Transport system

Abstract

To provide an economical transportation system.SOLUTION: In a transport system 2, a traveling panel 10 on which an automatic transport device 8 travels is installed on a top plate 6 of a processing device 4, which includes multiple processing units 4b, 4c, and 4d. The traveling panel 10 includes: a first traveling panel 12 arranged between the processing device 4 and the processing device 4; and a second traveling panel 14 that uses the top plate 6 of the processing device 4 itself as a travel path.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transfer system in which a travel panel along which an automatic transfer device travels is arranged on the top plate of a processing device including a plurality of processing devices. [Background technology]

[0002] A wafer has multiple devices such as ICs and LSIs formed on its surface, separated by planned dividing lines. The back side is ground using a grinding machine to form the wafer to the desired thickness, and then the wafer is divided into individual device chips using a cutting machine and laser processing machine. Each of the divided device chips is used in electrical equipment such as mobile phones and personal computers.

[0003] The present applicant has also developed a transport system in which a travel path is arranged using the top plate of a processing device including processing devices such as grinding devices, cutting devices, and laser processing devices, and a wafer storage device that stores multiple wafers, and an automatic transport device travels between the processing devices to transport wafers from the wafer storage device to each processing device or to transport consumables (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-013892 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, there is a problem that a large number of travel panels are arranged to cover the top plate of the processing apparatus, which is uneconomical.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an economical transport system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided the following transport system that solves the above-mentioned problems: "A conveyance system in which a traveling panel on which an automatic conveyance device travels is arranged on the top plate of a processing device including a plurality of processing devices, The transport system includes a first traveling panel disposed between processing devices and a second traveling panel that uses the top plate of the processing device itself as a travel path. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The transport system of the present invention comprises: A conveyance system in which a traveling panel on which an automatic conveyance device travels is arranged on a top plate of a processing device including a plurality of processing devices, The traveling panel comprises a first traveling panel disposed between processing devices and a second traveling panel that uses the top plate of the processing device itself as a traveling path, thereby reducing the number of traveling panels that were previously required and making it economical. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a transport system according to the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a transport system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, in the transfer system 2, a travel panel 10 on which an automatic transfer device 8 travels is disposed on a top plate 6 of a processing device 4 including a plurality of processing devices.

[0012] The processing equipment 4 includes a storage device 4a for storing articles and first, second, and third processing devices 4b, 4c, and 4d to which the articles in the storage device 4a are transported by an automatic transport device 8. Examples of articles stored in the storage device 4a include workpieces such as semiconductor wafers to be processed in the first to third processing devices 4b to 4d, and processing tools used when processing in any of the first to third processing devices 4b to 4d. Examples of processing tools used when processing in any of the first to third processing devices 4b to 4d include cutting blades used when cutting the workpieces, and grinding wheels with grinding stones used when grinding the workpieces to thin them. In this embodiment, one storage device 4a and three processing devices 4b to 4d are provided as the processing equipment 4, but the number and combination of processing devices 4 can be set as desired.

[0013] A traveling panel 10 is disposed on the top plate 6 of the processing device 4. The traveling panel 10 of this embodiment includes a first traveling panel 12 disposed between the processing devices 4, and a second traveling panel 14 that uses the top plate 6 of the processing device 4 itself as a traveling path.

[0014] The first running panel 12 has a main section 12a having a running path along which the automatic conveying device 8 runs, a fall prevention wall 12b for preventing the automatic conveying device 8 from falling from the main section 12a, and a connecting piece 12c for connecting the first running panel 12 to the processing device 4.

[0015] The shape of the main portion 12a of the first traveling panel 12 can be any shape depending on the positional relationship between the processing devices 4 to be connected and the traveling route of the automatic conveying device 8, etc. However, in this embodiment, a rectangular main portion 12a is shown for convenience. The main portion 12a is formed with a traveling guide line (not shown) for guiding the traveling of the automatic conveying device 8. The fall prevention walls 12b protrude upward from both end portions of the main portion 12a in the width direction (direction perpendicular to the traveling direction) along the traveling direction of the automatic conveying device 8 indicated by arrows A1 to A4. In this embodiment, the connecting pieces 12c extend downward from both end portions of the main portion 12a in the traveling direction. The connecting pieces 12c and the processing device 4 can be connected via appropriate connecting means 16 such as bolts.

[0016] The second running panel 14 has a main portion 14a having a running path along which the automatic conveying device 8 runs, a fall prevention wall 14b for preventing the automatic conveying device 8 from falling from the main portion 14a, and a connecting piece 14c for connecting the fall prevention wall 14b to the processing device 4.

