Cassette storage

Abstract

The present invention provides a cassette storage unit that can suppress the adhesion of foreign matter to cassettes stored inside the unit, or to the contents contained within the cassettes. [Solution] The housing comprises a housing that forms an internal space on the inside, a cassette moving mechanism that holds a cassette inside the housing and moves the cassette between a position for loading / unloading the contents and a position for loading / unloading the cassette, a loading / unloading port for the contents through which the contents pass, a loading / unloading port door that can open and close the loading / unloading port for the contents, a cassette loading / unloading port for the cassette through which the cassette passes, a partition plate that separates the loading / unloading position for the contents and the position for loading / unloading the cassette, and a gas supply unit that supplies gas to the inside of the housing from outside the housing via a filter.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cassette stocker for accommodating cassettes that accommodate objects to be processed such as semiconductor wafers and objects such as blades used in relation to the processing of the objects to be processed.

Background Art

[0002] In the manufacturing process of device chips incorporated in electronic devices and the like, plate-shaped objects to be processed represented by semiconductor wafers and resin package substrates are transported between various processing apparatuses and processed one after another. The processing performed on the object to be processed includes, for example, cutting, grinding, polishing, ultraviolet irradiation, heat treatment, die bonding, taping or tape replacement, cleaning, inspection, and the like.

[0003] A processing apparatus that performs such processing on an object to be processed includes a transport mechanism for transporting the object to be processed. The transport mechanism, for example, takes out the object to be processed, which is the object to be accommodated, from a cassette in which a plurality of objects to be processed are accommodated and takes it into the processing apparatus, and when the processing of the object to be processed is completed, the processed object to be processed is stored again in the cassette.

[0004] In such a processing apparatus, since the processing efficiency of the object to be processed decreases depending on the time required for the cassette replacement operation, it is desirable that the frequency of cassette replacement be as low as possible. Therefore, as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1, a technique has been proposed in which a plurality of cassettes are accommodated in the processing apparatus to reduce the frequency of cassette replacement and continuously process a large number of objects to be processed accommodated in the plurality of cassettes.

[0005] However, even if such a method is adopted, since the space in the processing apparatus is limited, there is an upper limit to the number of cassettes that can be accommodated in the processing apparatus. Therefore, an externally attached cassette stocker capable of accommodating a plurality of cassettes is attached to the processing apparatus, and the object to be accommodated is carried in and out between the cassette accommodated in the cassette stocker and the processing apparatus.

[0006] When an external cassette storage unit is used, there is a concern that foreign matter such as dust present in the air outside the cassette storage unit may enter the inside of the cassette storage unit through the loading / unloading opening during the loading and unloading of materials to be processed between the cassette storage unit and the processing unit, and during the loading and unloading of cassettes into and out of the cassette storage unit. If foreign matter adheres to the materials contained in the cassette (materials to be processed), it may lead to processing defects in subsequent processing, product defects due to contamination of device chips, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-98288 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a cassette storage unit that can suppress the adhesion of foreign matter to cassettes stored inside the cassette storage unit, or to the contents contained within the cassettes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, a cassette stocker connected to an apparatus for processing objects to be processed, which houses a cassette capable of containing objects to be loaded and unloaded into the apparatus for processing the objects to be processed, comprising: a housing that forms an internal space on the inside; a cassette moving mechanism that holds the cassette within the housing and moves the cassette between an object loading / unloading position for loading and unloading the objects to be processed into and out of the apparatus, and a cassette loading / unloading position for loading and unloading the cassette into and out of the external space outside the housing; and provided in the housing for loading and unloading the objects to be processed A cassette stocker is provided, comprising: an object discharge port through which the object to be transported between the cassette positioned at a location and the processing device passes; an object discharge port opening / closing door that can open and close the object discharge port; a cassette discharge port provided in the housing through which the cassette to be transported between the cassette discharge / in / out location and the external space passes; a cassette discharge port opening / closing door that can open and close the cassette discharge port; a partition plate that separates the object to be transported at the object discharge / in / out location from the cassette discharge / in / out location; and a gas supply unit that supplies gas into the housing from outside the housing via a filter.

[0010] Preferably, the cassette storage unit further comprises a partition door that opens and closes at least a portion of the partition plate, and a controller that controls the opening and closing of the partition door, wherein the controller closes the partition door when at least one of the contents loading / unloading door or the cassette loading / unloading door is open, and closes both the contents loading / unloading door and the cassette loading / unloading door when the partition door is open.

[0011] Preferably, the cassette moving mechanism moves the cassette to a location separate from the path between the loading / unloading position of the contents and the loading / unloading position of the cassette.

[0012] Preferably, the cassette storage unit further includes a gas supply unit movement unit that moves the gas supply unit between a position where gas is supplied to the loading / unloading position of the contents and a position where gas is supplied to the loading / unloading position of the cassette.

[0013] Preferably, the cassette storage unit includes an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the lid of the cassette, and the controller performs control to close the partition door when the lid of the cassette is opened by the opening and closing mechanism. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, when operations such as loading and unloading of contents or cassettes are performed, clean gas can be supplied from a gas supply unit to the internal space formed by the housing. Since the internal space is provided with a partition plate that separates the loading and unloading position of contents from the loading and unloading position of cassettes, the flow of gas is restricted by the partition plate when gas is supplied from the gas supply unit. This makes it possible to suppress the adhesion of foreign matter to cassettes stored in the cassette stocker or to the contents inside the cassettes. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a cassette storage unit configuration. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the cassette storage unit from Figure 1 from a different direction. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the form of a cassette handled by a cassette storage unit and the contents contained in the cassette. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. Figures 1 and 2 are schematic perspective views showing an example of the form of the cassette storage unit 10 according to this embodiment, and each shows the form of the cassette storage unit 10 viewed from a different direction. Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the form of the cassette 2 handled by the cassette storage unit 10 and the contents 4 contained in the cassette 2.

[0017] First, the contained object 4 and the cassette 2 will be described (see FIG. 3). The contained object 4 is, for example, a frame unit including a disk-shaped wafer made of a semiconductor material such as silicon. The front surface side of the wafer is partitioned into a plurality of small regions by a plurality of planned division lines (streets) intersecting each other, and devices such as ICs (Integrated Circuits) and MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) are formed in each small region.

[0018] On the back surface side of the wafer, a circular tape (dicing tape) having a diameter larger than that of the wafer is attached. The outer peripheral portion of the tape is fixed to an annular frame surrounding the wafer. The wafer is handled in a state of a frame unit in which the wafer is supported by the frame via the tape.

