disk inflation port, and the disk inflation port supports the wafer carrier.

[0007] Preferably, the angle of rotation of the gripper claw driven by the double-acting cylinder is 90°, and the rotation direction is toward the center side of the wafer carrier.

[0008] The external clamping mechanism on both sides of the wafer carrier also includes an offset compensation component. The offset compensation component is installed at the output end of the double-acting cylinder and connected to the clamping claw. The offset compensation component works with the clamping claw to compensate for installation errors or slight deviations of the wafer carrier.

[0009] Preferably, the offset compensation assembly includes a housing, a cover ring, a transverse rotating part, a longitudinal rotating part, an elastic limiting sleeve I, an elastic limiting sleeve II, and an elastic auxiliary support pad. The housing is fixed to the output end of the double-acting cylinder. The top inner edge of the housing has symmetrically arranged mounting grooves for installing the elastic limiting sleeve II. The end of the longitudinal rotating part is inserted into the elastic limiting sleeve II for rotational limitation. The elastic limiting sleeve I is disposed inside the longitudinal rotating part. The housing has a mounting opening on one side for fixing the elastic auxiliary support pad. The transverse rotating part is located at the top, and its tail end movably passes through the longitudinal rotating part and is inserted into the elastic limiting sleeve I for rotational limitation. The front end of the transverse rotating part is connected to the clamping claw. The cover ring is detachably fixed to the top of the housing to limit and fix the elastic limiting sleeve II and the elastic auxiliary support pad.

[0010] Preferably, the longitudinal rotating part includes a central shaft and end shafts. A circular hole is provided on the front side of the central shaft, and a flat hole communicating with the circular hole is provided on the rear side of the central shaft. The two end shafts are respectively fixed at both ends of the central shaft, and a lever is fixed above the end shaft to limit the engagement with the elastic limiting sleeve II. A U-shaped groove for limiting the lever is provided at the bottom of the elastic limiting sleeve II, and a U-shaped cavity is provided inside the elastic limiting sleeve II.

[0011] Preferably, the lateral rotating part includes a support block, a tail shaft, and a tail block. The tail shaft is fixedly connected to the tail block and the support block. The elastic limiting sleeve I is fixedly embedded inside the flat hole. The tail shaft rotates inside the round hole. The tail block is inserted into the elastic limiting sleeve I to limit the rotational offset position of the tail shaft.

[0012] Preferably, the elastic limiting sleeve I has a U-shaped cavity inside, and the bottom and top ends of the U-shaped cavity are provided with connecting strips integrally formed with the elastic limiting sleeve I.

[0013] Preferably, the elastic support pad includes a bottom pad, a vertical piece, and an ear piece. Two bottom pads are respectively connected to the upper two sides of the bottom pad, and the ear piece is set on the top of the vertical piece. The bottom pad, vertical piece, and ear piece are integrally formed. The top and bottom sides of the mounting opening on the side of the housing are provided with positioning ear pieces and positioning grooves for the ends of the bottom pads.

[0014] Preferably, the clamping hook is a claw component I, which includes a mounting part, a connecting part, and a clamping part. The mounting part is fixed to the output end of the double-acting cylinder, the connecting part connects the mounting part and the clamping part, and a detection block I is provided on the outside of the mounting part to cooperate with the detection of the interrupted photoelectric sensor.

[0015] Preferably, the carrier placement platform is provided with a positioning groove that is adapted to the bottom of the wafer carrier, and the positioning groove corresponds to the position after the clamping claws hold the wafer.

[0016] Preferably, the clamping claw is a claw component II, which includes a connecting block, a guide shell, a pressing block, an elastic support part, and a cam. The connecting block is fixedly connected to the transverse rotating part and the guide shell. The pressing block slides horizontally through the guide shell and is connected to the connecting block through the elastic support part. The pressing end of the pressing block is provided with a plurality of equidistantly arranged elastic contact units. The outer side of the housing is provided with a detection block II that cooperates with the detection of the interruption-type photoelectric sensor. The double-acting cylinder includes a cylinder body, on which a cylinder rod is fitted. The top end of the cylinder rod is fixedly disposed with a housing, and an upper positioning hole and a lower positioning hole are provided on the side of the cylindrical shell at the top of the cylinder body. The cam is sleeved on the outer side of the cylindrical shell at the top of the cylinder body and fixedly disposed with the upper positioning hole and the lower positioning hole by adjusting bolts. The outer edge of the cam contacts and engages with the pressure block.

