Automatic loading and unloading machine for semiconductor material sheets

Abstract

The utility model relates to the field of semiconductors, in particular to an automatic loading and unloading machine for semiconductor material sheets, which comprises a working platform, a frame stock bin, a jacking mechanism, a transverse moving material suction manipulator, a transmission transfer station, a material box and a material box driving device, the jacking mechanism is assembled on the working platform and drives the material sheets in the frame material bin to move upwards; the transverse moving material suction mechanical arm grabs material pieces in the frame material bin and transfers the material pieces to the conveying transfer station, the conveying transfer station conveys the material pieces to the material box, and the material box driving device is in driving connection with the material box and drives the material box to move up and down. The equipment aims to thoroughly overcome various defects caused by a traditional split type workstation mode through integrated and automatic design, and efficient, stable and automatic operation of the whole process from sorting to boxing of semiconductor material sheets is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of semiconductors, and particularly to an automatic loading and unloading machine for semiconductor wafers. Background Art

[0002] In the process of sorting and boxing semiconductor wafers, the existing technology shows various deficiencies, which deeply affect production efficiency and product quality. Specifically, the traditional sorting process generally adopts a split-type workstation mode, and multiple workstations need to operate alternately to complete the whole process. This not only makes the whole process cumbersome and inefficient, but also increases the time cost due to frequent transfer and waiting. At the same time, the wafers are extremely vulnerable to collision and extrusion during the transfer between multiple stations, resulting in quality problems such as deformation and breakage. This not only reduces the yield rate of products, but also increases the difficulty and cost of subsequent processing.

[0003] In addition, the sorting and boxing work involving manual participation not only has a high labor intensity, but is also easily affected by human factors, such as operation errors and distraction caused by fatigue. These will directly lead to an increase in the error rate and affect the stability and reliability of the overall production line. With the rapid development of the semiconductor industry, the demand for large-scale production is becoming increasingly urgent, and the traditional manual or split-type operation mode is obviously difficult to adapt to this efficient and rapid production rhythm.

[0004] Moreover, the existing technology also has obvious deficiencies in terms of intelligence and automation, lacking the ability of full-process automatic processing and real-time monitoring. This makes it difficult to detect and solve problems in the production process in a timely manner, increasing the uncertainty and risk of production. At the same time, multiple workstations occupy a large amount of production space, with low space utilization rate, which also restricts the further expansion of production scale.

[0005] To sum up, the disadvantages of the existing technology in the sorting and boxing of semiconductor wafers are mainly manifested in aspects such as cumbersome process flow, low efficiency, easy damage of wafers, high labor cost and easy errors, difficulty in adapting to the demand of large-scale production, lack of intelligence and automation, and low space utilization rate. These disadvantages seriously restrict the improvement of production efficiency and product quality in the semiconductor industry. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a new type of automatic loading and unloading machine for semiconductor wafers that can overcome these disadvantages. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To solve the above problems, the utility model innovatively provides an automatic loading and unloading machine for semiconductor wafers. The device aims to completely change the various drawbacks brought by the traditional split-type workstation mode through an integrated and automated design, and realize the efficient, stable and automated operation of the whole process from sorting to boxing of semiconductor wafers.

[0007] To achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present utility model is as follows: An automatic semiconductor wafer loading and unloading machine includes a working platform, a frame magazine, a lifting mechanism, a transverse moving suction manipulator, a transfer intermediate station, a wafer cassette, and a wafer cassette driving device. The frame magazine for loading wafers is movably installed on the working platform. The lifting mechanism is installed on the working platform and drives the wafers in the frame magazine to move upward. The transverse moving suction manipulator grabs the wafers in the frame magazine and transfers them to the transfer intermediate station. The transfer intermediate station transports the wafers to the wafer cassette, and the wafer cassette driving device is drivingly connected to the wafer cassette and drives the wafer cassette to move up and down.

[0008] Further, the frame magazine is slidably installed on the working platform through a sliding assembly. The sliding assembly includes a slide rail fixed base plate, a limiting strip, and a sliding base plate. The limiting strips are arranged on both sides of the slide rail fixed base plate, and the sliding base plate is movably arranged between the two limiting strips. A lifting relief hole for the output end of the lifting mechanism to pass through is provided on the surface of the sliding base plate, and the frame magazine is installed on the sliding base plate.

