A material box feeding machine

Abstract

The application discloses a material box feeding machine, which comprises a material box storage mechanism (1), a plurality of material bins (11) are installed through opening and closing modules (12), and the width of the plurality of material bins (11) is adjusted in linkage; a transfer mechanism (2) comprises a first conveying device (21) which is translated in a first direction and is used for butt joint with the material box storage mechanism (1), and a material taking execution device (22) which clamps the material box in the material box storage mechanism (1) and conducts material conveying in a second direction, and the material taking execution device (22) comprises two conveying lines (222) which are installed in parallel through an adjusting module (221). In the above manner, the material box feeding machine has the functions of integrated automatic positioning opening and closing, full-line synchronous width adjustment and full-dimension safety detection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor assembly technology, and in particular to a cassette feeder. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor chip packaging, bonding, and wafer fabrication processes, cassettes and boats are the core carriers that hold chips, substrates, and wafers. As a key piece of equipment in the upstream of the production line, the loading machine undertakes the core functions of cassette storage, automatic positioning, precise transfer, and safe docking and delivery. Its degree of automation, positioning accuracy, adaptability, and operational safety directly determine the production efficiency and product yield of the entire production line.

[0003] Currently, mainstream semiconductor cassette loading equipment on the market suffers from numerous technical defects, severely restricting the flexible production of multi-specification products: Firstly, traditional cassette positioning structures are mostly manually adjusted, relying on the operator's experience to complete positioning calibration. This not only results in poor positioning accuracy and low consistency in adjustments among different personnel, but also easily leads to deviations in the picking position, causing chip scratches and damage, affecting the stability of equipment operation. Furthermore, each product changeover and cutting process requires a significant amount of manual time, increasing equipment downtime and drastically reducing production efficiency. At the same time, the manual adjustment range is limited, making it unable to adapt to the production needs of cassettes and chips with large size spans, resulting in extremely poor equipment compatibility.

[0004] Secondly, traditional material handling and transfer docking structures rely solely on servo program parameters for station alignment, lacking an independent physical detection and redundancy verification mechanism. After long-term operation, these systems are prone to issues such as transmission structure wear, frame deformation, loss of servo origin, and manual material feeding deviations, leading to station alignment misalignment. In this misaligned state, material handling and transfer are highly susceptible to material compression and scraping, resulting in batch product scrapping and equipment hardware damage. Furthermore, traditional equipment cannot continuously monitor the material box clamping status, and the transfer area cannot detect residual material, easily leading to serious equipment malfunctions such as material stacking and line jamming.

[0005] Third, the width of the conveyor channel of the traditional feeding machine is adjusted by manually loosening the screws and pushing and pulling the screws section by section. This cannot ensure that the conveyor structure on both sides opens and closes synchronously and at equal intervals. The centering of the conveyor channel is poor, and the material is prone to deviation and jamming. Moreover, multiple conveyor lines need to be adjusted section by section, making the cutting process cumbersome and time-consuming. The gap cannot be accurately controlled by manual adjustment, and the adjustment accuracy is low. This can easily cause deviations in the positioning of subsequent visual inspection and mounting stations, making it difficult to adapt to the flexible co-line production requirements of multi-specification chips, crystal boats and material silos. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The main technical problem solved by this invention is to provide a material box feeding machine with integrated automatic positioning and opening / closing, full-line synchronous width adjustment, and all-dimensional safety detection functions.

[0007] One technical solution adopted by this invention is: a material box feeding machine, comprising, The material storage mechanism includes multiple material bins that are installed in conjunction with an opening and closing module, wherein the opening and closing module is used to adjust the width of the multiple material bins in conjunction with the module. The transfer mechanism includes a first conveying device and a material handling execution device. The moving end of the first conveying device translates in a first direction to dock with the silo. The material handling execution device clamps the material box in the silo and conveys the material in a second direction. The material handling execution device includes two conveyor lines installed in parallel by an adjustment module. The adjustment module is used to adjust the distance between the two conveyor lines.

[0008] It also includes a safety inspection mechanism for detecting the alignment status of the junction area between the material box storage mechanism and the transfer mechanism and / or the material handling status of the material handling device.

[0009] The opening and closing module includes a first opening and closing drive mechanism, multiple sets of opening and closing mechanisms, and a linear mechanism. The multiple sets of opening and closing mechanisms are mounted on the linear mechanism. Each set of opening and closing mechanisms includes two positioning components arranged opposite to each other. The first opening and closing drive mechanism simultaneously drives each set of positioning components to move relative to or opposite to each other along the linear mechanism.

[0010] The first opening and closing drive mechanism includes a power source and a transmission assembly. The transmission assembly consists of a first transmission shaft and a second transmission shaft arranged at both ends, a first belt connecting the two transmission shafts, and a second belt connecting the power source and the first transmission shaft. The two positioning components of each opening and closing mechanism are respectively fixed to the opposite moving parts of the first belt, and synchronous opening and closing are achieved by relying on the forward and reverse rotation of the belt. The positioning component integrates a horizontal orthogonal bidirectional limiting structure that can limit the horizontal plane of the material box.