[0017] Preferably, the bottom of the housing and the top of the cylinder rod are provided with insertion grooves for connection by connecting pins, and the cylinder rod is provided with radially penetrating fixing bolts for engagement.

[0018] Preferably, the elastic support includes a top block, a guide post, and a spring. The connecting block has a slot near the cam side, and the spring is disposed inside the slot. The top block is fixed above the pressure block near the cam end. One end of the guide post is connected to the top block, and the other end of the guide post is movably inserted into the compressed end of the spring inside the slot.

[0019] Preferably, the elastic contact unit includes an elastic threaded post, an elastic limiting pad, an anti-wear sleeve, and an elastic protrusion. The upper surface of the pressing block is provided with an upper hole, and the lower surface of the pressing block is provided with a lower hole coaxially arranged with the upper hole. The inner diameter of the lower hole is larger than the inner diameter of the upper hole. The elastic limiting pad is fixed to the top of the elastic threaded column, and the elastic threaded column moves through the upper hole. The top of the anti-wear sleeve is provided with a threaded hole that is screwed into the elastic threaded column. Multiple elastic protrusions are arranged in a ring array on the top of the anti-wear sleeve and are fixedly connected to the anti-wear sleeve. The top of the anti-wear sleeve, together with the elastic protrusions, is inserted into the lower hole. The bottom outer edge of the anti-wear sleeve is set with an arc-shaped structure.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this application are: 1. Good force balance: The present invention sets the clamping mechanism on both sides of the wafer carrier and evenly distributes four symmetrical clamping points, so that the clamping force application point matches the reaction force centerline of the carrier's air inlet, which completely solves the problem of unbalanced force in traditional intermediate clamps. 2. Strong clamping stability: The force is distributed among the four clamping points, avoiding the risk of vehicle deformation caused by force on a single center point. The clamping force can be increased as needed, significantly improving the stability of the vehicle fixation. 3. Wide range of applications: The clamping mechanism adopts an external design, which does not occupy the middle position of the carrier. It is suitable for equipment with other mechanisms, moving parts or mounting parts in the middle, effectively expanding the application scenarios. 4. High reliability of operation: Four cylinders are synchronously controlled by a two-position five-way solenoid valve to ensure consistent operation; combined with the position detection function of the interruption-type photoelectric sensor, a closed-loop control is formed, which improves the automation level and reliability of the mechanism.

[0021] 5. Excellent process adaptability: Stable clamping can effectively reduce the vibration of the carrier during inflation or transfer, thereby reducing wafer vibration, improving the stability of semiconductor manufacturing process and wafer processing quality, especially suitable for high-flow inflation equipment.

[0022] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the external clamping mechanism on both sides of the wafer carrier according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting structure of the double-acting cylinder, claw component I, and interruption-type photoelectric sensor according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the claw component I and the detection block I according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the double-acting cylinder, the interruption-type photoelectric sensor, the offset compensation component, and the claw component II according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the double-acting cylinder, offset compensation assembly, and claw component II according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the offset compensation component and the double-acting cylinder according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of the offset compensation component and cylinder rod according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the longitudinal rotating part and the elastic limiting sleeve II according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the elastic support pad structure according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the transverse rotating part and the elastic limiting sleeve I according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the elastic limiting sleeve II structure according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cam, the lateral rotating part, the claw member II, and the elastic contact unit according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the connecting block, guide shell, and pressure block according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the elastic contact unit according to an embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure label: 1. Vehicle placement platform; 2. Double-acting cylinder; 201. Fixing frame I; 21. Cylinder body; 22. Cylinder rod; 23. Fixing bolt; 24. Connecting pin; 25. Upper positioning hole; 26. Lower positioning hole; 3. Claw component I; 31. Mounting part; 32. Connecting part; 33. Clamping part; 4. Interruption type photoelectric sensor; 401. Fixing frame II; 6. Disc inflation port; 7. Claw component II; 71. Connecting block; 711. Hole slot; 72. Guide shell; 73. Pressing block; 731. Lower hole; 732. Upper hole; 74. Elastic support part; 741. Top block; 742. Guide column; 743. Spring; 75. Cam; 76. Adjusting bolt; 8. Offset compensation assembly; 81. Seat housing; 82. 83. Cover ring; 84. Lateral rotating part; 85. Support block; 86. Tail shaft; 87. Tail block; 88. Longitudinal rotating part; 89. Central shaft; 80. End shaft; 81. Push block; 82. Round hole; 83. Flat hole; 84. Elastic limit sleeve I; 85. U-shaped cavity; 86. Connecting strip; 87. Elastic limit sleeve II; 88. U-shaped groove; 89. U-shaped cavity; 80. Mounting groove; 81. Elastic auxiliary support pad; 82. Bottom gasket; 83. Vertical piece; 84. Ear piece; 95. Elastic contact unit; 96. Elastic threaded column; 97. Elastic limit pad; 98. Anti-wear sleeve; 99. Elastic protrusion; 90. Threaded hole; 10. Detection block I; 11. Detection block II. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0028] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments in this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, describes a wafer carrier with external clamping mechanisms on both sides according to an embodiment of this application.

