An aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure and substrate support device

Abstract

A silicon wafer top tooth structure and substrate carrying device for an aluminum boat are disclosed, relating to the field of semiconductor transport vehicle technology. The silicon wafer top tooth structure for an aluminum boat includes: a main tooth base, which is an integrally formed structure comprising a base portion and a main tooth portion extending upward from the base portion, with a positioning platform at the top of the base portion; a secondary tooth body, detachably connected to one side of the main tooth base via countersunk fasteners; a clamping gap for holding the silicon wafer is formed between the secondary tooth body, the positioning platform, and the main tooth portion; the secondary tooth body has at least two conical first countersunk holes, and at least two conical second countersunk holes are correspondingly formed on the opposite side of the main tooth portion; the countersunk fasteners penetrate through the first and second countersunk holes, and the two sides of the countersunk fasteners are coplanar with the outer surfaces of the secondary tooth body and the main tooth base. This utility model enables rapid replacement of partially damaged components, avoiding the scrapping of the entire component due to partial damage in traditional integral top teeth, and significantly reducing replacement costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of semiconductor transport vehicle technology, and in particular to an aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure and substrate carrier device. Background Technology

[0002] In silicon wafer production and photovoltaic cell manufacturing, the top tooth structure is a core component for automated loading, unloading, slicing, and transfer, and is widely used in quartz boats, baskets, and other tooling equipment. Its core functions include wafer positioning, wafer support, and buffer protection, directly impacting wafer yield and equipment capacity. However, existing top tooth technology still suffers from several technical bottlenecks, leading to defects such as edge chipping, microcracks, and scratches on silicon wafers during processing.

[0003] In the prior art, Chinese utility model patent with patent number ZL202122915703 discloses a top tooth, a top tooth structure, and a transport boat, relating to the field of solar cell manufacturing technology. It includes a column and a first tooth and a second tooth arranged side-by-side on the top of the column. The length of the second tooth is less than the length of the first tooth, and the top of the second tooth serves as a silicon wafer abutment portion. This utility model has a simple structure. By utilizing the height difference between the first and second teeth, the silicon wafer is tilted towards the side with the lower height, lowering the center of gravity of the silicon wafer and improving its stability.

[0004] However, the existing top tooth structure is a fixed, integrated design, which limits its adaptability to different silicon wafer types. Furthermore, even with high-hardness materials, problems such as tooth bending and even breakage are still unavoidable after prolonged use. In such cases, tooth replacement is necessary, but current technology requires complete replacement, resulting in high costs. Utility Model Content

[0005] The technical problem this invention aims to solve is the high maintenance cost caused by the need to replace the entire tooth body after it is damaged.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the utility model, an aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure is provided, comprising: a main tooth base, which is an integrally formed structure, including a base portion and a main tooth portion extending upward from the base portion, wherein a positioning platform is provided on the top of the base portion; a secondary tooth body, which is detachably connected to one side of the main tooth base by a countersunk fastener; a clamping gap for clamping the silicon wafer is formed between the secondary tooth body, the positioning platform, and the main tooth portion; the secondary tooth body is provided with at least two conical first countersunk holes, and at least two conical second countersunk holes are correspondingly provided on opposite sides of the main tooth portion; the countersunk fastener penetrates through the first countersunk holes and the second countersunk holes, and the two sides of the countersunk fastener are coplanar with the outer surfaces of the secondary tooth body and the main tooth base.

[0007] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, a spacer strip is also included, the width of which is greater than or equal to the clamping gap between the main tooth seat and the auxiliary tooth body; the spacer strip is pre-placed on the top of the positioning platform during installation, and the main tooth seat and the auxiliary tooth body clamp and fix the spacer strip by locking the countersunk fastener.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, the tip height of the main tooth is greater than the tip height of the auxiliary tooth.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, the upper end of the main tooth is provided with a first inclined guiding surface for guiding the clamping gap, and the upper end of the auxiliary tooth is provided with a second inclined guiding surface for guiding the clamping gap.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, the main tooth seat and the auxiliary tooth body are tooth structures made of ceramic material.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, the pad includes a bearing strip segment and limiting portions protruding from both ends of the bearing strip segment; the two limiting portions and the two sides of the bearing strip segment respectively form two three-dimensional mating structures, and the two three-dimensional mating structures respectively cover part of the contour of the auxiliary tooth body and the main tooth body, thereby constituting an anti-dislocation constraint.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, the pad strip is provided with an arc-shaped support portion for supporting the silicon wafer.