[0019] The cassette 2 shown in FIG. 3 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped container having a substantially square shape in plan view. Inside the cassette 2, a space capable of accommodating a plurality of plate-shaped contained objects 4 is formed. The contained object 4, which is a frame unit having a plate shape as a whole, is accommodated in the cassette 2 in a posture in which the surface formed by the contained object 4 is along the horizontal direction. When a plurality of contained objects 4 are accommodated in the cassette 2, the plurality of contained objects 4 are accommodated in the cassette 2 so as to overlap each other in plan view.

[0020] Of the four side surfaces of the substantially rectangular parallelepiped cassette 2, one surface is an opening 2a, and the contained object 4 is carried in and out through this opening 2a. A plate-shaped lid 6 is attached to the opening 2a, and the opening 2a is opened and closed by attaching and detaching the lid 6.

[0021] The cassette stocker 10 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is a device that is connected to a processing apparatus (not shown) for processing a workpiece and can carry in and out a contained object related to the processing of the workpiece to and from the processing apparatus, and accommodates the cassette 2.

[0022] Here, the "accommodated object related to the processing of the object to be processed" may be the same article as the "object to be processed" or a different article. For example, for a grinding device that grinds a wafer as the object to be processed, a mode of loading and unloading the wafer as the object to be processed as the accommodated object can be assumed, or a mode of loading and unloading a blade for cutting the wafer as the accommodated object can also be assumed. In the present embodiment, a frame unit including the above-described wafer is assumed as the accommodated object 4.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cassette stocker 10 mainly includes a housing 12, a first cassette holding unit 22, a first cassette moving unit 24, a second cassette holding unit 26, a second cassette moving unit 28, a gas supply unit 38, and a gas supply unit moving unit 40.

[0024] For the convenience of drawing and explanation, in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outline of the housing 12 is shown by a virtual line. Also, in FIG. 1, illustration of some elements (accommodated object loading / unloading port 14, opening / closing mechanism 30, etc.) provided on the back surface 12a of the housing 12 is omitted.

[0025] In FIGS. 1 and 2, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis indicate three directions in a three-dimensional space that are perpendicular to each other. The X-axis and Y-axis are each parallel to the horizontal plane, and the Z-axis is parallel to the vertical direction.

[0026] In this specification, expressions such as "along a surface" or "along an axis" may be used, but these expressions do not only mean that the direction of an object or its movement exactly coincides with those surfaces or directions, but also include cases where it is slightly inclined or curved with respect to the surface or direction.

[0027] The housing 12 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped housing that forms the outer shell of the cassette stocker 10 and forms an internal space for accommodating the cassette 2 inside.

[0028] One of the four sides of the roughly rectangular housing 12 (referred to here as the rear 12a) is provided with an contents loading / unloading opening 14 for loading and unloading the contents 4 from the cassette 2 stored in the cassette stocker 10. Another side of the housing 12 (referred to here as the front 12b) is provided with a cassette loading / unloading opening 16 for loading and unloading the cassette 2 into and out of the cassette stocker 10.

[0029] The contents loading / unloading entrance 14 and the cassette loading / unloading entrance 16 are openings provided in the housing 12, and the internal space of the housing 12 communicates with the external space outside the housing 12 at the contents loading / unloading entrance 14 and the cassette loading / unloading entrance 16.

[0030] The container loading / unloading port 14 is a hole formed to a size and shape that allows, for example, one container 4 to pass through. The container loading / unloading port 14 is located on the back surface 12a of the housing 12 at an intermediate height in the vertical direction (Z direction), and is positioned to the left in the horizontal direction (X direction) when the front surface 12b with the cassette loading / unloading port 16 is towards the front and the back surface 12a with the container loading / unloading port 14 is towards the back. It is connected to a processing device (not shown) for performing some kind of processing on the container 4.

[0031] The processing apparatus may include, for example, a cutting apparatus for cutting the wafer contained in the object 4 which is a frame unit, a grinding apparatus for grinding the wafer, etc., but there are no limitations on the type or application of the processing apparatus. The processing apparatus may also include, for example, a polishing apparatus for polishing the wafer, an ultraviolet irradiation apparatus for irradiating the wafer with ultraviolet light, a heat processing apparatus for heat treatment of the wafer, a die bonding apparatus for die bonding of chips obtained by dividing the wafer, a tape mounter for attaching and replacing tape on the wafer, a cleaning apparatus for cleaning the wafer, an inspection apparatus for inspecting the wafer, etc.

[0032] The cassette loading / unloading port 16 is a hole formed to a size and shape that allows, for example, one cassette 2 to pass through. The cassette loading / unloading port 16 is located at an intermediate height in the vertical direction (Z direction) on the front surface 12b of the housing 12, and is positioned to the right in the horizontal direction (X direction) when the front surface 12b is facing forward and the back surface 12a is facing backward, and faces, for example, a transport path (not shown) for the cassette 2. Transport equipment such as a transport vehicle (not shown) that carries cassettes 2 travels along this transport path, and the cassettes 2 are loaded and unloaded between the transport equipment positioned in front of the cassette loading / unloading port 16 and the cassette stocker 10.

[0033] The cargo loading / unloading entrance 14 is fitted with a cargo loading / unloading door 18 that can open and close the cargo loading / unloading entrance 14. The cargo loading / unloading door 18 can open and close the cargo loading / unloading entrance 14 by moving, for example, up and down or left and right along the back surface 12a of the housing 12. When the cargo loading / unloading door 18 is closed over the cargo loading / unloading entrance 14, the cargo loading / unloading entrance 14 may be sealed by a mechanism such as a packing. However, the cargo loading / unloading door 18 does not necessarily have to close the cargo loading / unloading entrance 14 in a sealed state.

[0034] Similarly, the cassette loading / unloading port 16 is fitted with a cassette loading / unloading port door 20 that can open and close the cassette loading / unloading port 16. The cassette loading / unloading port door 20 can open and close the cassette loading / unloading port 16 by moving, for example, up and down or left and right along the front surface 12b of the housing 12. When the cassette loading / unloading port door 20 is closed over the cassette loading / unloading port 16, the cassette loading / unloading port 16 may be sealed by a mechanism such as a packing. However, the cassette loading / unloading port door 20 does not necessarily have to close the cassette loading / unloading port 16 in a sealed state.

[0035] The internal space of the housing 12 is provided with a cassette moving mechanism for moving the cassette 2 within the internal space. The cassette stocker 10 of this embodiment includes a first cassette holding section 22, a first cassette moving section 24, a second cassette holding section 26, and a second cassette moving section 28 as the cassette moving mechanism.

