Conveying system

Abstract

To provide a transport system that can prevent vibrations from being transmitted to the processing equipment. [Solution] The transport system is a transport system for transporting workpieces to each of a plurality of processing devices, comprising a columnar support 6 disposed on the top plate of the housing of each processing device, and a transport path supported by the support 6 and provided above the plurality of processing devices across the plurality of processing devices for a transport vehicle to travel on, wherein at least the top plate and / or the end face 721 of the support 6 that is in contact with the transport path is provided with a vibration absorbing member 8 that absorbs vibrations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveyance system.

Background Art

[0002] In the manufacturing process of device chips, a plate-shaped workpiece typified by a semiconductor wafer is processed by various processing apparatuses. When conveying the workpiece to the processing apparatus, a cassette that can accommodate a plurality of workpieces is usually used. When the processing apparatus receives a cassette containing a plurality of workpieces, the workpieces are sequentially taken out from the cassette and processed.

[0003] In order to increase the efficiency of processing the workpiece, a plurality of processing apparatuses may perform parallel processing. In this case, the workpiece must be conveyed to each processing apparatus at an appropriate timing. Therefore, a conveyance system has been proposed in which each processing apparatus is connected by a conveyance path, and a conveyance vehicle that accommodates the workpiece travels on the path to convey the workpiece to each processing apparatus (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, in the above-described conveyance system disclosed in Patent Document 1, a panel (conveyance path) serving as a conveyance path is installed on the upper surface (top plate) of the processing apparatus. The top plate of the processing apparatus and the conveyance path are fixed by a plurality of supports.

[0006] Therefore, for example, there is a problem that the vibration of the conveyance path is transmitted to the processing apparatus, which has an adverse effect on the processing accuracy and the like.

[0007] The objective of the present invention is to provide a conveying system that can prevent vibrations from being transmitted to the processing equipment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the present invention provides a transport system for transporting a workpiece to each of a plurality of processing devices, comprising: a columnar support disposed on the top plate of the housing of each processing device; and a transport path supported by the support and provided above the plurality of processing devices across the plurality of processing devices for a transport vehicle to travel on, wherein at least the surface of the support that is in contact with the top plate and / or the transport path is provided with a vibration-absorbing member that absorbs vibrations.

[0009] In the aforementioned transport system, the support may include an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the distance between the top plate and the transport path. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] This invention has the effect of preventing vibrations from being transmitted to the processing equipment. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the transport system according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a front view showing the support structure of the transport system shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a side view showing a partial cross-section along line III-III in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows the top and bottom views of the support base shown in Figure 2. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a front view showing an example in which the support shown in Figure 2 is arranged between the top plate and the transport path. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a front view showing another example in which the support shown in Figure 2 is positioned between the top plate and the transport path. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiments. Furthermore, the components described below include those that can be easily imagined by those skilled in the art, and those that are substantially the same. In addition, the components described below can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0013] [Embodiment 1] A transport system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the transport system according to Embodiment 1. Figure 2 is a front view showing the support of the transport system shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a side view showing a partial cross-section along line III-III in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a top view and a bottom view of the support base shown in Figure 2. Figure 5 is a front view showing an example in which the support shown in Figure 2 is arranged between the top plate and the transport path. Figure 6 is a front view showing another example in which the support shown in Figure 2 is arranged between the top plate and the transport path.

[0014] (Conveyor System) The transport system 1 shown in Figure 1 according to Embodiment 1 is a system for transporting workpieces 200 to each of a plurality of processing devices 2. The workpieces 200 to be transported by the transport system 1 are wafers such as disc-shaped semiconductor wafers or optical device wafers with substrates made of silicon, sapphire, gallium, etc. The workpiece 200 comprises division lines set in a grid pattern on its surface 201 and devices formed in each region partitioned by the division lines.

[0015] The device is, for example, an integrated circuit such as an IC (Integrated Circuit) or LSI (Large Scale Integration), an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) or a semiconductor memory (semiconductor storage device).

[0016] Also, in Embodiment 1, a disk-shaped tape 211 having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the workpiece 200 is adhered to the back surface 204 on the back side of the surface 201 of the workpiece 200, and an annular frame 212 having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the workpiece 200 is adhered to the outer edge portion of the tape 211, and the workpiece 200 is supported within the opening on the inner circumference of the annular frame 212. The workpiece 200 is supported within the opening of the annular frame 212 by the tape 211 and conveyed to each of the processing apparatuses 2.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the conveyance system 1 according to Embodiment 1 includes a plurality (two in FIG. 1) of processing apparatuses 2, one cassette stocker apparatus 3, a conveyance path 4, a conveyance vehicle 5, and a plurality of supports 6. In Embodiment 1, the plurality of processing apparatuses 2 and the cassette stocker apparatus 3 are arranged along the Y-axis direction parallel to the horizontal direction.