[0030] Please see Figures 1-2According to an embodiment of this application, a wafer carrier with externally mounted clamping mechanisms on both sides includes: a carrier placement platform 1, double-acting cylinders 2, and interruption-type photoelectric sensors 4. Four double-acting cylinders 2 are evenly distributed and installed on both sides of the wafer carrier above the carrier placement platform 1 via a fixing frame I 201, with two cylinders on each side, and the four double-acting cylinders 2 are arranged symmetrically about the center of the wafer carrier. Each double-acting cylinder 2 has a clamping claw at its output end, and the double-acting cylinder 2 drives the clamping claw to perform rotation and lifting actions respectively. The four sets of double-acting cylinders 2 are connected in parallel to a two-position five-way solenoid valve, which synchronously controls the actions of the four double-acting cylinders 2. The four interruption-type photoelectric sensors 4 are fixedly installed by docking with the fixing frame I 201 via a fixing frame II 401, and the four interruption-type photoelectric sensors 4 are used to detect whether the clamping or releasing action of the clamping claw is in place. The wafer carrier placement platform 1 has evenly and symmetrically distributed disk surface inflation ports 6 located between four sets of double-acting cylinders 2. After the clamping claws of the four sets of double-acting cylinders 2 fix the wafer carrier, the inflation ports on the bottom of the wafer carrier correspond to and fit with the disk surface inflation ports 6, and the disk surface inflation ports 6 support the wafer carrier. The wafer carrier placement platform 1 is provided with positioning grooves that are adapted to the bottom of the wafer carrier, and the positioning grooves correspond to the positions after being clamped by the clamping claws.

[0031] The working process of the external clamping mechanism on both sides of the wafer carrier is as follows: 1. Initial state: The four double-acting cylinders 2 are in the reset state, the clamping claws are rotated to the side away from the wafer carrier, and the double-acting cylinders 2 are in the rising state in conjunction with the clamping claws. 2. Clamping Action: Place the wafer carrier above the carrier placement platform 1, aligning the air inlet at the bottom of the wafer carrier with the air inlet 6 on the tray surface of the carrier placement platform 1. At this time, the interrupted photoelectric sensor 4 detects that the clamping claw is in the open position and sends a signal to the two-position five-way solenoid valve (not shown). The two-position five-way solenoid valve drives four double-acting cylinders 2 to rotate through the air passage, causing the clamping claw to be positioned above the side of the wafer carrier. The double-acting cylinders 2 continue to drive the clamping claw to descend and press against the side of the wafer carrier, achieving clamping and fixation. After the interrupted photoelectric sensor 4 detects that the clamping claw has descended to the correct position, it sends a feedback signal to the two-position five-way solenoid valve, completing the clamping action and maintaining the clamping state. 3. Release action: When it is necessary to release the wafer carrier, the control system sends a release command to the two-position five-way solenoid valve. The two-position five-way solenoid valve reverses direction, and through the pneumatic pipeline, the double-acting cylinder 2 drives the clamping claw to rise first and then rotate to reset, completing the release action, and the wafer carrier can be removed.