[0036] The first cassette holder 22 is a table-like structure, and one cassette 2 can be placed on its upper surface. That is, the upper surface 22a of the first cassette holder 22 functions as a holding surface for holding the cassette 2.

[0037] In addition, due to the shape of the cassette 2 and the structure of the first cassette holding part 22, the holding surface (upper surface) 22a may be curved or have steps or other irregularities (i.e., the holding surface 22a is not composed of a single plane). In this specification, including such cases, any structure that has the function of holding the cassette 2 and can be recognized as some kind of surface is referred to as the "holding surface". The same applies to the holding surface 26d of the second cassette holding part 26, which will be described later.

[0038] The dimensions of the holding surface (upper surface) 22a of the first cassette holding section 22 in the front-to-back direction (Y direction) are set to be smaller than the dimensions of the cassette 2 in the front-to-back direction (Y direction) when the cassette 2 is placed on the holding surface 22a. This is to allow for the transfer of the cassette 2 between the first cassette holding section 22 and the second cassette holding section 26.

[0039] The top surface and each side surface of the first cassette holding section 22 are covered with plate-shaped members, and the first cassette holding section 22 as a whole has a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0040] The lower part of the first cassette holding section 22 is attached to the first cassette moving section 24. The first cassette moving section 24 is, for example, a ball screw type moving mechanism and comprises a pair of guide rails provided parallel to each other along the X direction on the bottom surface inside the housing 12, a ball screw provided along the X direction between the pair of guide rails, and a moving table attached to the ball screw via a nut. Note that in Figures 1 and 2, detailed illustrations of each part of the first cassette moving section 24 are omitted, and the first cassette moving section 24 is shown only by its outline.

[0041] A rotational power source, such as a pulse motor, is attached to the ball screw. When the ball screw rotates around its axis due to the operation of the rotational power source, the movable table moves along the X direction. A first cassette holder 22 is fixed to the upper surface of the movable table, and the first cassette holder 22 moves left and right along the X direction due to the operation of the first cassette moving part 24.

[0042] The second cassette holding section 26 is attached to the inside of the side surface of the housing 12 via the second cassette moving section 28. The second cassette holding section 26 and the second cassette moving section 28 are located on the left side (referred to as the left side surface 12c) of the housing 12, when the front surface 12b is facing forward and the back surface 12a is facing backward.

[0043] The second cassette holding unit 26 in this embodiment includes a surface member 26a that forms a holding surface for holding the cassette 2, an arm 26b that supports the surface member 26a and lifts the cassette 2, and a base member 26c that supports the surface member 26a and the arm 26b.

[0044] The surface member 26a is a rectangular plate-like member installed in a position aligned with the horizontal plane (XZ plane). The arms 26b are a pair of beam-like members provided along two opposite sides of the rectangular surface member 26a. The pair of arms 26b are oriented substantially parallel to each other from the edge of the surface member 26a and protrude along the X direction from the left side surface 12c of the housing 12 toward the internal space.

[0045] In this embodiment, the pair of arms 26b are each configured as part of an L-shaped bracket. The L-shaped bracket is formed along two intersecting sides of a virtual rectangle, with one side of the L-shaped bracket (hereinafter referred to as "one side" for convenience) positioned along the vertical direction (Z direction), and the other side (hereinafter referred to as "the other side" for convenience) extending from the upper end of one side along the X direction. A surface member 26a is attached to the upper surface of the other side, near the base (the part closest to one side), and the tip of the other side forms an arm 26b.

[0046] One side of the L-shaped bracket is fixed to the base member 26c. The base member 26c is a plate-shaped member that extends along a vertical plane (YZ plane). Each side of the pair of L-shaped brackets is positioned on one surface (surface; the surface facing the internal space of the housing 12) of the plate-shaped base member 26c so as to be aligned with the vertical direction (Z direction).

[0047] In the second cassette holding section 26, one surface member 26a, a pair of L-shaped brackets, each including an arm 26b, and one base member 26c are combined in the manner described above, and one cassette 2 is held on the pair of arms 26b and the surface member 26a attached to the upper surface of the pair of arms 26b. That is, the upper surface of the one surface member 26a and the pair of arms 26b form a holding surface 26d for holding the cassette 2.

[0048] As described above, each second cassette holding section 26 is formed including one surface member 26a, a pair of L-shaped brackets, and one base member 26c, and the cassette stocker 10 has two second cassette holding sections 26, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The base members 26c constituting the two second cassette holding sections 26 are connected vertically by a member (not shown) that extends along the vertical direction.

[0049] The distance (in the Y direction) between the pair of arms 26b attached to each surface member 26a is set to be greater than the dimension in the Y direction of the holding surface (upper surface) 22a of the first cassette holding unit 22, and smaller than the dimension in the Y direction of the cassette 2 when the cassette 2 is placed on the holding surface 22a. This is for the transfer of the cassette 2 between the first cassette holding unit 22 and the first cassette holding unit 22.

[0050] In this way, the cassette storage unit 10 is able to hold a total of two cassettes 2 in the second cassette holding section 26.

[0051] The second cassette moving section 28 is, for example, a ball screw type moving mechanism and comprises a pair of guide rails provided parallel to each other along the Z direction on the inside of the left side surface 12c of the housing 12, a ball screw provided along the Z direction between the pair of guide rails, and a moving table attached to the ball screw via a nut.

[0052] A rotational power source, such as a pulse motor, is attached to the ball screw. When the ball screw rotates around its axis due to the operation of the rotational power source, the moving table moves along the Z-direction.

[0053] The second cassette moving section 28 is provided with a total of two moving tables, one above the other, and the base member 26c of the second cassette holding section 26 is fixed to each of these moving tables. The operation of the second cassette moving section 28 causes the second cassette holding section 26 to move up and down along the Z direction. Note that in Figures 1 and 2, detailed illustrations of each part of the second cassette moving section 28 are omitted, and the second cassette moving section 28 is shown only by its outline.

[0054] With the cassette 2 held in the first cassette holding unit 22, the first cassette moving unit 24 moves the cassette 2 together with the first cassette holding unit 22 along the horizontal direction (X direction). The ends of the range of movement of the cassette 2 by the first cassette moving unit 24 are the loading / unloading position for the contained items and the loading / unloading position for the cassette, respectively.

[0055] The object loading / unloading position is the position of the cassette 2 for loading and unloading the object 4 to the processing device (not shown). When the cassette 2 is in the object loading / unloading position, it faces the object loading / unloading entrance 14 within the housing 12.

