Foup box lid switch device

Abstract

The utility model discloses FOUP box switch cover device belongs to wafer technical field. FOUP box switch cover device includes the unscrambling suction mechanism and drive feed mechanism, the unscrambling suction mechanism includes support plate, driving part, the first bevel gear and second bevel gear of meshed connection, and lock catch axle, the fixed end of driving part is connected in the back side of support plate away from box cover, the first bevel gear is set on the output shaft of driving part, and lock catch axle is connected in support plate around X axle, and one end of lock catch axle is along X axle and is inserted into lock cylinder in corresponding to the front side of support plate, and the second bevel gear is set on the other end of lock catch axle, drive feed mechanism includes the bottom plate and pneumatic cylinder, and the fixed end of pneumatic cylinder is connected on the bottom plate, and the output of pneumatic cylinder is connected with support plate, and pneumatic cylinder is used for driving support plate and is along X axle removal to close or away from box cover. The economy of this FOUP box switch cover device is compared with higher, can adapt to the switch box cover demand of limited use space, and is suitable for small batch production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of wafer technology, and in particular to a FOUP box switch cover device. Background Technology

[0002] During wafer dicing or inspection, incoming wafers are typically placed in a FOUP box. When removing or placing wafers from the FOUP box, the box lid must be opened first. After processing, the wafer must be placed back into the FOUP box and the lid closed. Specifically, a FOUP box refers to a front-opening wafer transfer box, a specialized container used in semiconductor manufacturing for protecting, transporting, and storing wafers.

[0003] Currently, the lid of the box is usually opened using a loadport automatic opening and closing mechanism, i.e., as shown in the image. Figure 1 As shown, the FOUP loadport includes a main frame 1', an adapter 2', an opening module 3', and a control system 4'. The adapter 2' is mounted on the support platform of the main frame 1', the control system 4' is mounted on the lower part of the main frame 1' and located at the bottom of the support platform, and the opening module 3' is mounted on the side plate of the main frame 1'. When opening the FOUP, the entire FOUP is first positioned on the adapter 2', and the FOUP is opened by the feed and rotation movements of the opening module 3'. The control system 4' is used to regulate the various process parameters in opening and closing the FOUP. Specifically, the FOUP loadport refers to a key component in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, mainly used for automated wafer transfer, and its core function includes automatically opening and closing the FOUP.

[0004] However, as Figure 1 As shown, the opening loadport includes a main frame 1´, an adapter 2´, an opening module 3´, and a large control system 4´, which makes the overall size of the opening loadport large, occupying a large area, costing a high cost, and having a low cost-performance ratio. It also cannot meet the opening and closing requirements of the FOUP box where the space is limited.

[0005] And, as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the opening module 3' includes a DC motor 31', a worm gear assembly 32', two connecting rods 33', and two latches 34'. The DC motor 31' is driven and connected to the worm gear assembly 32'. The turbine output end of the worm gear assembly 32' is connected to one end of each of the two connecting rods 33', and the other end of each of the two connecting rods 33' is connected to the two latches 34'. The DC motor 31' drives the worm gear assembly 32' to move, so that the turbine output end synchronously drives the two connecting rods 33' to move, so that the two connecting rods 33' respectively drive the two latches 34' (corresponding to the lock cylinder inserted on the lid) to rotate the lock cylinder 90° simultaneously, thereby unlocking the lock cylinder and opening the lid (closing the lid is the reverse of the above process).

[0006] However, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, since the worm gear assembly 32' is a non-standard part, it needs to be manufactured in a non-standard manner, which makes the production cost of the entire worm gear assembly 32' high. In addition, the DC motor 31' is expensive, making the entire cover opening module 3' unsuitable for small-batch production. At the same time, due to the complex structure of the entire cover opening module 3', it is not easy to open and close the cover smoothly, and it further increases the area occupied by the entire cover opening loadport, making it even more difficult to adapt to the limited space requirements of the switch box where the FOUP box is located. Utility Model Content

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to propose a FOUP box opening and closing device that is cost-effective, occupies a small area, can adapt to the opening and closing needs of FOUP boxes in areas with limited space, and is suitable for small-batch production.