[0011] The material handling device includes a clamping unit disposed between the two conveyor lines. The clamping unit includes a power drive component and a material handling gripper component. The power drive component is mounted on the base plate and is driveably connected to the material handling gripper component. The adjustment module includes a second opening and closing drive mechanism and an opening and closing mechanism. The opening and closing mechanism is equipped with a scissor unit. The second opening and closing drive mechanism is drively engaged with the opening and closing mechanism. The opening and closing mechanism is driven by a single linear power output to achieve symmetrical and equidistant opening and closing movements, so as to synchronously adjust the width of the conveying channel between the two conveyor lines.

[0012] The opening and closing mechanism includes two parallel and oppositely arranged opening and closing plates and a scissor unit for linking the two opening and closing plates. The two conveyor lines are fixedly installed on the two opening and closing plates in a one-to-one correspondence. The power output end of the second opening and closing drive mechanism is rigidly connected to one of the opening and closing plates. By driving the single opening and closing plate to translate, the scissor unit can be used to achieve synchronous and equidistant adjustment of the two opening and closing plates to clamp each other or open in opposite directions.

[0013] The safety detection mechanism includes a first station alignment detection device, a second station alignment detection device, a material handling status detection device, a product warpage detection device, and a station handover detection device. The first station alignment detection device and the second station alignment detection device are assembled at the docking position between the material box storage mechanism and the material handling execution device. The material handling status detection device is integrated into the material handling gripper assembly of the material handling execution device. The product warpage detection device is assembled at both ends of the conveyor line. The station handover detection device is assembled above the area where the material box discharge port of the material box storage mechanism and the material handling execution device feed port intersect.

[0014] The first station alignment detection device includes alignment sensing slots and a set of alignment sensing optical fibers respectively installed on each of the material bins and the two conveyor lines. The alignment sensing optical fibers are correspondingly arranged with the alignment sensing slots. The second station alignment detection device includes station sensing optical fibers and station sensing slots. The station sensing optical fibers are installed below the material picking execution device. Multiple station sensing slots are provided and are all arranged below the material picking execution device along the moving path in the first direction. The multiple station sensing slots are respectively corresponding to multiple material bins. The first station alignment detection device and the second station alignment detection device are used to double verify the station docking accuracy.

[0015] The material handling status detection device includes a pressure sensor, a gripper clamping sensing fiber and a product presence sensing fiber. The pressure sensor is built into the gripping end of the material handling gripper assembly, and the gripper clamping sensing fiber and the product presence sensing fiber are fixed to the side wall of the material handling gripper assembly.

[0016] The product warpage detection device is a pair of through-beam optical fibers, which are symmetrically arranged on the two conveyor lines and the optical fiber path is perpendicular to the material conveying direction. The station handover detection device is a diffuse reflection sensing optical fiber, and the detection optical path of the diffuse reflection sensing optical fiber is aligned with the handover area between the upstream and downstream stations to detect the residual state of materials in the handover area.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the material box feeding machine of the present invention are: 1. The material storage mechanism of this invention adopts a single power source combined with a belt drive structure, which can synchronously drive multiple sets of material bin positioning components to open and close simultaneously, replacing the traditional manual adjustment mode. It offers high positioning accuracy and consistency, completely eliminating human error. It is compatible with material bins ranging from 168×320mm to 340×350mm, crystal boats from 160×310mm to 340×340mm, and chip sizes from 7×7mm to 160×160mm, significantly improving equipment compatibility, shortening product changeover and cutting time, reducing equipment downtime losses, and increasing production efficiency. Simultaneously, the concealed opening and closing structure optimizes the equipment layout, and the precise positioning sensors ensure stable equipment operation.

[0018] 2. The scissor lift unit converts the linear power on one side into equidistant reverse motion on both sides, ensuring a constant center of the conveying channel and preventing material deviation and jamming. Combined with the clamping and gap-eliminating structure, it eliminates mechanical transmission gaps and significantly improves width adjustment accuracy. The multi-section conveying mechanism of the entire line can share a single drive mechanism for synchronous width adjustment, eliminating the need for manual adjustment of each section, greatly improving changeover efficiency, while reducing the number of drive components, lowering equipment manufacturing costs and maintenance difficulty.

[0019] 3. Adopting a dual-station alignment detection structure, it breaks through the limitations of traditional single-program positioning and avoids alignment misalignment problems caused by hardware wear, origin loss, and manual material feeding deviation; the gripper integrates pressure, clamping, and material presence detection to identify jamming, detachment, and overload anomalies in real time, and provides instantaneous shutdown protection to avoid product breakage and equipment damage; combined with material warping detection and station residue detection, it can intercept defective materials and provide early warning of station faults, completely eliminating faults such as stacking, collision, and line jamming, and comprehensively ensuring safety throughout the entire process of feeding, transferring, and conveying.

