Load port and control method

Abstract

A load port according to the present invention comprises: a placement table on which a container is placed; a port plate; a port door; a substrate detection means which is provided to the port door and which detects a substrate contained in the container; a raising / lowering means which raises and lowers the port door; an advancement / retraction means which advances and retracts the port door in the advancement / retraction direction, which is the horizontal direction; and a displacement means which displaces the substrate detection means in the advancement / retraction direction. The displacement means displaces the substrate detection means in the opposite direction from the port door when the advancement / retraction means is performing an advancement / retraction operation of the port door.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a load port and a control method.

Background Art

[0002] Containers such as FOUPs that house substrates such as semiconductor wafers are known. Such containers are opened and closed at a load port provided in a substrate transfer device, and the substrates inside are taken in and out. After opening the door portion of the container, in order to confirm the presence of the substrate inside the container, the substrate inside the container is detected by a sensor (Patent Documents 1 and 2). The sensor may be called a mapping sensor. The load port of Patent Document 2 has a configuration in which the door portion 22 and the mapping sensors m1 and m2 move in the horizontal direction D and the vertical direction H. The mapping sensors m1 and m2 are disposed at positions where interference with the frame 21 does not occur when the door portion 22 is in the fully closed position (C).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The arrangement positions of the mapping sensors m1 and m2 in Patent Document 2 protrude in a direction away from the storage container rather than the door portion (see FIGS. 20 and 22). When moving the door portion 22 in the direction away from the storage container (horizontal direction D) to the retracted position in order to open the lid portion of the storage container, the mapping sensors m1 and m2 also move together with the door portion 22. An extra space is required by the amount that the mapping sensors m1 and m2 protrude.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a load port that suppresses the protrusion of the sensor that detects the substrate when the port door is in the retracted position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present invention, A mounting platform on which a container containing a circuit board is placed, A port plate having an opening that allows the substrate to be inserted and removed, A port door capable of opening and closing the aforementioned opening and holding the door portion of the container, A substrate detection means provided in the port door for detecting the substrate housed in the container, A lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the port door relative to the opening, A means for moving the port door back and forth in a horizontal direction relative to the opening, The substrate detection means is further provided with a displacement means for displacing it in the forward and backward direction, The displacement means displaces the substrate detection means in the opposite direction to the port door during the reciprocating movement of the port door by the reciprocating means. A load port characterized by the above is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a load port in which the protrusion of the sensor that detects the substrate is suppressed when the port door is in the retracted position. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] External view of a load port according to one embodiment of the present invention installed in a substrate transport device. [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows the internal mechanism of the load port and substrate transport device. [Figure 3] Plan view of the forward / reverse unit. [Figure 4] Perspective view of the port door and mapping unit. [Figure 5] Diagram illustrating the rotation mechanism. [Figure 6] Cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] Operation explanatory diagram of the mapping unit. [Figure 8] Operation explanatory diagram of the load port of FIG. 1. [Figure 9] Operation explanatory diagram of the load port of FIG. 1. [Figure 10] Operation explanatory diagram of the load port of FIG. 1. [Figure 11] Operation explanatory diagram of the load port of FIG. 1. [Figure 12] Timing chart showing changes in the positions of the port door and the mapping sensor.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of the features described in the embodiments are essential for the invention. Two or more of the plurality of features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. Also, the same or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations are omitted.

[0010] <Outline of the Device> FIG. 1 is an external view of a load port 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a mode in which it is installed in a substrate transfer device 100. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the internal mechanism of the load port 1 and the substrate transfer device 100, and is a schematic cross-sectional view when a container 200 is placed on the load port 1. In each figure, arrows X and Y indicate horizontal directions orthogonal to each other, and arrow Z indicates the vertical direction.

[0011] The load port 1 is a device for opening and closing a container 200 such as a FOUP. The container 200 has a box-shaped container body 201 having an opening 201a on its side for taking in and out a circular substrate W such as a semiconductor wafer, and a door portion 202 that is detachably attached to the opening 201a and closes the opening 201a, and contains the substrate W. Note that FIG. 2 shows a state in which the door portion 202 is removed from the container body 201 by the load port 1 and the substrate transfer robot 110 can access the substrate W in the container 200.

[0012] The load port 1 is attached to a substrate transfer device 100 having a substrate transfer robot 110 for transferring the substrate W inside. The substrate transfer device 100 has a housing 102 that houses the substrate transfer robot 110. The load port 1 is attached to the front wall portion 102a of the housing 102. In the example of FIG. 1, two load ports 1 are attached to the front wall portion 102a. The substrate transfer robot 110 takes in and out the substrate W with respect to the container 200 placed on the load port 1.