[0018] In Embodiment 1, the processing apparatus 2 is a cutting apparatus that cuts the workpiece 200 along a planned division line and washes the workpiece 200 after the cutting. In Embodiment 1, the processing apparatus 2 is a cutting apparatus that cuts the workpiece 200, but in the present invention, it is not limited to the cutting apparatus, and for example, various processing apparatuses such as a laser processing apparatus that performs laser processing, a grinding apparatus that performs grinding, and a polishing apparatus that performs polishing may be used.

[0019] The processing device 2 includes a device main body 21 equipped with a chuck table (not shown) for holding the workpiece 200, a cutting unit which is a processing unit for machining the workpiece 200, a cleaning unit for cleaning the workpiece 200, etc., and a housing 22 that covers the upper part of the device main body 21 and houses the chuck table, the cutting unit, the cleaning unit, etc. Further, the processing device 2 is provided with a cassette mounting table 23 on which the storage container 52 of the transport vehicle 5 is placed on the device main body 21. Note that the top plate 24 at the upper end of the housing 22 of the processing device 2 is formed flat along the horizontal direction.

[0020] The cassette stocker device 3 houses a plurality of workpieces 200. As shown in FIG. 1, the cassette stocker device 3 includes a cassette (not shown) that houses a plurality of workpieces 200 stacked at intervals in the thickness direction, a housing 32 that houses the cassette, a cassette mounting table (not shown) installed in the housing 32 on which the storage container 52 of the transport vehicle 5 is placed, and a transport unit (not shown) installed in the housing 32 for transporting the workpiece 200 between the cassette and the storage container 52 placed on the cassette mounting table.

[0021] The height of the housing 32 of the cassette stocker device 3 is equivalent to the height of the housing 22 of the processing device 2. The top plate 34 at the upper end of the housing 32 of the cassette stocker device 3 is formed flat along the horizontal direction. Further, an opening 35 is provided on the top plate 34 of the cassette stocker device 3 for taking the storage container 52 into and out of the housing 32 and is provided above the cassette mounting table.

[0022] The transport path 4 is supported above the housings 22 of a plurality of processing devices 2 and the housings 32 of the cassette stocker devices 3 by a support 6. The transport path 4 is provided above these plurality of processing devices 2 and cassette stocker devices 3 across them. The transport path 4 is a passage for the transport vehicle 5 to travel.

[0023] The transport path 4 comprises a plurality of panels 41 arranged in a straight line in the Y-axis direction, and a transfer panel 42 located above the cassette mounting table 23 of the processing device 2 and cassette stock device 3, connected to the X-axis end of some of the plurality of panels 41, which is parallel to the horizontal direction and perpendicular to the Y-axis direction. The transport vehicle 5 can travel above the panels 41 and the transfer panel 42. The transfer panel 42 has an opening 43 on its inside through which a storage container 52 can pass. Guides 44 are appropriately provided at both ends of the panels 41 and 42 to prevent the transport vehicle 5 from falling off as it travels over the panels 41 and 42.

[0024] The transport vehicle 5 comprises a vehicle body 51 capable of traveling on panels 41 and 42 of the transport path 4, a storage container 52 for accommodating the workpiece 200, and a lifting unit (not shown) that lowers the storage container 52 from the vehicle body 51 and raises it toward the vehicle body 51. The storage container 52 is formed in a flat, box shape and has an opening that allows the workpiece 200 to be easily inserted and removed.

[0025] The transport system 1 with the configuration described above positions the transport car 5, which does not contain a storage container 52 containing a workpiece 200, above the cassette mounting platform of the cassette stock device 3. The transport system 1 lowers the empty storage container 52 from the transport car 5 above the cassette mounting platform of the cassette stock device 3 toward the cassette mounting platform of the cassette stock device 3. The transport unit of the cassette stock device 3 takes the workpiece 200 out of the cassette and places the workpiece 200 into the empty storage container 52 of the transport car 5.

[0026] The transport system 1 begins with the transport vehicle 5 raising the storage container 52 to the vehicle body 51, and then the transport vehicle 5 moves above the cassette platform 23 of the processing device 2, which is the destination for the workpiece 200 stored in the storage container 52. The transport system 1 then proceeds with the transport vehicle 5 above the cassette platform 23 of the processing device 2 lowering the storage container 52 toward the cassette platform 23 of the processing device 2. The transport unit of the processing device 2 then removes the workpiece 200 from the storage container 52 and cuts the workpiece 200.