[0020] 4. The multi-station parallel feeding structure enables continuous alternating feeding, and the RFID pre-information verification enables early interception of incorrect materials. The fully automated control process requires no manual intervention, reducing labor costs and improving the automation level of the production line. The equipment has strong structural stability and high adjustment precision, which can meet the production needs of high-precision semiconductor packaging and bonding processes, and is suitable for flexible production modes with multiple varieties and small batches. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of a material box feeder according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a material box feeder according to the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 3 This is a right view of a material box feeding machine according to the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a material box feeder according to the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the transfer mechanism structure of a material box feeding machine according to the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the material handling device of a material box feeder according to the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the conveying width adjustment mechanism of a material box feeder according to the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the opening and closing device of the material box storage mechanism of a material box feeding machine according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Examples of these preferred embodiments are illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments of the present invention shown in and described with reference to the drawings are merely exemplary, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0023] It should also be noted that, in order to avoid obscuring the invention with unnecessary details, only the structures and / or processing steps closely related to the solution according to the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, while other details that are not closely related to the invention are omitted.

[0024] Furthermore, in the description of this invention, the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used solely for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0025] Please see Figures 1-8 Embodiments of the present invention This invention provides a chip loading machine for loading wafer boats carrying chips to the next workstation. Each wafer boat carries multiple chips, and these wafer boats are stored in a hopper. In this embodiment, chips, wafer boats, and a hopper are used as examples for illustration; in the following description, the wafer boat is referred to as a chip-carrying wafer. The chip loading machine includes a frame 4, a wafer storage mechanism 1, a transfer mechanism 2, and a safety detection mechanism 3. The wafer storage mechanism 1 and the transfer mechanism 2 are mounted parallel to each other on the frame 4.

[0026] The material box storage mechanism 1 includes multiple hoppers 11 installed via opening and closing modules 12, used for coordinated adjustment of the width of the multiple hoppers 11 to accommodate different sized material boxes. The transfer mechanism 2 includes a first conveying device 21 and a material picking execution device 22. The moving end of the first conveying device 21 translates in the first direction X, driving the material picking execution device 22 to dock with the material box storage mechanism 1 (specifically, the hopper 11). The material picking execution device 22 clamps the material box in the material box storage mechanism 1 (specifically, the hopper 11) and conveys the material in the second direction Y. The docking area between the material picking execution device 22 and the hopper 11 is called the transfer area. The material picking execution device 22 includes two conveyor lines 222 installed in parallel via an adjustment module 221. The safety detection mechanism 3 is used to detect the alignment status of the material box storage mechanism 1 and the transfer mechanism 2 and / or the material picking status of the material picking execution device 22, constructing a full-process safety protection system.

[0027] It should be noted that, for ease of understanding, the following is used: Figure 2 For example, let's define a first direction X and a second direction Y that are perpendicular to each other in the horizontal plane. Alignment status refers to whether the relative position of the discharge port of the material box storage mechanism 1 and the transfer mechanism 2 in the first direction X meets the docking accuracy requirements for material retrieval (alignment qualified state and alignment deviation state). Retrieval status refers to the material state of the retrieval execution device 22 during the process of retrieving and conveying material from the material box storage mechanism 1, including but not limited to: whether there is a product in the material box in the hopper 11, the clamping state of the material box by the retrieval gripper assembly 2232, and the residual state of the material box in the transfer area.

[0028] like Figure 2 and Figure 8 As shown, the material box storage mechanism 1 is used to carry and lift material boxes. Specifically, the material box storage mechanism 1 includes multiple sets of material bins 11 arranged side by side along the first direction X. Each set of material bins 11 corresponds to multiple independent lifting Z-axis modules, forming a multi-station parallel feeding structure. In this embodiment, three sets of material bins 11 are arranged side by side at equal intervals on the top surface of the frame 4. Each set of material bins 11 corresponds to three independent lifting Z-axis modules, which can be controlled independently for lifting actions without interference, realizing alternating feeding of multiple material bins and effectively improving the feeding efficiency of the equipment.

[0029] The opening / closing module 12 includes a first opening / closing drive mechanism 121, multiple sets of opening / closing mechanisms 122, and a linear mechanism 123. The multiple sets of opening / closing mechanisms 122 are mounted on the linear mechanism 123 and arranged sequentially and sliding along the length of the linear mechanism 123, ensuring synchronized positioning actions for each set, optimizing equipment space layout, and reducing equipment footprint. Each set of opening / closing mechanisms 122 includes two opposing positioning components 1221. The first opening / closing drive mechanism 121 simultaneously drives each set of positioning components 1221 to move relative to or in opposite directions along the linear mechanism 123, achieving synchronized automatic opening and closing positioning of multiple hoppers without manual intervention.

[0030] The first opening / closing drive mechanism 121 includes a power source 1211 and a transmission assembly. The transmission assembly consists of a first drive shaft 1212 and a second drive shaft 1213 arranged at both ends, a first belt 1214 connecting the two drive shafts, and a second belt 1215 connecting the power source 1211 and the first drive shaft 1212. When the power source 1211 is started, it drives the first drive shaft 1212 to rotate through the second belt 1215, and then synchronously drives the second drive shaft 1213 to rotate through the first belt 1214, thus transmitting power.

