Pusher device and processing apparatus

Abstract

The application discloses a pushing device and processing equipment, which comprises a transfer table, a discharging mechanism and a pushing mechanism; the transfer table is used for supporting a tray; the discharging mechanism comprises a first driving member arranged above the transfer table and a clamping jaw assembly arranged at a driving end of the first driving member; the pushing mechanism comprises a second driving member arranged at a side of the transfer table and a pushing member. A box can be arranged at one side of the transfer table; the first driving member drives the clamping jaw assembly to move along a first direction; the clamping jaw assembly can clamp a tray in the box outside the transfer table, and then the clamping jaw assembly carries the tray to the transfer table. The second driving member drives the pushing member to push the tray away from the transfer table along a second direction. The layout of the above-mentioned discharging mechanism and the pushing mechanism is compact, so that the size of the device is smaller, and meanwhile, the tray can be fed in two directions to adapt to different working conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor processing, and in particular to a feeding device and processing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In the semiconductor industry, cartridge-type material handling boxes are commonly used for loading and unloading. These boxes have multiple layers with spacing between each layer, allowing products to be placed in trays within the box without contact between them. Products are loaded and unloaded by pushing or pulling the trays. They are convenient to use and reusable. Related technologies typically include a receiving platform at the side opening of the cartridge and a pusher cylinder on the side of the cartridge away from the receiving platform to eject the tray. This linear arrangement of the pusher cylinder, cartridge, and receiving platform results in a relatively large overall size, consuming significant installation space. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application proposes a material pushing device and processing equipment, in which the material discharge mechanism and the material pushing mechanism are respectively located above and to the side of the transfer table, resulting in a more compact structure.

[0004] This application discloses a feeding device, comprising:

[0005] Transfer table, used to receive material trays;

[0006] The discharge mechanism includes a first drive unit disposed above the transfer table and a gripper assembly disposed at the drive end of the first drive unit. The gripper assembly is used to grip the material tray, and the drive direction of the first drive unit is along a first direction.

[0007] The feeding mechanism includes a second driving member disposed on the side of the transfer platform and a feeding member disposed on the driving end of the second driving member. The driving direction of the second driving member is along a second direction. The side of the transfer platform away from the second driving member constitutes a feeding end. The first direction intersects with the second direction.

[0008] In some embodiments, the gripper assembly includes a gripper cylinder disposed at the driving end of the first driving member, the gripper cylinder including a first clamping member and a second clamping member arranged sequentially from top to bottom, the first clamping member and the second clamping member being used to clamp the material tray.

[0009] In some embodiments, the gripper assembly further includes a limiting protrusion disposed on the upper surface of the second gripper, the limiting protrusion being used to dock with the tray.

[0010] In some embodiments, the pusher includes a vertically arranged pusher portion and a receiving portion disposed at the lower end of the pusher portion; the upper end of the pusher portion is connected to the driving end of the second drive member.

[0011] In some embodiments, the transfer station includes a mounting frame, a mounting plate disposed on the upper end of the mounting frame, and support blocks disposed at the four corners of the mounting plate. The support blocks are provided with intersecting grooves on the mounting plate, the grooves being used for the passage of the pusher or gripper assembly.

[0012] In some embodiments, a limiting step is provided on the support block located near the second driving member. The limiting step is used to limit the movement of the material tray along the first direction.

[0013] In some embodiments, the feeding device further includes a sensor disposed on the upper side of the limiting step, the sensor being used to detect the material tray on the transfer platform, the upper surface of the support block being used to receive the material tray, and the upper surface of the support block being coplanar with the upper surface of the receiving part.

[0014] In some embodiments, the pushing mechanism further includes a connecting frame that connects the pushing member to the driving end of the second driving member, and the lower side of the connecting frame is provided with a notch for avoiding the support block.

[0015] In some embodiments, the pushing mechanism further includes a lifting mechanism disposed near the feeding end, the lifting mechanism being used to drive the material box to rise and fall.

[0016] This application also proposes a processing device including the above-described pusher, the processing device further including a frame for mounting the pusher.