[0009] Further, a plurality of slotted holes are provided on the sliding base plate, and a limiting rod is vertically installed in each slotted hole. A fitting hole corresponding to the limiting rod is provided at the bottom of the frame magazine, and the frame magazine is fitted with the limiting rod through the fitting hole.

[0010] Further, the lifting mechanism includes a lifting motor, a lifting fixed plate, and a lifting support plate. The lifting fixed plate is fixed to the bottom of the working platform, the lifting motor is installed on the lifting fixed plate, and the lifting support plate is fitted with a transmission belt through a clamping block. The lifting motor drives the transmission belt to rotate through a driving wheel, and then drives the lifting support plate to pass through or withdraw from the lifting relief hole.

[0011] Further, the transfer intermediate station includes a transmission belt fixed bracket and a transmission belt module. Two groups of transmission belt modules are symmetrically arranged on the transmission belt fixed bracket. A waste paper dropping position is provided in each transmission belt module, and a waste paper cassette is provided below the waste paper dropping position of the transmission belt module.

[0012] Further, an inclined guide plate is also provided at the opening of the waste paper cassette.

[0013] Further, it also includes a wafer cassette driving device. The wafer cassette driving device includes a wafer cassette lifting motor, a motor fixed plate, and a wafer cassette fixed plate. The wafer cassette lifting motor is fixed to the working platform through the motor fixed plate, and the wafer cassette lifting motor is drivingly connected to the wafer cassette fixed plate and drives the wafer cassette fixed plate to move up and down in the vertical direction. At the same time, the wafer cassette is fixed to the wafer cassette fixed plate.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: the lifting mechanism precisely controls the upward movement of the sheet within the frame hopper, and the precise grasping and transfer of the sheet by the transverse suction manipulator ensures the stability and accuracy of the sheet during loading and unloading, thus avoiding damage or deformation of the sheet. Moreover, the entire loading and unloading process is highly automated, and no direct human intervention is required from the upward movement, grasping, and transfer of the sheet to its final placement in the material box, greatly improving production efficiency and process consistency. The introduction of automated equipment significantly reduces the production line's reliance on manual labor, reduces the labor intensity of workers, and allows workers to engage in higher value-added work. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 The present invention is a structural diagram of an automatic loading and unloading machine for semiconductor wafers.

[0016] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of a semiconductor wafer automatic loading and unloading machine from another perspective.

[0017] Figure 3 It is a structural diagram of the assembly between the jacking mechanism and the sliding component.

[0018] Figure 4 It is a structural diagram of the transmission transfer station.

[0019] Figure 5 It is a structural diagram of the material box driving device.

[0020] Explanation of the accompanying numbers: working platform 1, frame silo 2, slide rail fixed base plate 21, limit bar 22, sliding base plate 23, waist hole 231, limit rod 24, jacking and clearance hole 25, jacking mechanism 3, jacking motor 31, jacking fixed plate 32, transmission belt 33, driving wheel 34, clamping block 35, jacking and lifting plate 36, transverse suction robot 4, material box drive device 5, material box jacking motor 51, motor fixing plate 52, material box fixing plate 53, material box 6, transmission transfer station 7, conveyor belt fixing bracket 71, conveyor belt module 72, waste paper drop position 73, waste paper material box 74, guide plate 75. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] See also Figures 1-5 As shown, the utility model relates to an automatic loading and unloading machine for semiconductor wafers, including a working platform 1, a frame silo 2, a lifting mechanism 3, a transverse suction robot 4, a transmission transfer station 7, a material box 6, and a material box driving device 5. The frame silo 2 for loading wafers is movably mounted on the working platform 1, the lifting mechanism 3 is mounted on the working platform 1 and drives the wafers in the frame silo 2 to move upward; the transverse suction robot 4 grabs the wafers in the frame silo 2 and transfers them to the transmission transfer station 7, and the transmission transfer station 7 transports the wafers to the material box 6, and the material box driving device 5 is driven and connected to the material box 6 and drives the material box 6 to move up and down.

[0022] Its beneficial effects are: the upward movement of the sheet in the frame silo 2 is accurately controlled by the lifting mechanism 3, and the precise grasping and transfer of the transverse suction manipulator 4 is coordinated to ensure the stability and accuracy of the sheet during loading and unloading, and avoid damage or deformation of the sheet.

[0023] Furthermore, the entire loading and unloading process is highly automated, eliminating the need for direct human intervention from the loading, grabbing, and transfer of the blanks to their final placement in the magazine 6. This significantly improves production efficiency and process consistency. The introduction of automated equipment significantly reduces the production line's reliance on manual labor, lowering worker workload and freeing them up for higher-value-added tasks.

