Wafer box taking and placing tool
By designing a wafer box picking and placing tool and using a combination of contact plates, handles, hooks and locking devices, the problem of difficult picking and placing of iron wafer boxes is solved, and a safe and efficient operation process is achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422544227.4
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-21
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-05
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-10-21
AI Technical Summary
The lack of specialized tools in existing technologies makes it difficult to take and place iron wafer boxes, requires high physical strength and skills from operators, poses safety risks, and is inefficient.
A wafer box picking and placing tool is designed, which includes a contact plate, a handle, a hook and a locking device. It achieves a firm connection with the wafer box through a simple locking operation, uses multiple hooks and auxiliary hooks to improve stability, and the handle provides support and thermal insulation design to ensure safety.
The wafer box pick-up and placement steps are simplified, reducing the risk and cost of operators and improving operational safety and efficiency.
Smart Images
Figure CN223308980U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor processing, and in particular to a wafer box picking and placing tool. Background Art
[0002] Parts of the photolithography process require high-temperature baking of the wafer, such as soft bake and hard bake steps, to remove solvents from the photoresist and enhance its adhesion to the substrate. During the baking process, the temperature inside the photolithography oven can reach as high as 200°C. Traditional wafer cassettes, typically made of plastic, are susceptible to melting at high temperatures and therefore cannot withstand this step. Therefore, wafer cassettes made of other materials must be used.
[0003] In the existing technology, a common high-temperature resistant wafer cassette is made of iron. Compared to traditional wafer cassettes, iron wafer cassettes are several times heavier. However, in the existing process, there is usually a lack of specialized tools for handling iron wafer cassettes. Operators need to repeat this operation dozens or even hundreds of times a day. This poses a great challenge to the operators' physical strength and skills, and the wafer cassettes are prone to slipping during the handling process. In addition, the lack of specialized tools greatly increases the risk of burns for operators. Therefore, under the current conditions, the operation efficiency of handling wafer cassettes is low, and it also causes significant economic losses and safety risks. Utility Model Content
[0004] The purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to provide a wafer box picking and placing tool, which can achieve convenient and reliable connection with the wafer box, reducing the difficulty for operators to pick and place the wafer box, and has positive significance for ensuring the safety and efficiency of the wafer production process.
[0005] The present application provides a wafer box picking and placing tool, wherein the front of the wafer box used in conjunction with the wafer box is provided with a receiving groove, and the interior of the receiving groove contains a first hanging rod and a second hanging rod arranged in sequence of height. The wafer box picking and placing tool includes a contact plate, a handle, a hook and a locking device. Among them, one side of the contact plate is set as a working surface, and the other side is set as a non-working surface. The handle is set on the side of the non-working surface of the contact plate and is fixedly connected to the non-working surface. The hook includes a first hook and a second hook arranged on the working surface of the contact plate, with the opening direction facing upward, and the first hook is higher than the second hook, and the spacing between the first hook and the second hook is consistent with the spacing between the first hanging rod and the second hanging rod on the front of the wafer box. The locking device includes a locking part arranged above the first hook and with the opening facing downward. The locking device includes a locked state and an unlocked state; in the unlocked state, the locking part is separated from the first hook; in the locked state, the locking part is spliced with the first hook.
[0006] In an implementable solution, auxiliary hooks with their openings facing vertically upward are provided on the working surface of the contact plate. The auxiliary hooks are distributed on both sides of the hook and are located at the same height as the hook.
[0007] In one feasible solution, a reinforcement structure is provided at the connection between the handle and the contact plate.
[0008] In one feasible solution, the locking device includes a pressing rod, an elastic structure, and a support base. The support base is mounted near the junction of the handle and the contact plate. The pressing rod has a locking portion at one end and a pressing portion at the other. A predetermined position between the locking portion and the pressing portion is rotatably mounted on the support base. The elastic structure is mounted between the pressing rod and the handle, exerting a force that forces the pressing portion and the handle away from each other.
[0009] In one feasible solution, the locking portion is a groove opening downward.
[0010] In one feasible solution, an end of the handle away from the contact plate is provided as a heat-insulating grip portion.
[0011] In an implementable solution, the handle is bifurcated at one end away from the contact plate and is respectively configured as a heat-insulating first gripping portion and a heat-insulating second gripping portion.
