Automatic loading and unloading robot for wafer production

Abstract

The utility model relates to wafer production equipment technical field especially, relates to a kind of automatic feeding and discharging robot for wafer production, including mechanical arm, vacuum adsorption component and protection component, shell body is installed at the bottom end of mounting plate, vacuum pump is set to shell body top end, its output end is connected with suction cup through vacuum tube, suction cup bottom end is equipped with elastic sealing gasket, fluorine rubber material is adopted, can effectively improve the sealing property and stability of adsorption, the utility model can form multidimensional protection from the both ends of mechanical arm and wafer periphery by protection component, by the sliding adjustment of protection board one and protection board two, different size wafer protection demand can be adapted, protection board one and protection board two can be adjusted by sliding block along sliding slot sliding, the cooperation of limiting post and sleeve can flexibly adjust protection height, can satisfy the feeding and discharging demand of different specifications wafer, and the scope of application is wide.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of wafer manufacturing equipment technology, and in particular to an automatic loading and unloading robot for wafer manufacturing. Technical Background

[0002] In the semiconductor wafer manufacturing process, wafer loading and unloading operations are a key link connecting various production processes. In the prior art, the device disclosed in Chinese Patent Publication No. CN201910878976.1 has an electric telescopic rod and rollers set on the lower side of the base. When it is necessary to move the loading and unloading robot, the electric telescopic rod drives the rollers to move downward, causing the rollers to contact the ground. Through the rolling of the rollers, the loading and unloading robot can be moved easily, making it convenient for the loading and unloading robot to handle materials in different positions.

[0003] However, the device uses mechanical clamping to grip the wafer, which makes it difficult to control the clamping force. Excessive clamping force will squeeze the wafer and cause physical damage, while insufficient clamping force will easily cause the wafer to fall off during the transfer process. At the same time, the device lacks an effective protective structure, and cannot provide reliable protection for the wafer and the device itself when the equipment is malfunctioning or is subjected to external impact, which further increases the production risk.

[0004] Therefore, developing an automated wafer loading and unloading robot with stable adsorption, effective protection, and a high degree of automation has become a key requirement for solving the current challenges in wafer production loading and unloading. Utility Model Content

[0005] The present invention aims to provide an automatic loading and unloading robot for wafer production. By optimizing the design of the vacuum adsorption component and the protective component, the adsorption stability and protective effect are improved, thereby improving the efficiency and quality of wafer production.

[0006] The automatic loading and unloading robot for wafer production of this utility model mainly includes a robotic arm, a vacuum adsorption component, and a protective component.

[0007] As a further description of the above technical solution:

[0008] The vacuum adsorption assembly includes a mounting plate, an outer shell, a vacuum pump, a vacuum tube, and a suction cup. The mounting plate is located at one end of the robotic arm and is used to fix the vacuum adsorption assembly. The outer shell is installed at the bottom of the mounting plate, and the vacuum pump is located at the top of the outer shell. Its output end is connected to the suction cup through the vacuum tube. The bottom of the suction cup is equipped with an elastic sealing gasket made of fluororubber, which can effectively improve the sealing and stability of the adsorption.

[0009] As a further description of the above technical solution:

[0010] The suction cup has a damper at the top, which extends through the inside of the outer shell, and a spring is fitted at the outer end to buffer and stabilize the adsorption process.

[0011] As a further description of the above technical solution:

[0012] The protective assembly includes support column one, support column two, electric push rod, support plate one, support plate two, protective plate one, protective plate two, threaded rod, handwheel, sleeve, bracket, fixing plate, damping two, spring two, and limiting post. Support column two is slidably mounted inside support column one. Support column two has an electric push rod at its bottom end for adjusting the position of the protective assembly. Support plate one is located at one end of support column one, and a groove one is formed at one end of support plate one, connecting it to support plate two via slider one. Protective plate one is located at one end of support column two, and a groove two is formed at the top of protective plate one, connecting it to protective plate two via slider two.