[0008] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0009] A FOUP box opening and closing device, wherein the FOUP box includes a main box body and a lid, the main box body contains a workpiece to be processed, and the lid is locked to the opening side of the main box body, and the lid is provided with a lock cylinder that locks to the main box body; the FOUP box opening and closing device includes:

[0010] The lid-opening adsorption mechanism includes a support plate, a driving component, a first bevel gear and a second bevel gear meshing together, and a locking shaft. The fixed end of the driving component is connected to the rear side of the support plate away from the lid. The first bevel gear is sleeved on the output shaft of the driving component. The locking shaft is rotatably connected to the support plate around the X-axis. One end of the locking shaft passes through the front side of the support plate along the X-axis and is inserted into the lock cylinder. The second bevel gear is sleeved on the other end of the locking shaft.

[0011] The drive feeding mechanism includes a base plate and a cylinder. The base plate is spaced below the support plate. The fixed end of the cylinder is connected to the base plate, and the output end of the cylinder is connected to the support plate. The cylinder is used to drive the support plate to move along the X-axis to move closer to or further away from the box cover.

[0012] As an optional solution, the support plate includes:

[0013] A horizontal plate is arranged parallel to and spaced along the Z-axis above the base plate. The output end of the cylinder is connected to the bottom end face of the horizontal plate, and the horizontal plate is provided with adjustment holes.

[0014] A vertical plate extends upward along the Z-axis, and the vertical plate is perpendicularly connected to the horizontal plate to form an L-shaped structure. The driving component and the locking shaft are respectively connected to the vertical plate.

[0015] A reinforcing plate is connected between the horizontal plate and the vertical plate.

[0016] As an optional solution, the opening adsorption mechanism further includes:

[0017] A fixed bracket, one end of which is installed on the rear side of the vertical plate, and the fixed end of the driving component is connected to the other end of the fixed bracket;

[0018] A bearing housing is installed on the rear side of the vertical plate and spaced above the fixed bracket. A bearing is provided inside the bearing housing. The outer ring of the bearing is fixedly connected to the bearing housing. The locking shaft passes through the inner ring of the bearing along the X-axis so that the locking shaft can rotate relative to the vertical plate around the X-axis.

[0019] As an optional solution, the opening adsorption mechanism further includes:

[0020] A washer, the washer being fitted onto the portion of the locking shaft located outside the bearing housing and away from the cover;

[0021] A nut is threaded onto the portion of the locking shaft located outside the bearing housing and away from the cover. The nut is located on one side of the washer and close to the second bevel gear. Tightening the nut causes the washer to press against the rear side of the bearing housing to secure the locking shaft, so that the locking shaft can only rotate around the X-axis.

[0022] As an optional solution, the opening adsorption mechanism further includes:

[0023] A sensing element is sleeved on the locking shaft and located between the washer and the nut;

[0024] The switching component includes a slotted photoelectric switch and a connecting bracket. The connecting bracket is installed on the rear side of the vertical plate, and the slotted photoelectric switch is connected to the connecting bracket. When the locking shaft synchronously drives the sensing plate to rotate to the slotted photoelectric switch, the slotted photoelectric switch can provide feedback a signal that the locking shaft has rotated to the correct position. The rear side of the vertical plate is provided with two switching components that correspond to the unlocking position and the locking position of the lock cylinder, respectively.

[0025] As an optional solution, the opening adsorption mechanism further includes:

[0026] Suction cup;

[0027] The suction guide shaft has a suction cup sleeved at its front end. The front end of the suction guide shaft is provided with an air supply hole that communicates with the suction cup. The rear end of the suction guide shaft is installed on the vertical plate and is used to communicate with vacuum gas so that the suction cup can vacuum adsorb the box cover. The front end of the suction guide shaft can be positioned and inserted into the positioning hole on the box cover.

[0028] As an optional solution, multiple versions of the driving component, the first bevel gear, the second bevel gear, and the locking shaft are provided, with one driving component, one first bevel gear, one second bevel gear, and one locking shaft corresponding to one lock cylinder.

[0029] As an optional solution, the drive feed mechanism further includes:

[0030] The first floating joint is installed on the bottom end face of the horizontal plate;

[0031] The second floating connector is connected to the output shaft of the cylinder. The first floating connector is fitted onto the second floating connector to adjust the output pneumatic force applied by the cylinder to the horizontal plate. The adjusting wrench can pass through the adjusting hole to turn the second floating connector to adjust the installation position of the second floating connector on the output shaft of the cylinder.

[0032] As an optional solution, the drive feed mechanism further includes:

[0033] A buffer and a support, wherein the support is mounted on the bottom end face of the cross plate, and the buffer is connected to the support;

[0034] A baffle is installed on one side of the base plate. When the cylinder drives the support plate and the locking shaft to move to the preset unlocking position along the X-axis, the buffer elastically abuts against the baffle.