[0024] In addition, the frame silo 2 is slidably mounted on the work platform 1 through sliding components (such as the slide rail fixed base 21, the limit bar 22, the sliding base 23, etc.). This design allows the frame silo 2 to slide smoothly on the work platform 1, making it easy for users to perform loading and unloading operations.

[0025] Specifically, the frame silo 2 is slidably mounted on the working platform 1 through a sliding assembly, wherein the sliding assembly includes a slide rail fixed base plate 21, a limit bar 22, and a sliding base plate 23, wherein the limit bar 22 is arranged on both sides of the slide rail fixed base plate 21, and the sliding base plate 23 is movably arranged between the two limit bars 22, and a lifting clearance hole 25 is provided on the surface of the sliding base plate 23 for the output end of the lifting mechanism 3 to pass through, and the frame silo 2 is mounted on the sliding base plate 23.

[0026] The design of the sliding assembly enables the frame silo 2 to slide easily on the work platform 1, and the user can load and unload the silo with a simple push-pull action. This design greatly simplifies the operating process and improves the convenience of operation. In addition, the limit bars 22 in the sliding assembly are set on both sides of the slide rail fixed base plate 21, providing a clear movement path and limit for the sliding base plate 23, preventing the frame silo 2 from shifting or tipping over during the sliding process, and ensuring the accuracy of the operation. Therefore, since the frame silo 2 can be loaded and unloaded quickly and accurately, the user does not need to spend too much time when replacing the silo, thereby shortening the downtime waiting time of the production line and improving the overall production efficiency.

[0027] Specifically, a plurality of waist holes 231 are provided on the sliding bottom plate 23, and each waist hole 231 is vertically equipped with a limit rod 24, and the bottom of the frame silo 2 is provided with a mounting hole corresponding to the limit rod 24, and the frame silo 2 is equipped with the limit rod 24 through the mounting hole.

[0028] Its beneficial effects: By providing a waist-shaped hole 231 on the sliding bottom plate 23 and vertically installing a limiting rod 24, the frame bin 2 can be tightly combined with the limiting rod 24 through the fitting holes at its bottom during assembly. This design effectively enhances the stability of the frame bin 2 on the working platform 1, preventing the bin from shaking or tipping during operation. The cooperation between the limiting rod 24 and the fitting holes not only stabilizes the bin but also ensures its precise positioning on the working platform 1. This precise positioning facilitates the accurate operation of subsequent automated equipment, such as the lifting of the lifting mechanism 3 and the grasping of the transverse moving suction manipulator 4, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of the entire loading and unloading process.

[0029] In addition, the design of the waist-shaped hole 231 and the limiting rod 24 makes the installation and disassembly of the frame bin 2 simple and easy. The user only needs to align the fitting holes at the bottom of the bin with the limiting rod 24 and insert them to complete the installation, and vice versa for disassembly. This design greatly shortens the time for bin replacement and improves production efficiency.

[0030] At the same time, since the quantity and positions of the waist-shaped hole 231 and the limiting rod 24 can be adjusted as needed, this design also has a certain degree of adaptability. It can adapt to frame bins 2 of different sizes and specifications, enabling the equipment to more flexibly meet different production requirements.

[0031] Specifically, the lifting mechanism 3 includes a lifting motor 31, a lifting fixed plate 32, and a lifting support plate 36. The lifting fixed plate 32 is fixed to the bottom of the working platform 1, and the lifting motor 31 is installed on the lifting fixed plate 32. Meanwhile, the lifting support plate 36 is installed with the transmission belt 33 through a clamping block 35. The lifting motor 31 drives the transmission belt 33 to rotate through a driving wheel 34, and then drives the lifting support plate 36 to pass through or withdraw from the lifting relief hole 25.

[0032] Its working process:

[0033] Startup stage, when it is necessary to lift the material sheet in the frame bin 2, the lifting motor 31 starts first.

[0034] Belt drive, the lifting motor 31 drives the transmission belt 33 to start rotating through its driving wheel 34. Since the lifting support plate 36 is installed with the transmission belt 33 through a clamping block 35, the rotation of the transmission belt 33 will further drive the lifting support plate 36 to move.

[0035] Pass through the lifting relief hole 25. As the transmission belt 33 continues to rotate, the lifting support plate 36 will gradually pass through the lifting relief hole 25 on the sliding bottom plate 23 and move upward.