[0013] As a further description of the above technical solution:

[0014] Protective plate one and protective plate two are adapted to the sliding groove of support column one. One end of the protective plate is provided with a connecting block, and a threaded rod is provided through the middle of the connecting block. One end of the threaded rod is provided with a handwheel for adjusting the position and angle of the protective plate.

[0015] As a further description of the above technical solution:

[0016] The support column has a sleeve at one end and a bracket at the other end. The bracket has a fixing plate inside, and a damper at the top of the fixing plate. The top of the damper is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the bracket, and a spring is sleeved on the outer end for buffering and stabilizing the protective components.

[0017] As a further description of the above technical solution:

[0018] The bottom of the fixed plate is provided with a limiting post that is compatible with the sleeve. The bottom of the limiting post has a hemispherical protrusion made of stainless steel and is integrally formed with the bottom of the limiting post. It is used to limit the sliding range of the second support column and ensure the stability of the protective component.

[0019] The present invention has the following advantages: 1. The present invention adopts a vacuum adsorption method in combination with an elastic sealing gasket, which greatly improves the sealing performance of the adsorption component and avoids air leakage during the adsorption process. At the same time, the combination of damper and spring can buffer the impact force during adsorption, prevent the wafer from being damaged due to excessive instantaneous force, and ensure the stability and safety of wafer adsorption.

[0020] 2. This utility model can form multi-dimensional protection from both ends of the robotic arm and the periphery of the wafer through the protective components. By sliding and adjusting the first protective plate and the second protective plate, it can adapt to the protection requirements of wafers of different sizes. The first protective plate and the second protective plate can be adjusted by sliding along the slide groove by the slider. The cooperation of the limiting post and the sleeve can flexibly adjust the protection height, which can meet the loading and unloading requirements of wafers of different specifications and has a wide range of applications.

[0021] Figure Labels

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the vacuum adsorption component of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the protective component of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the protective component of this utility model in a folded state;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a partial enlarged view of the protective component of this utility model.

[0027] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0028] 1. Robotic arm; 2. Vacuum adsorption assembly; 21. Mounting plate; 22. Outer shell; 23. Vacuum pump; 24. Vacuum tube; 25. Damping I; 26. Spring I; 27. Suction cup; 3. Protective assembly; 31. Support column I; 32. Support column II; 33. Protective plate I; 34. Support plate I; 35. Threaded rod; 36. Electric push rod; 37. Sleeve; 38. Bracket; 39. Damping II; 310. Spring II; 311. Fixing plate; 312. Limiting post; 313. Protective plate II; 314. Support plate II. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0030] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. The utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0032] As attached Figure 1 To be continued Figure 5 The present invention provides an automatic loading and unloading robot for wafer production, comprising a robotic arm 1, a vacuum adsorption component 2, and a protective component 3.

[0033] Specifically, the robotic arm 1 is the core support and motion component of the entire robot. The vacuum adsorption component 2 is installed at one end of the robotic arm 1. The robotic arm 1 can drive the vacuum adsorption component 2 to achieve multi-dimensional movement, thereby completing the wafer gripping, transfer and placement operations. The protective component 3 is symmetrically installed at both ends of the robotic arm 1. The protective component 3 can move synchronously with the robotic arm 1 and provide protection for the wafer and the robotic arm 1 throughout the wafer transfer process.

[0034] Example 1

[0035] Specifically, the mounting plate 21 in the vacuum adsorption component 2 is set at one end of the robotic arm 1. The function of the mounting plate 21 is to provide a mounting base for other components of the vacuum adsorption component 2 and to stably fix the vacuum adsorption component 2 on the robotic arm 1. The bottom end of the mounting plate 21 is provided with an outer shell 22, which provides a protective shell for the internal components to prevent external dust and impurities from entering the component and affecting the vacuum adsorption effect.