[0035] As an optional solution, the drive feed mechanism further includes:

[0036] The guide rail and guide block are provided. One of the horizontal plate and the bottom plate is provided with the guide block, and the other is provided with the guide rail. The guide rail extends along the X-axis, and the guide block can slide along the X-axis on the guide rail.

[0037] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0038] The FOUP box opening and closing mechanism includes a support plate, a driving component, a meshing first bevel gear and a second bevel gear, and a locking shaft. The driving and feeding mechanism includes a base plate and a cylinder. When the box lid needs to be opened, the cylinder first drives the support plate to move along the X-axis, causing the locking shaft to move along the X-axis until it is inserted into the corresponding lock cylinder on the box lid. At this point, the locking shaft is in a preset unlocking position on the X-axis. Simultaneously, the driving component drives the first bevel gear to rotate, causing the second bevel gear and the locking shaft to rotate synchronously around the X-axis. This allows the locking shaft to rotate 90° around the X-axis within the lock cylinder to unlock the lock cylinder, facilitating the direct removal of the box lid. This achieves automatic opening of the box lid (the closing process is the reverse of the opening process). Because the FOUP box opening and closing device includes both an opening and closing mechanism and a driving and feeding mechanism, it eliminates the need for a larger component. The control system results in a smaller overall size and footprint for the FOUP box opening and closing mechanism, leading to lower costs and a higher cost-performance ratio. It also caters to the space-constrained opening and closing requirements of FOUP boxes. Furthermore, the use of standard first and second bevel gears eliminates the need for non-standard manufacturing, reducing the production cost of the opening and closing mechanism. The use of inexpensive cylinders for drive and feeding allows for small-batch production. Simultaneously, the simple and compact structure of both the opening and closing mechanism ensures smooth opening and closing of the lid, further reducing the overall footprint and making it even more suitable for the limited space required for FOUP boxes. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an open-top loadport in existing technology;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cover opening module (rear side) in the existing technology. Figure 1 ;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the front opening module in the existing technology. Figure 2 ;

[0042] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the FOUP box opening and closing cover device provided by this utility model;

[0043] Figure 5 This is a partial exploded view of the cap-opening adsorption mechanism (rear side) provided by this utility model. Figure 1 ;

[0044] Figure 6 This is a partial exploded view of the cap-opening adsorption mechanism (front side) provided by this utility model. Figure 2 ;

[0045] Figure 7 This is an exploded structural diagram of the drive feed mechanism (with a horizontal plate and a reinforcing plate) provided by this utility model.

[0046] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0047] 1'-Main frame; 2'-Adapter; 3'-Opening module; 31'-DC motor; 32'-Worm gear assembly; 33'-Connecting rod; 34'-Lock; 4'-Control system;

[0048] 1-Opening suction mechanism; 11-Support plate; 111-Horizontal plate; 1111-Adjusting hole; 112-Vertical plate; 113-Reinforcing plate; 12-Drive component; 13-First bevel gear; 14-Second bevel gear; 15-Lock shaft; 16-Fixed bracket; 17-Bearing seat; 181-Washer; 182-Nut; 191-Induction plate; 192-Switch component; 1921-Slotted photoelectric switch; 1922-Connecting bracket; 101-Suction cup; 102-Suction guide shaft;

[0049] 2-Drive feed mechanism; 21-Base plate; 22-Cylinder; 23-First floating joint; 24-Second floating joint; 25-Buffer; 26-Support; 27-Baffle; 28-Guide rail; 29-Guide block. Detailed Implementation

[0050] All features disclosed in this specification, or steps in all methods or processes disclosed herein, may be combined in any way, except for mutually exclusive features and / or steps.

[0051] Any feature disclosed in this specification, unless specifically stated otherwise, may be replaced by other equivalent or similar features. That is, unless specifically stated otherwise, each feature is merely one example of a series of equivalent or similar features. Throughout this specification, the same reference numerals indicate the same elements.

[0052] To make the technical problem solved by this utility model, the technical solution adopted, and the technical effect achieved clearer, the technical solution of this utility model will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0053] This embodiment proposes a FOUP box cover opening and closing device for automatically opening and closing the FOUP box. Specifically, the FOUP box includes a main box body and a cover. A workpiece to be processed is loaded inside the main box body. The cover is locked to the opening side of the main box body, and a lock cylinder is provided on the cover to lock onto the main box body. The FOUP box cover opening and closing device can automatically and accurately rotate the lock cylinder to unlock or lock the main box body and the cover. The main box body, cover, and lock cylinder are specifically structures commonly found in existing FOUP boxes; the workpiece to be processed can specifically be a wafer.