[0013] The substrate transfer robot 110 includes an end effector 111 that holds the substrate W, an articulated arm 112 that holds the end effector 111 at least so as to be movable back and forth, and a drive unit 113 that turns and raises and lowers the articulated arm 112. The substrate transfer robot 110 further includes a traveling unit 114 that reciprocates the substrate transfer robot 110 in the Y direction. As shown by the dashed line in FIG. 2, by entering the end effector 111 of the substrate transfer robot 110 into the container body 201 with the opening 201a opened on the substrate transfer device 100 side, the substrate W is taken in and out.

[0014] The load port 1 includes a mounting base 2 on which the container 200 is placed, a port plate 3, a port door 4, a support 5 that supports the mounting base 2, and a mapping unit 6. The port plate 3 is a plate-shaped wall extending in the Z direction, and together with the front wall 102a, it closes the opening formed in the front wall 102a, separating the external space on the side of the mounting base 2 from the substrate transport space 101 of the substrate W inside the substrate transport device 100. In terms of being a partition wall, the port plate 3 can also be said to be a component that forms part of the front wall 102a. The port plate 3 includes an opening 30 through which the removed door 202 and end effector 111 can pass in the X direction.

[0015] The mounting base 2 includes a dock plate 20 on which the container 200 is placed. The dock plate 20 is equipped with multiple positioning pins (kinematic pins) that position and support the container 200, an occupancy sensor for detecting the presence of the container 200, and a locking mechanism for locking the container 200 placed on the dock plate 20 to the dock plate 20. The mounting base 2 has a built-in drive mechanism 21 that displaces the dock plate 20 in the X direction.

[0016] The support section 5 is a hollow body in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. The support section 5 is provided with a lifting unit 7 that raises and lowers the port door 4 relative to the opening 30, and a reciprocating unit 8 that moves the port door 4 in the forward and backward direction (in this embodiment, the X direction) relative to the opening 30. In this embodiment, the port door 4 is supported by the reciprocating unit 8, and the lifting unit 7 raises and lowers the port door 4 by raising and lowering the reciprocating unit 8.

[0017] In this embodiment, the lifting unit 7 is a ball screw mechanism. However, other drive mechanisms may be used. The lifting unit 7 includes a ball screw shaft 71, a slider 72, a motor 73 which is a drive source, and a belt drive mechanism 74. The ball screw shaft 71 extends in the Z direction and is rotatably supported on the port plate 3. The ball screw shaft 71 is connected to the belt drive mechanism 74 at its lower end. The slider 72 has an engaging portion that engages with the rail member 32 and is reciprocable in the Z direction guided by the rail member 32. The rail member 32 extends in the Z direction and is supported on the port plate 3.

[0018] The belt drive mechanism 74 includes a driven pulley connected to the ball screw shaft 71, a drive pulley connected to the output shaft of the motor 73, and an endless belt wound around them. The rotational force of the motor 73 is transmitted to the ball screw shaft 71 via the belt drive mechanism 74, causing the ball screw shaft 71 to rotate. The rotation of the ball screw shaft 71 causes the slider 72 to move up and down.

[0019] The reciprocating unit 8 will be described with reference to Figure 2 and Figure 3. Figure 3 is a plan view of the reciprocating unit 8. The reciprocating unit 8 is located below the mounting base 2 and includes a main frame 80, a linear guide 81, a pair of movable bodies 82, and a drive mechanism 83. The main frame 80 includes a pair of side plates 80a spaced apart in the Y direction, an end plate 80b on the port plate 3 side connecting the pair of side plates 80a, and a bottom plate 80c connecting the pair of side plates 80a. The end plate 80b is fixed to a slider 72, and the reciprocating unit 8 moves up and down as the slider 72 moves up and down.

[0020] The pair of movable bodies 82 are plate-shaped arm members that extend in the X direction through a pair of slits 31 in the port plate 3. The pair of slits 31 extend in the Z direction. Supports 41 of the port door 4 are fixed to the X-direction ends of the pair of movable bodies 82. Each movable body 82 is supported on a corresponding side plate 80a via a linear guide 81 and is displaceable in the X direction. The linear guide 81 includes a rail member 81a fixed to the movable body 82 and a plurality of sliders 81b fixed to the side plate 80a. The plurality of sliders 81b engage with the rail member 81a that extends in the X direction. The rail member 81a is reciprocable in the X direction guided by the sliders 81b.