[0056] The cassette loading / unloading position is the position for loading and unloading the cassette 2, which is held in the first cassette holding section 22, into or out of the external space. When the cassette 2 is in the cassette loading / unloading position, the cassette 2 faces the cassette loading / unloading entrance 16 within the housing 12.

[0057] The position of the holding surface 26d of each second cassette holding section 26 coincides with the cassette loading / unloading position in a plan view (view along the Z direction). The second cassette moving section 28 moves the second cassette holding section 26 up and down along the vertical direction (Z direction) while the holding surface 26d remains in a state where it coincides with the cassette loading / unloading position in a plan view.

[0058] Specifically, the cassette 2 held on the holding surface 22a of the first cassette holding section 22 is moved back and forth along the X direction between the loading / unloading position and the cassette loading / unloading position by the first cassette moving section 24, and the cassette 2 held on the holding surface 26d of the second cassette holding section 26 is moved back and forth along the Z direction at a position that coincides with the loading / unloading position in a plan view by the second cassette moving section 28. The movement path of the cassette 2 along the X direction by the first cassette moving section 24 and the movement path of the cassette 2 along the Z direction by the second cassette moving section 28 are substantially perpendicular at the loading / unloading position.

[0059] On the rear surface 12a of the housing 12, opposite the loading / unloading position for the contained items, there is a loading / unloading entrance 14 for the contained items and a loading / unloading entrance door 18 for the contained items. Furthermore, on the inside of the rear surface 12a, two opening / closing mechanisms 30 are provided, one above the other, flanking the loading / unloading entrance 14.

[0060] Each opening / closing mechanism 30 is a mechanism for opening and closing the lid 6 of the cassette 2. The cassette 2, held in the second cassette holding section 26, is moved by the second cassette moving section 28 to the height where the opening / closing mechanism 30 is provided, and the lid 6 is attached and detached by the opening / closing mechanism 30 at that position.

[0061] Furthermore, the cassette storage unit 10 of this embodiment includes a partition plate 32 that divides the internal space of the housing 12, and a partition plate door 34 that opens and closes a part of the partition plate 32.

[0062] The partition plate 32 is a plate-shaped member provided within the housing 12 along a vertical plane (YZ plane). The partition plate 32 is provided between the position where the contents are loaded / unloaded and the position where the cassette is loaded / unloaded, in the movement path of the cassette 2 by the first cassette moving unit 24, and divides the internal space of the housing 12 at this position.

[0063] The surface of the partition plate 32 intersects with the movement path of the first cassette holding section 22 and the first cassette moving section 24 of the cassette 2 held by the first cassette holding section 22. In the region of the partition plate 32 that overlaps with the movement path, a passage opening 32a is provided, which is an opening through which the first cassette holding section 22 and the cassette 2 can pass.

[0064] The partition door 34 is located in the area of ​​the passage opening 32a through which the cassette 2 passes. The partition door 34 can be opened when the cassette 2 passes through the passage opening 32a and closed when the cassette 2 does not pass through the passage opening 32a. The partition door 34 opens and closes the area through which the cassette 2 passes by, for example, moving up and down relative to the partition plate 32.

[0065] In the area of ​​the passage opening 32a where the partition plate door 34 is not provided, there is no mechanism to open or close it like a door, and the first cassette holding unit 22 is always able to pass through. However, the passage opening 32a is formed in a shape that corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the rectangular parallelepiped first cassette holding unit 22, and the dimensions in the X direction of the first cassette holding unit 22 are set so that a part of it overlaps with the passage opening 32a regardless of its position.

[0066] In other words, the area of ​​the passage opening 32a where the partition door 34 is not provided is always blocked by the first cassette moving section 24, and when the partition door 34 is closed, the gap between the partition plate 32 and the first cassette holding section 22 is small. Gaps that may exist between the partition plate 32 and the first cassette holding section 22, between the partition plate 32 and the partition door 34, between the partition door 34 and the first cassette holding section 22, etc., may be partially or completely sealed by a mechanism such as a packing.

[0067] In this description, a configuration in which a portion of the partition plate 32 is opened and closed by a partition plate door 34 has been explained. However, a mechanism may also be employed in which the partition plate itself is formed as a partition plate door, allowing the entire partition plate to be opened and closed.

[0068] A gas supply port 36 and a gas supply unit 38 are provided on the upper surface 12d of the housing 12 as a mechanism for supplying gas to the internal space of the housing 12.

[0069] The gas supply port 36 is a hole that penetrates the upper surface 12d of the housing 12, and the internal space of the housing 12 communicates with the external space not only at the contents loading / unloading port 14 and the cassette loading / unloading port 16, but also at the gas supply port 36.

[0070] The gas supply unit 38 is a device that supplies gas from outside the housing 12 to the inside of the housing 12 via a filter. The gas supply unit 38 is a fan-filter unit equipped with a filter such as a HEPA filter that captures particles in the gas, and a fan that blows gas (for example, ambient air) onto the filter. The operation of the fan supplies clean air that has passed through the filter to the internal space of the housing 12 from the gas supply port 36. The internal space of the housing 12 supplied with air by the gas supply unit 38 is under positive pressure relative to the external space.

[0071] As described above, the housing 12 has designated positions for loading and unloading the contents and for loading and unloading the cassette. The gas supply port 36 is located on the upper surface 12d of the housing 12, extending from above the loading and unloading position for the contents to above the loading and unloading position for the cassette.

[0072] The gas supply unit 38 is configured to move along the X direction between a position where gas is supplied to the loading / unloading position of the contained object (in this embodiment, above the loading / unloading position) and a position where gas is supplied to the loading / unloading position of the cassette (in this embodiment, above the loading / unloading position) via the gas supply unit movement section 40.

[0073] The gas supply unit moving section 40 is, for example, a ball screw type moving mechanism, but other than this, any suitable mechanism can be adopted for the gas supply unit moving section 40, such as a rack and pinion type mechanism, a fluid pressure type mechanism, a spring-based mechanism, or a mechanism utilizing electromagnetic force, as long as it can suitably move the gas supply unit 38.

[0074] The gas supply port 36 is further provided with a gas supply section cover 42. The gas supply section cover 42 is a cover that covers the area of ​​the gas supply port 36 where the gas supply unit 38 is not located. The gas supply section cover 42 is provided, for example, with a surface that aligns with the XY plane so that it protrudes on both sides in the X direction from the gas supply unit 38, and moves along the X direction together with the gas supply unit 38 as the gas supply unit 38 is moved by the gas supply unit moving section 40.

[0075] When the gas supply unit 38 is above the position where the contents are loaded and unloaded, the portion of the gas supply unit lid 42 that is closer to the position where the contents are loaded and unloaded relative to the gas supply unit 38 closes the area of ​​the gas supply port 36 above the position where the contents are loaded and unloaded.