[0017] The main portion 14a of the second traveling panel 14 may be configured as part or all of the top plate 6 of the processing device 4. The main portion 14a is defined by a fall prevention wall 14b provided on the top plate 6 in accordance with the travel route of the automatic transport device 8. In addition, a travel guide line (not shown) for guiding the travel of the automatic transport device 8 is formed in the main portion 14a. As shown in FIG. 1 , the fall prevention wall 14b of the second traveling panel 14 is connected to the fall prevention wall 12b of the first traveling panel 12. In this embodiment, the connection piece 14c is attached to the lower end of the fall prevention wall 14b, and the connection piece 14c and the processing device 4 can be connected via appropriate connection means 16 such as a bolt.

[0018] The automatic transport device 8 that travels on the first and second traveling panels 12, 14 is equipped with drive wheels arranged on the left and right, directional casters arranged in front and behind the drive wheels, a sensor that reads the travel guide line of the traveling panel 10, a cassette that stores the items to be transported, and a lifting means for raising and lowering the cassette (none of which are shown).

[0019] Next, an example of transporting a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer in the transport system 2 will be described.

[0020] In the conveyance system 2, first, the workpieces are transferred from the storage device 4a to the automatic conveyance device 8. At this time, the automatic conveyance device 8 stops above the opening 6a of the top plate 6 of the storage device 4a. Next, a cassette is lowered from the automatic conveyance device 8 through the opening 6a and sent into the storage device 4a. Once the cassette is positioned at a predetermined position within the storage device 4a, the workpieces are stored in the cassette by a transport means (for example, a robot hand) of the storage device 4a. Then, the cassette containing the workpieces is raised and removed from the storage device 4a. In this manner, the workpieces are transferred from the storage device 4a to the automatic conveyance device 8.

[0021] After the workpieces are transferred from the storage device 4a to the automatic transfer device 8, the automatic transfer device 8 transfers the workpieces to the first processing device 4b, where they are subjected to the required processing. During this process, the automatic transfer device 8 travels along the main sections 12a and 14a of the first and second traveling panels 12 and 14, respectively, while using a sensor to read the travel guide lines of the traveling panel 10, and moves from the storage device 4a to the first processing device 4b. When the automatic transfer device 8 arrives above the opening 6a in the top plate 6 of the first processing device 4b, the automatic transfer device 8 lowers a cassette through the opening 6a and feeds the cassette into the first processing device 4b. Next, when the cassette is positioned at a predetermined position within the first processing device 4b, the workpieces are removed from the cassette by a transport means (e.g., a robot hand) of the first processing device 4b. After the workpiece is subjected to the required processing in the first processing device 4b, the processed workpiece is placed in a cassette by the conveying means. Once the processed workpiece is placed in the cassette, the cassette is raised and removed from the first processing device 4b.

[0022] After the required processing is performed on the workpiece in the first processing device 4b, the workpiece is transported by the automatic transport device 8 to the second processing device 4c, where the required processing is performed on the workpiece. The steps for transporting the workpiece to the second processing device 4c are substantially the same as the steps for transporting the workpiece to the first processing device 4b, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0023] After the required processing is performed on the workpiece in the second processing device 4c, the workpiece is transported to the third processing device 4d by the automatic transport device 8, where the required processing is performed on the workpiece. After that, the automatic transport device 8 transports the workpiece to the storage device 4a, where the processed workpiece is stored.

[0024] In this manner, in the conveyance system 2, articles such as workpieces are conveyed to each processing device 4 by the automatic conveyance device 8. In this embodiment, the traveling panel 10 along which the automatic conveyance device 8 travels includes a first traveling panel 12 disposed between processing devices 4 and a second traveling panel 14, the top plate 6 of each processing device 4 serving as the traveling path. This reduces the number of traveling panels that were conventionally required, resulting in economical operation. That is, in conventional conveyance systems, traveling panels were disposed not only between processing devices 4 but also directly above each processing device 4. However, in this embodiment, the top plate 6 of each processing device 4 serves as the traveling path, eliminating the need to dispose a traveling panel directly above each processing device 4. This eliminates the problem of having to dispose multiple traveling panels to cover the top plate of each processing device, which is uneconomical. [Explanation of symbols]

[0025] 2:Transport system 4: Processing equipment 4a: Storage device 4b: First processing device 4c: Second processing equipment 4d: Third processing equipment 6: Top plate 6a: opening 8: Automatic transport device 10: Travel panel 12: First travel panel 12a: Main section 12b: Fall prevention wall 12c: Connection piece 14: Second traveling panel 14a: Main section 14b: Fall prevention wall 14c: Connection piece 16:Connection method

Claims

[Claim 1] A conveyance system in which a traveling panel on which an automatic conveyance device travels is arranged on a top plate of a processing device including a plurality of processing devices, The transport system includes a first traveling panel disposed between processing devices, and a second traveling panel that uses the top plate of the processing device itself as a traveling path.

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