[0031] Each opening and closing mechanism 122 has two positioning components 1221 fixed to the opposite moving parts of the first belt 1214 (in this embodiment, the belt surface of the first belt 1214 is perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and the two positioning components 1221 are fixed to the opposite moving parts of the first belt 1214, i.e., the side closer to the linear mechanism and the side farther from the linear mechanism; in other embodiments, if the belt surface of the first belt 1214 is parallel to the horizontal plane, then the two positioning components 1221 are fixed to the opposite moving parts of the first belt 1214, i.e., the upper and lower belt surfaces), achieving synchronous opening and closing by relying on the forward and reverse rotation of the belt. When the first belt 1214 rotates clockwise, the positioning components 1221 move synchronously in the opposite direction along the length of the linear mechanism 123, i.e., the two positioning components 1221 in the same opening and closing mechanism 122 move closer to each other; when the first belt 1214 rotates counterclockwise, the two positioning components 1221 move further away from each other.

[0032] The opening and closing mechanism 122 integrates a bidirectional limiting structure that restricts the left-right and front-back displacement of the material box, achieving precise positioning of the material box in the orthogonal direction of the horizontal plane and completely eliminating material box offset. Specifically, the opening and closing mechanism 122 includes a moving part 1222 and a limiting part 1223. The limiting part 1223 includes a first limiting member 1223a and a second limiting member 1223b, which respectively restrict the left-right and front-back movement of the material box. The linear mechanism 123 includes a first slide rail and a second slide rail arranged in parallel. The positioning component 1221 is fixedly connected to the moving part 1222. The moving part 1222 is slidably mounted on the first slide rail and the second slide rail by a slider to ensure smooth and unbiased movement. For ease of description, the "left-right direction" mentioned in this specification refers to the width direction of the frame 4; the "front-back direction" refers to the length direction of the frame 4 (i.e., parallel to the extension direction of the linear mechanism). The first limiting member 1223a is used to restrict the left-right displacement of the material box, and the second limiting member 1223b is used to restrict the front-back displacement of the material box.

[0033] Each hopper 11 is equipped with an independent platform for each opening and closing mechanism 122. A clearance groove is formed on the platform, and the limiting part extends out of the clearance groove and slides along it, achieving a concealed drive layout, avoiding structural interference, and improving motion stability. Simultaneously, a position sensor is installed at the end of the movement path of the positioning component 1221 on the platform to accurately detect the extreme positions of the positioning component 1221, achieving precise stroke control.

[0034] like Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the first conveying device 21 is preferably a linear module, and the material handling execution device 22 is installed on the moving end of the first conveying device 21. The first conveying device 21 is horizontally fixed inside the frame 4 in the first direction (X), and has high-precision positioning and origin reset functions. It can drive the material handling execution device 22 to move precisely along the first direction X, so as to realize rapid switching and docking with different discharge stations.

[0035] The material handling device 22 includes a base plate 224, two conveyor lines 222 parallelly mounted on the base plate 224, and a clamping unit 223 located between the two conveyor lines 222. The clamping unit 223 includes a power drive assembly 2231 and a material handling gripper assembly 2232. The power drive assembly 2231 is mounted on the base plate 224 and is driveably connected to the material handling gripper assembly 2232. The power drive assembly 2231 uses a motor with a precision transmission structure to drive the material handling gripper assembly 2232 to precisely extend, retract, and translate along the second direction Y, enabling the material handling box operation inside the hopper 11. The single-channel logistics line formed by the two conveyor lines 222 is used to receive and transport the retrieved material boxes downstream. A pressure roller assembly is installed at the inlet port of each conveyor line 222 to cooperate with the belt of the conveyor line 222 for feeding, limiting and pressing the material boxes entering the conveyor line to prevent conveying deviation.

[0036] The transfer mechanism 2 further includes a reading unit 23, whose reading port is located above the discharge port of the material box storage mechanism 1 or the inlet of the material handling execution device 22, for reading and verifying the material information of the material box. Specifically, the reading unit 23 includes a reading stand 231 mounted on the material handling execution device 22, a reading driver 232 mounted on the reading stand 231, a reading rod 233 mounted on the driving end of the reading driver 232, and a reader 234 mounted on the end of the reading rod 233. By driving the reading rod 233 to extend and retract through the reading driver 232, the reader 234 can be moved to the top of the material box to read information, realizing front-end anti-mismaterial protection.

[0037] like Figure 7 As shown, the adjustment module 221 includes a second opening and closing drive mechanism 2211 and an opening and closing mechanism 2212. The opening and closing mechanism 2212 is equipped with a scissor lift unit. The second opening and closing drive mechanism 2211 and the opening and closing mechanism 2212 are driven together. The opening and closing mechanism 2212 is driven by a single linear power output to achieve symmetrical and equidistant opening and closing motion, so as to synchronously adjust the width of the conveying channel between the two conveying lines 222 and adapt to the conveying requirements of different sized boxes.

[0038] The opening and closing mechanism 2212 includes two parallel and oppositely arranged opening and closing plates 22121 and a scissor unit for linkage between the two opening and closing plates 22121. The two conveyor lines 222 are fixedly installed on the two opening and closing plates 22121 in a one-to-one correspondence. The power output end of the second opening and closing drive mechanism 2211 is rigidly connected to one of the opening and closing plates 22121. By driving the single opening and closing plate 22121 to translate, the scissor unit can achieve synchronous and equidistant adjustment of the two opening and closing plates 22121 to clamp towards each other or open in opposite directions, ensuring that the center of the conveying channel is always centered and preventing conveying deviation and material jamming.