[0032] Compared to the existing central clamping method for wafer carriers, this invention features an external clamping mechanism on both sides of the wafer carrier, with four symmetrically distributed clamping points. This ensures that the clamping force application point matches the reaction force centerline of the carrier's inflation port, completely solving the problem of unbalanced force distribution in traditional central clamping. The symmetrical arrangement of the four inflation ports 6 is more conducive to inflation and clamping stability compared to the traditional two inflation ports. Stable clamping effectively reduces carrier vibration during inflation or transport, thereby reducing wafer vibration and improving the stability of semiconductor manufacturing processes and wafer processing quality, especially suitable for high-flow inflation equipment. Furthermore, the four clamping points distribute the force, avoiding the risk of carrier deformation caused by a single central point of force. The clamping force can be increased as needed, significantly improving the stability of carrier fixation. A two-position five-way solenoid valve synchronously controls four double-acting cylinders 2, ensuring consistent action. Combined with the positioning detection function of the interrupted photoelectric sensor 4, a closed-loop control is formed, improving the automation level and operational reliability of the mechanism.

[0033] In the specific setup, the double-acting cylinder 2 drives the clamping claws to rotate at an angle of 90°, with the rotation direction towards the center of the wafer carrier; the four sets of clamping claws holding the wafer carrier on the side facing the center can significantly improve the stability during clamping.

[0034] Please see Figures 4-7 The external clamping mechanism on both sides of the wafer carrier also includes an offset compensation component 8. The offset compensation component 8 is installed at the output end of the double-acting cylinder 2 and connected to the clamping claw. The offset compensation component 8 works with the clamping claw to compensate for installation errors or slight misalignment of the wafer carrier. The offset compensation component 8 includes a housing 81, a cover ring 82, a lateral rotating part 83, a longitudinal rotating part 84, an elastic limiting sleeve I 85, an elastic limiting sleeve II 86, and an elastic auxiliary support pad 88. The housing 81 is fixed to the output end of the double-acting cylinder 2. The top inner edge of the housing 81 is symmetrically provided with mounting grooves 87 for mounting elastic limiting sleeves II 86. The end of the longitudinal rotating part 84 is inserted into the elastic limiting sleeve II 86 for rotational limitation. The elastic limiting sleeve I 85 is located inside the longitudinal rotating part 84. The housing 81 is provided with a mounting port on one side for fixing the elastic auxiliary support pad 88. The transverse rotating part 83 is located above, and the tail end of the transverse rotating part 83 moves through the longitudinal rotating part 84 and is inserted into the elastic limiting sleeve I 85 for rotational limitation. The front end of the transverse rotating part 83 is connected to the clamping claw. The cover ring 82 is detachably fixed to the top of the housing 81 to limit and fix the elastic limiting sleeve II 86 and the elastic auxiliary support pad 88.

[0035] When the clamping claws are held at the edge of the wafer carrier, the clamping mechanism can compensate for minor misalignment errors within ±3° due to installation errors or slight misalignment of the carrier. Specifically, when the output of the double-acting cylinder 2 drives the clamping claws to clamp the side of the wafer carrier via the offset compensation component 8, the lateral rotation part 83 in the offset compensation component 8, in conjunction with the elastic limiting sleeve I 85, allows the clamping claws to slightly offset and rotate along the axial position of the lateral rotation part 83. Similarly, the longitudinal rotation part 84, in conjunction with the elastic limiting sleeve II 86, allows the clamping claws to slightly offset and rotate along the axial position of the longitudinal rotation part 84. This means that the clamping claws at the end of the lateral rotation part 83 can undergo a slight offset rotation at any position, perfectly adapting to installation errors or slight misalignment of the wafer carrier, resulting in superior applicability.

[0036] Please see Figures 8-11 In a specific configuration, the longitudinal rotating part 84 includes a central shaft 841 and end shafts 842. A circular hole 844 is provided on the front side of the central shaft 841, and a flat hole 845 communicating with the circular hole 844 is provided on the rear side of the central shaft 841. Two end shafts 842 are respectively fixed to both ends of the central shaft 841, and a lever 843 is fixed above the end shafts 842 to engage with the elastic limiting sleeve II 86. A U-shaped groove 861 for the limiting lever 843 is provided at the bottom of the elastic limiting sleeve II 86, and a U-shaped cavity 862 is provided inside the elastic limiting sleeve II 86.

[0037] The specific principle is that the central shaft 841 can drive the end shaft 842 and the lever 843 to rotate synchronously and squeeze the U-shaped cavity 862 inside the elastic limiting sleeve II 86. With the elasticity of the elastic limiting sleeve II 86 itself and the elastic space of the U-shaped cavity 862, the clamping claw at the end of the transverse rotating part 83 can rotate slightly along the axial position of the central shaft 841.

