Wafer memory

Abstract

The utility model relates to the field of semiconductor production and manufacturing, and provides a wafer storage device which comprises a bin wall body, a front bin wall and a connecting mechanism. The bin wall body is provided with a storage space which is opened forwards. The connecting mechanism is connected with the bin wall body and the front bin wall, so that the front bin wall can be switched between a first position and a second position in the mode of translating in the front-back direction relative to the bin wall body and can be switched between the second position and a third position in the mode of pivoting around a pivoting axis extending in the height direction. When the front bin wall is located at the first position, the front bin wall is matched with the bin wall body to close the storage space. When the front silo wall is located at the second position, the front silo wall and the silo wall body are spaced and are perpendicular to the front-back direction. When the front silo wall is located at the third position, the front silo wall is parallel relative to the front-back direction. Accordingly, on one hand, interference between the front bin wall and the bin wall body in the position switching process can be avoided, on the other hand, the storage space is opened to a large degree, and therefore a large operation space is provided for maintainers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and specifically to a chip memory. Background Technology

[0002] Chip memory is a common piece of equipment in chip manufacturing. During operation, internal failures can occur at any time. To facilitate internal repairs, chip memory typically has access ports. However, these ports provide limited operating space for repair personnel, making repairs inconvenient. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a chip memory to solve the problem of insufficient operating space when performing maintenance on the chip memory.

[0004] The chip memory includes a main body, a front wall, and a connecting mechanism. The main body has a storage space that opens forward. The connecting mechanism connects the main body and the front wall, allowing the front wall to translate relative to the main body in the front-rear direction between a first position and a second position, and to pivot about a pivot axis extending in the height direction between a second position and a third position. When the current wall is in the first position, the front wall cooperates with the main body to close the storage space. When the current wall is in the second position, the front wall is spaced apart from the main body and perpendicular to it in the front-rear direction. When the current wall is in the third position, the front wall is parallel to it in the front-rear direction.

[0005] In one possible implementation, the connecting mechanism includes a guide rail, a slider, a connecting plate, and a pivot. The guide rail extends in the front-to-back direction and is supported on the main body of the bin wall. The slider is supported and guided by the guide rail to slide in the front-to-back direction. The connecting plate extends in the front-to-back direction and is fixed to the slider to slide together with the slider in the front-to-back direction. The pivot is fixed to the front end of the connecting plate and connected to the front bin wall, allowing the front bin wall to pivot relative to the connecting plate.

[0006] As one possible implementation, the main body of the storage compartment includes side walls. The side walls are parallel to both the front-to-back and height directions. Guide rails are fixed to the side walls.

[0007] As one possible implementation, when the current warehouse wall is in the third position, the front warehouse wall is located outside the side warehouse wall in the front-back direction.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the wafer memory also includes multiple stages and a transport device. The multiple stages are used to carry wafer cassettes. The transport device is used to transport the wafer cassettes between the multiple stages. The multiple stages include at least one temporary storage stage and at least one storage stage. At least one temporary storage stage and at least one storage stage are supported by a front wall. The transport device is supported by the wall body.

[0009] As one possible implementation, the chip memory also includes at least one positioning mechanism. During the process of the front compartment wall switching from the second position to the first position, at least one positioning mechanism positions the front compartment wall relative to the main compartment wall body.

[0010] In one possible implementation, at least one positioning mechanism includes a first positioning mechanism. The first positioning mechanism includes a first positioning member and a second positioning member. One of the first and second positioning members is fixed to the front compartment wall, and the other is fixed to the main body of the compartment wall. The first positioning member has a first positioning surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction and a positioning protrusion protruding from the first positioning surface. The second positioning member has a second positioning surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The second positioning surface has a positioning recess. The positioning protrusion has two tapering surfaces on opposite sides in the height direction, which gradually taper away from the first positioning surface. When the front compartment wall is in a first position, the first and second positioning surfaces abut against each other, and the positioning recess receives the positioning protrusion.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the bulkhead body includes a first side bulkhead and a second side bulkhead opposite each other in the width direction. A connecting mechanism connects the first side bulkhead. The other of the first and second positioning elements is fixed to the first side bulkhead. At least one positioning mechanism further includes a second positioning mechanism. The second positioning mechanism includes a third positioning element and a fourth positioning element. One of the third and fourth positioning elements is fixed to the front bulkhead, and the other is fixed to the second side bulkhead. The third positioning element has a third positioning surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction and a positioning pin protruding from the third positioning surface. The fourth positioning element has a fourth positioning surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The fourth positioning surface has a positioning pin hole. When the front bulkhead is in the first position, the third and fourth positioning surfaces abut, and the positioning pin is inserted into the positioning pin hole.