[0039] The scissor lift unit consists of a central rotating shaft 22123, a first scissor lift arm 22124 and a second scissor lift arm 22125 that are cross-hinged. Each of the two scissor lift arms has an opening / closing end at each of its four ends, which slides into the elongated opening / closing through-holes 22122 of the opening / closing plate 22121, forming a symmetrical support structure at four ends. Rollers 22126 and bearings are fitted to the opening / closing ends, working in conjunction with the clamping parts 22127 on the opening / closing plate 22121 to eliminate transmission backlash and achieve backlash-free, precise transmission. High-precision linear translation of the opening / closing plate 22121 is achieved using double-sided linear guide rails 22128. Simultaneously, the second opening / closing drive mechanism 2211 is equipped with a limit displacement sensor component to achieve precise limit control and closed-loop control of the width adjustment stroke. Multiple single-channel logistics lines can be set along the second direction Y. These multiple single-channel logistics lines can share the same second opening / closing drive mechanism 2211, enabling synchronous width adjustment of the entire conveyor channel and significantly shortening changeover time.

[0040] The second opening and closing drive mechanism 2211 is the power source and actuator of the entire width adjustment device, including a driver 22111, a frame 22112, a lead screw 22113, a connecting plate 22114, and a limit displacement sensing assembly 22115.

[0041] Specifically, the frame 22112 serves as the mounting base for the drive mechanism 1. The driver 22111 is preferably a high-precision rotary motor, fixedly mounted at one end of the frame 22112. The output shaft of the driver 22111 is rigidly connected coaxially to one end of the lead screw 22113 via a high-rigidity coupling. The other end of the lead screw 22113 is rotatably mounted inside the other end of the frame 22112 via a bearing housing, thereby precisely transmitting the rotational motion of the driver 22111 to the lead screw 22113.

[0042] The lead screw 22113 is threaded with a transmission nut block (not shown separately in the figure). The connecting plate 22114 is fixedly assembled to the outside of the nut block and can move linearly along the axial direction of the lead screw 22113 along with the nut block. During installation, one of the opening and closing plates 22121 in the opening and closing mechanism 2212 is rigidly locked to the connecting plate 22114 with bolts. When the control system issues a width adjustment command, the driver 22111 rotates according to preset parameters, driving the lead screw 22113 to rotate. The lead screw 22113 converts the rotational motion into the linear motion of the transmission nut block, thereby driving the connecting plate 22114 and the opening and closing plate 22121 fixed to it to translate along the first direction X (i.e., the width direction of the single-channel logistics line). This structure uses a high-precision ball screw pair for transmission, which has the advantages of high transmission efficiency, smooth movement, and high positioning accuracy. It can accurately convert the rotation angle of the motor into the linear displacement of the opening and closing plate, and is the core drive foundation for realizing automated and precise width adjustment.

[0043] Furthermore, a limit displacement sensing component 22115 is installed on the frame 22112, and a light-shielding plate is provided on the connecting plate 22114. The limit displacement sensing component 22115 is preferably a photoelectric switch. During the movement of the connecting plate 22114, the light-shielding plate moves to the limit displacement sensing component 22115 to block the light, thus completing the movement and feeding back the displacement signal of the connecting plate 22114 to the control system of the equipment.

[0044] like Figures 2 to 6 As shown, the safety detection mechanism 3 is used to detect the alignment status and / or material handling status of the material box storage mechanism 1 and the transfer mechanism 2. Specifically, the safety detection mechanism 3 includes a first station alignment detection device 31, a second station alignment detection device 35, a material handling status detection device 32, a product warpage detection device 33, and a station handover detection device 34.

[0045] The first station alignment detection device 31 and the second station alignment detection device 35 are assembled at the docking position of the material box storage mechanism 1 and the material picking execution device 22 to realize dual station alignment accuracy verification. The first station alignment detection device 31 includes alignment sensing optical fiber 311 and alignment sensing groove 312. The alignment sensing optical fiber 311 is respectively installed at one end of each conveyor line 222 facing the material box storage mechanism 1 hopper 11. The alignment sensing groove 312 is set at one end of the material box storage mechanism 1 (specifically each hopper 11) and one end facing the two conveyor lines 222, respectively. When the conveyor line 222 is aligned with a hopper 11, the alignment sensing optical fiber 311 is aligned with the alignment sensing groove 312 of the hopper 11. Preferably, there is one set of alignment sensing optical fiber 311, which is installed on two conveyor lines 222 respectively. There are multiple sets of alignment sensing grooves 312, and the number of sets is the same as the number of hoppers 11. The second station alignment detection device 35 includes a station sensing fiber optic cable 351 and a station sensing slot 352. The station sensing fiber optic cable 351 is installed below the material handling execution device 22 and moves along the first direction X as the material handling execution device 22 moves. Multiple station sensing slots 352 are provided, all located below the path of the material handling execution device 22 along the first direction X. These multiple station sensing slots 352 correspond to multiple material bins 11 as the material handling execution device 22 moves along the first direction X. Preferably, the station sensing fiber optic cable 351 is located at the centerline of the width direction of the material handling execution device 22, and the station sensing slots 352 correspond to the centerline of the width direction of the material bins 11, ensuring that the centerline of the material handling execution device 22 corresponds to the centerline of the material bins. The station side and the conveyor line side are respectively provided with corresponding detection structures, forming a dual physical verification mechanism, which can effectively avoid station misalignment problems caused by factors such as personnel material placement deviation, equipment hardware deformation, and loss of shaft origin.

