Multi-size wafer compatible automatic feeding mechanism and positioning method

Abstract

The application discloses a multi-size wafer compatible automatic feeding mechanism and positioning method, which comprises a first rack and a second rack. A bearing jig and a positioning conveying mechanism are installed at the top of the first rack. A supporting plate feeding mechanism and an empty tray recycling mechanism are installed below the first rack. A first carrying mechanism is installed on the first rack to carry wafers to the bearing jig. A second carrying mechanism is installed on the first rack to carry wafers on the bearing jig to the positioning conveying mechanism. A tray feeding mechanism is installed at the lower part of the second rack. A tray conveying mechanism and a full-load conveying mechanism are installed at the upper part of the second rack. A third carrying mechanism is installed on the second rack to carry wafers from the positioning conveying mechanism to the tray conveying mechanism. The application can be compatible with multiple sizes of wafers, significantly improve the flexible production capacity of the equipment, and meet the automatic feeding demand of multiple varieties of wafers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wafer loading technology, specifically a multi-size wafer compatible automatic loading mechanism and positioning method. Background Technology

[0002] Wafers are the basic material for manufacturing semiconductor chips. Before precise dicing, wafers need to undergo laser polishing to improve surface quality and flatness. Currently, automated loading and unloading systems in the wafer manufacturing process mainly consist of wafer handling robots, wafer loading cassettes, or complete EFFM (Electronic Front-End Module) systems.

[0003] The existing publication number CN119340255B discloses an automatic multi-size wafer loading and unloading device, including a worktable, a loading and unloading track structure and a mounting frame. The loading and unloading track structure is located between a wafer loading component and a wafer unloading component. A loading and unloading gripper assembly is installed on the mounting frame. The loading and unloading gripper assembly picks up the multi-size wafer loading tray containing the wafer to be processed from the wafer loading component and moves it along the loading and unloading track structure to a transfer loading point for loading operation, or picks up the multi-size wafer loading tray containing the processed wafer at the transfer loading point and moves it to the wafer unloading component for unloading operation. The transfer component picks up the multi-size wafer loading tray and moves the multi-size wafer loading tray between the transfer loading point and the processing positioning component.

[0004] Existing wafer loading and unloading devices are mostly designed for a single size, making them incompatible with wafers of various diameters. When switching products, it is necessary to replace the chucks, fixtures, and positioning components, resulting in long debugging times and significant downtime losses, making it difficult to meet the needs of flexible production with multiple product varieties. Existing equipment lacks structures such as precise positioning of the support plate, anti-stack separation, and wafer angle correction. The support plate is prone to sticking and stacking of wafers, and wafers are prone to misalignment and skew, failing to meet the alignment requirements of precision processing such as laser polishing and cutting, resulting in low processing yield. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a multi-size wafer compatible automatic feeding mechanism and positioning method to solve the problems in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a multi-size wafer compatible automatic feeding mechanism, comprising a first frame and a second frame. A carrying fixture and a positioning conveying mechanism are mounted at the top of the first frame. A support plate feeding mechanism and an empty tray recycling mechanism are mounted below the first frame. A plate picking mechanism is mounted above the support plate feeding mechanism and the empty tray recycling mechanism on the first frame. A first conveying mechanism for transporting wafers to the carrying fixture is mounted on the first frame. A second conveying mechanism for transporting wafers from the carrying fixture to the positioning conveying mechanism is mounted on the first frame. A tray feeding mechanism is mounted at the bottom of the second frame. A tray distribution conveying mechanism and a full-load conveying mechanism are mounted at the top of the second frame. A third conveying mechanism for transporting wafers from the positioning conveying mechanism to the tray distribution conveying mechanism is mounted on the second frame.

[0007] Preferably, both the first and second handling mechanisms include a first servo linear module, a first lifting cylinder, a first push-pull cylinder, and a first suction cup assembly. The first servo linear module drives the first lifting cylinder to reciprocate, the first lifting cylinder drives the first push-pull cylinder to lift, and the first push-pull cylinder drives the first suction cup assembly to move back and forth.

[0008] Preferably, the bearing fixture includes a first cylinder, a second cylinder, a support base, and a pressure rod. The first cylinder drives the second cylinder to reciprocate, and the second cylinder drives the support base to move back and forth.

[0009] Preferably, the positioning and conveying mechanism includes a support frame, a first synchronous belt drive assembly, a conveying plate, positioning pins, and a plate-separating assembly. The top of the conveying plate is equipped with multiple positioning pins. The conveying plate is slidably mounted on the support frame. The conveying plate is driven to reciprocate by the first synchronous belt drive assembly. Plate-separating assemblies are installed on both sides of the support frame above the support plate feeding mechanism. The plate-separating assembly includes a plate-separating cylinder and a plate-separating plug. The plate-separating cylinder drives the plate-separating plug to reciprocate.

[0010] Preferably, the plate-retrieving mechanism includes two crossbeams, and both the support plate feeding mechanism and the empty plate recycling mechanism are equipped with second lifting cylinders, which drive the second suction cup assembly to rise and fall; the support plate feeding mechanism and the empty plate recycling mechanism each include a first lead screw drive assembly and a first lifting seat, which drive the first lifting seat to rise and fall.

