Processing equipment

Abstract

To collect an unnecessary tape to a waste part so as to be surely departed from a suction cap.MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM: In a processing device comprising: a waste part 10 in which a tape 1 having an open 1a at a center is wasted; a transfer mechanism 20 that transfers the tape 1 to the waste part 10; an elevation mechanism 30 that relatively elevates the waste part 10 and the transfer mechanism 20; and a control part 40, the waste part 10 comprises: a column 12 built in a base 11; and a claw part 13 provided to an upper end of the column 12, the transfer mechanism 20 comprises: a suction cup 23 provided to four corners of a transfer pad 21; and an air injection mechanism 28 of injecting an air from the suction cup 23, and the control part 40 controls a passage of the claw part 23 by the open 1a of the tape 1 by the movement of the waste part 10 and the transfer mechanism 20 to a relative approaching direction, an injection of the air from the suction cup 23, and a department of the tape 1 from the suction cup 23 by hooking the tape 1 to the claw part 13 by the movement to a relative far direction of the waste part 10 and the transfer mechanism 202.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a processing apparatus equipped with a tape disposal mechanism for collecting and discarding protruding portions (cut pieces) of tape used in processing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer. [Background technology]

[0002] As an apparatus for dividing a wafer into individual chips, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes an expanding device that clamps the portion of a rectangular tape attached to the backside of the wafer (the surface opposite to the surface on which devices are formed) that protrudes beyond the outer edge of the wafer and expands the tape by moving the opposing outer edges, including the protruding portions, in directions away from each other. This expanding device can divide the wafer at division starting points formed along the planned division line of the wafer, and form gaps between adjacent chips after division.

[0003] The tape is expanded in the expansion device to form a gap between adjacent chips, and then, with a disk-shaped wafer placed in the opening of a ring frame having a circular opening capable of accommodating the wafer, the expanded tape is attached to the ring frame and the wafer to fix the gap between the chips.

[0004] After the rectangular tape is attached to the ring frame and wafer as described above, the portion of the tape attached to the ring frame is cut into a circle centered on the center of the opening within the width of the ring frame, and the pieces outside the cut portion are disposed of in a trash can as tape waste.

[0005] Therefore, tape waste to be disposed of in a trash can has a rectangular outer periphery and a circular opening in the center, and tape waste of this shape is transported to the trash can with its upper surfaces at the four corners held by suction cups, and is then detached from the suction cups by a jet of air from the suction cups and disposed of in the trash can. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-110188 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, when disposing of tape waste in a trash can, the tape waste may not come off the suction cup even when air is sprayed from the suction cup, which makes it impossible to pile up the tape waste in the trash can and dispose of it. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its object is to reliably detach tape waste from a suction cup and discard it in a disposal section. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention, which achieves the above object, is a processing device comprising: a disposal unit in which a rectangular tape having a circular opening in the center is disposed of; a transport mechanism for transporting the tape to the disposal unit; a lifting mechanism for relatively raising and lowering the disposal unit and the transport mechanism; and a control unit. The disposal unit comprises a base for supporting the underside of the tape; at least two pillars erected on the base, into which the opening of the tape can enter and which are arranged opposite each other with the center of the opening as the center; and claws extending from the upper ends of the pillars radially outward from the opening and whose tips come into contact with the opening of the tape. The transport mechanism comprises suction cups for suction-holding the four corners of the upper surface of the tape; and a transport mechanism on which the suction cups are arranged. The device is equipped with a feed pad and an air injection mechanism that injects air from the suction cup, and the control unit controls the lifting mechanism to move the disposal unit and the transport mechanism located above the disposal unit and holding the tape by suction in a direction that brings them closer together, so that the opening deforms when it comes into contact with the claw portion and passes through the claw portion, or the tape pushes down the claw portion and the opening passes through the claw portion, allowing the pillar to enter the opening, to inject air from the suction cup, and to move the disposal unit and the transport mechanism in a direction that moves them away from each other, so that the tape gets caught on the claw portion and separates from the suction cup. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, a rectangular piece of tape waste with a circular opening is sucked and held at its four corners by the four suction cups of the transport mechanism and transported to the disposal section. When the transport mechanism is lowered relative to the disposal section by the lifting mechanism, the opening of the tape held by the suction cups of the transport mechanism comes into contact with the claws and deforms as it passes through the claws, or it pushes down the claws of the disposal section and passes through the claws, causing the pillars of the disposal section to enter the opening. Then, from this state, by spraying air from each suction cup using the air injection mechanism of the transport mechanism and moving the disposal section and the transport mechanism in directions away from each other, the opening of the tape catches on the claws, reliably releasing the tape from each suction cup and disposing of it in the disposal section. Therefore, a large amount of tape waste can be piled up and disposed of in the disposal section. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a state before the tape is attracted to a transport mechanism included in a tape disposal mechanism provided in a processing device according to the present invention; [Figure 2] 1A to 1C are partial cutaway side views showing the process of suction holding of the tape by the feeding mechanism in the order of steps. [Figure 3] 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the tape held by the transport mechanism of the tape disposal mechanism provided in the processing device according to the present invention is transported above the disposal section; FIG. [Figure 4] 10(a) to 10(d) are partial cutaway side views showing the process in which the tape held by the transport mechanism is discarded into the disposal unit in the order of steps. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which a plurality of tapes are discarded in a disposal section. [Figure 6] 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the disposal unit in which a plurality of tapes have been disposed is slid on the mounting table. FIG. [Figure 7] 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the disposal unit in which the plurality of tapes have been disposed is lifted and removed from the mounting table. FIG. [Figure 8]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a disposal section according to a first modified example of the present invention. [Figure 9] 10(a) and 10(b) are partial cutaway side views showing the process of disposing of a tape in a disposal section according to a first modified example of the present invention in the order of steps. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a disposal section according to a second modified example of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The processing device according to the present invention is a device for processing thin, disk-shaped wafers, and is equipped with a tape disposal mechanism for collecting and disposing of tape waste (hereinafter simply referred to as "tape"), which is scraps of tape used in wafer processing after it has been cut out. In the following description, the directions indicated by arrows in Figure 1 are the X-axis direction (left-right direction), the Y-axis direction (front-back direction), and the Z-axis direction (up-down direction), respectively.