[0046] The material handling status detection device 32 is integrated into the material handling gripper assembly 2232 to monitor the material handling gripping status and force conditions in real time. The material handling status detection device 32 includes a pressure sensor 321, a gripper gripping sensing fiber optic cable 322, and a product presence sensing fiber optic cable 323. The pressure sensor 321 is built into the gripping end of the material handling gripper assembly 2232 to collect gripping resistance data in real time. The gripper gripping sensing fiber optic cable 322 and the product presence sensing fiber optic cable 323 are fixed to the side wall of the material handling gripper assembly 2232. The product presence sensing fiber optic cable 323 is used to prioritize detecting whether a material box exists in the hopper 11, while the gripper gripping sensing fiber optic cable 322 is used to monitor the material box gripping status throughout the process. The three work together to construct a dynamic monitoring system for the entire material handling process.

[0047] The product warpage detection device 33 is mounted at both ends of the conveyor line 222. The product warpage detection device 33 is a pair of through-beam optical fibers, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the single-channel material flow line, and the optical fiber path is perpendicular to the material conveying direction, forming a detection light curtain that fully covers the material box conveying channel. It can scan and monitor the flatness of the material box throughout the process and accurately screen out warped and deformed defective material boxes.

[0048] The workstation handover detection device 34 is mounted above the handover area between the material box discharge port of the material box storage mechanism 1 and the material feeding port of the material handling device 22. The workstation handover detection device 34 is a diffuse reflection sensing fiber, and the detection optical path of the diffuse reflection sensing fiber is aligned with the handover area between the upstream and downstream workstations to detect the residual state of materials in the handover area, effectively preventing material stacking and collision accidents.

[0049] It also includes a control module, which is electrically connected to the material box storage mechanism 1, the transfer mechanism 2 and the safety detection mechanism 3.

[0050] The overall exterior of this application also includes a chassis 5, which adopts a split assembly structure, consisting of an upper cover frame and a lower cover frame joined together. An observation window is provided on the operating side of the upper cover frame, and a double-opening glass observation door 51 is installed at the observation window. A double-opening maintenance door panel 52 is provided on the operating side of the lower cover frame. The glass observation door 51 and the upper cover frame, as well as the double-opening maintenance door panel 52 and the lower cover frame, are all rotatably connected by built-in hinges. The instrument operating area 53, the electrostatic wrist strap, and the keyboard and mouse operating components 54 are all integrated on the operating side of the upper cover frame, while the maintenance port 55 is located on the operating side of the lower cover frame. The functional areas are clearly defined, facilitating modular processing and on-site assembly. It should be noted that the installation positions of the functional components are not limited to the arrangement in this embodiment and can be flexibly adjusted according to actual on-site usage requirements.

[0051] The working process of a material box feeding machine described in this application is as follows: The operator precisely places the wafer product-loading cassette into the hopper 11. After placement, the control module initiates the loading program, sending a lifting command to the cassette storage mechanism 1. The lifting Z-axis module corresponding to the hopper 11 then initiates the lifting action.

[0052] The Z-axis lifting module sends a positioning signal to the control module. Upon receiving the positioning signal, the control module sends a reading command to the reading unit 23. The reading driver extends the reading rod, moving the reader above the material box. The reader automatically reads the electronic tag information on the surface of the material box, obtaining information such as the material box model, batch, and quantity, and uploads the read data to the control module in real time. After reading is complete, the reading driver retracts the reading rod back to its original position.

[0053] The control module automatically compares and verifies the information read from the material box with the preset work order information in the system database. When the information matches, the control module determines that the material box is compliant, records the material box information, generates a material retrieval task queue, and simultaneously sends a continue lifting command to the lifting Z-axis module. The lifting Z-axis module continues to lift the material box to the preset discharge docking station height and sends a material box ready signal back to the control module, awaiting material retrieval. When the information does not match or the label information is not read, the control module immediately triggers an alarm, locks all subsequent work processes, and awaits manual confirmation and replacement of the compliant material box.

[0054] After receiving the material box ready signal, the control module obtains the target station number to be picked up and sends a docking command to the transfer mechanism 2. The first conveying device 21 starts and drives the picking execution device 22 to move along the first direction X, approaching the target material bin 11 discharge station from its current position.