[0011] Preferably, the third conveying mechanism includes a three-dimensional module, a lifting frame, a motor base, a rotary motor, and a third suction cup assembly. The three-dimensional module drives the lifting frame to move up and down. The lifting frame is equipped with two motor bases, and each motor base is equipped with a rotary motor. The rotary motor drives the third suction cup assembly to rotate. The third suction cup assembly includes a first fixing plate, a first suction cup, a second fixing plate, and a second suction cup. The second fixing plate is installed on one side of the first fixing plate. The first fixing plate is annularly and adjustablely equipped with multiple first suction cups, and the second fixing plate is adjustablely equipped with multiple second suction cups.

[0012] Preferably, the tray conveying mechanism includes a first tray assembly, a second synchronous belt drive assembly, and a second tray assembly. The second synchronous belt drive assembly drives the two second tray assemblies to reciprocate. One section of the second synchronous belt drive assembly is provided with two first tray assemblies. The first tray assembly includes a base, a second lifting seat, a first moving plate, and a first insert plate. The base is equipped with a fourth cylinder that drives the second lifting seat to move up and down. The second lifting seat is equipped with a fifth cylinder that drives the first moving plate to move back and forth. Both ends of the first moving plate are equipped with first insert plates. The second tray assembly includes a base plate, a third cylinder, a second moving plate, and a second insert plate. The base plate is equipped with a third cylinder that drives the second moving plate to move back and forth. Both ends of the second moving plate are equipped with second insert plates.

[0013] Preferably, the full-load conveying mechanism includes a first limiting plate, a first roller conveyor line, a third lifting seat, a third synchronous belt drive assembly, and a first movable seat. The first limiting plate is installed on both sides of the first roller conveyor line, and the first movable seat is provided in the middle of the first roller conveyor line. The third synchronous belt drive assembly drives the first movable seat to move back and forth, and the first movable seat is equipped with a sixth cylinder that drives the third lifting seat to rise and fall.

[0014] Preferably, the material feeding mechanism includes a second roller conveyor, a second limiting plate, a fourth synchronous belt drive assembly, a fourth lifting seat, a pallet, and a second screw drive assembly. The second roller conveyor is provided with second limiting plates on both sides. The fourth synchronous belt drive assembly drives the second moving seat to reciprocate. The second moving seat is equipped with a seventh cylinder that drives the fourth lifting seat to rise and fall. The second screw drive assembly drives the pallet to rise and fall.

[0015] A multi-size wafer compatible automated loading and positioning method includes the following steps:

[0016] S1. The support plate feeding mechanism drives the first lifting seat to rise through the first lead screw drive assembly, raising the stacked support plates to the picking position; the second lifting cylinder of the picking mechanism drives the second suction cup assembly to descend, adsorbing the top single support plate and transferring it to the conveyor plate of the positioning conveyor mechanism; the plate separating cylinder of the positioning conveyor mechanism drives the plate separating plug to extend, separating the adhered support plates and ensuring single-sheet feeding; the positioning pin on the conveyor plate performs precise hole positioning on the support plate, completing the posture correction of the support plate;

[0017] S2. The first conveying mechanism uses the first servo linear module, the first lifting cylinder, and the first push-pull cylinder to adsorb and transfer the wafer to be processed to the carrier fixture; the carrier fixture uses the first cylinder and the second cylinder to drive the support base to perform fine-tuning and preliminary positioning of the wafer.

[0018] S3. The second transport mechanism picks up the wafer that has been initially positioned on the carrier fixture and transfers it to the support plate that has been precisely positioned by the positioning and conveying mechanism; the first synchronous belt drive assembly drives the conveying plate to move along the support frame and sends the support plate and the wafer together to the material picking station of the third transport mechanism to complete the final precision positioning of the wafer.

[0019] S4. The material tray feeding mechanism transports the empty material tray to the designated position through the second roller conveyor line; the second screw drive assembly drives the pallet to rise, raising the empty material tray to the transfer height; the fourth synchronous belt drive assembly is linked with the seventh cylinder to transfer the empty material tray to the tray distribution conveyor mechanism; the second insert plate assembly of the tray distribution conveyor mechanism is driven by the third cylinder to extend the second insert plate, clamp the empty material tray, and complete the tray distribution and preparation for the tray to be loaded.

[0020] S5. The third conveying mechanism moves to the picking position through the three-dimensional module. The rotary motor drives the third suction cup assembly to rotate and adjust the wafer angle. The third suction cup assembly adapts to the wafer of the corresponding size and completes flexible adsorption through the adjustable suction cup one and suction cup two. The three-dimensional module transfers the wafer to the empty tray of the tray conveying mechanism to complete the precise tray loading.

[0021] S6. The tray conveying mechanism drives the second tray insertion assembly to move via the second synchronous belt drive assembly, placing the loaded trays onto the third lifting seat of the full-load conveying mechanism; the first tray insertion assembly, in conjunction with lifting and telescopic movements, enables multiple trays to be stacked layer by layer; the full-load conveying mechanism drives the third lifting seat to rise via the sixth cylinder, and the third synchronous belt drive assembly transfers the full-load trays to the first roller conveyor line, automatically outputting them to the next process;

[0022] S7. After use, the empty support plate is picked up by the plate picking mechanism and transferred to the empty tray recycling mechanism; the first screw drive assembly drives the first lifting seat to descend layer by layer, completing the automatic stacking and recycling of the empty support plate, forming a material closed loop.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0024] 1. The present invention uses a third conveying mechanism to set up a combination of a first fixed plate, a second fixed plate and an adjustable suction cup one and a suction cup two, and uses a rotary motor to adjust the wafer angle. This allows a single suction cup assembly to be compatible with wafers of various sizes. When changing production models, there is no need to change the fixtures or readjust the air circuit and control program, which significantly improves the equipment's flexible production capabilities and meets the needs of automated feeding of multiple types of wafers.