[0054] Specifically, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the FOUP box opening and closing device includes an opening suction mechanism 1 and a driving feed mechanism 2. The opening suction mechanism 1 includes a support plate 11, a driving member 12, a first bevel gear 13 and a second bevel gear 14 meshing with each other, and a locking shaft 15. The fixed end of the driving member 12 is connected to the rear side of the support plate 11 away from the box cover. The first bevel gear 13 is sleeved on the output shaft of the driving member 12. The locking shaft 15 is rotatably connected to the support plate 11 around the X-axis. One end of the locking shaft 15 passes through the front side of the support plate 11 along the X-axis and is inserted into the lock cylinder. The second bevel gear 14 is sleeved on the other end of the locking shaft 15. The driving feed mechanism 2 includes a base plate 21 and a cylinder 22. The base plate 21 is located below the support plate 11 at intervals. The fixed end of the cylinder 22 is connected to the base plate 21. The output end of the cylinder 22 is connected to the support plate 11. The cylinder 22 is used to drive the support plate 11 to move along the X-axis to approach or move away from the box cover. Specifically, the driving component 12 can be a motor; the first bevel gear 13 and the second bevel gear 14 are both standard parts.

[0055] Compared with the prior art, the FOUP box cover opening and closing device in this embodiment changes the specific opening and closing structure and method of the box cover. The opening and closing suction mechanism 1 includes a support plate 11, a driving component 12, a meshing first bevel gear 13 and a second bevel gear 14, and a locking shaft 15. The driving feed mechanism 2 includes a base plate 21 and a cylinder 22. When the box cover needs to be opened, the cylinder 22 first drives the support plate 11 to move along the X-axis, thereby moving the locking shaft 15 along the X-axis until it is inserted into the corresponding lock cylinder on the box cover. At this time, the locking shaft 15 is in a preset unlocking position on the X-axis. Simultaneously, the driving component 12 drives the first bevel gear 13 to rotate, thereby driving the second bevel gear 14 and the locking shaft 15 to rotate synchronously around the X-axis. This allows the locking shaft 15 to rotate 90° around the X-axis within the lock cylinder to unlock the lock cylinder, facilitating the direct removal of the box cover and achieving automatic opening of the box cover (the closing process is the reverse of the opening process described above). Because the FOUP box opening and closing mechanism 1... The cover device comprises two mechanisms: a cover-opening adsorption mechanism 1 and a drive-feeding mechanism 2. This eliminates the need for a large control system, resulting in a smaller overall size, smaller footprint, lower cost, and higher cost-effectiveness for the FOUP box cover opening and closing device. It is also suitable for the limited space requirements of FOUP boxes. Furthermore, the first bevel gear 13 and the second bevel gear 14 are standard parts, eliminating the need for non-standard manufacturing. This reduces the production cost of the cover-opening adsorption mechanism 1. The use of a relatively inexpensive cylinder 22 for drive-feeding allows the FOUP box cover opening and closing device to be suitable for small-batch production. At the same time, the simple and compact structures of both the cover-opening adsorption mechanism 1 and the drive-feeding mechanism 2 ensure smooth opening and closing of the cover, further reducing the footprint of the FOUP box cover opening and closing device and making it even more suitable for the limited space requirements of FOUP boxes.

[0056] The following is a detailed description of the opening and adsorption mechanism 1:

[0057] Specifically, such as Figure 4As shown, the support plate 11 includes a horizontal plate 111, a vertical plate 112, and a reinforcing plate 113. The horizontal plates 111 are spaced apart along the Z-axis and parallel to each other above the base plate 21. The output end of the cylinder 22 is connected to the bottom surface of the horizontal plate 111, and an adjustment hole 1111 is provided on the horizontal plate 111 to reduce the weight of the opening and closing suction mechanism 1 and the entire FOUP box opening and closing device. The vertical plate 112 extends upward along the Z-axis and is perpendicularly connected to the horizontal plate 111 to form an L-shaped structure for easy installation and support. The driving component 12 and the locking shaft 15 are respectively connected to the vertical plate 112. The reinforcing plate 113 is connected between the horizontal plate 111 and the vertical plate 112 to improve the structural support strength of the entire support plate 11. Multiple reinforcing plates 113 can be provided, and the multiple reinforcing plates 113 are evenly arranged along the Y-axis. In this embodiment, three reinforcing plates 113 are provided.