[0038] Furthermore, the lateral rotating part 83 includes a support block 831, a tail shaft 832, and a tail block 833. The tail shaft 832 is fixedly connected to the tail block 833 and the support block 831. The elastic limiting sleeve I 85 is fixedly embedded inside the flat hole 845. The tail shaft 832 rotates inside the round hole 844. The tail block 833 is inserted into the elastic limiting sleeve I 85 to limit the rotational offset position of the tail shaft 832. The elastic limiting sleeve I 85 has a U-shaped cavity 851 inside, and the bottom and top ends of the U-shaped cavity 851 are provided with connecting strips 852 integrally formed with the elastic limiting sleeve I 85.

[0039] The support block 831 drives the tail block 833 at its tail end via the tail shaft 832 to rotate slightly within the elastic limiting sleeve I 85. This rotation is achieved by the elasticity of the elastic limiting sleeve I 85 itself and the spatial position of the loop cavity 851. In other words, with the cooperation of the longitudinal rotating part 84 and the transverse rotating part 83, the clamping claw can be slightly offset at any position. The connecting strip 852 inside the loop cavity 851 limits the degree of deformation of the loop cavity 851 during rotation and also facilitates the rapid return of the elastic limiting sleeve I 85 to its original shape when not under pressure.

[0040] Specifically, the elastic support pad 88 includes a bottom pad 881, a vertical piece 882, and an ear piece 883. Two bottom pads 881 are respectively connected to the two sides above the bottom pad 881, and the ear piece 883 is set on the top of the vertical piece 882. The bottom pad 881, the vertical piece 882, and the ear piece 883 are integrally formed. The top and bottom sides of the mounting opening on the side of the housing 81 are provided with slots for positioning the ear piece 883 and the end of the bottom pad 881.

[0041] The cover ring 82 is detachably bolted to the upper part of the housing 81, and is used to limit and fix the elastic limiting sleeve II 86 and the elastic auxiliary support pad 88. The bottom pad 881 of the elastic auxiliary support pad 88 is used to support the upper support block 831, and the upright pieces 882 on both sides are used to elastically limit the offset of the support block 831 to the sides. Among them, the elastic auxiliary support pad 88, the elastic limiting sleeve I 85, and the elastic limiting sleeve II 86 are all made of composite rubber with good elasticity and wear resistance.

[0042] In a specific configuration, the clamping hook is a claw component I3. Claw component I3 includes a mounting part 31, a connecting part 32, and a clamping part 33. The mounting part 31 is fixed to the output end of the double-acting cylinder 2, the connecting part 32 connects the mounting part 31 and the clamping part 33, and a detection block I10 is provided on the outside of the mounting part 31 to cooperate with the interruption-type photoelectric sensor 4.

[0043] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 This application provides a clamping claw structure, which is a claw component I3. The claw component I3 can be connected to the output end of a double-acting cylinder 2 and clamps a wafer carrier through a clamping part 33 at the bottom. The claw component I3 can also be used in conjunction with an offset compensation component 8 for clamping the wafer carrier. The detection block I10 on the side of the claw component I3 works in conjunction with a cutoff photoelectric sensor 4 to detect whether the clamp is in position.

[0044] The aforementioned external clamping mechanism on both sides of the wafer carrier uses only a simple clamping claw structure, which cannot achieve stable clamping of the wafer carrier, nor can it be adapted to wafer carriers of various sizes according to requirements.

[0045] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 12 and Figure 13 In another embodiment, the clamping hook is a claw component II7, which includes a connecting block 71, a guide shell 72, a pressing block 73, an elastic support portion 74, and a cam 75. The connecting block 71 is fixedly connected to the transverse rotating portion 83 and the guide shell 72. The pressing block 73 slides horizontally through the guide shell 72 and is connected to the connecting block 71 through the elastic support portion 74. The pressing end of the pressing block 73 is provided with a plurality of equidistantly arranged elastic contact units 9. A detection block II11 is provided on the outside of the base shell 81 to cooperate with the detection of the interrupted photoelectric sensor 4. The double-acting cylinder 2 includes a cylinder body 21, on which a cylinder rod 22 is mounted. The top end of the cylinder rod 22 is fixedly set to the housing 81. The top cylindrical shell of the cylinder body 21 is provided with an upper positioning hole 25 and a lower positioning hole 26. A cam 75 is sleeved on the outer side of the top cylindrical shell of the cylinder body 21 and fixed to the upper positioning hole 25 and the lower positioning hole 26 by adjusting bolts 76. The outer edge of the cam 75 contacts and engages with the pressure block 73.