[0012] In one feasible solution, the handle adopts a telescopic rod structure.
[0013] In one practicable solution, a buffer layer for preventing bumps and increasing friction is provided on the running surface of the contact plate.
[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application include at least:
[0015] The present application provides a wafer box picking and placing tool. When using the wafer box picking and placing tool, the operator only needs to perform a simple opening and closing operation on the locking device, hang the first hanging rod of the wafer box on the first hook and lock it, and then use the handle to pick and place the wafer box, thereby helping the operator to greatly simplify the operating steps of picking and placing the wafer box, and reduce the risks that the operator may encounter when picking and placing the wafer box, thereby improving the safety of the wafer box picking and placing work and reducing manpower and material costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present application and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.
[0017] Figure 11 is a side view of a wafer box pick-and-place tool according to an embodiment of the present application;
[0018] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A top view of the wafer cassette pick and place tool;
[0019] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Front view of the wafer box pick and place tool;
[0020] Figure 4 A first elevation view of a working surface of a wafer cassette pick and place tool;
[0021] Figure 5 A second front view of the working surface of the wafer box pick and place tool;
[0022] Figure 6 It is a front view of a wafer box according to an embodiment of the present application.
[0023] In the figure: 1. Contact plate; 2. Handle; 3. Hook; 4. Locking device; 5. Receiving groove; 101. Working surface; 102. Non-working surface; 201. Gripping part; 202. Reinforcement structure; 211. First gripping part; 212. Second gripping part; 301. First hook; 302. Second hook; 311. Auxiliary hook; 401. Pressing rod; 402. Support seat; 411. Locking part; 412. Pressing part; 601. First hanging rod; 602. Second hanging rod. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present application more clear, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the present application described and shown in the drawings herein can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.
[0025] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the present application for protection, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present application. All other embodiments obtained by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments in the present application without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.
[0026] The present application provides a wafer box pick-and-place tool, and the wafer box used in conjunction with it is as follows Figure 6 As shown, a receiving slot 5 is provided on the front side, and the receiving slot 5 includes a first hanging rod 601 and a second hanging rod 602 arranged in order of height. Figure 1As shown, the wafer cassette handling tool includes a contact plate 1, a handle 2, a hook 3, and a locking device 4. The contact plate 1 has a working surface 101 on one side and a non-working surface 102 on the other. The handle 2 is disposed on the non-working surface 102 side of the contact plate 1 and is fixedly connected to the non-working surface 102. The hook 3 includes a first hook 301 and a second hook 302 disposed on the working surface 101 of the contact plate 1. The hook 3 has an upward opening, and the first hook 301 is higher than the second hook 302. The spacing between the first hook 301 and the second hook 302 matches the spacing between the first and second hanging rods 601 and 602 on the front of the wafer cassette. The locking device 4 includes a locking portion 411 disposed above the first hook 301 and with its opening facing downward. The locking device 4 has a locked state and an unlocked state. In the unlocked state, the locking portion 411 is separated from the first hook 301; in the locked state, the locking portion 411 is engaged with the first hook 301.
[0027] During use, the operator operates the locking device 4 to unlock the cassette, exposing the opening of the first hook 301. The operator then hooks the first and second hooks 601 and 602 onto the first and second hooks 301 and 302, respectively. The operator then operates the locking device 4 again to lock the cassette. The locking device 4 and first hook 301 now cooperate to form a closed structure that accommodates the first hook 601, thereby ensuring that the first hook 601 does not slip out of the opening of the first hook 301 and securely connects the cassette to the cassette. The operator can then use the handle 2 to lift the cassette. During movement, the contact plate 1 engages with the cassette's sidewalls and applies pressure to the cassette, providing the necessary support. This helps maintain the cassette's stability during movement and reduces the risk of shaking. The multiple hook design provides multiple safeguards for the cassette retrieval tool. Specifically, by connecting two hooks to the cassette's two hooks, the risk of accidents caused by the failure of a single hook is reduced. In addition, using multiple hooks can reduce the pressure that a single hook needs to bear and reduce the possibility of hook damage, thereby helping to increase the stability of the entire system.