[0021] The drive mechanism 83 is provided on the bottom plate 80c and is a cam mechanism that moves a pair of movable bodies 82 in the X direction. The drive mechanism 83 includes a motor 84 which is the drive source, a rotating shaft 85, an arm member 86, a roller 87, and a cam member 88. The rotating shaft 85 is a shaft member that extends in the Z direction and is connected to the output shaft of the motor 84 via a transmission mechanism (not shown, for example, a belt drive mechanism), and rotates around the Z axis by the driving force of the motor 84. The arm member 86 is fixed to the rotating shaft 85 at one end and rotates around the rotating shaft 85 as the rotation of the rotating shaft 85. A roller 87 that is rotatable around the Z axis is supported at the other end of the arm member 86.

[0022] The cam member 88 is an L-shaped member with one end fixed to one of the pair of movable bodies 82, and a cam hole 89 is formed at the other end. The cam hole 89 is an oval-shaped opening. A roller 87 is inserted into the cam hole 89, and the circumferential surface of the roller 87 contacts the inner surface of the cam hole 89. By rotating the motor 84, the arm member 86 rotates, and the roller 87 performs circular motion around the rotation axis 85. As the roller 87 contacts the inner surface of the cam hole 89, the relative position of the roller 87 and the cam hole 89 in the Y direction changes, causing the movable body 82 to move in the X direction. As a result, the port door 4 moves forward and backward in the X direction.

[0023] The port door 4 and mapping unit 6 will be described with reference to Figure 4 in addition to Figure 2. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the port door 4 and mapping unit 6. The port door 4 includes a holding part 40 that holds the door part 202 and a support part 41 that supports the holding part 40. The holding part 40 is equipped with, for example, a suction mechanism, which allows it to hold the door part 202 by suction. The holding part 40 is also provided with an operating mechanism (latch key) that operates the opening and closing of the locking mechanism of the door part 202, which allows the container body 201 and the door part 202 to be detached and attached. The support part 41 includes a main body 41a and a cover member 41b, and is a hollow body extending in the Z direction. The main body 41a is a box-shaped member with an opening on the side of the substrate transport device 100 (opposite the mounting table 2) in the X direction, and the cover member 41b is detachably provided on the main body 41a so as to cover the opening of the main body 41a. In this embodiment, the cover member 41b is fixed to the main body 41a by a plurality of bolts.

[0024] The mapping unit 6 is provided on the port door 4 and is a substrate detection mechanism that scans the substrate W inside the container body 201 in the Z direction when the port door 4 is lowered. The mapping unit 6 includes a pair of mapping sensors 60 that detect the substrate W housed in the container body 201, and a displacement unit 600 that displaces the pair of mapping sensors 60 in the direction of advancement and retraction of the port door 4 (in this embodiment, the X direction).

[0025] In this embodiment, the pair of mapping sensors 60 are optical sensors, one of which includes a light-emitting element and the other including a light-receiving element. The optical axis 60a in Figure 4 indicates the optical axis of light from the light-emitting element to the light-receiving element. During scanning, the detection result of the light-receiving element changes when the substrate W blocks the optical axis 60a. This makes it possible to measure the presence and position of the substrate W.

[0026] The displacement unit 600 includes a frame 61 that supports a pair of mapping sensors 60, and a rotation mechanism 63 provided on the support portion 41 that rotates the frame 61 in the direction of advancement and retraction of the port door 4 (in this embodiment, the X direction).

[0027] The frame 61 has a rectangular shape as a whole that surrounds the holding portion 40 and includes a pair of support columns 61a, a beam portion 61b, and a shaft portion 61c. The beam portion 61b is a rod-shaped member that extends in a horizontal direction (Y direction in this embodiment) intersecting the direction of movement of the port door 4 (X direction in this embodiment). The pair of mapping sensors 60 are supported on the beam portion 61b spaced apart in the Y direction. The shaft portion 61c is an axial member that extends parallel to the beam portion 61b and is the pivot center for the rotation of the frame 61 by the rotation mechanism 63. The pair of support columns 61a are rod-shaped members that are spaced apart from each other in the direction of extension of the beam portion 61b (Y direction in this embodiment) and each extends in the Z direction. One end (upper side) of the pair of support columns 61a is connected to the beam portion 61b, and the other end (lower side) is connected to the shaft portion 61c.