[0036] The outer casing 22 has four sets of suction cups 27 symmetrically arranged at its bottom end. The suction cups 27 directly contact the wafer surface and are used to adsorb the wafer. The top of the suction cup 27 is provided with a damper 25, which extends through into the interior of the outer casing 22. The damper 25 can buffer the suction cup 27 when it adsorbs the wafer, reducing the impact force when the suction cup 27 contacts the wafer. The outer end of the damper 25 is fitted with a spring 26. The spring 26 works with the damper 25 to further enhance the buffering effect and assist the suction cup 27 in resetting when it detaches from the wafer.

[0037] In addition, the vacuum adsorption assembly 2 also includes a vacuum pump 23, which is located at the top of the housing 22. The vacuum pump 23 provides a power source for vacuum adsorption and creates a negative pressure by drawing air from the inside of the suction cup 27, so that the suction cup 27 can firmly adsorb the wafer. The output end of the vacuum pump 23 is provided with a vacuum tube 24, one end of which is connected to one end of the suction cup 27. The vacuum tube 24 plays a gas transmission role, transmitting the negative pressure generated by the vacuum pump 23 to the suction cup 27 to ensure that a stable negative pressure environment is formed inside the suction cup 27.

[0038] Example 2

[0039] Based on Example 1, protective components were installed at both ends of the robotic arm to further prevent damage to the wafer and equipment components.

[0040] Specifically, the protective component 3 includes a first support column 31, one end of which has a sliding groove. A second support column 32 is slidably mounted inside the first support column 31. The second support column 32 can slide up and down along the sliding groove of the first support column 31, thereby adjusting the overall height of the protective component 3 to adapt to wafer placement stations of different heights. The bottom end of the second support column 32 is provided with an electric push rod 36, which provides power for the sliding of the second support column 32. By extending and retracting the electric push rod 36, the second support column 32 is driven to slide along the first support column 31, thereby realizing automatic adjustment of the protective height.

[0041] Among them, a support plate 34 is provided at one end of the support column 31, and the support plate 34 provides installation support for the support plate 314; a sliding groove is provided at one end of the support plate 34, and the support plate 314 is provided through the sliding groove 1 via the slider 1. The support plate 314 can slide left and right along the sliding groove 1 of the support plate 34, thereby adjusting the coverage of the protective component in the horizontal direction to adapt to wafers of different sizes.

[0042] In addition, a protective plate 33 is provided at one end of the support column 2 32. The protective plate 33 is used to protect the wafer from one side to prevent the wafer from shifting or colliding during transportation. A sliding groove 2 is provided at the top of the protective plate 33. A protective plate 313 is provided inside the sliding groove 2 through a slider 2. The protective plate 313 can slide along the sliding groove 2 of the protective plate 33 and cooperate with the protective plate 33 to adjust the protection width, further adapting to wafers of different sizes.

[0043] Furthermore, the protective plate 33 and the protective plate 313 are adapted to the sliding groove of the support column 31 to ensure that the protective plate 33 and the protective plate 313 remain stable during the sliding adjustment process; a connecting block is provided at one end of the protective plate 33 and the protective plate 313, and a threaded rod 35 is provided through the middle of the connecting block. A handwheel is provided at one end of the threaded rod 35. Rotating the handwheel can drive the threaded rod 35 to rotate. Through the threaded engagement between the threaded rod 35 and the connecting block, the protective plate 33 and the protective plate 313 can be fixed in the adjusted position to prevent them from shifting during the operation of the equipment.

[0044] Furthermore, one end of the support column 31 is provided with a sleeve 37, and the other end of the support column 31 is provided with a bracket 38. The bracket 38 provides an installation frame for components such as the fixing plate 311 and the second damper 39. The fixing plate 311 is provided inside the bracket 38, and the fixing plate 311 plays a connecting and supporting role. The top of the fixing plate 311 is provided with the second damper 39, and the top of the second damper 39 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the bracket 38. The second damper 39 can play a buffering and shock-absorbing role when the protective component 3 is subjected to external impact. The outer end of the second damper 39 is fitted with a second spring 310. The second spring 310 cooperates with the second damper 39 to enhance the buffering effect and protect the bracket 38 and its internal components.