[0025] 2. This invention achieves precise positioning of the support plate by setting positioning pins on the conveyor plate through a positioning conveying mechanism. In conjunction with the bearing fixture, a dual-drive structure of the first and second cylinders is used to achieve fine adjustment of the wafer position. At the same time, the separation components on both sides of the support frame are set to achieve forced separation of the bonded support plate, effectively avoiding positioning deviation caused by stacking materials. It achieves double precision positioning of the support plate and the wafer, with high positioning accuracy, which can meet the stringent alignment requirements of precision processing processes such as semiconductor laser polishing and cutting, and improve the processing yield.

[0026] 3. This invention integrates a pallet feeding mechanism, an empty tray recycling mechanism, a first handling mechanism, a second handling mechanism, a tray feeding mechanism, a tray conveying mechanism, a full-load conveying mechanism, and a third handling mechanism through a modular dual-frame layout of a first frame and a second frame. This achieves fully automated operation of the entire process, including automatic pallet feeding, automatic wafer handling, precise wafer positioning, automatic empty tray supply, automatic wafer loading, automatic tray stacking, automatic full-load tray output, and automatic empty pallet recycling. No manual intervention is required, the equipment has a stable cycle time, and can operate continuously and automatically, significantly improving production efficiency and reducing labor costs.

[0027] 4. This invention achieves single-sheet feeding of the support plate by setting up a plate-separating assembly through a positioning conveying mechanism, eliminating material jamming and stacking failures; the wafer is placed on the support plate for conveying and handling throughout the process, avoiding direct contact between the wafer and the metal mechanism, which would cause surface scratches; the full-load conveying mechanism and the material tray feeding mechanism are respectively equipped with a first limit plate and a second limit plate to prevent the material tray from shifting and jamming; each handling mechanism adopts flexible suction cup adsorption and cylinder buffer action to avoid hard contact impact on the wafer, the equipment operates stably and reliably, has a low failure rate, and a high overall utilization rate.

[0028] 5. This invention adopts an independent modular design for the first and second racks. The first rack is responsible for wafer loading and precise positioning, while the second rack is responsible for tray supply, wafer loading, and full-load output. Each functional module is independently installed, driven, and controlled, with standardized interfaces. During maintenance, it can be disassembled and repaired individually without affecting the normal operation of other modules. At the same time, the feeding, handling, and conveying functional units can be flexibly added or removed according to production capacity and site requirements, with strong scalability and versatility, adapting to different production scenarios.

[0029] 6. The third conveying mechanism of the present invention is equipped with two sets of rotary motors and a third suction cup assembly, which can simultaneously complete the gripping, rotation and placement of two wafers. Compared with the single suction cup structure, the wafer processing efficiency is significantly improved, effectively optimizing the feeding cycle of the entire line, avoiding feeding bottlenecks, and matching the feeding requirements of the high-speed processing equipment at the back end.

[0030] 7. This invention achieves a complete closed-loop material flow by seamlessly connecting the material tray feeding mechanism, the full-load conveying mechanism, the empty tray recycling mechanism, and the handling and sorting mechanism. This results in automatic supply, automatic use, and automatic recycling of the support plate and material tray, eliminating material accumulation and leakage, eliminating the need for manual monitoring of material status, reducing on-site management costs, and improving material flow efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0031] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used in conjunction with embodiments of the invention to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of the first frame of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first conveying mechanism of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support fixture of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning and conveying mechanism of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the plate-removing mechanism of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support plate feeding mechanism of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 8 This is a structural schematic diagram of the second frame of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the third transport mechanism of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the third suction cup assembly of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the tray conveying mechanism, the full-load conveying mechanism, and the tray feeding mechanism of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the tray conveying mechanism of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the fully loaded conveying mechanism of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the material feeding mechanism of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the material feeding mechanism of the present invention.

[0047] In the diagram: 1. First frame; 2. First conveying mechanism; 3. Bearing fixture; 4. Second conveying mechanism; 5. Third conveying mechanism; 6. Disk conveying mechanism; 7. Full-load conveying mechanism; 8. Support plate feeding mechanism; 9. Material tray feeding mechanism; 10. Second frame; 11. Plate picking mechanism; 12. Positioning conveying mechanism; 13. Empty tray recycling mechanism; 21. First servo linear module; 22. First lifting cylinder; 23. First push-pull cylinder; 24. First suction cup assembly; 31. First cylinder; 32. Second cylinder; 33. Support seat; 34. Pressure rod; 111. Crossbeam; 112. Second lifting cylinder; 113. Second suction cup assembly; 121. Support frame; 122. First synchronous belt drive assembly; 123. Conveyor plate; 124. Positioning pin; 125. Disk assembly; 81. First lead screw drive assembly; 82. First lifting seat; 51. Three-dimensional module; 52. Lifting... Frame; 53, Motor base; 54, Rotary motor; 55, Third suction cup assembly; 551, First fixing plate; 552, Suction cup one; 553, Second fixing plate; 554, Suction cup two; 61, First insert plate assembly; 62, Second synchronous belt drive assembly; 63, Second insert plate assembly; 611, Base; 612, Second lifting seat; 613, First moving plate; 614, First insert plate; 631, Base plate; 632, Third cylinder; 633, Second moving plate; 634, Second insert plate; 71, First limiting plate; 72, First roller conveyor line; 73, Third lifting seat; 74, Third synchronous belt drive assembly; 75, First moving seat; 91, Second roller conveyor line; 92, Second limiting plate; 93, Fourth synchronous belt drive assembly; 94, Fourth lifting seat; 95, Support plate; 96, Second lead screw drive assembly; 97, Second moving seat; 98, Inclined surface; 99, Groove. Detailed Implementation