[0012] In one possible implementation, at least one positioning mechanism includes two positioning mechanisms. The main body of the storage compartment includes two side storage compartments opposite each other in the width direction. Two vertical frames are respectively provided at opposite ends of the front storage compartment in the width direction. The two positioning mechanisms are used to position the two vertical frames relative to the two side storage compartments.

[0013] As one possible implementation, the chip memory also includes a power distribution box supported on the front wall.

[0014] The chip memory disclosed herein connects the front compartment wall to the main body of the main body via a connecting mechanism. This connecting mechanism allows the front compartment wall to be translated relative to the main body in the front-rear direction to a second position where it is perpendicular to the front-rear direction, and then pivoted about a pivot axis in the height direction to a third position where it is parallel to the front-rear direction. This avoids interference between the front compartment wall and the main body during position switching, and also allows for a greater degree of openness of the forward-facing storage space within the main body of the main body, thus providing maintenance personnel with a larger operating space. Attached Figure Description

[0015] It should be understood that the following figures only illustrate certain embodiments of this disclosure and should not be construed as limiting the scope.

[0016] It should be understood that the same or similar reference numerals are used in the accompanying drawings to denote the same or similar elements.

[0017] It should be understood that the accompanying drawings are only schematic, and the dimensions and scales of the elements in the drawings are not necessarily precise.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a wafer processing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a chip memory with an access port.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a chip memory according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 4 To illustrate when the front bulkhead is in the first position Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the chip memory.

[0022] Figure 5 To illustrate when the front bulkhead is in the second position Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the chip memory.

[0023] Figure 6 To illustrate when the front bulkhead is in the third position Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the chip memory.

[0024] Figure 7 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the connection mechanism for a mid-chip memory.

[0025] Figure 8 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the first positioning mechanism of the chip memory.

[0026] Figure 9 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the second positioning mechanism of the chip memory.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 10, wafer memory; 101, inspection port; 100, main body of the storage compartment; 110, side storage compartment wall; 200, front storage compartment wall; 210, platform; 211, temporary storage platform; 212, storage platform; 300, connecting mechanism; 310, guide rail; 320, slider; 330, connecting plate; 340, pivot; 400, first positioning mechanism; 410, first positioning element; 411, first positioning surface; 412, positioning protrusion; 420 421. Second positioning element; 422. Positioning recess; 500. Second positioning mechanism; 510. Third positioning element; 511. Third positioning surface; 512. Positioning pin; 520. Fourth positioning element; 521. Fourth positioning surface; 522. Positioning pin hole; 600. Transport device; F. Front-back direction; H. Height direction; W. Width direction; 1000. Wafer processing system; 1100. Processing unit; 1200. Transfer unit. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Numerous specific details are set forth below to provide an understanding of the structure, function, and use of the embodiments described and illustrated in the specification and figures. It is to be understood that the embodiments described and illustrated herein are non-limiting examples, and thus it will be appreciated that the particular structural and functional details disclosed herein are representative and exemplary. Variations and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0029] With the development of wafer fabrication technology, the degree of automation in wafer fabrication systems is becoming increasingly higher. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the wafer processing system 1000 includes processing units 1100, transfer units 1200, and wafer memory 10. A processing unit 1100 refers to a cluster of related equipment for one or more processes in a wafer processing technology; that is, a wafer can complete the corresponding processing technology after passing through a corresponding processing unit 1100. In a wafer processing system 1000, one or more processing units 1100 can be set up according to actual needs, and wafers can be transferred between multiple processing units 1100 via the transfer unit 1200. Considering that the processing rates of each processing unit 1100 may be different, wafers from the transfer unit 1200 to the processing unit 1100 and wafers from the processing unit 1100 to the transfer unit 1200 can be stored in the wafer memory 10.