[0058] Furthermore, such as Figures 4 to 6 As shown, the opening adsorption mechanism 1 also includes a fixed bracket 16 and a bearing seat 17; wherein, one end of the fixed bracket 16 is installed on the rear side of the vertical plate 112, and the fixed end of the drive member 12 is connected to the other end of the fixed bracket 16, so that the fixed bracket 16 can provide an installation support base for the drive member 12; the bearing seat 17 is installed on the rear side of the vertical plate 112 and is spaced above the fixed bracket 16, so as to avoid mutual interference between the bearing seat 17 and the fixed bracket 16 and the drive member 12 on it; and, a bearing is provided in the bearing seat 17, the outer ring of the bearing is fixedly connected to the bearing seat 17, and the locking shaft 15 passes through the inner ring of the bearing along the X-axis, so that the locking shaft 15 can rotate relative to the vertical plate 112 around the X-axis.

[0059] Specifically, such as Figure 5 As shown, the lid-opening adsorption mechanism 1 also includes a washer 181 and a nut 182; wherein, the washer 181 and the nut 182 are both sleeved on the part of the locking shaft 15 located outside the bearing seat 17 and away from the lid, and the nut 182 is located on one side of the washer 181 and close to the second bevel gear 14; turning the nut 182 can drive the washer 181 to press against the rear side of the bearing seat 17 to secure the locking shaft 15, so that the locking shaft 15 can only rotate around the X-axis and will not produce other movements.

[0060] Furthermore, such as Figures 4 to 6As shown, the opening and adsorption mechanism 1 also includes a sensing element 191 and a switch element 192. The sensing element 191 is sleeved on the locking shaft 15 and located between the washer 181 and the nut 182. The switch element 192 includes a slotted photoelectric switch 1921 and a connecting bracket 1922. The connecting bracket 1922 is installed on the rear side of the vertical plate 112 and spaced apart on one side of the bearing seat 17. The slotted photoelectric switch 1921 is connected to the connecting bracket 1922. When the locking shaft 15 drives the sensing element 191 to rotate synchronously to the slotted photoelectric switch 1921, the slotted photoelectric switch 1921 can provide a signal that the locking shaft 15 has rotated to the correct position, facilitating subsequent operations. The sensing element 191 and the slotted photoelectric switch 1921 can be common sensing elements and slotted photoelectric switches found in the prior art.

[0061] Specifically, such as Figure 4 As shown, two switch elements 192 are provided on the rear side of the vertical plate 112, corresponding to the unlocking position and the locking position of the lock cylinder, respectively. That is, a switch element 192 is provided on the rear side of the vertical plate 112 at the position corresponding to the unlocking position of the lock cylinder, and a switch element 192 is provided on the rear side of the vertical plate 112 at the position corresponding to the locking position of the lock cylinder. When the driving member 12 drives the latch shaft 15 to rotate around the X-axis to the slotted photoelectric switch 1921 corresponding to the unlocking position through the first bevel gear 13 and the second bevel gear 14, the slotted photoelectric switch 1921 provides feedback that the latch shaft 15 has rotated to the unlocking position. When the driving member 12 drives the latch shaft 15 to rotate around the X-axis to the slotted photoelectric switch 1921 corresponding to the locking position through the first bevel gear 13 and the second bevel gear 14, the slotted photoelectric switch 1921 provides feedback that the latch shaft 15 has rotated to the locking position.

[0062] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, the lid-opening adsorption mechanism 1 also includes a suction cup 101 and a suction guide shaft 102; wherein, the suction cup 101 is sleeved at the front end of the suction guide shaft 102, and the front end of the suction guide shaft 102 is provided with an air supply hole communicating with the suction cup 101. The rear end of the suction guide shaft 102 is installed on the vertical plate 112 and is used to communicate with vacuum gas, so that vacuum gas is supplied to the suction cup 101 through the suction guide shaft 102 and the air supply hole thereon, thereby enabling the suction cup 101 to adhere to and vacuum adsorb the outer surface of the lid; that is, before rotating to unlock the lock cylinder, the suction cup 101 is vacuum adsorbed first. The lid is vacuum-adhesive to maintain its position, ensuring stability and accuracy and preventing displacement during operation. This allows for precise re-closure of the lid to the main box. Furthermore, the front end of the suction guide shaft 102 is positioned within a positioning hole on the lid to ensure accurate positioning between the latch shaft 15 and the lock cylinder. This facilitates smooth opening and closing of the lid and ensures good contact between the suction cup 101 and the outer surface of the lid, allowing for direct vacuum adsorption. The suction cup 101 can be a commonly used vacuum suction cup.