[0048] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention 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 the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention.

[0049] Please see Figure 1-15 In this embodiment of the invention, a multi-size wafer-compatible automatic feeding mechanism includes a first frame 1 and a second frame 10. A support fixture 3 and a positioning conveying mechanism 12 are mounted on the top of the first frame 1. A support plate feeding mechanism 8 and an empty disk recycling mechanism 13 are mounted below the first frame 1. A board-retrieving mechanism 11 is mounted above the support plate feeding mechanism 8 and the empty disk recycling mechanism 13 on the first frame 1. The support plate feeding mechanism 8 is used to feed the support plate of the wafer; the empty disk recycling mechanism 13 is used to retrieve the empty fixture that supports the support plate. The rack 1 is equipped with a first transport mechanism 2 for transporting wafers to the carrier fixture 3, and a second transport mechanism 4 for transporting wafers on the carrier fixture 3 to the positioning conveyor mechanism 12; the lower part of the second rack 10 is equipped with a tray feeding mechanism 9, which is used to provide a wafer fixture carrying wafers with support plates; the upper part of the second rack 10 is equipped with a tray conveyor mechanism 6 and a full-load conveyor mechanism 7, and the second rack 10 is equipped with a third transport mechanism 5 for transporting wafers from the positioning conveyor mechanism 12 to the tray conveyor mechanism 6.

[0050] The first conveying mechanism 2 and the second conveying mechanism 4 both include a first servo linear module 21, a first lifting cylinder 22, a first push-pull cylinder 23 and a first suction cup assembly 24. The first servo linear module 21 drives the first lifting cylinder 22 to reciprocate, the first lifting cylinder 22 drives the first push-pull cylinder 23 to lift, and the first push-pull cylinder 23 drives the first suction cup assembly 24 to move back and forth.

[0051] The first servo linear module 21 of the first handling mechanism 2 drives the first lifting cylinder 22 to move horizontally to the wafer picking position; the first lifting cylinder 22 drives the first push-pull cylinder 23 to descend, and the first push-pull cylinder 23 extends, so that the first suction cup assembly 24 adheres to the wafer and adsorbs it; the lifting, retraction and horizontal movement are linked to accurately place the wafer onto the carrier fixture 3.

[0052] The bearing fixture 3 includes a first cylinder 31, a second cylinder 32, a support base 33, and a pressure rod 34. The first cylinder 31 drives the second cylinder 32 to reciprocate, and the second cylinder 32 drives the support base 33 to move back and forth.

[0053] The positioning and conveying mechanism 12 includes a support frame 121, a first synchronous belt drive assembly 122, a conveying plate 123, positioning pins 124, and a plate-separating assembly 125. The top of the conveying plate 123 is equipped with multiple positioning pins 124. The conveying plate 123 is slidably mounted on the support frame 121. The conveying plate 123 is driven to reciprocate by the first synchronous belt drive assembly 122. Plate-separating assemblies 125 are installed on both sides of the support frame 121 above the support plate feeding mechanism 8. The plate-separating assembly 125 includes a plate-separating cylinder and a plate-separating plug. The plate-separating cylinder drives the plate-separating plug to reciprocate. The separating assembly 125 extends to separate the adhered support plates, ensuring single-sheet feeding and preventing jamming. The support plate is placed on the conveyor plate 123 with positioning pins 124. The positioning pins 124 perform high-precision positioning of the support plate to meet the alignment requirements of semiconductor processing. The wafer is placed on the support plate. The first synchronous belt drive assembly 122 drives the conveyor plate 123 to move horizontally along the support frame 121, sending the wafer to the picking station of the third handling mechanism 5.

[0054] The plate-retrieving mechanism 11 includes two crossbeams 111. Both crossbeams 111 are equipped with second lifting cylinders 112. The second lifting cylinders 112 drive the second suction cup assembly 113 to lift. Both the plate-retrieving mechanism 8 and the empty plate recycling mechanism 13 include a first lead screw drive assembly 81 and a first lifting seat 82. The first lead screw drive assembly 81 drives the first lifting seat 82 to lift.

[0055] After use, the empty support plate fixture is adsorbed by the second suction cup assembly 113 of the plate picking mechanism 11 and transferred to the first lifting seat 82 of the empty plate recycling mechanism 13. The first lead screw drive assembly 81 drives the lifting seat to descend, completing the automatic stacking and recycling of the empty support plate fixture.