[0012] [Tape disposal mechanism configuration] The tape disposal mechanism of this embodiment includes a disposal section 10 (see Figure 3) where tape 1 is disposed of, a transport mechanism 20 (see Figure 1) that transports tape 1 to the disposal section 10, a lifting mechanism 30 that raises and lowers the disposal section 10 and the transport mechanism 20 relative to each other, and a control section 40. 1, the tape 1 has a circular opening 1a cut along the outer periphery of the wafer at its center, while the tape 1 has a rectangular outer shape.

[0013] 3, the disposal unit 10 includes a rectangular plate-shaped base 11 that supports the underside of the tape 1, a pair of front and rear rod-shaped pillars 12 that are erected vertically on the base 11, and claws 13 that are attached horizontally to the upper ends of the pillars 12. The pair of front and rear pillars 12 are able to enter the opening 1a of the tape 1, and are arranged opposite each other in the Y-axis direction (front and rear direction) with the center of the opening 1a of the tape 1 as the center.

[0014] The base 11 is composed of a rectangular plate-shaped slide table 11A and a cross-shaped lower base 11B that fits from above into a cross-shaped fitting groove 11a formed on the upper surface of the slide table 11A, and a pair of pillars 12 are erected vertically from both ends of the lower base 11B in the Y-axis direction (front-rear direction). Note that a reinforcing stay 14 is installed horizontally along the Y-axis direction between the upper ends of the pair of front and rear pillars 12.

[0015] The claws 13 attached to the upper ends of the pillars 12 extend horizontally apart from each other along the Y-axis direction (front-rear direction) from the pillars 12, and have inclined portions 13a that slope diagonally downward at their tips. The distance L between the tips of the pair of claws 13 (tips of inclined portions 13a) is set to be slightly larger than the inner diameter φD of the opening 1a of the tape 1 (L>φD). It is not necessary to form inclined portions 13a at the tips of the claws 13.