[0028] In summary, during the entire operation process, the operator only needs to perform simple opening and closing operations on the locking device 4, hang the first hanging rod 601 of the wafer box on the first hook 301 and lock it, and then use the handle 2 to take and place the wafer box. Therefore, the wafer box removal and placement tool of the present application can help the operator greatly simplify the operating steps of taking and placing the wafer box, and reduce the risks that the operator may encounter when taking and placing the wafer box, thereby improving the safety of the wafer box taking and placing work and reducing manpower and material costs.
[0029] In one embodiment, if Figure 5As shown, auxiliary hooks 311 with an opening direction vertically upward are provided on the working surface 101 of the contact plate 1. The auxiliary hooks 311 are distributed on both sides of the hook 3 and are located at the same height as the hook 3. The number of auxiliary hooks 311 provided on both sides of the hook 3 can be one or more, which can be determined according to specific needs. In addition, it is possible to make certain settings so that when the first hanging rod 601 is hung on the first hook 301, the auxiliary hooks 311 are just stuck at both ends of the wafer box receiving groove 5, thereby limiting the auxiliary hooks 311 with the help of the receiving groove, so that the wafer box picking and placing tool cannot move in the horizontal direction relative to the wafer box, which helps to increase the stability of the wafer box during movement. In addition, the auxiliary hooks 311 also help to further reduce the pressure borne by the hook 3 and reduce the possibility of damage.
[0030] In one embodiment, if Figure 1 As shown, a reinforcement structure 202 is fixedly provided at the connection between the handle 2 and the contact plate 1. The reinforcement structure 202 can be fixedly connected to the handle 2 and the contact plate 1 respectively through threaded connections, mortise and tenon connections, welding, or other methods, and the specific connection method is not limited here. The reinforcement structure 202 can enhance the connection strength between the handle 2 and the contact plate 1, helping to improve the structural stability of the wafer cassette pick and place tool.
[0031] In one embodiment, if Figure 1 As shown, the locking device 4 includes a pressing rod 401, an elastic structure, and a support base 402. The support base 402 is mounted near the connection between the handle 2 and the contact plate 1. One end of the pressing rod 401 is a locking portion 411, and the other end is a pressing portion 412. The predetermined position between the locking portion 411 and the pressing portion 412 is rotatably mounted on the support base 402. The elastic structure is installed between the pressing rod 401 and the handle 2, exerting a force on the pressing portion 412 to move away from the handle 2.
[0032] The locking portion 411 can be configured as a groove that opens downward. Preferably, the opening of the locking portion 411 matches the shape of the first hanging rod 601. One or more components such as a torsion spring and an elastic rubber band can be used as the elastic structure, and there is no limitation here. In addition, the locking portion 411 and the first hook 301 can be connected by magnetic attraction to increase the connection strength between the two and prevent them from being easily separated under the action of external force. During use, a downward force is applied to the pressing portion 412, and the locking portion 411 will lift upward. After the external force is removed, the locking portion 411 and the first hook 301 cooperate with each other to form a closed structure.
[0033] In one embodiment, if Figure 2As shown, the end of the handle 2 away from the contact plate 1 is provided with an insulating gripping portion 201. A heat-insulating layer can be provided on the outer side of the end of the handle 2 away from the contact plate 1 to form the gripping portion 201, or a gripping portion 201 made of a heat-insulating material can be externally connected to the end. The heat-insulating materials that can be used include ceramic fiber, asbestos, silicone, etc., which are not specifically limited here. In addition, a pattern for increasing friction can be provided on the surface of the gripping portion 201 to better prevent the wafer box from falling. The shape of the gripping portion 201 can be ergonomically designed to make the operator feel more comfortable when gripping, thereby improving work efficiency.
[0034] In one embodiment, if Figure 3 As shown, the handle 2 has a bifurcated end away from the contact plate 1 and is configured as a thermally insulated first grip portion 211 and a thermally insulated second grip portion 212. A thermally insulating layer can be applied to the outer sides of the bifurcated portions of the handle 2 to form the first grip portion 211 and the second grip portion 212, or the ends of the bifurcated portions can be externally connected to the first grip portion 211 and the second grip portion 212 made of thermally insulating material. With this design, the operator can use both hands to hold the wafer cassette access tool, facilitating more stable and reliable access to the cassette. This can better prevent the cassette from dropping due to the weight being too heavy for one hand, making the cassette access process safer and more reliable. Furthermore, the surfaces of the first grip portion 211 and the second grip portion 212 can be provided with friction-enhancing patterns to further prevent the cassette from dropping. The shapes of the first grip portion 211 and the second grip portion 212 can be ergonomically designed to provide a more comfortable grip for the operator, thereby improving work efficiency.