[0046] The external clamping mechanism on both sides of the wafer carrier is suitable for two clamping methods: 1. Extended distance clamping mode: In this mode, the cam 75 is fixedly installed by adjusting the bolt 76 and the upper positioning hole 25. The outer ring surface of the cam 75 is always in contact with the pressure block 73. When the double-acting cylinder 2 drives the claw component II 7 to the reset position, the large arc end of the cam 75 at the lower position contacts the pressure block 73. At this time, the elastic contact unit 9 on the pressure block 73 is located near the guide shell 72, reducing the lateral outward protrusion distance of the pressure block 73, that is, reducing the possibility of accidental contact between the wafer carrier and the pressure block 73. When the cylinder rod 22 in the double-acting cylinder 2 rotates the claw member II 7 to the side above the wafer carrier via the offset compensation component 8, the cam 75 located on the outer side of the top cylindrical shell of the cylinder body 21 remains stationary during the rotation of the cylinder rod 22. The rotating pressing block 73 contacts the outer ring surface of the cam 75 until the small arc end of the high convex position of the cam 75. At this time, the pressing block 73 moves along the guide shell 72 to its longest position. The double-acting cylinder 2 then drives the pressing block 73 in the claw member II 7 to move down through the offset compensation component 8 to cooperate with the elastic contact unit 9 to stably clamp the smaller wafer carrier. This clamping method can not only clamp smaller wafer carriers, but also ensures that the pressing block 73 retracts synchronously with the rotation of the cylinder rod 22 when in the reset state, reducing the risk of accidental contact with the fixture when picking up and placing the wafer carrier.

[0047] 2. Short-distance clamping mode: In this mode, the cam 75 is fixedly installed by the adjusting bolt 76 and the lower positioning hole 26, and the cam 75 is always located below the clamping block 73. The clamping block 73 is in direct contact with the top cylindrical shell of the cylinder rod 22 on the side near the cylinder body 21. The clamping block 73 is always at the shortest clamping distance during rotation, which is suitable for clamping and fixing larger wafer carriers.

[0048] In the specific configuration, the bottom of the housing 81 and the top of the cylinder rod 22 are both provided with insertion slots for connection via connecting pins 24. A radially penetrating fixing bolt 23 is provided on the outside of the cylinder rod 22 for engagement. The connecting pins 24 and fixing bolts 23 are used to connect the housing 81 and the cylinder rod 22, allowing for the detachable configuration of the housing 81 and cylinder rod 22. Similarly, the detachable configuration of the housing 81 and the cover ring 82 via bolts enables modular design and installation of the components in the offset compensation assembly 8, making replacement of parts more convenient and quick, and also reducing the overall maintenance cost of the fixture mechanism in the later stages.

[0049] Furthermore, the elastic support 74 includes a top block 741, a guide post 742, and a spring 743. The connecting block 71 is provided with a slot 711 near the cam 75, and the spring 743 is disposed inside the slot 711. The top block 741 is fixed above the holding block 73 and disposed near the cam 75. One end of the guide post 742 is connected to the top block 741, and the other end of the guide post 742 is movably inserted into the slot 711 to compress the spring 743 at the end.

[0050] The elastic support portion 74 is arranged in two symmetrical sets to stably support the guide shell 72 and the pressure block 73. The spring 743 in the elastic support portion 74 elastically supports the guide post 742 inside the slot 711, and connects the elastic support pressure block 73 to the outer ring of the cam 75 through the connection of the top block 741, or makes the pressure block 73 contact the outer surface of the top cylindrical shell of the cylinder 21.

[0051] The aforementioned claw component II7 can also be fully adapted and used in conjunction with the offset compensation component 8 to further improve the applicability of the clamp structure during clamping.