[0036] Lift the material sheet. When the lifting support plate 36 completely passes through the lifting relief hole 25 and contacts the material sheet in the frame bin 2, the continuous upward movement will lift the material sheet to a predetermined position.

[0037] Upon completion of the jacking-up, after the jacking support plate 36 reaches the required height, the motor stops rotating, and the sheet is stably jacked up to the designated position, facilitating subsequent grasping and transfer operations.

[0038] During the retraction stage (if the sheet needs to be loaded again), after the sheet is taken away, the jacking motor 31 rotates in the reverse direction, driving the conveyor belt 33 to rotate in the reverse direction, so that the jacking support plate 36 retracts from the jacking relief hole 25 and returns to the initial position.

[0039] Its beneficial effects: Through the precise control of the motor, the jacking mechanism can achieve precise jacking-up and retraction of the sheet, improving the accuracy and stability of the entire loading and unloading process. The entire jacking process requires no manual intervention, realizing a high degree of automation, improving production efficiency and safety. The rapid response and precise control of the jacking mechanism 3 contribute to shortening the production cycle and improving the overall production efficiency.

[0040] Specifically, the transfer and transit station 7 includes a conveyor belt fixing bracket 71 and conveyor belt modules 72. Two sets of conveyor belt modules 72 are symmetrically arranged on the conveyor belt fixing bracket 71. Each conveyor belt module 72 is provided with a waste paper dropping position 73, and a waste paper box 74 is arranged below the waste paper dropping position 73 of the conveyor belt module 72. The sheet is grabbed by the transverse suction manipulator 4 from the frame magazine 2 and placed on the conveyor belt module 72 of the transfer and transit station 7. The conveyor belt module 72 starts to work, driving the sheet to be transported forward to the target position (such as the box 6). If there is backing paper attached to the bottom of the sheet, as the sheet moves on the conveyor belt module 72, the backing paper may naturally fall off or drop due to slight vibrations during the transportation process. The backing paper drops onto the waste paper dropping position 73 provided in the conveyor belt module 72, and then slides into the waste paper box 74 below through the action of gravity or the slightly inclined conveyor belt design.

[0041] Moreover, in order to ensure that the backing paper can fall onto the waste paper dropping position 73, a negative pressure device can be externally connected to the waste paper box 74, which will create a negative pressure environment inside the waste paper box 74. When the backing paper drops into the waste paper box 74, due to the effect of negative pressure, the backing paper will be quickly and stably adsorbed inside the box 6, reducing the possibility of waste paper scattering or accumulating at the mouth of the box 6. When it is necessary to clean the waste paper box 74, the negative pressure device can be turned off, and at this time, the backing paper can be easily taken out.

[0042] Specifically, an inclined guide plate 75 is also provided at the opening of the waste paper box 74. The inclined guide plate 75 can guide the waste paper falling from the conveyor belt module 72 to smoothly slide into the waste paper box 74 along a certain angle and path. This design reduces the possibility of the waste paper shifting or getting stuck during the falling process, ensuring that the waste paper can be accurately and quickly collected. The presence of the guide plate 75 enables the waste paper to be dispersed when falling into the waste paper box 74, preventing the waste paper from piling up in blocks at the opening of the box 6. This helps to keep the waste paper box 74 clean and tidy, and also facilitates the subsequent waste paper cleaning work. When the waste paper box 74 is externally connected to a negative pressure device, the inclined guide plate 75 can further reduce the dispersion phenomenon of the waste paper generated during the falling process. The waste paper quickly enters the interior of the box 6 under the guidance of the guide plate 75, reducing the chance of contact with the external environment, thereby reducing the potential pollution of the production environment and equipment caused by the dispersion of the waste paper. The design of the guide plate 75 makes the waste paper collection process more efficient. The waste paper can quickly slide down along the guide plate 75 to the bottom of the box 6, reducing the residence time during the transmission process and improving the efficiency of the entire waste paper collection system.

[0043] Specifically, it further includes a box driving device 5. The box driving device 5 includes a box lifting motor 51, a motor fixing plate 52, and a box fixing plate 53. Among them, the box lifting motor 51 is fixed on the working platform 1 through the motor fixing plate 52, and the box lifting motor 51 is drivingly connected to the box fixing plate 53 and drives the box fixing plate 53 to move up and down in the vertical direction. At the same time, the box 6 is fixed on the box fixing plate 53.