[0030] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of a wafer memory 10. The wafer memory 10 includes a storage wall. A storage space is provided within the storage wall to store wafers. Wafers can be placed in wafer cassettes to ensure they are not contaminated during storage and transport. The wafer memory 10 includes a stage and a transport device 600. The stage supports the wafer cassettes, and the transport device 600 transports the wafer cassettes. The wafer memory 10 also includes a power supply device such as an electrical distribution box to supply power to the transport device 600 and other devices. Furthermore, other devices may be included in the wafer memory 10 according to actual production needs.

[0031] During the operation of the chip memory 10, operations are required when a device inside the chip memory 10 malfunctions, or when periodic maintenance is performed to prevent malfunctions. Typically, a maintenance port 101 is provided in a localized area of ​​the chip memory 10's wall, allowing maintenance personnel to access and repair the devices inside. However, the maintenance port 101 provides only a limited operating space. This is especially insufficient when repairing larger devices. Some maintenance personnel dismantle the entire wall of the chip memory 10 to obtain more operating space. However, disassembling and reassembling the wall is not only cumbersome but also easily damages it.

[0032] Therefore, in order to solve the problem of insufficient operating space for maintenance personnel when performing maintenance on the chip memory 10, this disclosure improves the chip memory 10. The chip memory 10 according to this disclosure is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Typically, the chip memory 10 is placed on a horizontal plane. For ease of description, the two directions parallel to the horizontal plane and perpendicular to each other are denoted as the front-back direction F and the width direction W, respectively, and the direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane is denoted as the height direction H; these directions are all shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0033] like Figures 3 to 6As shown, the chip memory 10 includes a wall body 100, a front wall 200, and a connecting mechanism 300. The wall body 100 has a storage space that opens forward. The connecting mechanism 300 connects the wall body 100 and the front wall 200, allowing the front wall 200 to be translatably switched between a first position and a second position relative to the wall body 100 in the front-rear direction F, and to pivotally switch between a second position and a third position about a pivot axis extending in the height direction H. When the front wall 200 is in the first position, it cooperates with the wall body 100 to close the storage space. When the front wall 200 is in the second position, it is spaced apart from the wall body 100 and perpendicular to the front-rear direction F. When the front wall 200 is in the third position, it is parallel to the front-rear direction F.

[0034] The main body 100 of the storage compartment has a forward-opening storage space. This means that the main body 100 has storage walls on all sides except the side facing forward, thus forming a forward-opening storage space. The storage walls on each side of the main body 100 can be integrally formed, or formed by fixing the storage walls together. The front storage wall 200 is independent of the main body 100 and can cooperate with the main body 100 in a first position to close the storage space. The cooperation between the front storage wall 200 and the main body 100 can be varied, for example, by interlocking to form a secure connection to fix the front storage wall 200 in the first position, preventing accidental opening of the storage space due to changes in the position of the front storage wall 200.

[0035] The main body 100 of the storage wall and the front storage wall 200 are connected by a connecting mechanism 300, so that after the front storage wall 200 is released from the main body 100 of the storage wall and the storage space is opened, the front storage wall 200 is still connected to the main body 100 of the storage wall, so that the front storage wall 200 does not need to be separated from the main body 100 of the storage wall and placed elsewhere.

[0036] The front storage wall 200 opens the storage space by separating from the main body 100 via the connecting mechanism 300. It first translates forward from a first position to a second position, then pivots 90 degrees around a pivot axis extending along the height direction H from the second position to a third position. Since the front storage wall 200 does not rotate during its translation from the first position to the second position, it is spaced apart from the main body 100 and perpendicular to the front-rear direction F when in the second position. Because the front storage wall 200 rotates 90 degrees during its pivot from the second position to the third position, it is parallel to the front-rear direction F when in the third position. Since the front storage wall 200 is parallel to the front-rear direction F when in the third position, its projection along the front-rear direction F on the main body 100 is minimized, meaning the front of the main body 100 is minimally obstructed by the front storage wall 200. This maximizes the opening of the forward-facing storage space, providing ample operating space for maintenance personnel.

[0037] It should be noted that the gap between the front storage wall 200 and the main storage wall 100 when the front storage wall 200 is in the second position can be adjusted according to actual needs. For example, the gap can be greater than or equal to the thickness of the device installed on the front storage wall 200 in the front-rear direction F. This avoids interference between the front storage wall 200 and the main storage wall 100 due to its own structure or the platform 210 on the side of the front storage wall 200 facing the storage space when the front storage wall 200 pivots from the second position to the third position. It also ensures that the front storage wall 200 can be fully utilized along its width direction W, thereby improving its utilization rate. The gap can also be other sizes, as long as they meet the needs of maintenance personnel.