[0052] Please see Figure 12 and Figure 13 In the above specific embodiment, the elastic contact unit 9 includes an elastic threaded post 91, an elastic limiting pad 92, an anti-wear sleeve 93, and elastic protrusions 94. The upper surface of the holding block 73 is provided with an upper hole 732, and the lower surface of the holding block 73 is provided with a lower hole 731 coaxially arranged with the upper hole 732, the inner diameter of the lower hole 731 being larger than the inner diameter of the upper hole 732. The elastic limiting pad 92 is fixed to the top of the elastic threaded post 91, and the elastic threaded post 91 movably passes through the upper hole 732. The top of the anti-wear sleeve 93 is provided with a threaded hole 95 that screws into the elastic threaded post 91. Multiple elastic protrusions 94 are arranged in a ring array on the top of the anti-wear sleeve 93 and fixedly connected to the anti-wear sleeve 93. The top of the anti-wear sleeve 93, together with the elastic protrusions 94, is inserted into the lower hole 731. The outer edge of the bottom of the anti-wear sleeve 93 is arc-shaped.

[0053] The elastic limiting pad 92 and elastic threaded post 91 in the elastic contact unit 9 are integrally molded. The elastic threaded post 91, elastic limiting pad 92, and elastic protrusion 94 are made of composite rubber. The anti-wear sleeve 93 can be made of modified polyurethane material, which has good wear resistance. The anti-wear sleeve 93 and elastic protrusion 94 are bonded together. The anti-wear sleeve 93 and elastic threaded post 91 are screwed together, so that the multiple elastic protrusions 94 on the top of the anti-wear sleeve 93 are tightly pressed against the inner top wall of the lower hole 731.

[0054] When the clamping block 73, in conjunction with the elastic contact unit 9, grips the side of the wafer carrier, the bottom of the anti-wear sleeve 93 installed in the elastic contact unit 9 on the clamping block 73 contacts the wafer carrier. When the anti-wear sleeve 93 is compressed upon contact with the carrier, the elastic protrusion 94 on the top of the anti-wear sleeve 93 provides a certain amount of elasticity to the anti-wear sleeve 93. At the same time, the elasticity of the elastic threaded post 91 itself allows the elastic threaded post 91 to have a certain amount of compression space inside the upper hole 732. The compressed elastic threaded post 91 can move along with the placement offset of the anti-wear sleeve 93 and the wafer carrier. That is, within a certain offset of the wafer carrier, the elastic contact unit 9 can further compensate for the offset during carrier placement, significantly enhancing the clamping and anti-slip effect, while also improving the carrier anti-shaking requirements suitable for high-flow inflation scenarios.

[0055] Meanwhile, the anti-wear sleeve 93 and the elastic threaded post 91 are detachably connected, allowing for quick and easy replacement of individual damaged elastic contact units 9. This further enhances the convenience of the modular design, and replacing individual components also effectively reduces the maintenance cost of the fixture.

[0056] It should be noted that the specific models and specifications of the aforementioned double-acting cylinder 2, interruption-type photoelectric sensor 4, and two-position five-way solenoid valve need to be selected and determined based on the actual specifications of the device. The specific selection calculation method adopts existing technology in this field, and therefore will not be described in detail. The power supply and principle of the double-acting cylinder 2, interruption-type photoelectric sensor 4, and two-position five-way solenoid valve are clear to those skilled in the art, and will not be described in detail here.

[0057] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0058] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A wafer carrier with externally mounted clamping mechanisms on both sides, characterized in that, include: The four double-acting cylinders (2) and the interruption photoelectric sensor (4) are evenly distributed and installed on both sides of the wafer carrier above the carrier placement platform (1) by the fixing frame I (201), with two cylinders on each side, and the four double-acting cylinders (2) are arranged symmetrically about the center of the wafer carrier. Each of the double-acting cylinders (2) is provided with a clamping claw at its output end. The double-acting cylinder (2) is used to drive the clamping claw to perform rotation and lifting actions respectively. The four sets of double-acting cylinders (2) are connected in parallel to a two-position five-way solenoid valve, and the two-position five-way solenoid valve synchronously controls the action of the four double-acting cylinders (2); The four interruption-type photoelectric sensors (4) are respectively fixedly installed by docking with the fixing frame I (201) through the fixing frame II (401). The four interruption-type photoelectric sensors (4) are used to detect whether the clamping or releasing action of the clamping claw is in place. The carrier placement platform (1) is provided with uniformly symmetrically distributed disk surface air inlets (6) between four sets of double-acting cylinders (2). After the clamping claws of the four sets of double-acting cylinders (2) fix the wafer carrier, the air inlet at the bottom of the wafer carrier is correspondingly fitted with the disk surface air inlet (6), and the disk surface air inlet (6) supports the wafer carrier.