[0063] Specifically, such as Figure 6 As shown, there are two suction guide shafts 102 and two suction cups 101. The two suction cups 101 are respectively placed at two opposite corners of the vertical plate 112. One suction guide shaft 102 is correspondingly set with one suction cup 101, so as to better ensure the vacuum adsorption effect on the box cover and better ensure the positioning accuracy between the latch shaft 15 and the lock cylinder.

[0064] Furthermore, such as Figures 4 to 6 As shown, multiple drive components 12, first bevel gears 13, second bevel gears 14, and locking shafts 15 are provided. Each drive component 12, first bevel gear 13, second bevel gear 14, and locking shaft 15 is correspondingly arranged with one lock cylinder, so that each locking shaft 15 can be rotated synchronously to open or close the corresponding lock cylinder, thereby ensuring the smoothness and reliability of opening and closing the lid. In this embodiment, two drive components 12, two first bevel gears 13, two second bevel gears 14, two locking shafts 15, and two lock cylinders are provided.

[0065] The following is a detailed description of the drive feed mechanism 2:

[0066] Specifically, such as Figure 4 and Figure 7As shown, the drive feed mechanism 2 also includes a first floating joint 23 and a second floating joint 24. The first floating joint 23 is mounted on the bottom surface of the horizontal plate 111. The second floating joint 24 is connected to the output shaft of the cylinder 22. The first floating joint 23 is fitted onto the second floating joint 24, allowing for coordinated floating adjustment of the output pneumatic force of the cylinder 22 through the cooperation of the first and second floating joints 23 and 24. This results in a smoother and more balanced output pneumatic force applied by the cylinder 22 to the horizontal plate 111, ensuring smoother and more balanced driving of the cylinder 22 on the support plate 11 along the X-axis, which is beneficial for ensuring the smoothness and balance of the switch cover. Both the first floating joint 23 and the second floating joint 24 are common floating joints in the prior art, and the floating adjustment working principle of the first floating joint 23 and the second floating joint 24 on the output pneumatic force of the cylinder 22 can refer to the common floating adjustment working principle in the prior art.

[0067] Specifically, the adjusting wrench can pass through the adjusting hole 1111 mentioned above, so that the adjusting wrench can directly turn the second floating joint 24 relative to the output shaft of the cylinder 22, thereby adjusting the specific installation position of the second floating joint 24 on the output shaft of the cylinder 22, so that the installation position of the second floating joint 24 meets the requirements.

[0068] Furthermore, such as Figure 7 As shown, the drive feed mechanism 2 also includes a buffer 25, a support 26, and a baffle 27. The support 26 is mounted on the bottom surface of the horizontal plate 111, and the buffer 25 is connected to the support 26. The baffle 27 is mounted on one side of the base plate 21. When the cylinder 22 drives the support plate 11 and the latch shaft 15 to move along the X-axis to the preset unlocking position (at which point the latch shaft 15 is just inserted into the corresponding lock cylinder on the cover along the X-axis), the buffer 25 elastically abuts against the baffle 27. On the one hand, this limits the specific stroke position of the cylinder 22, thus limiting the support plate 11 from continuing to move closer to the cover along the X-axis, thereby ensuring the accuracy and stability of the latch shaft 15 at the preset unlocking position. On the other hand, the elastic abutment of the buffer 25 against the baffle 27 provides a certain elastic buffering effect to the support plate 11, allowing the latch shaft 15 to be inserted smoothly and stably into the lock cylinder without causing excessive impact damage between the latch shaft 15 and the lock cylinder. The buffer 25 can be a common type of buffer found in existing technology.

[0069] Specifically, such as Figure 7As shown, the drive feed mechanism 2 also includes a guide rail 28 and a guide block 29; wherein, a guide block 29 is provided on one of the horizontal plate 111 and the base plate 21, and a guide rail 28 is provided on the other. The guide rail 28 extends along the X-axis, and the guide block 29 can slide on the guide rail 28 along the X-axis to provide guidance for the movement of the horizontal plate 111 and the entire support plate 11 along the X-axis, thereby ensuring the guidance and stability of the movement of the support plate 11 and its locking shaft 15 along the X-axis. In this embodiment, a guide rail 28 is provided on the base plate 21, and a guide block 29 is provided on the bottom end face of the horizontal plate 111.