[0028] The rotating mechanism 63 is a mechanism that rotates the frame 61 around the shaft portion 61c as the pivot point, and in this embodiment, it is located in the internal space of the support portion 41, which is formed by the main body 41a and the cover member 41b. By covering the rotating mechanism 63 with the cover member 41b, dust and other debris from the rotating mechanism 63 can be prevented from flowing out to the outside. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the rotating mechanism 63 inside the support portion 41, and shows the state with the cover member 41b removed. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 5.

[0029] The main body 41a of the support portion 41 is provided with a pair of side portions 41a1 and 41a2. The pair of side portions 41a1 and 41a2 are plate-shaped members spaced apart from each other in the horizontal direction (Y direction in this embodiment) and extending in the Z direction. In this embodiment, holes are formed in the pair of side portions 41a1 and 41a2 through which the shaft portion 61c is inserted, and bearing portions 41c are formed in the pair of side portions 41a1 and 41a2 to support the shaft portion 61c so as to be rotatable around the Y axis. That is, the shaft portion 61c is rotatably supported around the Y axis by the bearing portions 41c integrally formed on the pair of side portions 41a1 and 41a2.

[0030] The rotating mechanism 63 includes a motor 64, which is a drive source, a cam member 66, and an arm member 67. The rotating mechanism 63 further includes a position detection unit 69. The motor 64 is fixed to the main body 41a via a bracket 65. The output shaft 64a of the motor 64 extends in the Y direction and rotates around the Y axis. The cam member 66 has a cylindrical shape and is an eccentric cam in which the output shaft 64a is fixed at a position offset from its central axis. The cam member 66 rotates when driven by the motor 64. The rotating mechanism 63 is supported by the support portion 41 by the motor 64 being fixed to the main body 41a via the bracket 65. The support portion 41, consisting of the main body 41a, a pair of side portions 41a1 and 41a2, and a cover member 41b, forms a space in which the rotating mechanism 63 is arranged.

[0031] Furthermore, the member that rotatably supports the shaft portion 61c is not limited to a bearing portion 41c integrally formed on the pair of side portions 41a1 and 41a2, but may be provided as a separate member from the pair of side portions 41a1 and 41a2 in the space where the rotation mechanism 63 is arranged.

[0032] The arm member 67 has a shaft portion 61c fixed to one end (upper end) and extends radially from the shaft portion 61c. A cam hole 67a is formed at the other end (lower end) of the arm member 67. The cam hole 67a is an oval-shaped opening in cross-section, and the circumferential surface of the cam member 66 contacts its inner surface. When the cam member 66 is rotated by the drive of the motor 64, the relative position between the cam member 66 and the cam hole 67a changes, causing the shaft portion 61c to rotate. As a result, the frame 61 rotates around the shaft portion 61c as the pivot point.

[0033] In this embodiment, the frame 61 is rotated to three positions as an example. Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram. The relative positions of the mapping sensor 60 with respect to the port door 4 in the X direction are as follows: position P1 is the position closest to the transport space 101, position P3 is the position closest to the external space (the position on the container 200 side), and position P2 is a position between position P1 and position P3.

[0034] Position P2 is a reference position for determining the inclination angles of positions P1 and P3, and the inclination angle of the support column 61a in the X direction can be considered to be 0 degrees. In other words, the support column 61a at position P2 becomes the starting line for determining the inclination angles of positions P1 and P3. In this embodiment, position P2 is a standby position in which the support column 61a is in a vertical position facing the Z direction and its inclination angle is 0 degrees. The mapping sensor 60 is located above the holding portion 40 of the port door 4.

[0035] Position P3 is a scanning position where the support column 61a is tilted toward the external space side (container 200 side) than position P2, and the tilt angle is +α degrees. The tilt angle is positive toward the external space side and negative toward the transport space 101 side. One end (upper end) of the support column 61a is located toward the external space side (container 200 side), and the mapping sensor 60 is located toward the external space side (container 200 side) than the holding portion 40 of the port door 4.

[0036] Position P1 is a retracted position in which the support column 61a is tilted toward the transport space 101 than position P2, and the tilt angle is -β degrees. One end (upper end) of the support column 61a is located toward the transport space 101, and the mapping sensor 60 is located toward the transport space 101 than the holding portion 40 of the port door 4. In this embodiment, as an example, the relationship α > β holds.