[0017] The feeding device and processing equipment in this embodiment include a transfer table, a discharge mechanism, and a pushing mechanism. The transfer table is used to receive trays. The discharge mechanism includes a first driving member disposed above the transfer table and a gripper assembly disposed at the driving end of the first driving member. The pushing mechanism includes a second driving member disposed on the side of the transfer table and a pushing member. A material box can be disposed on one side of the transfer table. The first driving member drives the gripper assembly to move along a first direction. The gripper assembly can hold the tray in the material box outside the transfer table, and then the gripper assembly carries the tray to the transfer table. Then, the second driving member drives the pushing member to push the tray away from the transfer table along a second direction. The above-mentioned discharge mechanism and pushing mechanism are compactly arranged, making the size of this device smaller, and can also convey trays in two directions to adapt to different working conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the pusher device in one embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the pusher device in another embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the turntable structure in one embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the discharge mechanism in one embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the pusher mechanism in one embodiment of this application.

[0023] Label Explanation:

[0024] 10. Transfer platform; 11. Mounting frame; 12. Mounting plate; 13. Support block; 14. Limiting step; 15. Groove; 16. Guide block; 20. Discharge mechanism; 21. First driving component; 22. Gripper cylinder; 23. First clamping component; 24. Second clamping component; 30. Pushing mechanism; 31. Second driving component; 32. Pushing component; 33. Connecting frame.

[0025] The purpose, features, and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments in this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0027] It should be noted that all directional indications in the embodiments of this application, such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc., are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture as shown in the attached figure. If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0028] It should also be noted that when a component is referred to as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or may have an intervening component present. When a component is referred to as "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or may have an intervening component present.

[0029] Furthermore, the descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., in the embodiments of this application are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0030] This application proposes a feeding device, referring to... Figures 1 to 5 The feeding device includes: a transfer platform 10 for receiving a material tray; a feeding mechanism 20 including a first driving member 21 disposed above the transfer platform 10 and a gripper assembly disposed at the driving end of the first driving member 21, the gripper assembly being used to grip the material tray, the driving direction of the first driving member 21 being along a first direction; and a feeding mechanism 30 including a second driving member 31 disposed on the side of the transfer platform 10 and a feeding member 32 disposed at the driving end of the second driving member 31, the driving direction of the second driving member 31 being along a second direction, the side of the transfer platform 10 away from the second driving member 31 constituting a feeding end.

[0031] In this embodiment, the first and second directions intersect, or more specifically, they can be perpendicular to each other. The first driving member 21 and the second driving member 31 can be electric cylinders, pneumatic cylinders, or other linear drive modules. The discharge mechanism 20 and the pusher mechanism 30 are sequentially arranged on the upper side of the transfer platform 10. The discharge mechanism 20 is used to clamp and convey the material tray at the feeding end along the first direction to the transfer platform 10, and the gripper assembly is used to clamp the upper and lower sides of the tray edge. The pusher mechanism 30 is used to push the material tray away from the transfer platform 10 along the second direction. The compact layout of the discharge mechanism 20 and the pusher mechanism 30 makes the device smaller, and it can also convey the material tray in two mutually perpendicular directions to adapt to different working conditions. The transfer platform 10 can be kept horizontal, and the first and second directions can be parallel to the horizontal plane to avoid the material tray sliding due to gravity and facilitate the conveying of the material tray. This layout not only saves space, but also ensures the stability and accuracy of the material tray during the conveying process, effectively improving the working efficiency and reliability of the pusher device.

[0032] In some embodiments, the gripper assembly includes a gripper cylinder 22 disposed at the driving end of the first driving member 21. The gripper cylinder 22 includes a first clamping member 23 and a second clamping member 24 arranged sequentially from top to bottom, which are used to clamp the material tray. In this embodiment, the gripper cylinder 22 includes two clamping ends: the first clamping member 23 is disposed at the upper clamping end, and the second clamping member 24 is disposed at the lower clamping end. Driven by the gripper cylinder 22, the two clamping members can be used to clamp the side edge of the material tray. Furthermore, the gripper assembly also includes a limiting protrusion disposed on the upper surface of the second clamping member 24, which is used to mate with the material tray. The limiting protrusion is adapted to the material tray, which enhances the clamping stability of the gripper assembly and can prevent the material tray from detaching from the gripper cylinder 22 during clamping and transfer. The dual-clamping design of the gripper cylinder 22 and the cooperation of the limiting protrusion improve the clamping stability of the gripper assembly on the material tray, effectively prevent the material tray from falling off during the transfer process, and ensure the smooth progress of the pushing process.