[0055] After the first conveying device 21 drives the material handling execution device 22 to move to the preset coarse positioning area of ​​the target station according to the internal program parameters, it enters the fine alignment stage. At this time, the first station alignment detection device 31 and the second station alignment detection device 35 start working simultaneously. The first conveying device 21 continues to fine-tune the lateral position of the material handling execution device 22 until both sets of detection devices return alignment qualified signals. Only when the detection signals of the first station alignment detection device 31 and the second station alignment detection device 35 both return alignment qualified signals does the control module determine that the station docking is complete, record the current coordinates and lock the position of the first conveying device 21, and at the same time send a material handling permission command to the material handling execution device 22.

[0056] After determining that the workstation docking is complete and the material box is ready, the control module sends a material picking command to the material picking execution device 22. The power drive component 2231 first drives the material picking gripper component 2232 to translate along the second direction Y toward the inside of the target material box, moving it to the preset material picking position.

[0057] After the material gripper assembly 2232 is in position, the product presence sensing fiber optic cable 323 integrated on its side wall triggers a detection first, emitting a detection beam towards the corresponding material position in the target material box to confirm whether a material box is present at that position. If no material box is detected, the position is determined to be empty, the material gripper assembly 2232 remains open and resets directly, and simultaneously sends an empty material signal to the control module. If a material box is detected, a material presence signal is sent to the control module, and the control module outputs a clamping command to the material gripper assembly 2232.

[0058] The material-grabbing gripper assembly 2232 performs a closing gripping action. During this process, the pressure sensor 321 built into the gripping end begins to collect the gripping resistance data between the gripper and the edge of the material box in real time at high frequency, and transmits this data to the control module in real time. The control module dynamically compares the received resistance data with the internally preset standard resistance threshold range. When the gripping resistance is within the preset normal threshold range, the material box gripping status is determined to be normal. The control module instructs the power drive assembly to drive the material-grabbing gripper assembly 2232 to translate in the second direction Y in the opposite direction, smoothly pulling the material box out of the hopper and placing it on the single-channel logistics line formed by the two conveyor lines 222. During the translation of the material box by the material-grabbing gripper assembly 2232, the gripper gripping sensing fiber optic 322 monitors the opening and closing status of the gripper gripping end and the presence of the material box in real time throughout the process. Once the gripper is detected to have opened unexpectedly or the material box has fallen off abnormally, a gripping failure signal is immediately sent to the control module, and the control module immediately triggers a shutdown alarm. When encountering abnormal conditions such as material box jamming or foreign object obstruction during clamping, the clamping resistance collected by pressure sensor 321 instantly exceeds the upper limit of the preset normal threshold range. The control module immediately determines that it is a material jamming fault, and instantly outputs a stop and lock command and triggers an alarm.

[0059] After the material box is successfully placed on the single-channel logistics line, the gripper assembly 2232 opens and resets. The control module sends a start command to the single-channel logistics line formed by the two conveyor lines 222. The conveyor line starts, driving the material box to move downstream along the second direction Y.

[0060] During the material box conveying process, the product warpage detection devices 33, symmetrically arranged at both ends of the conveyor line 222, work continuously to form a detection light curtain that fully covers the material box conveying channel, scanning the height of the upper surface of the material box and its overall flatness throughout the process. When the material box is warped, an abnormal signal is triggered and transmitted to the control module. The control module promptly identifies the defective product and triggers a shutdown warning.

[0061] When the material box is conveyed to the handover area between upstream and downstream workstations via the conveyor line, the workstation handover detection device operates in real time. The detection optical path is precisely aligned with the core area of ​​the handover, continuously collecting data on the presence and status of the material box within the area. When the material box arrives at the handover area normally, it sends a material box arrival signal to the control module. The control module determines whether material discharge is permitted based on the status signal from the downstream workstation. If residual material is detected in the handover area, a workstation occupancy signal is sent to the control module, which immediately prohibits the transfer and discharge actions, locks the entire machine, and triggers an alarm.

[0062] Once all material boxes in the current hopper have been retrieved, the control module determines whether there are material retrieval tasks for other workstations based on the task queue. If so, the first conveying device releases its position lock and drives the material retrieval execution device 22 to move along the first direction X to the next target workstation, repeating the above process to achieve one-to-many alternating material loading operations at multiple workstations.

[0063] During the operation of the entire machine, the various detection devices of the safety detection mechanism 3 work together to monitor the workstation alignment, material handling force, product status, workstation handover, and material box information in all dimensions, thus building a full-process safety protection system from material input verification, workstation docking, material handling and transportation, conveying screening to workstation handover.

[0064] Furthermore, it should be noted that in this specification, "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0065] It should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This way of describing the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A material box feeding machine, characterized in that, include, The material storage mechanism (1) includes multiple material bins (11) that are installed in conjunction with an opening and closing module (12), wherein the opening and closing module (12) is used to adjust the width of the multiple material bins (11) in conjunction. The transfer mechanism (2) includes a first conveying device (21) and a material handling device (22). The moving end of the first conveying device (21) translates in a first direction to drive the material handling device (22) to dock with the silo (11). The material handling device (22) clamps the material box in the silo (11) and conveys the material in a second direction. The material handling device (22) includes two conveying lines (222) installed in parallel by an adjustment module (221). The adjustment module (221) is used to adjust the distance between the two conveying lines (222).