[0056] The first lead screw drive assembly 81 of the support plate feeding mechanism 8 drives the first lifting seat 82 to rise vertically, raising the stacked support plates layer by layer to the plate picking height, providing a support substrate for the wafers and preventing the wafers from directly contacting the mechanism and causing scratches. The second lifting cylinder 112 drives the second suction cup assembly 113 to descend, adsorbing the top single support plate of the support plate feeding mechanism 8, and after rising, it is transferred to the conveyor plate 123 of the positioning conveyor mechanism 12, completing the automatic feeding of the support plates.

[0057] The third conveying mechanism 5 includes a three-dimensional module 51, a lifting frame 52, a motor base 53, a rotary motor 54, and a third suction cup assembly 55. The three-dimensional module 51 drives the lifting frame 52 to rise and fall. The lifting frame 52 is equipped with two motor bases 53, and the motor bases 53 are equipped with rotary motors 54. The rotary motors 54 drive the third suction cup assembly 55 to rotate. The third suction cup assembly 55 includes a first fixing plate 551, a first suction cup 552, a second fixing plate 553, and a second suction cup 554. The second fixing plate 553 is installed on one side of the first fixing plate 551. The first fixing plate 551 is ring-shaped and adjustablely equipped with multiple first suction cups 552. The second fixing plate 553 is adjustablely equipped with multiple second suction cups 554. The three-dimensional module 51 realizes X / Y / Z three-axis movement, driving the lifting frame 52 to accurately reach the material picking position of the positioning conveying mechanism 12; the rotary motor 54 drives the third suction cup assembly 55 to rotate, adjusting the wafer angle to adapt to the tray loading direction; the annular adjustable suction cup 552 on the first fixed plate 551 adsorbs large-size wafers; the adjustable suction cup 554 on the second fixed plate 553 adsorbs small-size wafers, adapting to wafers of different specifications without changing hardware; after adsorption and precise positioning, the wafers are transferred to the empty tray of the tray conveying mechanism 6 to complete the tray loading.

[0058] The tray conveying mechanism 6 includes a first tray assembly 61, a second synchronous belt drive assembly 62, and a second tray assembly 63. The second synchronous belt drive assembly 62 drives the two second tray assemblies 63 to reciprocate. One section of the second synchronous belt drive assembly 62 is provided with two first tray assemblies 61. The first tray assembly 61 includes a base 611, a second lifting seat 612, a first moving plate 613, and a first insert plate 614. The base 611 is equipped with a fourth cylinder that drives the second lifting seat 612 to rise and fall. The second lifting seat 612 is equipped with a fifth cylinder that drives the first moving plate 613 to move back and forth. The first insert plate 614 is installed at both ends of the first moving plate 613. The second tray assembly 63 includes a base plate 631, a third cylinder 632, a second moving plate 633, and a second insert plate 634. The base plate 631 is equipped with a third cylinder 632, which drives the second moving plate 633 to move back and forth. The second insert plate 634 is installed at both ends of the second moving plate 633. The third cylinder 632 drives the second moving plate 633 to extend, and the second insert plate 634 clamps the separated empty material tray; the third conveying mechanism 5 transports the wafer to the empty material tray; the second synchronous belt drive assembly 62 drives the second insert assembly 63 to move horizontally, placing the material tray on the third lifting seat 73, and then the first insert assembly 61 supports the material, stacking multiple material trays; after stacking, the full-load conveying mechanism 7 transports them.

[0059] The full-load conveying mechanism 7 includes a first limiting plate 71, a first roller conveyor line 72, a third lifting seat 73, a third synchronous belt drive assembly 74, and a first movable seat 75. The first limiting plates 71 are installed on both sides of the first roller conveyor line 72, and the first movable seat 75 is located in the middle of the first roller conveyor line 72. The third synchronous belt drive assembly 74 drives the first movable seat 75 to reciprocate. The first movable seat 75 is equipped with a sixth cylinder that drives the third lifting seat 73 to rise and fall. After the tray is full of wafers, the sixth cylinder drives the third lifting seat 73 to rise and lift the full-load tray; the third synchronous belt drive assembly 74 drives the first movable seat 75 to move horizontally, transferring the full-load tray to the first roller conveyor line 72; the first roller conveyor line 72 starts, automatically outputting the full-load tray, and the first limiting plate 71 prevents conveying deviation.

[0060] The material tray feeding mechanism 9 includes a second roller conveyor 91, a second limiting plate 92, a fourth synchronous belt drive assembly 93, a fourth lifting seat 94, a pallet 95, and a second screw drive assembly 96. The second roller conveyor 91 has second limiting plates 92 on both sides. The fourth synchronous belt drive assembly 93 drives a second movable seat 97 to reciprocate. The second movable seat 97 is equipped with a seventh cylinder that drives the fourth lifting seat 94 to rise and fall. The second screw drive assembly 96 drives the pallet 95 to rise and fall. An empty material tray is placed on the second roller conveyor 91, and the second limiting plate 92 limits its movement to prevent deviation. The second screw drive assembly 96 drives the pallet 95 to rise and fall, raising the empty material tray to the transfer height. The fourth synchronous belt drive assembly 93 drives the second movable seat 97 to move horizontally, and the seventh cylinder drives the fourth lifting seat 94 to lift the empty material tray and transfer it to the tray conveying mechanism 6.