[0033] The operation flow of the discharge mechanism 20 is as follows: the first driving component 21 drives the gripper cylinder 22, the first clamping component 23, and the second clamping component 24 to move forward. After moving a certain distance, they contact the edge of the material tray. At this time, the discharge mechanism 20 decelerates and pushes the material tray a certain distance to align the material tray at the same position reference. At this time, the gripper cylinder 22 opens the gripper under the action of compressed air, and simultaneously drives the first clamping component 23 and the second clamping component 24 to open. Then, it moves a certain distance towards the material tray. The gripper cylinder 22 closes the gripper under the action of compressed air. The first clamping component 23 and the second clamping component 24 press the material tray together. Simultaneously, the protruding pin of the second clamping component 24 inserts into the groove of the material tray. Driven by the discharge mechanism 20, the material tray is moved out of the material box and moved to the transfer table 10. The discharging mechanism 20 has a reasonable operating flow design. Through operations such as deceleration and pushing, opening and closing of the grippers, and insertion of the protruding pin, it can accurately remove the material tray from the material box and place it on the transfer table 10, thereby improving the accuracy and stability of discharging.

[0034] In some embodiments, the pusher 32 includes a vertically arranged pusher portion and a receiving portion located at the lower end of the pusher portion; the upper end of the pusher portion is connected to the driving end of the second drive member 31. The side of the pusher portion can be used to limit the side of the tray when the tray is pulled out by the discharge mechanism 20, while the receiving portion is used to receive the lower end of the tray. When the pusher mechanism 30 pushes the tray, the pusher portion can also abut against the side of the tray and push the tray out in the second direction. The cooperation between the pusher portion and the receiving portion not only limits and supports the tray, but also allows the tray to be pushed out smoothly in the second direction, improving the stability and reliability of the pusher.

[0035] In some embodiments, the transfer station 10 includes a mounting frame 11, a mounting plate 12 disposed on the upper end of the mounting frame 11, and support blocks 13 disposed at the four corners of the mounting plate 12. The support blocks 13 have intersecting grooves 15 formed on the mounting plate 12, which are used for the passage of the pusher 32 or the clamping mechanism. In this embodiment, the transfer station 10 includes a mounting frame 11, a mounting plate 12, support blocks 13, guide blocks 16, and sensors. The mounting frame 11 includes an upright plate and a column. The upright plate is disposed on the outside for secure fixation, and the column is disposed inside to save space and avoid interference with other mechanisms. The mounting plate 12 is fixed to the upper end of the upright plate and the column. Support blocks 13 are provided at the four corners of the mounting plate 12. The support blocks 13 are made of non-metallic material to prevent wear during tray movement and to support the tray. The support blocks 13 are also provided with guide blocks 16. The sides of the guide blocks 16 are sloped to facilitate the guide of the tray during the pushing process. The transfer table 10 has a reasonable structural design. The layout and material selection of each component can meet the requirements of material tray support, guidance and avoidance, effectively protect the material tray and other mechanisms, and improve the service life and reliability of the entire pushing device.

[0036] Furthermore, a limiting step 14 is provided on the support block 13 located near the second drive member 31. The limiting step 14 is used to limit the movement of the material tray along the first direction. In addition, the pushing device also includes a sensor located on the upper side of the limiting step 14. The sensor is used to detect the material tray on the transfer table 10. The upper surface of the support block 13 is used to receive the material tray, and the upper surface of the support block 13 is coplanar with the upper surface of the receiving part.

[0037] In this embodiment, the aforementioned limiting step 14 is located on the side of the support block 13 away from the second driving member 31. The aforementioned step, together with the inclined surface of the guide block 16, serves to limit and guide the material tray. Under the limiting effect, the tray will not deviate. A sensor is also provided above the support block 13 with the limiting step 14. During the material discharge process by the discharging mechanism 20, when the sensor simultaneously senses the edge of the tray, the discharging stops. This ensures that the tray will not cross the support block 13, preventing damage to the tray and the support block 13. The limiting step 14 and the sensor effectively limit the movement range of the tray, preventing tray deviation and damage, while also improving the working accuracy and reliability of the pushing device.

[0038] In some embodiments, the pushing mechanism 30 further includes a connecting frame 33 connecting the pushing member 32 and the driving end of the second driving member 31. The lower side of the connecting frame 33 has a notch for avoiding the support block 13. In this embodiment, when the connecting frame 33 moves along the second direction with the pushing member 32, it may interfere with the support block 13 below and the sensor mounted above it. The notch design avoids the support block 13 and the sensor, preventing mechanical impact. The notch design of the connecting frame 33 effectively avoids mechanical impact, improves the stability and safety of the pushing mechanism 30 operation, and extends the service life of the equipment.