[0038] After maintenance is completed, the connecting mechanism 300 can cause the front compartment wall 200 to pivot from the third position around the pivot axis extending along the height direction H to the second position, and then move from the second position to the first position along the front-rear direction F, so as to re-engage with the compartment wall body 100 to close the storage space.

[0039] The chip memory 10 provided in this disclosure connects the front compartment wall 200 to the compartment wall body 100 via a connecting mechanism 300. The connecting mechanism 300 allows the front compartment wall 200 to be perpendicular to the front-back direction F when it is translated relative to the compartment wall body 100 in the front-back direction F, and then to be parallel to the front-back direction F when it is pivoted about the pivot axis in the height direction H to the third position. On the one hand, this can avoid interference between the front compartment wall 200 and the compartment wall body 100 during the position switching process. On the other hand, it allows the forward-open storage space inside the compartment wall body 100 to be opened to a greater extent, thereby providing maintenance personnel with a larger operating space.

[0040] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7As shown, the connecting mechanism 300 includes a guide rail 310, a slider 320, a connecting plate 330, and a pivot 340. The guide rail 310 extends in the front-rear direction F and is supported on the bulkhead 100. The slider 320 is supported and guided by the guide rail 310 to slide in the front-rear direction F. The connecting plate 330 extends in the front-rear direction F and is fixed to the slider 320 to slide together with the slider 320 in the front-rear direction F. The pivot 340 is fixed to the front end of the connecting plate 330 and connected to the front bulkhead 200, so that the front bulkhead 200 is pivotable relative to the connecting plate 330.

[0041] The guide rail 310 extends in the front-rear direction F to allow the slider 320 supported on it to slide in the front-rear direction F, thereby enabling the connecting plate 330 fixed to the slider 320 to move in the front-rear direction F. This allows the front compartment wall 200, connected to the connecting plate 330 via the pivot 340, to translate from a first position to a second position in the front-rear direction F. The length of the guide rail 310 in the front-rear direction F can be arbitrary, as long as it ensures the sliding length of the slider 320, meaning that the slider 320 remains on the guide rail 310 and does not detach from it during the translation of the front compartment wall 200 from the first position to the second position in the front-rear direction F. The connecting plate 330 extends in the front-rear direction F, allowing one end (rear end) to be fixed to the slider 320, and the other end (front end) to be connected to the front compartment wall 200 via the pivot 340. This allows the front compartment wall 200 to pivotally switch between the second and third positions around a pivot axis extending in the height direction H at the front end of the connecting plate 330.

[0042] In other embodiments, the connecting mechanism 300 includes a guide rail 310, a slider 320, a connecting plate 330, and a pivot 340. The connecting plate 330 is supported on the bulkhead body 100. The slider 320 is fixed to the connecting plate 330. The guide rail 310 is supported on the slider 320 and is slidable in the front-rear direction F. The pivot 340 is fixed to the front end of the guide rail 310 and connected to the front bulkhead 200, allowing the front bulkhead 200 to pivot relative to the guide rail 310. This connecting mechanism 300 also allows the front bulkhead 200 to translate relative to the bulkhead body 100 in the front-rear direction F between a first position and a second position, and to pivot about a pivot axis extending in the height direction H between a second position and a third position.

[0043] One or more connecting mechanisms 300 can be provided. For example, two connecting mechanisms 300 can be provided along the height direction H to connect the front bulkhead 200 to the bulkhead body 100 to form a more stable connection, thereby preventing the front bulkhead 200 from deflecting in the pivot axis plane.

[0044] In some embodiments, such as Figures 3 to 6As shown, the main body 100 of the storage wall includes a side storage wall 110. The side storage wall 110 is parallel to both the front-to-back direction F and the height direction H. A guide rail 310 is fixed to the side storage wall 110. The main body 100 of the storage wall contains a storage space, in which devices such as wafer cassettes, a handling device 600, and a power distribution box are housed. In particular, the moving mechanism of the handling device 600 needs to frequently move wafer cassettes within the storage space, thus requiring a large operating space. If the guide rail 310 is fixed in the middle of the storage space, the connecting mechanism 300 will interfere with the handling device 600, affecting its movement path. Therefore, when the side storage wall 110 is parallel to both the front-to-back direction F and the height direction H, fixing the guide rail 310 to the side storage wall 110 not only allows the front storage wall 200 to translate along the front-to-back direction F, but also avoids interference from the connecting mechanism 300 with other devices within the storage space.