[0076] The operation of each part of the cassette stocker 10, such as the contents loading / unloading door 18, the cassette loading / unloading door 20, the first cassette moving section 24, the second cassette moving section 28, the opening / closing mechanism 30, the partition door 34, the gas supply unit 38, and the gas supply unit moving section 40, is controlled by the controller 44. The controller 44 is a mechanism that monitors and controls the operation of each part of the cassette stocker 10, and is configured, for example, by a computer. The controller 44 includes a computing device that performs various calculations necessary for the operation of the cassette stocker 10, and a storage device that stores various information (data, programs, etc.) used for the operation of the cassette stocker 10.

[0077] The arithmetic unit consists of a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage device consists of memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory). The functions of the controller 44 are realized, for example, by a program (software) stored in the storage device.

[0078] In addition, the controller 44 is equipped with a communication unit that communicates with various parts of the cassette storage unit 10 and inputs control signals to them. The communication unit inputs various control signals to each part, such as the contents loading / unloading door 18, the cassette loading / unloading door 20, the first cassette moving unit 24, the second cassette moving unit 28, the opening / closing mechanism 30, the partition door 34, the gas supply unit 38, and the gas supply unit moving unit 40, via wired or wireless communication.

[0079] In this way, the controller 44 controls the opening and closing of the contents loading / unloading door 18, the opening and closing of the cassette loading / unloading door 20, the movement of the first cassette holding unit 22 by the first cassette moving unit 24, the movement of the second cassette holding unit 26 by the second cassette moving unit 28, the opening and closing of the lid 6 of the cassette 2 by the opening and closing mechanism 30, the opening and closing of the partition plate door 34, the on / off switching and output of the gas supply unit 38, and the movement of the gas supply unit 38 by the gas supply unit moving unit 40.

[0080] Next, we will explain the operations related to loading and unloading cassettes 2 and stored items 4 in the cassette storage unit 10 described above.

[0081] When the first cassette 2 is loaded into the empty cassette storage unit 10, the first cassette holding unit 22 is moved by the first cassette moving unit 24 to a position where its holding surface 22a faces the cassette loading / unloading entrance 16. The outside of the cassette loading / unloading entrance 16 faces the transport path (not shown) for the cassette 2, and a transport vehicle (not shown) that carries the cassette 2 along this transport path is positioned in front of the cassette loading / unloading entrance 16. At this time, the loading / unloading entrance door 18 and the partition door 34 are closed.

[0082] The cassette loading / unloading door 20, located at the cassette loading / unloading port 16, is opened, and the cassette 2, which was loaded onto a transport vehicle (not shown), is transferred through the cassette loading / unloading port 16 to the holding surface 22a of the first cassette holding section 22. In other words, the cassette 2 is transported from the external space of the housing 12 to the cassette loading / unloading position set inside the housing 12, passing through the cassette loading / unloading port 16.

[0083] At this time, the cassette 2 is placed on the holding surface 22a of the first cassette holding part 22 such that the opening 2a on which the lid 6 is provided faces the rear surface 12a of the housing 12. In this state, the dimensions of the cassette 2 in the Y direction are larger than the dimensions of the holding surface 22a in the Y direction, so the cassette 2 is held with both ends protruding from the holding surface 22a in the Y direction.

[0084] Once the cassette 2 is held in the first cassette holding section 22, the cassette loading / unloading door 20 is closed, followed by the opening of the partition door 34. The first cassette moving section 24 moves the first cassette holding section 22 together with the cassette 2 towards the second cassette holding section 26 along the X direction. Since the partition door 34 located in the path of the moving cassette 2 is open, the first cassette holding section 22 passes through the passage opening 32a of the partition plate 32 without obstruction while the cassette 2 is placed on it.

[0085] At this time, the upper of the two upper and lower second cassette holding sections 26 is positioned at a height that can hold the cassette 2 when it is moved to the loading / unloading position for the contents. More specifically, the position of the second cassette holding section 26 in the vertical direction (Z direction) is adjusted by the second cassette moving section 28 so that the arm 26b provided on the upper second cassette holding section 26 is positioned slightly below the lower surface of the cassette 2 held on the holding surface 22a of the first cassette holding section 22.

[0086] When the first cassette holder 22 reaches the position of the second cassette holder 26, the upper arm 26b of the second cassette holder 26 is positioned below the cassette 2 held by the first cassette holder 22. Here, the distance between the pair of arms 26b (distance in the Y direction) is set to be larger than the dimension in the Y direction of the holding surface (upper surface) 22a of the first cassette holder 22, as described above, and the holding surface 22a of the first cassette holder 22 is contained inside the pair of arms 26b in a plan view.

[0087] Next, the second cassette moving section 28 raises the second cassette holding section 26. As described above, the distance between the pair of arms 26b is set to be smaller than the dimension of the cassette 2 in the Y direction, so the portion of the lower surface of the cassette 2 that protrudes on both sides in the Y direction from the holding surface 22a of the first cassette holding section 22 is lifted by the arms 26b. In this way, the cassette 2 is held on the holding surface 26d of the upper second cassette holding section 26.

[0088] Next, when a second cassette 2 is loaded into the cassette storage unit 10, the first cassette holding unit 22 is again positioned near the cassette loading / unloading entrance 16 by the first cassette moving unit 24. After the partition door 34 is closed and the cassette loading / unloading entrance door 20 is opened, the cassette 2 passes through the cassette loading / unloading entrance 16 from the outside space and is placed on the holding surface 22a of the first cassette holding unit 22, and then the cassette loading / unloading entrance door 20 is closed. The partition door 34 is opened and the first cassette holding unit 22 moves along the X direction.

[0089] When the second cassette 2 is held by the second cassette holder 26, the first cassette holder 22 moves toward the second cassette holder 26 while the lower second cassette holder 26 is positioned at a height that allows it to hold the cassette 2 as it moves to the loading / unloading position for the contents. With the arm 26b of the lower second cassette holder 26 positioned below the cassette 2 held by the holding surface 22a of the first cassette holder 22, the second cassette holder 26 moves upward, and the cassette 2 is held by the holding surface 26d of the lower second cassette holder 26.

[0090] In this way, one cassette 2 is held in each of the two upper and lower second cassette holding sections 26.

[0091] When the contents 4 are loaded or unloaded between the cassette 2 held in the second cassette holding unit 26 and the processing unit connected to the cassette stocker 10, the partition door 34 is closed and the first cassette moving unit 24 moves to a position away from the loading and unloading of the contents (for example, the cassette loading / unloading position).