2. The wafer carrier external clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The double-acting cylinder (2) drives the gripper claw to rotate at an angle of 90°, and the rotation direction is toward the center side of the wafer carrier.

3. The wafer carrier external clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an offset compensation component (8), which is installed at the output end of the double-acting cylinder (2) and connected to the clamping claw. The offset compensation component (8) works with the clamping claw to compensate for installation errors or slight deviations of the wafer carrier.

4. The wafer carrier external clamping mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The offset compensation component (8) includes a housing (81), a cover ring (82), a transverse rotating part (83), a longitudinal rotating part (84), an elastic limiting sleeve I (85), an elastic limiting sleeve II (86), and an elastic auxiliary support pad (88). The housing (81) is fixed to the output end of the double-acting cylinder (2). The top inner edge of the housing (81) is symmetrically provided with mounting grooves (87) for mounting the elastic limiting sleeve II (86). The end of the longitudinal rotating part (84) is inserted into the elastic limiting sleeve II (86) for rotational limiting. The sex limiting sleeve I (85) is set inside the longitudinal rotating part (84). The seat shell (81) has an installation port on one side to fix the elastic auxiliary support pad (88). The transverse rotating part (83) is located above, and the tail end of the transverse rotating part (83) moves through the longitudinal rotating part (84) and is inserted into the elastic limiting sleeve I (85) for rotation and limiting. The front end of the transverse rotating part (83) is connected to the clamp hook. The cover ring (82) is detachably fixed to the top of the seat shell (81) to limit and fix the elastic limiting sleeve II (86) and the elastic auxiliary support pad (88).

5. The wafer carrier external clamping mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The longitudinal rotating part (84) includes a central shaft (841) and end shafts (842). A round hole (844) is provided on the front side of the central shaft (841), and a flat hole (845) communicating with the round hole (844) is provided on the rear side of the central shaft (841). The two end shafts (842) are respectively fixed at both ends of the central shaft (841), and a lever (843) is fixed above the end shaft (842) to limit the engagement with the elastic limiting sleeve II (86). The bottom of the elastic limiting sleeve II (86) is provided with a U-shaped groove (861) for the limiting lever (843), and a U-shaped cavity (862) is provided inside the elastic limiting sleeve II (86).

6. The wafer carrier external clamping mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The transverse rotating part (83) includes a support block (831), a tail shaft (832) and a tail block (833). The tail shaft (832) is fixedly connected to the tail block (833) and the support block (831). The elastic limiting sleeve I (85) is fixedly embedded in the flat hole (845). The tail shaft (832) rotates in the round hole (844). The tail block (833) is inserted into the elastic limiting sleeve I (85) to limit the rotational offset position of the tail shaft (832).

7. The wafer carrier external clamping mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The elastic limiting sleeve I (85) has a spiral cavity (851) inside, and the bottom and top of the spiral cavity (851) are provided with connecting strips (852) integrally formed with the elastic limiting sleeve I (85).

8. The wafer carrier external clamping mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The elastic support pad (88) includes a bottom pad (881), a vertical piece (882), and an ear piece (883). The two bottom pads (881) are respectively connected to the two sides above the bottom pad (881), and the ear piece (883) is set on the top of the vertical piece (882). The bottom pad (881), the vertical piece (882), and the ear piece (883) are integrally formed. The top and bottom sides of the mounting port on the side of the housing (81) are provided with slots for positioning the ear piece (883) and the end of the bottom pad (881).

9. The wafer carrier external clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping hook is a claw component I (3), which includes a mounting part (31), a connecting part (32) and a clamping part (33). The mounting part (31) is fixed to the output end of the double-acting cylinder (2). The connecting part (32) connects the mounting part (31) and the clamping part (33). A detection block I (10) is provided on the outside of the mounting part (31) to cooperate with the detection of the interrupted photoelectric sensor (4).

10. The wafer carrier external clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The carrier placement platform (1) is provided with a positioning groove that is adapted to the bottom of the wafer carrier, and the positioning groove corresponds to the position after the clamping claws hold the wafer.

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