[0045] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, when the front storage wall 200 is in the third position, the front storage wall 200 is located outside the side storage wall 110 in the front-rear direction F. Since the side storage wall 110 is parallel to both the front-rear direction F and the height direction H, when the front storage wall 200 is located outside the side storage wall 110 in the front-rear direction F, that is, the front storage wall 200 is entirely located outside the storage space. At this time, the front storage wall 200 will not occupy the storage space, thereby ensuring the openness of the storage space and providing sufficient operating space for maintenance personnel.

[0046] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3As shown, the wafer memory 10 also includes a plurality of platforms 210 and a transport device 600. The plurality of platforms 210 are used to hold wafer cassettes. The transport device 600 is used to transport wafer cassettes between the plurality of platforms 210. The plurality of platforms 210 includes at least one temporary storage platform 211 and at least one storage platform 212. At least one temporary storage platform 211 and at least one storage platform 212 are supported on the front wall 200. The transport device 600 is supported on the wall body 100. The temporary storage platform 211 can be used to temporarily hold wafer cassettes, and the storage platform 212 can be used to hold wafer cassettes that need to be stored for a longer period. For example, a wafer cassette that has just been transferred from the transfer unit 1200 to the wafer memory 10 can first be placed on the temporary storage platform 211, and then the transport device 600 transports the wafer cassette on the temporary storage platform 211 to the storage platform 212. A wafer cassette placed on the storage stage 212 can be moved by the transport device 600 to a position close to the processing unit 1100 after all the wafers in the previous wafer cassette have been delivered to the processing unit 1100, so that the wafers inside can be delivered to the processing unit 1100. A wafer cassette from the wafer memory 10 to the transfer unit 1200 can also be placed on the storage stage 212, and after the temporary storage stage 211 becomes available, it can be moved by the transport device 600 to the temporary storage stage 211 and then delivered to the transfer unit 1200. Therefore, wafer cassettes will frequently interact between the temporary storage stage 211 and the storage stage 212. Whether the transport device 600 moves a wafer cassette placed on the temporary storage stage 211 to the storage stage 212 or vice versa, it depends on the relative positional relationship between the temporary storage stage 211 and the storage stage 212. If the temporary storage platform 211 is supported on the front compartment wall 200, while the storage platform 212 is supported on the other side compartment wall 110, and the front compartment wall 200 cannot accurately return to its first position due to frequent position switching, the relative positional relationship between the temporary storage platform 211 and the storage platform 212 will change, thereby affecting the transport device 600's ability to transport the wafer cassette between the temporary storage platform 211 and the storage platform 212 according to their relative positional relationship. Therefore, both the temporary storage stage 211 and the storage stage 212 are supported on the front wall 200. This ensures that the relative positional relationship between the temporary storage stage 211 and the storage stage 212 remains unchanged after the front wall 200 is repeatedly switched, while maintaining the utilization rate of the front wall 200. This does not affect the transport device 600's transport of the wafer cassette between the temporary storage stage 211 and the storage stage 212 based on their relative positional relationship.

[0047] Given that the front storage wall 200 may fail to accurately return to its first position due to repeated position switching, in some embodiments, the chip memory 10 further includes at least one positioning mechanism. During the process of the front storage wall 200 switching from the second position to the first position, at least one positioning mechanism positions the front storage wall 200 relative to the storage wall body 100. The number and position of the positioning mechanisms can be set according to actual needs. For example, the front storage wall 200 is most likely to experience positional deviation at positions where the positional change relative to the storage wall body 100 is large. Positional deviation, for example, is caused by the front storage wall 200 itself drooping downwards along the height direction H relative to the storage wall body 100 due to its own gravity. Setting a positioning mechanism at this position can effectively eliminate the positional deviation of the front storage wall 200 along the height direction H. Two positioning mechanisms can also be set, which can work together to achieve a better positioning effect.