[0016] The disposal unit 10 configured as described above is supported by a rectangular plate-shaped loading table 15 disposed below it so as to be slidable in the X-axis direction (left-right direction). That is, guide rails 16 having a rectangular cross section are provided on both ends of the upper surface of the loading table 15 in the Y-axis direction (front-rear direction) so as to protrude parallel to each other along the X-axis direction (left-right direction), and these guide rails 16 are fitted into fitting grooves 11b having a rectangular cross section and formed parallel to each other along the X-axis direction (left-right direction) at both ends of the lower surface of the slide table 11A in the Y-axis direction (front-rear direction). Therefore, the disposal unit 10 equipped with the slide table 11A can slide along the guide rails 16 in the X-axis direction (left-right direction).

[0017] The transport mechanism 20 adsorbs and holds the tape 1 and transports it to the disposal section 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the transport mechanism 20 comprises a rectangular frame-shaped transport pad 21 and a gate-shaped support frame 22 erected upward from the center in the X-axis direction (left-right direction) of a pair of front and rear sides located at both ends of the Y-axis direction (front-back direction) of the transport pad 21.

[0018] Suction cups 23 are provided at the four corners of the transport pad 21, respectively, for suction-holding the four corners of the upper surface of the tape 1. Each suction cup 23 is formed into a hollow truncated cone shape from an elastic material such as rubber, and is attached to the lower end of a vertical shaft 24 that is inserted vertically through the four corners of the transport pad 21. A disk-shaped dog 25 is attached to the upper end of each shaft 24 that protrudes above the transport pad 21, and each dog 25 has a protruding light-shielding plate 25a, as shown in FIG. 2. Sensors 26 are provided at the four corners of the transport pad 21, respectively, for optically detecting the rise of the dog 25 (suction cup 23). A coil spring 27 is wound around the outer periphery of each shaft 24.

[0019] Here, each of the sensors 26 is a light-transmitting photosensor (photointerrupter) and has a recess 26a formed in the center, into which the light-shielding plate 25a is selectively inserted / removed, with a light-emitting section and a light-receiving section (not shown) provided on either side of the recess 26a. This sensor 26 detects whether the suction cups 23 are pressed against the tape 1 and the tape 1 is sucked and held by the suction cups 23, and is electrically connected to the control section 40. The operation of this sensor 26 will be described in detail later. 1, the transfer mechanism 20 is further provided with an air injection mechanism 28 that injects air from each suction cup 23. The air injection mechanism 28 is electrically connected to the control unit 40, and its operation is controlled by the control unit 40.

[0020] In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 30 lifts and lowers the transport mechanism 20 in the Z-axis direction relative to the tape 1 or the disposal unit 10, and a rod 31 that moves up and down by a ball screw mechanism or a cylinder mechanism (not shown) is attached to a support frame 22 of the transport mechanism 20. Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the lifting mechanism 30 is electrically connected to the control unit 40, and its operation is controlled by the control unit 40.

[0021] The control unit 40 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that performs arithmetic processing according to a control program, and memories such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The control unit 40 receives detection signals from a sensor 26 provided in the transport mechanism 20 and controls the operation of the transport mechanism 20, as well as controlling the operation of the lifting mechanism 30 and the air injection mechanism 28.

[0022] [Tape disposal mechanism operation] Next, the operation of the tape disposal mechanism configured as above will be described. To collect and discard tape 1 remaining after use in wafer processing by a processing device, first, as shown in Fig. 1, the transport mechanism 20 is positioned so that its four suction cups 23 are located above the four corners of the tape 1. Then, when the lifting mechanism 30 is driven to lower the transport mechanism 20 in the -Z-axis direction from this state, each suction cup 23 (only one is shown in Fig. 2(a)) comes into contact with the upper surface of the four corners of the tape 1, as shown in Fig. 2(a). When the transport mechanism 20 further lowers from this state, the shaft 24 supporting the suction cups 23 moves upward while compressing the coil spring 27, as shown in Fig. 2(b). When the light-shielding plate 25a provided on the dog 25 at the upper end of the shaft 24 moves upward from the recess 26a of the sensor 26, the light-receiving portion receives light emitted from the light-emitting portion of the sensor 26, and a signal is sent to the control portion 40. The control unit 40 then determines that each suction cup 23 of the conveying mechanism 20 has been pressed against the four corners of the top surface of the tape 1 and that the tape 1 has been adsorbed and held by the suction cups 23, and drives the lifting mechanism 30, which then raises the conveying mechanism 20 in the +Z axis direction. Alternatively, suction cups 23 pressed against the four corners of the upper surface of tape 1 may be connected to a suction source to suck and hold tape 1. Then, the pressure in the communication passage that connects suction cups 23 to the suction source may be monitored to determine whether tape 1 has been sucked and held by suction cups 23.