[0027] The transport system 1 positions the transport car 5, whose container 52 does not contain the workpiece 200, above the cassette mounting table 23 of the processing device 2 that cut the workpiece 200. The transport system 1 then lowers the transport car 5 with the empty container 52 toward the cassette mounting table 23 of the processing device 2 that cut the workpiece 200. The transport system 1 then places the cut workpiece 200 into the empty container 52 by the transport unit of the processing device 2.

[0028] The transport system 1 begins with the transport vehicle 5 raising the storage container 52 to the vehicle body 51, and then the transport vehicle 5 moves above the cassette mounting platform of the cassette stock device 3. The transport system 1 then proceeds with the transport vehicle 5 above the cassette mounting platform of the cassette stock device 3 lowering the storage container 52 toward the cassette mounting platform of the cassette stock device 3. The transport unit of the cassette stock device 3 then proceeds with the transport system 1 removing the workpiece 200 from the storage container 52 and storing the workpiece 200 in the cassette. After that, the transport system 1 continues with the transport vehicle 5 raising the storage container 52 to the vehicle body 51.

[0029] In this way, the transport system 1 transports the workpiece 200 before cutting from the cassette stock device 3 to each of the multiple processing devices 2, and transports the workpiece 200 after cutting from each of the multiple processing devices 2 to the cassette stock device 3.

[0030] (Support) Next, the support 6 will be described. The support 6 is disposed on the top plates 24 and 34 of the housings 22 and 32 of each processing device 2 and cassette stock device 3, and supports the transport path 4 on the top plates 24 and 34 of the housings 22 and 32. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the support 6 is formed in a columnar shape overall (in Embodiment 1, a rectangular columnar shape).

[0031] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the support 6 includes a pair of columnar blocks 7, a vibration absorbing member 8, and an adjustment mechanism 9. The columnar blocks 7 are formed in a columnar shape (a rectangular column in Embodiment 1) and integrally comprise a small part 71 and a large part 72. The small part 71 is formed in a columnar shape (a rectangular column in Embodiment 1), and the large part 72 is formed in the shape of a thick flat plate (a rectangular shape in Embodiment 1) with a larger planar shape than the small part 71.

[0032] The small section 71 has a pair of end faces 711 with a rectangular planar shape and a plurality of side faces 712 connecting the end faces 711. The large section 72 is integrally formed with one of the end faces 711 of the small section 71.

[0033] Furthermore, the columnar block 7 has a slit 713 that penetrates from the other end face 711 of the small section 71 to the central part of the small section 71. The slit 713 extends along the axis of the columnar block 7 and is formed to have a constant width. In Embodiment 1, the slit 713 opens to the other end face 711 of the small section 71 and to a pair of side surfaces 712 located on opposite sides of each other, and is formed parallel to the other side surfaces 712.

[0034] The vibration-absorbing member 8 is provided on the end face 721 of the large portion 72 of the columnar block 7, on the side away from the small portion 71 (corresponding to the surface of the support 6 facing the top plates 24, 34 and the transport path 4). In other words, the support 6 is provided with the vibration-absorbing member 8 on the end face 721 of the large portion 72 of the columnar block 7 (corresponding to the surface of the support 6 facing the top plates 24, 34 and the transport path 4).

[0035] The vibration absorbing member 8 is formed in a flat plate shape and is made of an elastic material such as rubber that has elasticity and is freely deformable in thickness. As shown in Figure 4, the vibration absorbing member 8 is superimposed on the end face 721 and fixed to the large portion 72 of the columnar block 7. In Embodiment 1, the vibration absorbing member 8 is fixed to the end faces 721 of the large portions 72 of both of the pair of columnar blocks 7, but in the present invention, it is sufficient that it is fixed to the end face 721 of at least one of the large portions 72 of the pair of columnar blocks 7. That is, in the present invention, the support 6 only needs to have the vibration absorbing member 8 on the end face 721 of the support 6 of the large portion 72 of the columnar block 7 that faces the top plate 24, 34 and / or the transport path 4.

[0036] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, the vibration absorbing member 8 is formed in a rectangular shape smaller than the end face 721 of the large portion 72 of the columnar block 7, and is fixed to the center of the end face 721 as shown in Figure 4. The vibration absorbing member 8 is surrounded by a plurality of rigid elastic restricting members 81 fixed to the outer edge of the end face 721, and is restricted from elastically deforming in a direction that reduces its thickness to less than a predetermined thickness (in Embodiment 1, the thickness of the elastic restricting members 81). Note that the thickness of the elastic restricting members 81 is thinner than the thickness of the vibration absorbing member 8 in its neutral state.