[0048] In some embodiments, at least one positioning mechanism includes a first positioning mechanism 400. For example... Figure 8 As shown, the first positioning mechanism 400 includes a first positioning member 410 and a second positioning member 420. One of the first positioning member 410 and the second positioning member 420 is fixed to the front compartment wall 200 and the other is fixed to the compartment wall body 100. The first positioning member 410 has a first positioning surface 411 perpendicular to the front-rear direction F and a positioning protrusion 412 protruding from the first positioning surface 411. The second positioning member 420 has a second positioning surface 421 perpendicular to the front-rear direction F. The second positioning surface 421 has a positioning recess 422. Since the second positioning surface 421 is perpendicular to the front-rear direction F, the opening of the positioning recess 422 has two edges spaced apart along the height direction H. The positioning protrusion 412 has two tapering surfaces on opposite sides in the height direction H, and the tapering surfaces gradually taper away from the first positioning surface 411. When the front compartment wall 200 is in the first position, the first positioning surface 411 and the second positioning surface 421 abut against each other, and the positioning recess 422 receives the positioning protrusion 412.

[0049] Taking the example of the first positioning member 410 being fixed to the front storage wall 200 and the second positioning member 420 being fixed to the storage wall body 100, when the front storage wall 200 moves from the second position to the first direction along the front-rear direction F, the first positioning member 410 also moves towards the second positioning member 420 along the front-rear direction F. If there is a downward positional deviation of the front storage wall 200 relative to the storage wall body 100 in the height direction H, then when the first positioning member 410 moves towards the second positioning member 420 in the front-rear direction F to a certain position, the tapered surface on the lower side of the positioning protrusion 412 will contact the lower edge of the opening of the positioning recess 422. As the first positioning member 410 continues to move towards the second positioning member 420 in the front-rear direction F, the tapered surface will slide against the lower edge of the opening of the positioning recess 422 that it contacts, so as to gradually raise the first storage wall. Until the lower edge of the opening of the positioning recess 422 slides out of the tapered surface, the front storage wall 200 is positioned relative to the storage wall body 100 in the height direction H. When the first positioning surface 411 and the second positioning surface 421 come into contact, the front warehouse wall 200 is positioned relative to the warehouse wall body 100 in the front-rear direction F.

[0050] Conversely, if the first positioning component 410 is fixed to the main body 100 of the storage wall and the second positioning component 420 is fixed to the front storage wall 200, the front storage wall 200 can also be positioned relative to the main body 100 of the storage wall along the height direction H. The positioning principle is the same as when the first positioning component 410 is fixed to the front storage wall 200 and the second positioning component 420 is fixed to the main body 100 of the storage wall. Both use the tapered surface to guide the sliding of the lower edge of the opening of the positioning recess 422 on the same side to achieve the positioning of the front storage wall 200 relative to the main body 100 of the storage wall in the height direction H. The specific process will not be described here.

[0051] In some embodiments, the storage wall body 100 includes a first side storage wall 110 and a second side storage wall 110 opposite each other in the width direction W. A connecting mechanism 300 connects to the first side storage wall 110. The other of the first positioning member 410 and the second positioning member 420 is fixed to the first side storage wall 110. At least one positioning mechanism further includes a second positioning mechanism 500. Figure 9 As shown, the second positioning mechanism 500 includes a third positioning element 510 and a fourth positioning element 520. One of the third positioning element 510 and the fourth positioning element 520 is fixed to the front compartment wall 200 and the other is fixed to the second side compartment wall 110. The third positioning element 510 has a third positioning surface 511 perpendicular to the front-rear direction F and a positioning pin 512 protruding from the third positioning surface 511. The fourth positioning element 520 has a fourth positioning surface 521 perpendicular to the front-rear direction F. The fourth positioning surface 521 has a positioning pin hole 522. When the front compartment wall 200 is in the first position, the third positioning surface 511 and the fourth positioning surface 521 abut against each other, and the positioning pin 512 is inserted into the positioning pin hole 522.

[0052] Taking the third positioning component 510 fixed to the front storage wall 200 and the fourth positioning component 520 fixed to the second side storage wall 110 as an example, when the front storage wall 200 moves from the second position to the first position along the front-rear direction F, the positioning pin 512 will be inserted into the positioning pin hole 522 along the front-rear direction F. After the positioning pin 512 is inserted into the positioning pin hole 522, the positioning pin hole 522 will simultaneously position the positioning pin 512 in the height direction H and the width direction W, thereby positioning the front storage wall 200 relative to the storage wall body 100 in both the height direction H and the width direction W. Conversely, fixing the third positioning component 510 to the storage wall body 100 and the fourth positioning component 520 to the front storage wall 200 can achieve the same purpose.