[0035] In one embodiment, the handle 2 can be a telescopic rod. The handle 2 can be composed of multiple interlocking cylindrical structures, the specific structure of which is not limited herein. Furthermore, the handle 2 can be provided with a corresponding locking structure to ensure that the length of the handle 2 remains stable. When the wafer cassette access tool is not in use, the handle 2 can be retracted to save space.
[0036] In one embodiment, a buffer layer is provided on the working surface 101 of the contact plate 1 to prevent collisions and increase friction, thereby better ensuring a close fit between the contact plate 1 and the side wall of the wafer box, while reducing direct hard contact between the contact plate 1 and the wafer box, thereby reducing the risk of damage caused by collisions. In addition, since the wafer box operates in a high-temperature environment, the temperature of its outer wall may be high, so the buffer layer should also have high-temperature resistance to ensure that it can maintain its own performance when in contact with high-temperature objects. Preferably, the buffer layer can be made of a polymer material such as rubber, silicone or polyimide, and the specific material is not limited here.
[0037] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. Various modifications and variations are possible for those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present application shall be included within the scope of protection of the present application.
Claims
1. A wafer box pick-up and placement tool, wherein a receiving slot (5) is provided on the front of the wafer box, and the receiving slot (5) includes a first hanging rod (601) and a second hanging rod (602) arranged in order of height, characterized in that: The wafer box pick-and-place tool includes: A contact plate (1), one side of which is set as a working surface (101) and the other side of which is set as a non-working surface (102); A handle (2) is provided on a side of the non-working surface (102) of the contact plate (1) and is fixedly connected to the non-working surface (102); A hook (3), comprising a first hook (301) and a second hook (302) arranged on the working surface (101) of the contact plate (1), with an opening facing upward, and the first hook (301) being higher than the second hook (302), and a distance between the first hook (301) and the second hook (302) being consistent with a distance between the first hanging rod (601) and the second hanging rod (602); The locking device (4) comprises a locking portion (411) disposed above the first hook (301) and with its opening facing downward; the locking device (4) comprises a locked state and an unlocked state; in the unlocked state, the locking portion (411) is separated from the first hook (301); in the locked state, the locking portion (411) is assembled with the first hook (301).
2. The wafer box pick-and-place tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: Auxiliary hooks (311) with an opening direction vertically upward are provided on the working surface (101) of the contact plate (1); the auxiliary hooks (311) are distributed on both sides of the hook (3) and are located at the same height as the hook (3).
3. The wafer box pick-and-place tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: A reinforcement structure (202) is provided at the connection between the handle (2) and the contact plate (1).
4. The wafer box pick-and-place tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking device (4) comprises a pressing rod (401), an elastic structure and a supporting seat (402); The support seat (402) is installed near the connection between the handle (2) and the contact plate (1); One end of the pressing rod (401) is the locking portion (411), and the other end is the pressing portion (412), and a predetermined position between the locking portion (411) and the pressing portion (412) is rotatably mounted on the support seat (402); The elastic structure is installed between the pressing rod (401) and the handle (2), and applies a force to move the pressing portion (412) and the handle (2) away from each other.
5. The wafer box pick-and-place tool according to claim 4, characterized in that: The locking portion (411) is a groove opening downward.
6. The wafer box pick-and-place tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the handle (2) away from the contact plate (1) is provided as a heat-insulating gripping portion (201).
7. The wafer box pick-and-place tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: The handle (2) is bifurcated at one end away from the contact plate (1) and is respectively configured as a heat-insulating first gripping portion (211) and a heat-insulating second gripping portion (212).
8. The wafer box pick-and-place tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: The handle (2) adopts a telescopic rod structure.
9. The wafer box pick-and-place tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: A buffer layer for preventing collision and increasing friction is provided on the working surface (101) of the contact plate (1).