[0023] When the transport mechanism 20, which has sucked and held the tape 1 by the four suction cups 23 as described above, rises in the +Z-axis direction, as shown in Figure 2(c), the four shafts 24 (only one is shown in Figure 2(c)), the dogs 25 attached to the upper and lower ends of each shaft 24, and the suction cups 23 move downward by the biasing force of the coil springs 27 and return to their original states (the state shown in Figure 2(a)). At this time, the light-shielding plate 25a attached to the dog 25 is inserted into the recess 26a of the sensor 26 and blocks the light emitted from the light-emitting section of the sensor 26, so that the light-receiving section does not receive the light. The control section 40 receives a detection signal transmitted from the sensor 26 and determines that the suction cups 23 have completed sucking and holding the tape 1.

[0024] Then, the control unit 40 controls the operation of the transport mechanism 20 to move the transport mechanism 20 above the disposal unit 10 as shown in Fig. 3. Then, from this state, the control unit 40 drives the lifting mechanism 30 to lower the transport mechanism 20 in the -Z axis direction.

[0025] As described above, when the conveying mechanism 20, which adsorbs and holds the tape 1 by the four suction cups 23, descends in the -Z-axis direction, as described above, the distance L between the tips (tips of the inclined portions 13a) of the pair of claw portions 13 of the disposal section 10 is set to be slightly larger than the inner diameter φD of the opening 1a of the tape 1 (L>φD).Therefore, as shown in Figure 4(a), the inner circumference of the opening 1a of the tape 1 abuts against the tips (tips of the inclined portions 13a) of the pair of claw portions 13 (only one is shown in Figure 4(a)) extending radially outward from the upper end of the pillar 12, and the part of the opening 1a that comes into contact with the claw portions 13 elastically deforms so as to widen.As a result, as shown in Figure 4(b), the opening 1a of the tape 1 passes through the pair of claw portions 13, and the pair of pillars 12 enter this opening 1a.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 4(b), when the opening 1a of the tape 1 passes through the pair of claws 13, the control unit 40 drives the air injection mechanism 28 to inject air downward from each suction cup 23, and drives the lifting mechanism 30 to raise the conveying mechanism 20 in the +Z-axis direction, as shown in FIG. 4(c). The injection of air makes it easier for the tape 1 to separate from each suction cup 23, and the opening 1a of the tape 1 is caught on the tip portions (inclined portions 13a) of the pair of claws 13, so that the tape 1 is reliably released from the suction cups 23, and the tape 1 falls downward, as shown in FIG. 4(d). The falling tape 1 is then piled up on top of other tapes 1 already stored in the disposal unit 10.

[0027] By repeating the above operations, multiple tapes 1 are disposed of in a stacked state in the disposal unit 10, as shown in Fig. 5. However, because the pair of pillars 12 prevents the stacked tapes 1 from shifting sideways, the multiple tapes 1 are disposed of in an orderly stacked state in the disposal unit 10. Then, when a predetermined number of tapes 1 have been disposed of in the disposal unit 10, the disposal unit 10 is slid in the direction of the arrow (+X-axis direction) on the mounting table 15 along the pair of guide rails 16, as shown in Fig. 6, and is then lifted upward by grasping the stays 14, as shown in Fig. 7. This disengages the cross-shaped lower base 11B at the bottom end of the disposal unit 10 from the engaging groove 11a of the slide table 11A, and the multiple tapes 1 supported from below by the lower base 11B are transported to a trash can (not shown), where the multiple tapes 1 can be disposed of.

[0028] Next, a modified example of the present invention will be described. <Variation 1> In the above embodiment, the pair of claws 13 of the disposal unit 10 are fixed to the upper ends of the pillars 12, respectively, but as shown in Fig. 8, each claw 13 may be supported so that its base end is rotatable up and down around an axis 17 relative to each pillar 12. In this case, each claw 13 is biased upward by a spring (not shown) housed in a groove 12a at the upper end of each pillar 12, and maintains a horizontal position as shown when no downward external force is acting on it.