[0053] The first positioning mechanism 400 and the second positioning mechanism 500 can be fixed to the first side wall 110 and the second side wall 110, respectively. The first positioning mechanism 400 is used to position the front wall 200 relative to the main body 100 in the height direction H, and the second positioning mechanism 500 is used to position the front wall 200 relative to the main body 100 in both the height direction H and the width direction W. Since it is necessary to overcome the weight of the front wall 200 when positioning the front wall 200 relative to the main body 100 in the height direction H, if only the second positioning mechanism 500 is provided, the force-bearing cross section of the second positioning mechanism 500 (i.e., the cross section of the positioning pin 512 of the third positioning member 510 perpendicular to the front-rear direction F) may be too small to bear the weight of the front wall 200, thus causing the positioning pin 512 to break. In addition to the weight of the front storage wall 200, the second positioning mechanism 500 also needs to bear the force of positioning the front storage wall 200 relative to the storage wall body 100 in the width direction W, which increases the risk of the positioning pin 512 breaking. Since the first positioning mechanism 400 is only used to position the front storage wall 200 relative to the storage wall body 100 in the height direction H, and the force-bearing cross section of the first positioning mechanism 400 (i.e., the cross section of the positioning protrusion 412 of the first positioning member 410 perpendicular to the front-rear direction F) is large, when the first positioning mechanism 400 and the second positioning mechanism 500 jointly position the front storage wall 200 relative to the storage wall body 100 in the height direction H, the weight of the front storage wall 200 will be mainly borne by the first positioning mechanism 400 with the larger force-bearing cross section area, thereby reducing the force borne by the force-bearing cross section of the second positioning mechanism 500 and avoiding the breakage of the positioning pin 512 of the second positioning mechanism 500. In addition, the number, position and cross-sectional area of ​​the first positioning mechanism 400 and the second positioning mechanism 500 can be designed according to actual needs, and this disclosure does not limit them.

[0054] In some embodiments, at least one positioning mechanism includes two positioning mechanisms. The bulkhead body 100 includes two side bulkheads 110 opposite each other in the width direction W. The front bulkhead 200 has two vertical frames at opposite ends in the width direction W. The two positioning mechanisms are used to position the two vertical frames relative to the two side bulkheads 110. Since the two positioning mechanisms are subjected to the gravity of the bulkhead when positioning the front bulkhead 200 relative to the bulkhead body 100 in the height direction H, the two positioning mechanisms are used to position the front bulkhead 200 relative to the bulkhead body 100. When the two positioning mechanisms are positioned relative to the two side walls 110 on the two vertical frames of the front compartment wall 200 on opposite sides in the width direction W, the distances between the two positioning mechanisms and the center of gravity of the front compartment wall 200 in the width direction W are equal. This allows the weight transmitted from the front compartment wall 200 to the two positioning mechanisms through the vertical frames to be evenly distributed. This not only avoids the risk of one positioning mechanism breaking due to excessive force, but also provides a uniform reaction force to the front compartment wall 200. This is beneficial for the front compartment wall 200 to be evenly positioned on opposite sides in the width direction W, and prevents the front compartment wall 200 from deflecting in the plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction F.

[0055] In some embodiments, the wafer memory 10 also includes a power distribution box supported on the front wall 200. Since the power distribution box needs to continuously supply power to the devices within the wafer memory 10 during operation, a malfunction in the power distribution box will not only cause the wafer memory 10 to malfunction, but may also, in severe cases, affect the entire wafer processing system 1000. Therefore, frequent maintenance, repair, and replacement of the power distribution box are required. The fact that the power distribution box is supported on the front wall 200 allows maintenance personnel to easily maintain, repair, and replace the power distribution box after the front wall 200 is switched to a third position.

[0056] It should be noted that the elements described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0057] It should be understood that multiple components and / or parts can be provided by a single integrated component or part. Alternatively, a single integrated component or part can be divided into multiple separate components and / or parts. The use of the public designation "a" or "an" to describe a component or part is not intended to exclude other components or parts.