[0013] A substrate carrier device includes a lifting mechanism and a carrier platform. The carrier platform is mounted on the lifting mechanism and its lifting is controlled by the lifting mechanism. At least two mounting plates are mounted on the carrier platform. The mounting plates are provided with a plurality of aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structures as described in any of the above technical solutions. Parallel and interconnected mounting holes are provided on the mounting plates for mounting the aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structures. Adjacent mounting holes are integrally connected through a connector.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, the mounting plate is further provided with a number of quick-release holes on its side. The quick-release holes are connected to the mounting holes. The abutment passes through the quick-release holes and abuts against the aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure located in the mounting holes, thereby limiting the position of the aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure.

[0015] In summary, this utility model has the following advantages:

[0016] 1. By using the separate structure of the main tooth seat and the auxiliary tooth body, and connecting them with countersunk fasteners, the rapid replacement of locally damaged parts can be achieved, avoiding the scrapping of the entire part due to local damage of the traditional integral top tooth, and significantly reducing the replacement cost; the design of the countersunk fastener embedded in the tapered countersunk hole ensures that the outer surface of the auxiliary tooth body and the main tooth seat are coplanar after connection, avoiding interference between adjacent top tooth structures due to the protruding structure.

[0017] 2. Furthermore, the auxiliary tooth body can be flexibly adjusted or replaced to suit different silicon wafer sizes or process requirements. For example, replacing the auxiliary tooth body with one of different heights solves the problem of the traditional integrated top tooth's limited adaptability to silicon wafer types. The height of the main tooth body is greater than that of the auxiliary tooth body, creating a height difference that guides the silicon wafer to tilt towards the lower side to lower the center of gravity and improve the positioning stability of the silicon wafer.

[0018] 3. Furthermore, regarding the substrate carrier device of this utility model, the quick-release hole design allows operators to quickly replace or maintain the top teeth of a single aluminum boat silicon wafer, which solves both cost and efficiency issues. The integrated design of the mounting plate, while ensuring the strength of the mounting plate, facilitates the single-time wire cutting of multiple mounting holes, thereby reducing the overall manufacturing cost of the equipment.

[0019] Further or other beneficial effects will be discussed in the embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the mating of the main tooth holder and the auxiliary tooth body of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the mating of the main tooth seat and the auxiliary tooth body in another direction according to this utility model;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a front view of the aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the pad strip structure of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly method of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the substrate carrier device of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the fit between the aluminum boat silicon wafer top teeth and the mounting plate of this utility model;

[0028] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting plate structure of this utility model;

[0029] Among them, 100-main tooth seat, 110-base part, 111-positioning table, 120-main tooth part, 121-second countersunk hole, 200-secondary tooth body, 210-first countersunk hole, 300-countersunk fastener, 400-shield strip, 410-bearing strip segment, 412-three-dimensional mating structure, 420-limiting part, 430-arc support part, 500-lifting mechanism, 600-bearing table, 700-mounting plate, 710-mounting hole, 720-connection port, 730-quick release hole. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The directional terms such as up, down, left, right, front, back, front, back, top, and bottom mentioned or possibly used in this specification are defined relative to the construction shown in the accompanying drawings. The terms "inner" and "outer" refer to directions toward or away from the geometric center of a specific component, respectively. These are relative concepts and may therefore vary depending on their location and usage. Therefore, these or other directional terms should not be interpreted as restrictive.

[0031] The present invention will be further explained below with reference to the embodiments:

[0032] Example 1:

[0033] A top tooth structure for an aluminum boat silicon wafer, as shown in the reference. Figures 1 to 5The device includes a main tooth holder 100 and a secondary tooth body 200. The main tooth holder 100 is a one-piece molded structure, including a base portion 110 and a main tooth portion 120 extending upward from the base portion 110. A positioning platform 111 is provided on the top of the base portion 110. The secondary tooth body 200 is detachably connected to one side of the main tooth holder 100 by a countersunk fastener 300. A clamping gap for holding silicon wafers is formed between the positioning platform 111, the main tooth portion 120, and the secondary tooth body 200. The auxiliary tooth body 200 has a tapered first countersunk hole 210, and the main tooth seat 100 has a corresponding tapered second countersunk hole 121 on the opposite side. Countersunk fasteners 300 pass through these countersunk holes, and their sides are coplanar with the outer surfaces of the auxiliary tooth body 200 and the main tooth seat 100. For ease of positioning, the number of first countersunk holes 210, second countersunk holes 121, and countersunk fasteners 300 should be at least two. In this embodiment, considering installation efficiency and cost, two first countersunk holes 210, two second countersunk holes 121, and two countersunk fasteners 300 are preferred. In practical applications, the main tooth seat 100 and the auxiliary tooth body 200 of this aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure adopt a separate, detachable connection scheme. When the auxiliary tooth body 200 wears or breaks due to long-term use, the operator can independently disassemble the countersunk fasteners 300 for partial replacement. Both the main tooth seat 100 and the auxiliary tooth body 200 are made of ceramic material. The selection of ceramic material significantly reduces the risk of metal contamination, and its high hardness extends the service life of the tooth body. The ceramic material used in this application is zirconium oxide. Although it has high hardness, it is inevitable that it will bend or even break under long-term operation. Therefore, timely and cost-effective replacement is very important.