[0092] Next, the position of the second cassette holder 26 in the Z direction is adjusted by the second cassette moving unit 28 so that the target cassette 2 (the cassette 2 held in the upper second cassette holder 26, or the cassette 2 held in the lower second cassette holder 26) is positioned at a height opposite to one of the two opening / closing mechanisms 30.

[0093] As described above, when cassette 2 is loaded through the cassette loading / unloading port 16, the opening 2a to which the lid 6 is attached faces the rear surface 12a of the housing 12, and is held by the second cassette holding part 26 while maintaining that orientation. Therefore, when cassette 2 is facing the opening / closing mechanism 30, the opening / closing mechanism 30 and the lid 6 are facing each other. The opening / closing mechanism 30 removes the lid 6 of cassette 2.

[0094] The position of the second cassette holding unit 26 in the Z direction is adjusted by the second cassette moving unit 28 so that the cassette 2, with its lid 6 removed, is positioned at a height facing the contents loading / unloading entrance 14. In this state, the cassette 2, with its lid 6 removed, is in the contents loading / unloading position, and the opening 2a of the cassette 2 faces the contents loading / unloading entrance 14.

[0095] The contents loading / unloading door 18 is opened, and the contents 4 are transported by a transport mechanism (not shown) provided in the processing device (not shown). The contents 4 are transported between the cassette 2 positioned at the contents loading / unloading position and the processing device (not shown) through the contents loading / unloading door 14.

[0096] In this case, if multiple cassettes 2 are held in the second cassette holding section 26 (in this embodiment, the maximum number of cassettes 2 held in the second cassette holding section 26 per cassette stocker 10 is two), while the contents 4 are being loaded or unloaded from one cassette 2, the other cassettes 2 are also held in the second cassette holding section 26.

[0097] Furthermore, with only one cassette 2 held in the upper or lower second cassette holding section 26, the contents 4 may be loaded and unloaded from the cassette 2.

[0098] Once the loading and unloading of the contents 4 is complete, the contents loading / unloading entrance door 18 is closed, the second cassette holding unit 26 moves, and the cassette 2, with its lid 6 removed, is positioned at a height opposite the opening / closing mechanism 30 that holds the lid 6. The opening / closing mechanism 30 then attaches the lid 6 to the cassette 2, closing the opening 2a of the cassette 2.

[0099] When the cassette 2 held in the second cassette holding section 26 is unloaded, the position of the second cassette holding section 26 in the Z direction is adjusted by the second cassette moving section 28 so that the lower surface of the cassette 2 is positioned above the height of the holding surface 22a of the first cassette holding section 22.

[0100] In this state, the first cassette holder 22 moves along the X direction toward the second cassette holder 26. When the position of the cassette 2 held by the second cassette holder 26 and the position of the holding surface 22a of the first cassette holder 22 overlap in a plan view, the second cassette holder 26 descends. When the holding surface 26d of the second cassette holder 26 is positioned below the holding surface 22a of the first cassette holder 22, the cassette 2 is transferred to the holding surface 22a of the first cassette holder 22.

[0101] The partition door 34 is opened, and the first cassette holding section 22 moves so that the cassette 2 held in the first cassette holding section 22 is positioned at the first cassette loading / unloading position. The partition door 34 is closed, the cassette loading / unloading entrance door 20 is opened, and the cassette 2 is transported from the cassette loading / unloading position set inside the housing 12 to the space outside the housing 12 by passing through the cassette loading / unloading entrance 16.

[0102] In this series of operations, the gas supply unit 38 supplies clean gas (air purified through a filter) to the internal space formed by the housing 12, and maintains a positive pressure in at least a portion of the internal space relative to the external space.

[0103] Even within an industrial cleanroom, the interior and surrounding areas of the cassette stocker 10, where the contents 4 (such as wafers) are stored, and the areas where the contents 4 enter and exit the cassette 2, are areas that should be kept particularly clean. Furthermore, at times when the contents 4 are moved in and out between the cassette stocker 10 and the processing device (not shown), or when the cassette 2 is moved in and out between the cassette stocker 10 and the outside space, the contents exit 14 and the cassette exit 16 are opened, making it easy for dust to adhere to the cassette stocker 10, enter the interior of the cassette stocker 10, or adhere to the contents 4.

[0104] Therefore, in the cassette storage unit 10 of this embodiment, a gas supply unit 38 is provided on the upper surface 12d of the housing 12, and gas is supplied from outside the housing 12 to the inside as needed to create positive pressure in the internal space. A situation in which it is necessary to create positive pressure in the internal space is, for example, when one or both of the contents loading / unloading door 18 or the cassette loading / unloading door 20 are opened.

[0105] When these doors are opened, the internal space of the housing 12 communicates with the external space at the contents loading / unloading entrance 14 or the cassette loading / unloading entrance 16. By maintaining positive pressure in this internal space, the intrusion of dust from the external space into the internal space can be suppressed.

[0106] At this time, clean air is supplied in a downflow manner from a gas supply unit 38 located above the internal space of the housing 12 to the cassette 2 and the contents 4 located in the target area (the position where the contents are being loaded or unloaded, or the position where the cassette is being loaded or unloaded). This effectively prevents dust that may be present around the cassette 2 and the contents 4 from adhering to the cassette 2 and the contents 4, which are items where the attachment of foreign matter should be avoided, or from entering the interior of the cassette 2.

[0107] Furthermore, the cassette storage unit 10 of this embodiment is equipped with a partition plate 32 in the internal space of the housing 12 that divides the space between the loading / unloading position for stored items and the loading / unloading position for cassettes (for convenience, the area of ​​the internal space partitioned by the partition plate 32 that includes the loading / unloading position for stored items will be referred to as the first space, and the area that includes the loading / unloading position for cassettes will be referred to as the second space). By providing this partition plate 32, the intrusion of dust into each area partitioned by the partition plate 32 (the first space and the second space) can be more effectively suppressed.

[0108] For example, if dust present in the external space were to enter the second space, and the cassette 2 were to be opened and closed or the contents 4 loaded and unloaded in the first space, the partition plate 32 separating the first space from the second space would prevent the dust from the second space from entering the inside of the cassette 2 in the first space or from adhering to the contents 4 as they enter and exit the cassette 2.

[0109] Furthermore, considering the need to maintain positive pressure within the internal space of the housing 12 as described above, the partition plate 32 allows for more efficient maintenance of positive pressure in specific areas of the internal space that are particularly desired.