[0070] The specific working process of the FOUP box cover opening and closing device in this embodiment is as follows:

[0071] Taking opening the box lid as an example, closing the box lid is basically the same as opening it:

[0072] First, cylinder 22 drives horizontal plate 111 along the X-axis, causing horizontal plate 111 and the entire support plate 11 to move relative to bottom plate 21 along the X-axis toward the lid. At this time, guide block 29 slides along the X-axis on guide rail 28. Then, when support plate 11 moves along the X-axis to the point where locking shaft 15 on it is inserted into lock cylinder, buffer 25 elastically abuts against baffle 27 to limit the locking shaft 15 from moving further along the X-axis.

[0073] Meanwhile, the front end of the suction guide shaft 102 is positioned and inserted into the positioning hole on the box cover along the X-axis, and the suction guide shaft 102 provides vacuum gas to the suction cup 101, so that the suction cup 101 vacuum adsorbs the outer side of the box cover.

[0074] Then, the drive unit 12 drives the first bevel gear 13 to rotate, which in turn drives the second bevel gear 14 to rotate, thereby driving the locking shaft 15 to rotate synchronously around the X-axis. That is, at this time, the locking shaft 15 rotates 90° around the X-axis inside the lock cylinder to unlock the lock cylinder, so that the main box body and the box cover are unlocked.

[0075] Finally, the cylinder 22 drives the horizontal plate 111 along the X-axis, causing the horizontal plate 111 and the entire support plate 11 to move away from the main box relative to the base plate 21 along the X-axis. At this time, the box cover is vacuum-adsorbed on one side of the vertical plate 112, thereby opening the box cover and directly taking out the workpiece to be processed from the main box for processing.

[0076] The FOUP box cover switch device in this embodiment, by using standard parts, the first bevel gear 13 and the second bevel gear 14, achieves smooth and precise transmission while reducing production costs. Furthermore, by eliminating the need for a large control system, it reduces space requirements. Simultaneously, by using a cheaper cylinder 22 instead of a DC motor for drive feeding, production costs are further reduced, making the entire FOUP box cover switch device suitable for small-batch production. Moreover, this FOUP box cover switch device can smoothly and automatically open and close the box cover without the need for an expensive loadport, significantly saving production costs. Additionally, due to its simple and compact structure, the entire FOUP box cover switch device occupies a small area, better meeting the space-constrained requirements of FOUP boxes.

[0077] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation method and application scope based on the idea of ​​this utility model. The content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

Claims

1. A FOUP box opening and closing device, the FOUP box comprising a main box body and a lid, wherein the main box body contains a workpiece to be processed, and the lid is locked to the opening side of the main box body, and the lid is provided with a lock cylinder that locks to the main box body; characterized in that, The FOUP box opening and closing mechanism includes: The lid-opening adsorption mechanism (1) includes a support plate (11), a drive member (12), a first bevel gear (13) and a second bevel gear (14) meshing with each other, and a locking shaft (15). The fixed end of the drive member (12) is connected to the rear side of the support plate (11) away from the lid. The first bevel gear (13) is sleeved on the output shaft of the drive member (12). The locking shaft (15) is rotatably connected to the support plate (11) around the X-axis. One end of the locking shaft (15) passes through the front side of the support plate (11) along the X-axis and is inserted into the lock cylinder. The second bevel gear (14) is sleeved on the other end of the locking shaft (15). The drive feed mechanism (2) includes a base plate (21) and a cylinder (22). The base plate (21) is located below the support plate (11) at intervals. The fixed end of the cylinder (22) is connected to the base plate (21), and the output end of the cylinder (22) is connected to the support plate (11). The cylinder (22) is used to drive the support plate (11) to move along the X-axis to approach or move away from the box cover.

2. The FOUP box opening and closing cover device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The support plate (11) includes: A horizontal plate (111) is arranged parallel to the bottom plate (21) at intervals along the Z-axis. The output end of the cylinder (22) is connected to the bottom end face of the horizontal plate (111), and the horizontal plate (111) is provided with an adjustment hole (1111). A vertical plate (112) extends upward along the Z-axis. The vertical plate (112) is perpendicularly connected to the horizontal plate (111) to form an L-shaped structure. The driving member (12) and the locking shaft (15) are respectively connected to the vertical plate (112). A reinforcing plate (113) is connected between the horizontal plate (111) and the vertical plate (112).