[0034] The aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure also includes a spacer strip 400, the width of which is not less than the clamping gap between the main tooth seat 100 and the auxiliary tooth body 200. During installation, the spacer strip 400 is pre-positioned on the top of the positioning platform 111, and the main tooth seat 100 and the auxiliary tooth body 200 clamp and fix the spacer strip 400 together by tightening the countersunk fastener 300. In addition, the design of the countersunk fastener 300, after being embedded in the tapered countersunk hole, keeping its outer surface coplanar with the main tooth seat 100 and the auxiliary tooth body 200, effectively avoids the structural interference that occurs between traditional protruding bolts and adjacent top teeth when densely arranged. The installation method of pre-positioning the spacer strip 400 on the top of the positioning platform 111, and simultaneously clamping and fixing it by the main tooth seat 100 and the auxiliary tooth body 200 during the tightening process. The characteristic that the width of the spacer strip is not less than the clamping gap ensures that its two sides are tightly fitted with the main and auxiliary tooth bodies 200. The spacer 400 has an arc-shaped support portion 430 to support the silicon wafer. The arc-shaped support portion 430 provides surface contact support for the silicon wafer and disperses local stress. The spacer 400 is made of PEEK material. The PEEK material spacer completely eliminates the contact between the silicon wafer and the metal inside the top teeth and the bottom of the silicon wafer, avoiding risks such as short circuits, rigid contact microcracks, and missing corners.

[0035] The pad 400 includes a bearing strip 410 and limiting portions 420 protruding from both ends of the bearing strip 410. The two limiting portions 420 and the two sides of the bearing strip 410 respectively form two three-dimensional mating structures 412. The two three-dimensional mating structures 412 respectively cover part of the contour of the auxiliary tooth body 200 and the main tooth body 120, thus forming an anti-dislocation constraint.

[0036] Reference Figure 6 When installing the spacer strip 400, the aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure fully utilizes the pre-installation platform characteristics formed by the positioning platform 111 of the main tooth seat 100 and the main tooth part 120. The operator first firmly abuts the lower end of the spacer strip 400 against the top plane of the positioning platform 111, while the main tooth part 120 partially engages in the three-dimensional mating structure 412. Then, the auxiliary tooth body 200 is engaged in the three-dimensional mating structure on the other side of the spacer strip 400. In this pre-installed state, the operator can press the auxiliary tooth body 200 into the three-dimensional mating structure 412 of the spacer strip 400 with one hand, while simultaneously holding the main tooth seat 100, auxiliary tooth body 200, and spacer strip 400 to maintain their relatively fixed positions. Subsequently, the countersunk fastener 300 is passed through the tapered countersunk holes of the auxiliary tooth body 200 and the main tooth seat 100. During tightening, the spacer strip 400 is simultaneously clamped and fixed by the main tooth seat 100 and the auxiliary tooth body 200. This installation method is significantly different from the traditional split installation process. If the main and auxiliary gear bodies 200 are installed first and then the spacer strip 400 is inserted, the width of the spacer strip 400 must be precisely designed to be less than or equal to the clamping gap, otherwise it cannot be installed. However, such spacer strip 400 assembly is prone to gaps and shaking. The pre-installation mechanism of this application not only ensures the accurate installation position of the spacer strip 400, but also achieves one-handed pre-tightening with the assistance of the limiting part 420, avoiding the operational difficulties when aligning the three parts separately.

[0037] The height of the top of the main tooth 120 is always greater than the height of the top of the secondary tooth 200, forming the structural basis for guiding the silicon wafer to lower its center of gravity. A directional guide surface for the guiding clamping gap is provided at the upper end of the main tooth 120, and a similar directional guide surface for the guiding clamping gap is provided at the upper end of the secondary tooth 200. Both work together to control the silicon wafer's sliding path. The first directional guide surface at the upper end of the main tooth 120 and the second directional guide surface at the upper end of the secondary tooth 200 work together to form a guiding angle that guides the silicon wafer to accurately slide into the clamping gap, reducing the risk of edge collisions.