[0110] For example, when the cassette loading / unloading port 16 is opened and the cassette 2 is loaded or unloaded, it is necessary to maintain positive pressure in the second space within the housing 12. In this case, since the internal space is divided into a first space and a second space by the partition plate 32, air can be selectively supplied to the second space.

[0111] If we consider a configuration where there is no partition plate 32 dividing the internal space, even if we only want to maintain positive pressure in the area corresponding to the second space within the internal space, it would require enough energy to maintain an appropriate pressure throughout the entire internal space.

[0112] In this embodiment, by providing the partition plate 32, the energy required to maintain a specific area at an appropriate pressure can be minimized. In particular, when semiconductor wafers or the like are handled as the contents 4, as in this embodiment, it is necessary not only to maintain the target space at positive pressure, but also to maintain it at positive pressure in a clean state, and the absolute amount of energy consumed for this purpose is large. Accordingly, the energy-saving effect of the partition plate 32 is also significant.

[0113] In this embodiment, the cassette storage unit 10 is equipped with a gas supply unit movement unit 40, which allows the gas supply unit 38 to be moved between a position where gas is supplied to the loading / unloading position of the stored items and a position where gas is supplied to the loading / unloading position of the cassettes.

[0114] As mentioned above, when loading or unloading the contents 4 and cassette 2, the adhesion or intrusion of foreign matter onto these items is of utmost importance. By moving the gas supply unit 38, the area to which clean air is supplied from the gas supply unit 38 is changed, and clean air is efficiently supplied to the contents 4 and cassette 2 when necessary (for example, when loading or unloading the contents 4 and cassette 2).

[0115] Furthermore, if it is desired to maintain a positive pressure in a specific area (the first or second space) within the internal space of the housing 12 partitioned by the partition plate 32, the gas supply unit 38 can be moved to a position where it supplies gas to that area, thereby efficiently maintaining a positive pressure in that area.

[0116] In addition, the cassette storage unit 10 of this embodiment is provided with a partition door 34 at the passage opening 32a of the partition plate 32. The controller 44 can perform control to close the partition door 34 when at least one of the contents loading / unloading door 18 or the cassette loading / unloading door 20 is open, and to close both the contents loading / unloading door 18 and the cassette loading / unloading door 20 when the partition door 34 is open.

[0117] When the partition door 34 is closed, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path becomes smaller for gas attempting to circulate between the first space and the second space, making it more difficult for the airflow to pass between the first and second spaces. Consequently, the movement of dust by the airflow and the resulting adhesion of dust to the contained items 4 and the cassette 2 are suppressed.

[0118] Furthermore, if it is desired to maintain a positive pressure in a portion of the internal space of the housing 12 (either the first or second space), closing the partition door 34 restricts the flow of gas between the first and second spaces, thereby efficiently maintaining a positive pressure in the desired area.

[0119] As described above, most of the passage opening 32a of the partition plate 32 is covered by the first cassette holding section 22, and even if there is a gap between the partition plate 32 and the first cassette holding section 22, its width is small. In addition, the portion of the passage opening 32a through which the cassette 2 passes is covered by the partition plate door 34, which further restricts the flow of gas between the first space and the second space, making it easier to maintain positive pressure in the target area. In other words, the energy required to maintain positive pressure in the target area is reduced.

[0120] While at least one of the contents loading / unloading door 18 or the cassette loading / unloading door 20 is open, for example, contents 4 or cassette 2 are loaded or unloaded. By controlling the partition door 34 to always close during this time, it is possible to prevent dust from entering through the contents loading / unloading door 14 or the cassette loading / unloading door 16 and adhering to the contents 4 or cassette 2, or entering into the cassette 2.

[0121] On the other hand, if the partition door 34 is open and the contents loading / unloading door 18 or the cassette loading / unloading door 20 is also opened, dust that has entered through the contents loading / unloading door 14 or the cassette loading / unloading door 16 may circulate between the first and second spaces. However, by implementing a control system that ensures the contents loading / unloading door 18 or the cassette loading / unloading door 20 are always closed when the partition door 34 is open, the circulation of dust through the area where the partition door 34 is installed can be suppressed.

[0122] Furthermore, the controller 44 executes control to close the partition door 34 when the lid 6 of the cassette 2 is opened by the opening / closing mechanism 30.

[0123] When the lid 6 of cassette 2 is opened, the contents 4 are exposed to the outside of cassette 2, so there is a particularly high risk of foreign matter adhering to the contents 4. At this time, cassette 2 with the lid 6 opened is located in the first space facing the contents loading / unloading entrance 14. When the partition door 34 is closed and the first space and the second space are separated, the intrusion of dust from the second space into the first space is suppressed, and the risk of foreign matter adhering to the contents 4 is reduced.

[0124] When the lid 6 of cassette 2 is opened, the controller 44 may also control the cassette loading / unloading door 20 to close it if it is open. By preventing dust from entering through the cassette loading / unloading door 16, the risk of foreign matter adhering to the contents 4 is further reduced.

[0125] Furthermore, the cassette moving mechanism provided in the cassette stocker 10 of this embodiment includes a first cassette moving unit 24 that moves the cassette 2 along the X direction between the item loading / unloading position and the cassette loading / unloading position, as well as a second cassette moving unit 28 that moves the cassette 2 along the Z direction relative to the item loading / unloading position. In other words, the cassette moving mechanism is configured to move the cassette 2 back and forth along the path between the item loading / unloading position and the cassette loading / unloading position, as well as to move it to a position other than the said path.

[0126] As a result, the cassette storage unit 10 can house multiple cassettes 2 in the internal space of the housing 12, move these cassettes 2 within the internal space as needed, and perform operations related to loading and unloading the contents 4 and the cassettes 2.

[0127] In the above embodiment, the case in which the contained object 4 is a frame unit including a wafer is described, but various other items can be envisioned as the contained object. For example, the contained object may be a wafer in a form that is not held in a frame. There are no restrictions on the type, material, shape, structure, size, etc. of the wafer, and for example, substrates made of other semiconductors, ceramics, resins, metals, etc. may be treated as the contained object.

[0128] Other items besides wafers may be handled as contained items. These contained items may include, for example, processing tools used in a processing device (not shown) that is a cutting device for wafers, more specifically, blades for cutting silicon wafers. In addition, various other items may be handled as contained items, such as jigs for replacing processing tools, parts that need to be replaced in the processing device, and tools necessary for replacing such parts or inspecting the processing device.

[0129] The specific configuration of the cassette moving mechanism is not limited to the example described above. For example, in the above embodiment, a mechanism for moving the cassette in each direction was described in which one first cassette moving unit 24 is responsible for movement along the horizontal direction (X direction) and one second cassette moving unit 28 is responsible for movement along the vertical direction (Z direction). However, multiple mechanisms may be provided for each direction of movement. Alternatively, one mechanism may be responsible for movement in different directions or diagonal directions.