[0045] Furthermore, the bottom end of the fixing plate 311 is provided with a limiting post 312 that is compatible with the sleeve. The limiting post 312 can be inserted into the sleeve 37 to limit and guide the movement of the fixing plate 311, ensuring that the protective component 3 maintains structural stability during the buffering process.

[0046] Furthermore, an elastic sealing gasket is provided at the bottom edge of the suction cup 27. The elastic sealing gasket is made of fluororubber, which has excellent sealing performance, high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance. It can fit tightly against the wafer surface, further improving the sealing performance of the suction cup 27, preventing air leakage during adsorption, and avoiding scratch damage to the wafer surface.

[0047] Furthermore, the bottom end of the limiting post 312 is provided with a hemispherical protrusion. The hemispherical protrusion is made of stainless steel and is integrally formed with the bottom end of the limiting post 312. Stainless steel has high hardness and wear resistance, which can reduce frictional loss between the limiting post 312 and the sleeve 37 and extend the service life of the component. The hemispherical structure makes the insertion of the limiting post 312 into the sleeve 37 smoother, reduces guiding resistance, and ensures the fitting accuracy between the limiting post 312 and the sleeve 37.

[0048] It should also be noted that the wafer manufacturing in this application can include standard-size wafers, large / very-large-size wafers, and wafers manufactured using special processes. Figure 1 In this embodiment, wafer fabrication is described as an example of type A. Of course, other types of wafer fabrication can also adopt a similar structure, which will not be repeated hereafter.

[0049] Understandable Figure 1 The diagram only schematically illustrates some of the components of the automated loading and unloading robot; the actual shape, size, position, and construction of these components are not subject to change. Figure 1 Due to limitations, automated loading and unloading robots can also include, compared to... Figure 1 More or fewer parts.

[0050] In actual use, before starting the equipment, adjustments are made according to the size of the wafer to be transferred and the height of the placement station: rotate the handwheel at one end of the protective plate 33 and the protective plate 313 in the protective assembly 3 to drive the threaded rod 35 to rotate, loosen the fixing of the protective plate 33 and the protective plate 313, push the protective plate 313 to slide along the slide groove 2 of the protective plate 33, adjust the combined width of the protective plate 33 and the protective plate 313 to fit the wafer size, and after the adjustment is completed, rotate the handwheel in the opposite direction to fix the protective plate 33 and the protective plate 313 through the threaded rod 35.

[0051] Simultaneously, the electric push rod 36 at the bottom of the second support column 32 is activated. The electric push rod 36 extends and retracts, driving the second support column 32 to slide up and down along the sliding groove of the first support column 31, adjusting the overall height of the protective assembly 3 so that the first protective plate 33 and the second protective plate 313 match the wafer transfer path. During the adjustment process, the limiting post 312 at the bottom of the fixing plate 311 slides along the sleeve 37 at one end of the first support column 31, providing limiting guidance for the movement of the second support column 32 and ensuring accurate height adjustment.

[0052] After adjustment, the robotic arm 1 is activated, moving the vacuum adsorption assembly 2 to the wafer placement area, aligning the four sets of suction cups 27 at the bottom of the outer shell 22 of the vacuum adsorption assembly 2 with the wafer surface. Subsequently, the vacuum pump 23 is activated, and the vacuum pump 23 extracts air from inside the suction cups 27 through the vacuum tube 24, creating a negative pressure inside the suction cups 27. Under the action of negative pressure, the suction cups 27 tightly adsorb the wafer. At this time, the damper 25 at the top of the suction cup 27 cooperates with the spring 26 to buffer the impact force when the suction cup 27 contacts the wafer. At the same time, the fluororubber elastic sealing gasket at the bottom edge of the suction cup 27 tightly adheres to the wafer surface to ensure adsorption sealing performance and prevent air leakage.