[0061] A multi-size wafer compatible automated loading and positioning method includes the following steps:

[0062] S1. The support plate feeding mechanism 8 drives the first lifting seat 82 to rise through the first lead screw drive assembly 81, raising the stacked support plates to the picking position; the second lifting cylinder 112 of the picking mechanism 11 drives the second suction cup assembly 113 to descend, adsorbing the top single support plate and transferring it to the conveyor plate 123 of the positioning conveyor mechanism 12; the plate separating cylinder of the positioning conveyor mechanism 12 drives the plate separating plug to extend, separating the adhered support plates and ensuring single-sheet feeding; the positioning pin 124 on the conveyor plate 123 performs precise hole positioning on the support plate, completing the posture correction of the support plate;

[0063] S2. The first transport mechanism 2, through the linkage of the first servo linear module 21, the first lifting cylinder 22, and the first push-pull cylinder 23, adsorbs and transfers the wafer to be processed to the carrier fixture 3. The carrier fixture 3 drives the support base 33 through the first cylinder 31 and the second cylinder 32 to perform fine-tuning and preliminary positioning of the wafer.

[0064] S3, the second transport mechanism 4 adsorbs the wafer that has been initially positioned on the support fixture 3 and transfers it to the support plate that has been precisely positioned by the positioning and conveying mechanism 12; the first synchronous belt drive assembly 122 drives the conveying plate 123 to move along the support frame 121, and sends the support plate and the wafer together to the material picking station of the third transport mechanism 5 to complete the final precision positioning of the wafer.

[0065] S4. The material tray feeding mechanism 9 transports the empty material tray to the designated position through the second roller conveyor line 91; the second lead screw drive assembly 96 drives the pallet 95 to rise, raising the empty material tray to the transfer height; the fourth synchronous belt drive assembly 93 is linked with the seventh cylinder to transfer the empty material tray to the tray distribution conveyor 6; the second tray insertion assembly 63 of the tray distribution conveyor 6 drives the second insertion plate 634 to extend through the third cylinder 632, clamping the empty material tray and completing the tray distribution and preparation for loading.

[0066] S5. The third conveying mechanism 5 moves to the picking position through the three-dimensional module 51. The rotary motor 54 drives the third suction cup assembly 55 to rotate and adjust the wafer angle. The third suction cup assembly 55 adapts to the wafer of the corresponding size and completes flexible adsorption through the adjustable suction cup 1 552 and suction cup 2 554. The three-dimensional module 51 transfers the wafer to the empty tray of the tray conveying mechanism 6 to complete the precise tray loading.

[0067] S6. The tray conveying mechanism 6 drives the second tray insertion assembly 63 to move via the second synchronous belt drive assembly 62, placing the loaded trays onto the third lifting seat 73 of the full-load conveying mechanism 7; the first tray insertion assembly 61, in conjunction with lifting and telescopic movements, realizes the stacking of multiple trays layer by layer; the full-load conveying mechanism 7 drives the third lifting seat 73 to rise via the sixth cylinder, and the third synchronous belt drive assembly 74 transfers the full-load trays to the first roller conveyor line 72, automatically outputting them to the next process;

[0068] S7. After use, the empty support plate is picked up by the plate picking mechanism 11 and transferred to the empty plate recycling mechanism 13. The first screw drive assembly 81 drives the first lifting seat 82 to descend layer by layer, completing the automatic stacking and recycling of the empty support plate and forming a material closed loop.

[0069] The working principle of this invention is:

[0070] The first lead screw drive assembly 81 of the support plate feeding mechanism 8 drives the first lifting seat 82 to rise vertically, raising the stacked support plates layer by layer to the plate picking height, providing a support substrate for the wafers and preventing the wafers from directly contacting the mechanism and causing scratches. The second lifting cylinder 112 drives the second suction cup assembly 113 to descend, adsorbing the top single support plate of the support plate feeding mechanism 8, and after rising, it is transferred to the conveyor plate 123 of the positioning conveyor mechanism 12, completing the automatic feeding of the support plates.

[0071] The first servo linear module 21 of the first handling mechanism 2 drives the first lifting cylinder 22 to move horizontally to the wafer picking position; the first lifting cylinder 22 drives the first push-pull cylinder 23 to descend, and the first push-pull cylinder 23 extends, so that the first suction cup assembly 24 adheres to the wafer and adsorbs it; the lifting, retraction and horizontal movement are linked to accurately place the wafer onto the carrier fixture 3.

[0072] The separating assembly 125 extends to separate the adhered support plates, ensuring single-sheet feeding and preventing jamming. The support plate is placed on the conveyor plate 123 with positioning pins 124. The positioning pins 124 perform high-precision positioning of the support plate to meet the alignment requirements of semiconductor processing. The wafer is placed on the support plate. The first synchronous belt drive assembly 122 drives the conveyor plate 123 to move horizontally along the support frame 121, sending the wafer to the picking station of the third handling mechanism 5.

[0073] After use, the empty support plate fixture is adsorbed by the second suction cup assembly 113 of the plate picking mechanism 11 and transferred to the first lifting seat 82 of the empty plate recycling mechanism 13. The first lead screw drive assembly 81 drives the lifting seat to descend, completing the automatic stacking and recycling of the empty support plate fixture.