[0039] In some embodiments, the pushing mechanism 30 further includes a lifting mechanism located near the feeding end, which drives the material box to rise and fall. In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism may be an electric cylinder, with a mounting platform at the driving end of the electric cylinder. The material box can be mounted on the mounting platform and rises and falls with the mounting platform. When the uppermost material tray in the material box is pulled out, the mounting platform drives the material box to rise a certain height, so that the height of the second material tray matches the height of the clamping mechanism, in order to perform a second dispensing. The lifting mechanism can automatically adjust the height of the material box, ensuring that the height of the material tray and the clamping mechanism are always matched, improving the automation level and working efficiency of the pushing device and reducing manual intervention.

[0040] This application also proposes a processing device, including the aforementioned feeding device, and further including a frame for mounting the feeding device. In this embodiment, the feeding device is mounted on the frame, and a processing module for processing workpieces in a feed tray can also be mounted on the frame. This processing module can be a laser marking module, thereby enabling laser marking of the workpiece surface. [This processing device, by combining the feeding device with the processing module, achieves automatic feeding of the feed tray and processing of the workpiece, improving production efficiency, reducing labor costs, and is suitable for automated processing production processes.]

[0041] In this embodiment, the working principle of the feeding device and processing equipment is as follows:

[0042] The material tray can be placed at the feed end of the transfer table 10, with its opening facing the material table. First, the vertical surface of the pushing part of the pusher 32 is aligned with the outer surface of the support block 13, serving as a guide surface. The upper surface of the receiving part is then coplanar with the upper surface of the support block 13, serving as a support surface together. At this point, the discharge mechanism 20, through the gripper cylinder 22, the first clamping member 23, and the second clamping member 24, clamps and pulls the tray out until it reaches the sensor sensing area on the transfer table 10 and discharges. The tray is then guided and supported by the support block 13. Next, under the action of the pusher 32, the pushing mechanism 30 pushes the tray along the side of the guide block 16 and the side of the limiting step 14 of the support block 13 in the second direction. This continues until the tray is pushed to the next worktable. This cycle repeats until all the trays are pushed out. Through a reasonable workflow and coordinated operation of various components, the processing equipment can efficiently and stably complete the tasks of pushing the material tray and processing the workpiece. It has high practicality and reliability and can be widely used in various automated processing scenarios.

[0043] The above are only some or preferred embodiments of this application. Neither the text nor the drawings should limit the scope of protection of this application. All equivalent structural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings under the overall concept of this application, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A feeding device, characterized in that, include: Transfer table, used to receive material trays; The discharge mechanism includes a first drive unit disposed above the transfer table and a gripper assembly disposed at the drive end of the first drive unit. The gripper assembly is used to grip the material tray, and the drive direction of the first drive unit is along a first direction. The feeding mechanism includes a second driving member disposed on the side of the transfer platform and a feeding member disposed on the driving end of the second driving member. The driving direction of the second driving member is along a second direction. The side of the transfer platform away from the second driving member is designated as the feeding end. The first direction intersects with the second direction.

2. The feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gripper assembly includes a gripper cylinder disposed at the driving end of the first driving member. The gripper cylinder includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The first clamping member and the second clamping member are used to clamp the material tray.

3. The feeding device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The gripper assembly further includes a limiting protrusion disposed on the upper surface of the second gripper, the limiting protrusion being used to dock with the material tray.

4. The feeding device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The pusher includes a vertically arranged pusher section and a receiving section located at the lower end of the pusher section; the upper end of the pusher section is connected to the driving end of the second drive member.

5. The feeding device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The transfer station includes a mounting frame, a mounting plate located at the upper end of the mounting frame, and support blocks located at the four corners of the mounting plate. The support blocks have intersecting grooves on the mounting plate, which are used for the passage of the pusher or gripper assembly.

6. The feeding device according to claim 5, characterized in that, A limiting step is provided on the support block located near the second driving member. The limiting step is used to limit the movement of the material tray along the first direction.

7. The feeding device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The feeding device also includes a sensor located on the upper side of the limiting step, the sensor being used to detect the material tray on the transfer platform; the upper surface of the support block is used to receive the material tray, and the upper surface of the support block is coplanar with the upper surface of the receiving part.

8. The feeding device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The pushing mechanism also includes a connecting frame that connects the pushing component to the driving end of the second driving component, and the lower side of the connecting frame is provided with a notch for avoiding the support block.

9. The feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism also includes a lifting mechanism located near the feeding end, which is used to drive the material box to rise and fall.

10. A processing device, characterized in that, The processing equipment further includes a pusher device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and a frame for mounting the pusher device.

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