[0044] In the initial state, the box driving device 5 usually places the box 6 at a preset starting position, which is usually convenient for receiving the wafers transmitted from the transfer station 7. When the transfer station 7 transmits the wafers to the designated position of the box 6, the box driving device 5 starts to work. First, the box lifting motor 51 is started, remains stable through the motor fixing plate 52, and drives the box fixing plate 53 and the box 6 fixed on it to slowly rise. After the box 6 rises to a predetermined height, it stops. At this time, the opening position of the box 6 is aligned with the output end of the transfer station 7, facilitating the reception of the wafers. The transfer station 7 continues to work and accurately places the wafers into the box 6.

[0045] After the wafers are successfully placed into the box 6, the box driving device 5 is started again. The box fixing plate 53 and the box 6 are driven to rise in the vertical direction through the transmission mechanism. The box 6 rises to a new position, which is prepared for receiving the next wafer. The selection of this position should ensure that there is enough space for the next wafer to be placed, and at the same time, it will not interfere with other equipment or structures above. The above process will be continuously repeated. As the transfer station 7 continuously transmits the wafers to the box 6, the box driving device 5 will move the box 6 up and down in sequence to receive and store more wafers.

[0046] The above embodiments are only descriptions of the preferred embodiments of the present utility model, and do not limit the scope of the present utility model. Without departing from the design spirit of the present utility model, various deformations and improvements made by those of ordinary skill in the art to the technical solutions of the present utility model shall fall within the protection scope determined by the claims of the present utility model.

Claims

1. An automatic semiconductor wafer loader / unloader, characterized in that: It includes a working platform, a frame bin, a jacking mechanism, a transverse moving and material sucking manipulator, a transfer and transit station, a material box, and a material box driving device. The frame bin for assembling material pieces is movably assembled on the working platform. The jacking mechanism is assembled on the working platform and drives the material pieces in the frame bin to move upward. The transverse moving and material sucking manipulator grabs and transfers the material pieces in the frame bin to the transfer and transit station. The transfer and transit station transports the material pieces to the material box, and the material box driving device is drivingly connected to the material box and drives the material box to move up and down.

2. The automatic loading and unloading machine for semiconductor wafers according to claim 1, wherein: The frame bin is slidably assembled on the working platform through a sliding assembly. The sliding assembly includes a slide rail fixed bottom plate, a limiting strip, and a sliding bottom plate. The limiting strips are arranged on both sides of the slide rail fixed bottom plate, and the sliding bottom plate is movably arranged between the two limiting strips. A jacking relief hole for the output end of the jacking mechanism to pass through is arranged on the surface of the sliding bottom plate, and the frame bin is assembled on the sliding bottom plate.

3. The automatic loading and unloading machine for semiconductor wafers according to claim 2, characterized in that: A number of waist-shaped holes are arranged on the sliding bottom plate, and a limiting rod is vertically assembled in each waist-shaped hole. A fitting hole corresponding to the limiting rod is arranged at the bottom of the frame bin, and the frame bin is fitted with the limiting rod through the fitting hole.

4. The automatic loading and unloading machine for semiconductor wafers according to claim 3, wherein The jacking mechanism includes a jacking motor, a jacking fixed plate, and a jacking lifting plate. The jacking fixed plate is fixed at the bottom of the working platform, the jacking motor is assembled on the jacking fixed plate, and the jacking lifting plate is fitted with a transmission belt through a clamping block. The jacking motor drives the transmission belt to rotate through a driving wheel, and then drives the jacking lifting plate to pass through or withdraw from the jacking relief hole.

5. The automatic loading and unloading machine for semiconductor wafers according to claim 1, wherein The transfer and transit station includes a transmission belt fixed bracket and a transmission belt module. Two groups of transmission belt modules are symmetrically arranged on the transmission belt fixed bracket. A waste paper dropping position is arranged in each transmission belt module, and a waste paper box is arranged below the waste paper dropping position of the transmission belt module.

6. The automatic loader and unloader for semiconductor wafers according to claim 5, characterized in that, An inclined guide plate is also arranged at the opening of the waste paper box.

7. The automatic semiconductor wafer loader / unloader according to claim 6, characterized in that, It further includes a material box driving device. The material box driving device includes a material box jacking motor, a motor fixed plate, and a material box fixed plate. The material box jacking motor is fixed on the working platform through the motor fixed plate, the material box jacking motor is drivingly connected to the material box fixed plate, and drives the material box fixed plate to move up and down in the vertical direction. At the same time, the material box is fixed on the material box fixed plate.

Images