[0074] The empty material tray is placed on the second roller conveyor line 91, and the second limiting plate 92 limits it to prevent deviation; the second screw drive assembly 96 drives the pallet 95 to lift and raise the empty material tray to the transfer height; the fourth synchronous belt drive assembly 93 drives the second moving seat 97 to move horizontally, and the seventh cylinder drives the fourth lifting seat 94 to lift the empty material tray and transfer it to the tray conveyor mechanism 6.

[0075] The third cylinder 632 drives the second moving plate 633 to extend, and the second insert plate 634 clamps the separated empty material tray; the third conveying mechanism 5 transports the wafer to the empty material tray; the second synchronous belt drive assembly 62 drives the second insert assembly 63 to move horizontally, placing the material tray on the third lifting seat 73, and then the first insert assembly 61 supports the material, stacking multiple material trays; after stacking, the full-load conveying mechanism 7 transports them.

[0076] After the tray is filled with wafers, the sixth cylinder drives the third lifting seat 73 to rise and lift the full tray; the third synchronous belt drive assembly 74 drives the first moving seat 75 to move horizontally and transfer the full tray to the first roller conveyor line 72; the first roller conveyor line 72 starts and automatically outputs the full tray, and the first limit plate 71 prevents the conveyor from deviating.

[0077] Finally, it should be noted that the above descriptions are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-size wafer compatible automatic feeding mechanism, comprising a first frame (1) and a second frame (10), characterized in that: The first rack (1) is equipped with a support fixture (3) and a positioning conveying mechanism (12) at the top. The first rack (1) is equipped with a support plate feeding mechanism (8) and an empty disk recycling mechanism (13) at the bottom. The first rack (1) is equipped with a board picking mechanism (11) above the support plate feeding mechanism (8) and the empty disk recycling mechanism (13). The first rack (1) is equipped with a first conveying mechanism (2) for transporting wafers to the support fixture (3). The first rack (1) is equipped with a second conveying mechanism (4) for transporting wafers on the support fixture (3) to the positioning conveying mechanism (12). The second frame (10) is equipped with a material tray feeding mechanism (9) at the lower part, a tray conveying mechanism (6) and a full-load conveying mechanism (7) at the upper part of the second frame (10), and a third conveying mechanism (5) for transporting the wafers from the positioning conveying mechanism (12) to the tray conveying mechanism (6) in the second frame (10). The positioning and conveying mechanism (12) includes a support frame (121), a first synchronous belt drive assembly (122), a conveying plate (123), positioning pins (124), and a plate-separating assembly (125). The top of the conveying plate (123) is equipped with multiple positioning pins (124). The conveying plate (123) is slidably mounted on the support frame (121). The conveying plate (123) is driven to reciprocate by the first synchronous belt drive assembly (122). The support frame (121) is equipped with plate-separating assemblies (125) on both sides above the support plate feeding mechanism (8). The plate-separating assembly (125) includes a plate-separating cylinder and a plate-separating plug. The plate-separating cylinder drives the plate-separating plug to reciprocate. The plate-retrieving mechanism (11) includes two crossbeams (111). The two crossbeams (111) are located at the support plate feeding mechanism (8) and the empty plate recycling mechanism (13). Both are equipped with second lifting cylinders (112). The second lifting cylinders (112) drive the second suction cup assembly (113) to lift. The support plate feeding mechanism (8) and the empty plate recycling mechanism (13) both include a first screw drive assembly (81) and a first lifting seat (82). The first screw drive assembly (81) drives the first lifting seat (82) to lift. The third handling mechanism (5) includes a three-dimensional module (51), a lifting frame (52), a motor base (53), a rotary motor (54), and a third suction cup assembly (55). The three-dimensional module (51) drives the lifting frame (52) to lift. The lifting frame (52) is equipped with two motor bases (53). The motor bases (53) are equipped with rotary motors (54). The rotary motors (54) drive the third suction cup assembly (55) to rotate. The third suction cup assembly (55) includes a first fixing plate (551), a first suction cup (552), a second fixing plate (553), and a second suction cup (554). The second fixing plate (553) is installed on one side of the first fixing plate (551). The first fixing plate (551) is ring-shaped and adjustablely equipped with multiple first suction cups (552). The second fixing plate (553) is adjustablely equipped with multiple second suction cups (554).

2. The multi-size wafer compatible automatic feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first conveying mechanism (2) and the second conveying mechanism (4) both include a first servo linear module (21), a first lifting cylinder (22), a first push-pull cylinder (23), and a first suction cup assembly (24). The first servo linear module (21) drives the first lifting cylinder (22) to reciprocate, the first lifting cylinder (22) drives the first push-pull cylinder (23) to lift, and the first push-pull cylinder (23) drives the first suction cup assembly (24) to move back and forth.

3. The multi-size wafer compatible automatic feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bearing fixture (3) includes a first cylinder (31), a second cylinder (32), a support base (33) and a pressure rod (34). The first cylinder (31) drives the second cylinder (32) to reciprocate, and the second cylinder (32) drives the support base (33) to move back and forth.