2. The material box feeding machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a safety detection mechanism (3) for detecting the alignment status of the junction area between the material box storage mechanism (1) and the transfer mechanism (2) and / or the material picking status of the material picking device (22).

3. The material box feeding machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The opening and closing module (12) includes a first opening and closing drive mechanism (121), multiple sets of opening and closing mechanisms (122) and a linear mechanism (123). The multiple sets of opening and closing mechanisms (122) are mounted on the linear mechanism (123). Each set of opening and closing mechanisms (122) includes two positioning components (1221) arranged opposite to each other. The first opening and closing drive mechanism (121) simultaneously drives each set of positioning components (1221) to move relative to or opposite to each other along the linear mechanism (123).

4. A material box feeding machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first opening and closing drive mechanism (121) includes a power source (1211) and a transmission assembly. The transmission assembly consists of a first transmission shaft (1212) and a second transmission shaft (1213) arranged at both ends, a first belt (1214) connecting the two transmission shafts, and a second belt (1215) connecting the power source (1211) and the first transmission shaft (1212). The two positioning components (1221) of each opening and closing mechanism (122) are respectively fixed to the opposite moving parts of the first belt (1214), and synchronous opening and closing is achieved by relying on the forward and reverse rotation of the belt. The positioning component (1221) integrates a horizontal orthogonal bidirectional limiting structure that can limit the material box.

5. A material box feeding machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material handling device (22) includes a clamping unit (223) disposed between the two conveyor lines (222). The clamping unit (223) includes a power drive assembly (2231) and a material handling gripper assembly (2232). The power drive assembly (2231) is connected to the material handling gripper assembly (2232). The adjustment module (221) includes a second opening and closing drive mechanism (2211) and an opening and closing mechanism (2212). The opening and closing mechanism (2212) is equipped with a scissor unit. The second opening and closing drive mechanism (2211) is in transmission cooperation with the opening and closing mechanism (2212). The opening and closing mechanism (2212) is driven by a single linear power output to achieve symmetrical and equidistant opening and closing motion, so as to synchronously adjust the width of the conveying channel between the two conveyor lines (222).

6. A material box feeding machine according to claim 5, characterized in that, The opening and closing mechanism (2212) includes two parallel and oppositely arranged opening and closing plates (22121) and a scissor unit for linking the two opening and closing plates (22121). The two conveyor lines (222) are fixedly installed on the two opening and closing plates (22121) in a one-to-one correspondence. The power output end of the second opening and closing drive mechanism (2211) is rigidly connected to one of the opening and closing plates (22121). By driving the single opening and closing plate (22121) to translate, the scissor unit can realize the synchronous equidistant adjustment of the two opening and closing plates (22121) to clamp in opposite directions or open in opposite directions.

7. A material box feeding machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The safety detection mechanism (3) includes a first station alignment detection device (31), a second station alignment detection device (35), a material picking status detection device (32), a product warping detection device (33), and a station handover detection device (34). The first station alignment detection device (31) and the second station alignment detection device (35) are assembled at the docking position of the material box storage mechanism (1) and the material picking execution device (22). The material picking status detection device (32) is integrated on the material picking gripper assembly (2232) of the material picking execution device (22). The product warping detection device (33) is assembled at both ends of the conveyor line (222). The station handover detection device (34) is assembled above the area where the material box discharge port of the material box storage mechanism (1) and the material picking execution device (22) feed port intersect.

8. A material box feeding machine according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first station alignment detection device (31) includes an alignment sensing groove (312) and a set of alignment sensing optical fibers (311) respectively installed on each of the material bins (11) and the two conveyor lines (222). The alignment sensing optical fibers (311) are correspondingly arranged with the alignment sensing grooves (312). The second station alignment detection device (35) includes a station sensing optical fiber (351) and a station sensing groove (352). The station sensing optical fiber (351) is installed below the material handling execution device (22). There are multiple station sensing grooves (352), and they are all arranged below the material handling execution device (22) along the first direction movement path. The multiple station sensing grooves (352) are respectively corresponding to multiple material bins (11). The first station alignment detection device (31) and the second station alignment detection device (35) are used to double verify the station docking accuracy.

9. A material box feeding machine according to claim 7, characterized in that, The material handling status detection device (32) includes a pressure sensor (321), a gripper clamping sensing fiber (322), and a product presence sensing fiber (323). The pressure sensor (321) is built into the gripping end of the material handling gripper assembly (2232), and the gripper clamping sensing fiber (322) and the product presence sensing fiber (323) are fixed to the side wall of the material handling gripper assembly (2232).

10. A material box feeding machine according to claim 7, characterized in that, The product warpage detection device (33) is a pair of through-beam optical fibers, which are symmetrically arranged on the two conveyor lines and the optical fiber path is perpendicular to the material conveying direction; the station handover detection device (34) is a diffuse reflection sensing optical fiber, and the detection optical path of the diffuse reflection sensing optical fiber is aligned with the handover area of ​​the upstream and downstream stations to detect the residual state of materials in the handover area.

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