[0038] Example 2:

[0039] A substrate carrier device, as described above Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9The device includes a lifting mechanism 500 and a support platform 600. In the substrate carrying equipment, the support platform 600 is mounted on the lifting mechanism 500 and its lifting is controlled by the lifting mechanism. Two or more mounting plates 700 are mounted on the support platform 600. The mounting plates 700 are equipped with the aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure as described in Embodiment 1. The mounting plates 700 have parallel, interconnected mounting holes 710 for mounting the top tooth structure. Adjacent mounting holes 710 are connected by a connecting port 720 to maintain a continuous connection. The side of the mounting plate 700 has quick-release holes 730 connecting the mounting holes 710. Abutment (not shown in the figure) passes through the quick-release hole 730 and abuts against the top tooth structure within the mounting hole 710, forming a quick-release and limiting mechanism for the top tooth structure. The abutment can be a bolt. The interconnected mounting holes 710 of the mounting plate 700 maintain structural continuity through the connecting port 720. During manufacturing, all mounting holes 710 of a single mounting plate 700 can be wire-cut in one clamping operation. The vertical connection between the quick-release hole 730 and the mounting hole 710 allows operators to directly limit the top tooth structure by inserting the abutment, enabling maintenance and replacement of a single top tooth without disassembling the mounting plate 700. When the lifting mechanism 500 drives the support platform 600 to rise and fall as a whole, the silicon wafer tilt angle formed by the height difference structure effectively suppresses inertial displacement. Combined with the buffering characteristics of the pad strip 400, this reduces the incidence of microcracks in the silicon wafers. This modular design significantly shortens equipment maintenance downtime, reduces replacement costs compared to traditional overall replacement solutions, and allows a single unit of equipment to adapt to the production needs of silicon wafers of different sizes.

[0040] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, those skilled in the art, upon learning the basic inventive concept, can make other changes and modifications to these embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments as well as all changes and modifications falling within the scope of the present invention.

[0041] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this utility model without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this utility model and their equivalents, this utility model also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A silicon wafer top tooth structure for an aluminum boat, characterized in that, include: The main gear seat (100) is an integrally formed structure, including a base portion (110) and a main gear portion (120) extending upward from the base portion (110). The base portion (110) is provided with a positioning platform (111) on its top. The auxiliary tooth body (200) is detachably connected to one side of the main tooth seat (100) by a countersunk fastener (300); The auxiliary tooth body (200) forms a clamping gap for holding the silicon wafer between the positioning stage (111) and the main tooth part (120); The auxiliary tooth body (200) is provided with at least two conical first countersunk holes (210), and the main tooth part (120) is provided with at least two conical second countersunk holes (121) on the opposite side; the countersunk fastener (300) passes through the first countersunk hole (210) and the second countersunk hole (121), and the two sides of the countersunk fastener (300) are coplanar with the outer surfaces of the auxiliary tooth body (200) and the main tooth seat (100).

2. The aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a pad (400) with a width greater than or equal to the clamping gap between the main tooth seat (100) and the auxiliary tooth body (200); the pad (400) is pre-positioned on the top of the positioning platform (111) during installation, and the pad (400) is clamped and fixed by the main tooth seat (100) and the auxiliary tooth body (200) by locking the countersunk fastener (300).

3. The aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tip height of the main tooth (120) is greater than the tip height of the auxiliary tooth (200).

4. The aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper end of the main tooth (120) is provided with a first inclined guide surface for guiding the clamping gap, and the upper end of the auxiliary tooth (200) is provided with a second inclined guide surface for guiding the clamping gap.

5. The aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main tooth seat (100) and the auxiliary tooth body (200) are tooth structures made of ceramic material.

6. The aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The pad (400) includes a bearing segment (410) and limiting parts (420) protruding from both ends of the bearing segment (410); the two limiting parts (420) and the two sides of the bearing segment (410) respectively form two three-dimensional mating structures (412), and the two three-dimensional mating structures (412) respectively cover part of the contour of the auxiliary tooth body (200) and the main tooth body (120) to form an anti-dislocation constraint.

7. The aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pad (400) is provided with an arc-shaped support (430) for supporting the silicon wafer.

8. A substrate carrier device, characterized in that: It includes a lifting mechanism (500) and a support platform (600). The support platform (600) is disposed on the lifting mechanism (500) and is controlled to lift by the lifting mechanism (500). At least two mounting plates (700) are disposed on the support platform (600). The mounting plates (700) are provided with a plurality of aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structures as described in any one of claims 1-7. Parallel and interconnected mounting holes (710) are opened on the mounting plates (700) for mounting the aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structures. Adjacent mounting holes (710) are integrally connected through a connecting port (720).

9. A substrate carrier device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The mounting plate (700) is also provided with a number of quick-release holes (730) on its side. The quick-release holes (730) are connected to the mounting holes (710). The abutment passes through the quick-release holes (730) and abuts against the aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure located in the mounting holes (710), thereby limiting the position of the aluminum boat silicon wafer top tooth structure.

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