3. The FOUP box opening and closing cover device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The opening adsorption mechanism (1) further includes: A fixed bracket (16) is installed at one end on the rear side of the vertical plate (112), and the fixed end of the driving member (12) is connected to the other end of the fixed bracket (16). A bearing housing (17) is installed on the rear side of the vertical plate (112) and spaced above the fixed bracket (16). A bearing is provided inside the bearing housing (17). The outer ring of the bearing is fixedly connected to the bearing housing (17). The locking shaft (15) passes through the inner ring of the bearing along the X-axis so that the locking shaft (15) can rotate relative to the vertical plate (112) around the X-axis.

4. The FOUP box opening and closing device as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The opening adsorption mechanism (1) further includes: Washer (181), the washer (181) is sleeved on the portion of the locking shaft (15) located outside the bearing seat (17) and away from the cover; Nut (182), the nut (182) is threadedly tightened on the portion of the locking shaft (15) located outside the bearing seat (17) and away from the cover. The nut (182) is located on one side of the washer (181) and close to the second bevel gear (14). Tightening the nut (182) can cause the washer (181) to press against the rear side of the bearing seat (17) to secure the locking shaft (15), so that the locking shaft (15) can only rotate around the X-axis.

5. The FOUP box opening and closing cover device as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The opening adsorption mechanism (1) further includes: The sensing plate (191) is sleeved on the locking shaft (15) and located between the washer (181) and the nut (182); The switching component (192) includes a slotted photoelectric switch (1921) and a connecting bracket (1922). The connecting bracket (1922) is installed on the rear side of the vertical plate (112). The slotted photoelectric switch (1921) is connected to the connecting bracket (1922). When the locking shaft (15) synchronously drives the sensing plate (191) to rotate to the slotted photoelectric switch (1921), the slotted photoelectric switch (1921) can provide feedback on the signal that the locking shaft (15) has rotated to the correct position. The rear side of the vertical plate (112) is provided with two switching components (192) that correspond to the unlocking position and the locking position of the lock cylinder, respectively.

6. The FOUP box opening and closing cover device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The opening adsorption mechanism (1) further includes: Suction cup (101); The suction guide shaft (102) has the suction cup (101) sleeved at its front end. The front end of the suction guide shaft (102) is provided with an air supply hole that communicates with the suction cup (101). The rear end of the suction guide shaft (102) is installed on the vertical plate (112) and is used to communicate with vacuum gas so that the suction cup (101) vacuum adsorbs the box cover. The front end of the suction guide shaft (102) can be positioned and inserted into the positioning hole on the box cover.

7. The FOUP box opening and closing cover device as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, Multiple drive components (12), first bevel gears (13), second bevel gears (14), and locking shafts (15) are provided respectively, and one drive component (12), one first bevel gear (13), one second bevel gear (14), and one locking shaft (15) are correspondingly arranged with one lock cylinder.

8. The FOUP box opening and closing device as described in any one of claims 2-6, characterized in that, The drive feed mechanism (2) further includes: The first floating joint (23) is installed on the bottom end face of the horizontal plate (111); The second floating connector (24) is connected to the output shaft of the cylinder (22). The first floating connector (23) is fitted onto the second floating connector (24) to adjust the output pneumatic force applied by the cylinder (22) to the horizontal plate (111). The adjusting wrench can pass through the adjusting hole (1111) to turn the second floating connector (24) to adjust the installation position of the second floating connector (24) on the output shaft of the cylinder (22).

9. The FOUP box opening and closing device as described in any one of claims 2-6, characterized in that, The drive feed mechanism (2) further includes: A buffer (25) and a support (26), wherein the support (26) is mounted on the bottom end face of the cross plate (111), and the buffer (25) is connected to the support (26). The baffle (27) is installed on one side of the base plate (21). When the cylinder (22) drives the support plate (11) and the locking shaft (15) to move to the preset unlocking position along the X-axis, the buffer (25) elastically abuts against the baffle (27).

10. The FOUP box opening and closing device as described in any one of claims 2-6, characterized in that, The drive feed mechanism (2) further includes: The guide rail (28) and guide block (29) are provided on one of the horizontal plate (111) and the bottom plate (21), and the guide block (29) is provided on the other. The guide rail (28) extends along the X-axis, and the guide block (29) can slide on the guide rail (28) along the X-axis.

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