4. The multi-size wafer compatible automatic feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tray conveying mechanism (6) includes a first tray assembly (61), a second synchronous belt drive assembly (62), and a second tray assembly (63). The second synchronous belt drive assembly (62) drives the two second tray assemblies (63) to reciprocate. Two first tray assemblies (61) are provided at one end of the second synchronous belt drive assembly (62). The first tray assembly (61) includes a base (611), a second lifting seat (612), a first moving plate (613), and a first insert plate (614). The base (611) is equipped with a fourth insert plate (614) that drives the second lifting seat (612) to rise and fall. The cylinder, the second lifting seat (612) is equipped with a fifth cylinder that drives the first moving plate (613) to move back and forth, and the first moving plate (613) is equipped with a first insert plate (614) at both ends; the second insert plate assembly (63) includes a base plate (631), a third cylinder (632), a second moving plate (633) and a second insert plate (634), the base plate (631) is equipped with a third cylinder (632), the third cylinder (632) drives the second moving plate (633) to move back and forth, and the second moving plate (633) is equipped with a second insert plate (634) at both ends.

5. The multi-size wafer compatible automatic feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The full-load conveying mechanism (7) includes a first limiting plate (71), a first roller conveyor line (72), a third lifting seat (73), a third synchronous belt drive assembly (74), and a first movable seat (75). The first limiting plate (71) is installed on both sides of the first roller conveyor line (72), and the first movable seat (75) is provided in the middle of the first roller conveyor line (72). The third synchronous belt drive assembly (74) drives the first movable seat (75) to move back and forth. The first movable seat (75) is equipped with a sixth cylinder that drives the third lifting seat (73) to rise and fall.

6. The multi-size wafer compatible automatic feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material feeding mechanism (9) includes a second roller conveyor (91), a second limiting plate (92), a fourth synchronous belt drive assembly (93), a fourth lifting seat (94), a pallet (95), and a second screw drive assembly (96). The second roller conveyor (91) is provided with second limiting plates (92) on both sides. The fourth synchronous belt drive assembly (93) drives the second moving seat (97) to move back and forth. The second moving seat (97) is equipped with a seventh cylinder that drives the fourth lifting seat (94) to lift. The second screw drive assembly (96) drives the pallet (95) to lift.

7. A multi-size wafer compatible automatic feeding and positioning method, characterized in that, The multi-size wafer-compatible automatic feeding mechanism according to any one of claims 1-6 includes the following steps: S1. The support plate feeding mechanism (8) drives the first lifting seat (82) to rise through the first screw drive assembly (81), raising the stacked support plates to the picking position; the second lifting cylinder (112) of the picking mechanism (11) drives the second suction cup assembly (113) to descend, adsorbing the top single support plate and transferring it to the conveying plate (123) of the positioning conveying mechanism (12); the plate separating cylinder of the positioning conveying mechanism (12) drives the plate separating plug to extend, separating the adhered support plates and ensuring single-sheet feeding; the positioning pin (124) on the conveying plate (123) performs precise hole positioning on the support plate, completing the support plate posture correction; S2. The first transport mechanism (2) uses the first servo linear module (21), the first lifting cylinder (22), and the first push-pull cylinder (23) to adsorb and transfer the wafer to be processed to the carrier fixture (3); the carrier fixture (3) uses the first cylinder (31) and the second cylinder (32) to drive the support base (33) to fine-tune the position and perform preliminary positioning of the wafer. S3. The second transport mechanism (4) adsorbs the wafer that has been initially positioned on the support fixture (3) and transfers it to the support plate that has been precisely positioned by the positioning conveyor mechanism (12); the first synchronous belt drive assembly (122) drives the conveyor plate (123) to move along the support frame (121) and sends the support plate and the wafer together to the material picking station of the third transport mechanism (5) to complete the final precision positioning of the wafer; S4. The material tray feeding mechanism (9) transports the empty material tray to the designated position through the second roller conveyor line (91); the second screw drive assembly (96) drives the pallet (95) to rise, raising the empty material tray to the transfer height; the fourth synchronous belt drive assembly (93) is linked with the seventh cylinder to transfer the empty material tray to the tray distribution conveyor mechanism (6); the second insert plate assembly (63) of the tray distribution conveyor mechanism (6) drives the second insert plate (634) to extend through the third cylinder (632), clamping the empty material tray and completing the tray distribution and preparation for loading. S5. The third conveying mechanism (5) moves to the picking position through the three-dimensional module (51). The rotary motor (54) drives the third suction cup assembly (55) to rotate and adjust the wafer angle. The third suction cup assembly (55) adapts to the wafer of the corresponding size and completes flexible adsorption through the adjustable suction cup one (552) and suction cup two (554). The three-dimensional module (51) transfers the wafer to the empty tray of the tray conveying mechanism (6) to complete the precise tray loading. S6. The tray conveying mechanism (6) drives the second tray insertion assembly (63) to move through the second synchronous belt drive assembly (62), placing the loaded trays on the third lifting seat (73) of the full-load conveying mechanism (7); the first tray insertion assembly (61) cooperates with the lifting and telescopic actions to realize the stacking of multiple trays layer by layer; the full-load conveying mechanism (7) drives the third lifting seat (73) to rise through the sixth cylinder, and the third synchronous belt drive assembly (74) transfers the full-load trays to the first roller conveyor line (72) and automatically outputs them to the next process; S7. After use, the empty support plate is adsorbed by the plate taking mechanism (11) and transferred to the empty plate recycling mechanism (13); the first screw drive assembly (81) drives the first lifting seat (82) to descend layer by layer, completing the automatic stacking and recycling of the empty support plate, forming a material closed loop.

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