[0058] It should be understood that although terms such as “first” or “second” may be used in this disclosure to describe various elements, these elements are not defined by these terms, which are only used to distinguish one element from another.

[0059] The basic principles of this disclosure have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this disclosure are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this disclosure. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not limit the scope of this disclosure to the necessity of employing the aforementioned specific details for implementation.

[0060] The above are merely specific embodiments of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A chip memory, characterized in that, The chip memory includes a main body, a front wall, and a connecting mechanism. The main body has a storage space that opens forward. The connecting mechanism connects the main body and the front wall, allowing the front wall to switch between a first position and a second position by translating relative to the main body in a front-back direction, and to switch between a second position and a third position by pivoting about a pivot axis extending in the height direction. When the front wall is in the first position, it cooperates with the main body to close the storage space. When the front wall is in the second position, it is spaced apart from the main body and perpendicular to the front-back direction. When the front wall is in the third position, it is parallel to the front-back direction.

2. The chip memory according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting mechanism includes a guide rail, a slider, a connecting plate, and a pivot member. The guide rail extends along the front-rear direction and is supported on the main body of the storage wall. The slider is supported and guided by the guide rail to slide along the front-rear direction. The connecting plate extends along the front-rear direction and is fixed to the slider to slide together with the slider along the front-rear direction. The pivot member is fixed to the front end of the connecting plate and connected to the front storage wall, so that the front storage wall can pivot relative to the connecting plate.

3. The chip memory according to claim 2, characterized in that, The main body of the storage wall includes a side storage wall, which is parallel to both the front-back direction and the height direction, and the guide rail is fixed to the side storage wall.

4. The chip memory according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the front compartment wall is in the third position, the front compartment wall is located outside the side compartment wall in the front-rear direction.

5. The chip memory according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The wafer memory also includes multiple platforms and a transport device. The multiple platforms are used to carry wafer cassettes, and the transport device is used to transport the wafer cassettes between the multiple platforms. The multiple platforms include at least one temporary storage platform and at least one storage platform. The at least one temporary storage platform and the at least one storage platform are supported on the front wall, and the transport device is supported on the main body of the wall.

6. The chip memory according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The chip memory further includes at least one positioning mechanism; during the process of the front compartment wall switching from the second position to the first position, the at least one positioning mechanism positions the front compartment wall relative to the main body of the compartment wall.

7. The chip memory according to claim 6, characterized in that, The at least one positioning mechanism includes a first positioning mechanism, which includes a first positioning element and a second positioning element. One of the first positioning element and the second positioning element is fixed to the front compartment wall and the other is fixed to the main body of the compartment wall. The first positioning element has a first positioning surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction and a positioning protrusion protruding from the first positioning surface. The second positioning element has a second positioning surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction and a positioning recess. The positioning protrusion has two tapering surfaces on opposite sides in the height direction, and the tapering surfaces gradually contract away from the first positioning surface. When the front compartment wall is in the first position, the first positioning surface and the second positioning surface abut against each other, and the positioning recess receives the positioning protrusion.

8. The chip memory according to claim 7, characterized in that, The main body of the storage wall includes a first side storage wall and a second side storage wall opposite each other in the width direction. The connecting mechanism connects the first side storage wall, and the other of the first positioning member and the second positioning member is fixed to the first side storage wall. The at least one positioning mechanism further includes a second positioning mechanism, which includes a third positioning member and a fourth positioning member. One of the third positioning member and the fourth positioning member is fixed to the front storage wall and the other is fixed to the second side storage wall. The third positioning member has a third positioning surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction and a positioning pin protruding from the third positioning surface. The fourth positioning member has a fourth positioning surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction and a positioning pin hole. When the front storage wall is in the first position, the third positioning surface and the fourth positioning surface abut against each other, and the positioning pin is inserted into the positioning pin hole.

9. The chip memory according to claim 6, characterized in that, The at least one positioning mechanism includes two positioning mechanisms. The main body of the storage wall includes two side storage walls opposite each other in the width direction. The front storage wall is provided with two vertical frames at opposite ends in the width direction. The two positioning mechanisms are used to position the two vertical frames relative to the two side storage walls.

10. The chip memory according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The wafer memory also includes a power distribution box, which is supported by the front compartment wall.

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