[0130] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a configuration was described in which a second cassette moving unit 28, which is responsible for movement along the Z direction, is provided with a plurality (2) second cassette holding unit 26, and a plurality (2) cassettes 2 are held therein. However, a configuration in which a plurality of cassettes 2 are held in a mechanism corresponding to the first cassette holding unit 22 can also be envisioned.

[0131] Alternatively, one could imagine a configuration in which the first moving mechanism moves the cassette between the cassette loading / unloading position and the relay position, and the second moving mechanism moves the cassette between the relay position and the position where the contained items are loaded / unloaded.

[0132] Regarding the mechanisms for moving various parts and transporting cassettes, various mechanisms other than the ball screw type mechanism described above can be envisioned. For example, mechanisms using cylinders that expand and contract due to fluid pressure, mechanisms using gears and chains, mechanisms that run on wheels, and mechanisms using pulleys can be considered. As for the moving mechanism, a suitable mechanism should be selected from these various mechanisms according to the shape, dimensions, and other conditions of the cassette storage and cassettes.

[0133] The arrangement of each part in the cassette storage unit is not limited to the configuration described above. For example, in the above embodiment, the contents loading / unloading entrance 14 and the cassette loading / unloading entrance 16 are provided on different sides of the housing 12 (back 12a and front 12b), and the contents loading / unloading 4 and cassettes 2 are loaded and unloaded horizontally through these entrances. However, among these entrances, for example, the cassette loading / unloading entrance 16 may be provided on the top surface of the housing.

[0134] In this case, for example, a transport path for the cassette 2 is provided above the cassette storage unit 10, and the cassette is transported in and out vertically through an opening in the transport path and a cassette loading / unloading port provided on the upper surface of the housing 12.

[0135] Alternatively, depending on the arrangement of the transport path and the processing unit, for example, the container loading / unloading entrance and the cassette loading / unloading entrance may be located on the same side of the housing. Furthermore, an arrangement in which, for example, a partition plate is provided horizontally within the internal space of the housing is also conceivable.

[0136] The arrangement and number of gas supply ports and gas supply units are not limited to the configuration described above. For example, gas supply ports and gas supply units may be provided on the side of the housing, and gas may be supplied laterally from there to the internal space of the housing.

[0137] A single cassette storage unit may be provided with two or more sets of gas supply ports and gas supply units. In that case, instead of moving the gas supply unit as described above, it is also possible to switch the area to which gas is supplied by switching on and off gas supply units located at different positions (for example, the position for loading / unloading the contents and the position for loading / unloading the cassettes).

[0138] Furthermore, it is also possible to provide a gas outlet at an appropriate location in the housing, for example, to form a gas flow from the gas supply unit to the outlet, so that a larger amount of airflow from the gas supply unit flows to areas of the space to which the gas is supplied that require a particularly high level of cleanliness (for example, the area through which the contents 4 pass when they are loaded or unloaded, or the area through which the opening 2a of the cassette 2 passes when the lid 6 is removed).

[0139] Of course, structures, devices, etc. not described above may be provided in the cassette storage unit as appropriate. For example, a light curtain may be provided at the cassette loading / unloading entrance 16 to monitor the entry and exit of items through the cassette loading / unloading entrance 16, and if an item is detected by the light curtain, control may be implemented to prevent the closing of the cassette loading / unloading entrance door 20.

[0140] Furthermore, the structures, methods, etc., according to the embodiments described above are not limited to those embodiments and may be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the object of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0141] 2: Cassette, 2a: Opening, 4: Contents, 6: Lid 10: Cassette storage 12: Housing, 12a: Rear, 12b: Front, 12c: Left side, 12d: Top 14: Entrance / exit for contents being loaded, 16: Entrance / exit for cassettes being loaded 18: Door for opening and closing the loading / unloading area for the contents, 20: Door for opening and closing the loading / unloading area for the cassette 22: First cassette holding section (cassette moving mechanism), 22a: Holding surface (top surface) 24: First cassette movement section (cassette movement mechanism) 26: Second cassette holding section (cassette moving mechanism) 26a: Surface member, 26b: Arm, 26c: Base member, 26d: Holding surface 26e: Connection part 28: Second cassette movement section 30: Opening and closing mechanism 32: Partition plate, 32a: Pass-through opening, 34: Partition plate door 36: Gas supply port, 38: Gas supply unit 40: Gas supply unit moving part, 42: Gas supply unit cover 44: Controller

Claims

1. A cassette stocker connected to a processing apparatus for processing objects to be processed, which houses cassettes capable of containing objects related to the processing of the objects to be processed, so that such objects can be loaded into and unloaded from the processing apparatus, A housing that forms an internal space on the inside, A cassette moving mechanism holds the cassette within the housing and moves the cassette between a containment loading / unloading position for loading and unloading the contained object to the processing device and a cassette loading / unloading position for loading and unloading the cassette to the external space outside the housing. The housing is provided with an object loading / unloading port through which the object being transported between the cassette, which is positioned at the object loading / unloading position, and the processing device, A door for opening and closing the entrance to the contents that can be opened and closed, The housing is provided with a cassette loading / unloading port through which the cassette being transported between the cassette loading / unloading position and the external space passes, A cassette loading / unloading door that can be opened and closed, A partition plate separates the loading / unloading position of the contained items from the loading / unloading position of the cassette, A gas supply unit that supplies gas from outside the housing to the inside of the housing via a filter, and A cassette storage unit equipped with [a specific feature].

2. A partition door that opens and closes at least a portion of the partition, The system further includes a controller for controlling the opening and closing of the partition door. The controller is, If at least one of the door for the loading / unloading of the contents or the door for the loading / unloading of the cassette is opened, the partition door is closed. When the partition door is opened, control is executed to close both the door for the contents to be loaded / unloaded and the door for the cassette to be loaded / unloaded. The cassette storage unit according to claim 1.

3. The cassette storage according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the cassette moving mechanism moves the cassette to a location separate from the path between the loading / unloading position of the contained items and the loading / unloading position of the cassette.

4. The cassette stocker according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a gas supply unit moving part for moving the gas supply unit between a position for supplying gas to the loading / unloading position of the contained items and a position for supplying gas to the loading / unloading position of the cassette.

5. It is equipped with an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the lid of the cassette, The controller is, The cassette storage unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein control is performed to close the partition door when the lid of the cassette is opened by the opening and closing mechanism.

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