[0029] When the tape 1 held by suction on each suction cup 23 of the conveying mechanism 20 is disposed of in the disposal section 10, as the opening 1a of the tape 1 passes through each claw portion 13, as shown in Figure 9(a), the periphery of the opening 1a of the tape 1 abuts against the tip of each claw portion 13 (only one is shown in Figure 9(a)), causing each claw portion 13 to rotate downward (in the direction of the arrow) around the axis 17, so that the opening 1a of the tape 1 can pass through the claw portion 13 smoothly and without any strain. Then, when the opening 1a of the tape 1 passes through the claw portion, as shown in FIG. 9(b), the claw portion 13 rotates in the direction of the arrow around the shaft 17 due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown), and returns to its original horizontal position.

[0030] <Variation 2> In the above embodiment, two pillars 12 are erected in the disposal section 10, and a claw portion 13 is attached to the upper end of each pillar 12, but as shown in Fig. 10, four pillars 12 may be erected, and a claw portion 13 may be attached to the upper end of each pillar 12. In this case, each claw portion 13 is disposed at a location where the distance between the opening 1a of the tape 1 and the outer periphery is short (a location corresponding to the center of each side of the rectangular tape 1).

[0031] By providing four pillars 12 in the disposal section 10 as described above, it is possible to more effectively prevent lateral shifting of the multiple tapes 1 disposed in the disposal section 10. Furthermore, by arranging each of the claws 13 at a location where the distance between the opening 1a of the tape 1 and the outer periphery is short, the opening 1a of the tape 1 tends to widen as the opening 1a passes through each of the claws 13, making it easier and smoother for the claws 13 to pass through the opening 1a.

[0032] The number of pillars 12 may be any number as long as it is plural, and may be five or more. Also, a configuration may be adopted in which each claw 13 is supported on each pillar 12 so as to be rotatable about an axis 17 as shown in Fig. 8, and each claw 13 is biased in one direction (a direction to maintain a horizontal state) by a spring (not shown).

[0033] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims and the technical ideas described in the specification and drawings. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 1: tape, 1a: tape opening, 10: disposal section, 11: base, 11A: slide table, 11B: lower base, 11a, 11b: fitting groove, 12: Pillar, 12a: Pillar groove, 13: Claw portion, 13a: Sloped portion of claw portion, 14: Stay, 15: loading table, 16: guide rail, 17: shaft, 20: conveying mechanism, 21: Transport pad, 22: Support frame, 23: Suction cup, 24: Axis, 25: Dog, 25a: light shielding plate, 26: sensor, 26a: recess of sensor, 27: coil spring, 28: air injection mechanism, 30: lifting mechanism, 31: rod, 40: control unit, φD: Inner diameter of the opening in the tape, L: Distance between the tips of the claws

Claims

1. A processing device comprising: a disposal unit that discards a rectangular tape having a circular opening in the center; a transport mechanism that transports the tape to the disposal unit; a lifting mechanism that relatively raises and lowers the disposal unit and the transport mechanism; and a control unit, the disposal unit includes a base supporting the underside of the tape, at least two pillars erected on the base, into which the opening of the tape can enter and which are arranged opposite each other with the center of the opening as the center, and claws extending from upper ends of the pillars radially outward from the opening and whose tips come into contact with the opening of the tape; the transport mechanism includes suction cups that suction-hold the four corners of the upper surface of the tape, a transport pad on which the suction cups are arranged, and an air injection mechanism that injects air from the suction cups; The control unit controls the lifting mechanism to move the disposal unit and the transport mechanism located above the disposal unit and holding the tape by suction in a direction that brings them closer together, so that the opening deforms when it comes into contact with the claw portion and passes through the claw portion, or the tape presses down the claw portion and the opening passes through the claw portion, causing the pillar to enter the opening, spraying air from the suction cup, and moving the disposal unit and the transport mechanism in a direction that moves them away from each other so that the tape gets caught on the claw portion and separates from the suction cup.

2. 2. The processing device according to claim 1, wherein the disposal unit has at least four claws arranged thereon, and the claws are brought into contact with a portion of the tape where the distance between the opening and the outer periphery is short.

3. 2. The processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a mounting table on which the waste portion is mounted, the waste portion being removable from the mounting table together with the tape.

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