[0053] After the wafer adsorption is stabilized, the robotic arm 1 drives the vacuum adsorption component 2 and the adsorbed wafer to move towards the target workstation. During the movement, the protective components 3 symmetrically installed at both ends of the robotic arm 1 move synchronously: the first protective plate 33 and the second protective plate 313 form protection from both sides of the wafer to prevent the wafer from being hit or shifted laterally; if the equipment is hit by an external collision during operation, the second damper 39 and the second spring 310 inside the bracket 38 will deform to absorb the impact force generated by the collision. At the same time, the limiting post 312 slides along the sleeve 37 and works with the second damper 39 and the second spring 310 to further buffer the impact and protect the wafer and equipment components from damage.

[0054] When the robotic arm 1 carries the wafer to the target station, the vacuum pump 23 stops working, the negative pressure inside the suction cup 27 disappears, the suction cup 27 detaches from the wafer, and the damper 25 and spring 26 assist the suction cup 27 in resetting. Subsequently, the robotic arm 1 drives the vacuum adsorption assembly 2 to reset, preparing for the next loading and unloading operation. At the same time, the electric push rod 36 drives the support column 32 to reset, and the protective assembly 3 returns to its initial state, completing a complete automatic wafer loading and unloading process.

[0055] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Although the present utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. An automated loading and unloading robot for wafer fabrication, characterized in that, include: The robotic arm (1), vacuum adsorption assembly (2), and protective assembly (3) are provided. The vacuum adsorption assembly (2) is installed at one end of the robotic arm (1), and the protective assembly (3) is symmetrically installed at both ends of the robotic arm (1). The vacuum adsorption assembly (2) includes a mounting plate (21), which is located at one end of the robotic arm (1). The bottom end of the mounting plate (21) is provided with a housing (22), and the bottom end of the housing (22) is symmetrically provided with four sets of suction cups (27). The top end of the suction cups (27) is provided with a damper (25), which extends through into the interior of the housing (22). The outer end of the damper (25) is fitted with a spring (26).

2. The automatic loading and unloading robot for wafer fabrication according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vacuum adsorption assembly (2) also includes a vacuum pump (23), which is located at the top of the outer shell (22). The vacuum pump (23) has a vacuum tube (24) at its output end, and one end of the vacuum tube (24) is connected to one end of the suction cup (27).

3. The automatic loading and unloading robot for wafer production according to claim 2, characterized in that: The protective component (3) includes a support column (31), a sliding groove is provided at one end of the support column (31), a support column (32) is slidably provided inside the support column (31), an electric push rod (36) is provided at the bottom end of the support column (32), a support plate (34) is provided at one end of the support column (31), a sliding groove is provided at one end of the support plate (34), and a support plate (314) is provided through the sliding groove via a slider.

4. The automatic loading and unloading robot for wafer production according to claim 3, characterized in that: One end of the support column 2 (32) is provided with a protective plate 1 (33). The top of the protective plate 1 (33) is provided with a sliding groove 2. The sliding groove 2 is provided with a protective plate 2 (313) through a slider 2. The protective plate 1 (33) and the protective plate 2 (313) are adapted to the sliding groove of the support column 1 (31). One end of the protective plate 1 (33) and the protective plate 2 (313) is provided with a connecting block. A threaded rod (35) is provided through the middle of the connecting block. One end of the threaded rod (35) is provided with a handwheel.

5. The automatic loading and unloading robot for wafer fabrication according to claim 4, characterized in that: One end of the support column (31) is provided with a sleeve (37), and the other end of the support column (31) is provided with a bracket (38). The bracket (38) is provided with a fixing plate (311), and the top of the fixing plate (311) is provided with a damper (39). The top of the damper (39) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the bracket (38). The outer end of the damper (39) is provided with a spring (310), and the bottom of the fixing plate (311) is provided with a limiting post (312) that is compatible with the sleeve.

6. The automatic loading and unloading robot for wafer production according to claim 5, characterized in that: An elastic sealing gasket is provided at the bottom edge of the suction cup (27), and the elastic sealing gasket is made of fluororubber.

7. The automated loading and unloading robot for wafer fabrication according to claim 6, characterized in that: The bottom of the limiting post (312) is provided with a hemispherical protrusion. The hemispherical protrusion is made of stainless steel and is integrally formed with the bottom of the limiting post (312).

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