[0037] The adjustment mechanism 9 connects a pair of columnar blocks 7 and adjusts the distance between the end faces 721 of the pair of columnar blocks 7, that is, the distance between the top plates 24, 34 and the transport path 4. The adjustment mechanism 9 comprises a connecting plate 91, a bolt 92 that passes through through holes 714, 911 provided in the connecting plate 91 and the columnar blocks 7, and a nut 93 that screws onto the bolt 92.

[0038] The connecting plate 91 is formed in the shape of a flat plate with a thickness equal to the width of the slit 713, and in Embodiment 1, two are provided. The connecting plate 91 has a rectangular planar shape, and through holes 911 are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction. The connecting plate 91 is arranged in the slit 713 with spacing between it in a direction parallel to the end faces 711 and 721.

[0039] As shown in Figure 3, the bolt 92 passes through a through hole 714 that penetrates the columnar block 7 and a through hole 911 in the connecting plate 91. A pair of through holes 714 are formed in each columnar block 7, spaced apart along a direction parallel to the end faces 711 and 721 of the columnar block 7. These pairs of through holes 714 extend linearly parallel to the end faces 711 and 721 and the side surface 712 where the slit 713 opens, and are also parallel to each other. Furthermore, the pair of through holes 714 open into the slit 713.

[0040] The nut 93 is screwed onto the tip of the bolt 92, which is passed through the through holes 714 and 911 in the columnar block 7 and the connecting plate 91. The bolt 92 is passed through the through holes 714 and 911 in the columnar block 7 and the connecting plate 91, and the nut 93 is screwed onto the tip, thereby fixing the connecting plate 91 to the columnar block 7, that is, fixing the distance between the end faces 721 of the pair of columnar blocks 7, i.e., the distance between the top plates 24 and 34 and the transport path 4.

[0041] As shown in Figure 5, the support 6 has a vibration absorbing member 8 fixed to the end face 721 of one columnar block 7 and positioned on the top plates 24 and 34, and another vibration absorbing member 8 fixed to the end face 721 of the other columnar block 7 and positioned below the transport path 4, and is positioned between the top plates 24 and 34 and the transport path 4, supporting the transport path 4 on the processing device 2.

[0042] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, as shown in Figure 6, the support 6 adjusts the distance between the top plates 24, 34 and the transport path 4 by appropriately tilting and fixing the longitudinal direction of the connecting plate 91 of the adjustment mechanism 9, thereby supporting the transport path 4 on the processing device 2. When the support 6 supports the transport path 4 on the processing device 2, vibrations from the transport vehicle 5 traveling on the transport path 4 act on it, and the vibration absorbing member 8 elastically deforms in accordance with the vibrations of the transport path 4.

[0043] In this invention, the configuration of the adjustment mechanism 9 is not limited to that described in Embodiment 1, and any configuration is acceptable as long as it can adjust the distance between the top plates 24, 34 and the transport path 4.

[0044] As described above, the conveying system 1 according to Embodiment 1 is equipped with vibration absorbing members 8 that absorb vibrations by elastically deforming on the end faces 721 of the columnar support 6, which are arranged on the top plate 24 of the housing 22 of the processing apparatus 2 and are in contact with the top plate 24 and the conveying path 4. For this reason, even if the conveying path 4 vibrates due to the conveying vehicle 5 traveling on the conveying path 4, the vibration absorbing members 8 elastically deform in response to the vibrations.

[0045] As a result, the transport system 1 according to Embodiment 1 has the effect of preventing vibrations from the transport vehicle 5 traveling on the transport path 4 from being transmitted to the processing device 2.

[0046] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. That is, it can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the core principles of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1. Conveying System 2 Processing equipment 4. Conveyor path 5. Transport vehicle 6 Support 8. Vibration absorbing member 9 Adjustment mechanism 22 enclosures 24 Top plate 721 End face (face)

Claims

1. A conveying system for transporting workpieces to each of multiple processing devices, A columnar support is provided on the top plate of the housing of each processing device, Supported by the support, and provided above the plurality of processing devices across the plurality of processing devices, comprising a transport path for a transport vehicle to travel on, At least the top plate and / or the surface of the support that is in contact with the transport path is provided with a vibration-absorbing member that absorbs vibrations. A transport system characterized by the following features.

2. The support includes an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the distance between the top plate and the transport path. The transport system according to claim 1.

Images