[0037] Referring again to Figures 5 and 6, the position of the frame 61 is detected by the position detection unit 69. The position detection unit 69 is built into the support part 41 together with the rotation mechanism 63. The position detection unit 69 in this embodiment includes a plurality of optical sensors 691 to 693 arranged in the X direction. Optical sensors 691 to 693 are photointerrupters. A detection piece 68 is fixed to the other end (lower end) of the arm member 67. The position of the detection piece 68 in the X direction changes according to the rotation of the arm member 67, that is, the rotation of the frame 61. The optical sensors 691 to 693 arranged in the X direction detect the detection piece 68 at different positions in the X direction. Therefore, the position of the frame 61 can be determined from the detection result of the detection piece 68. In this embodiment, three positions P1 to P3 of the frame 61 illustrated in Figure 7 are detected. For this reason, three optical sensors 691 to 693 are provided. Note that the configuration of the position detection unit 69 is just one example, and the number, arrangement, or type of sensors can be designed as appropriate.

[0038] Referring to Figure 2, the load port 1 is provided with a control unit 10. The control unit 10 is an electronic circuit that controls the load port 1. The control unit 10 includes, for example, a processing unit represented by a CPU, a storage unit such as RAM and ROM, an input / output interface between the processing unit and an external device, and a communication interface that communicates with a computer such as a host computer and peripheral devices (such as a board transport robot 110) via a communication line. The control unit 10, for example, acquires detection results from various sensors and controls various drive sources. The various sensors include, for example, a mapping sensor 60, optical sensors 691 to 693, an occupancy sensor on the dock plate 20, a sensor provided on the lifting unit 7, a sensor provided on the forward / backward unit 8, etc. The various drive sources include motors 64, 73, and 84, a drive source for the drive mechanism 21, a drive source for the holding unit 40, etc.

[0039] <Control Example> An example of control of the load port 1 by the control unit 10 will be described. Figures 8 to 11 show examples of the operation of the load port 1 under the control of the control unit 10, and in particular, examples of the control of the reciprocating movement of the port door 4 and the displacement movement of the mapping sensor 60 in a series of operations from loading the container 200, opening the container 200, detecting the substrate W, and closing the container 200. Figure 12 is a timing chart showing the changes in the position of the port door 4 and the mapping sensor 60 in the series of operations shown in Figures 8 to 11.

[0040] In Figure 12, the positions P1 to P3 of the mapping sensor 60 are the same as the positions P1 to P3 shown in Figure 7. Positions Pf and Pb of the port door 4 indicate the position of the port door 4 in the X direction, where position Pf is the forward position on the container 200 side and position Pb is the retracted position on the transport space 101 side. Positions Pu, Ps, Pe, and Pd of the port door 4 indicate the position of the port door 4 in the Z direction. Position Pu is the attachment / detachment position where the holding part 40 is at the same height as the container 200 and the opening 30, and is the upper limit position of the port door 4. Position Pd is the standby position where the holding part 40 is lower than the container 200 and the opening 30, and is the lower limit position of the port door 4. Position Ps is the detection start position where the mapping sensor 60 starts detecting the substrate W, and is lower than the attachment / detachment position Pu and higher than the standby position Pd. Position Pe is the detection end position where the mapping sensor 60 ends detecting the substrate W, and is lower than the detection start position Ps and higher than the standby position Pd.

[0041] Refer to Figure 8. State ST1 is the mounting platform. 2 This shows the stage before the container 200 is mounted. The dock plate 20 is located away from the port plate 3. The port door 4 is in the forward position Pf when it is in the attachment / detachment position Pu. The opening 30 is closed by the retaining part 40. The mapping sensor 60 is in the retracted position P1. In the retracted position P1, the mapping sensor 60 is above the opening 30 and faces the port plate 3. By positioning the mapping sensor 60 in the retracted position P1, interference between the mapping sensor 60 and the port plate 3 is avoided.

[0042] Condition ST2 is the mounting platform 2 State ST1 shows the stage in which the container 200 is placed on the dock plate 20. The position of the port door 4 and the mapping sensor 60 are the same as in state ST1. State ST3 shows the stage in which the dock plate 20 moves forward relative to the port plate 3 and the door portion 202 of the container 200 is connected to the holding portion 40 of the port door 4. The position of the port door 4 and the mapping sensor 60 are the same as in state ST1. The holding portion 40 holds the door portion 202 from the side of the transport space 101 and the lock of the door portion 202 on the container 200 is released.

[0043] Refer to Figures 9 and 12. State ST4 indicates the stage in which the door portion 202 is separated from the container body 201 of the container 200 and the container 200 is opened. The port door 4 is moved backward from the forward position Pf to the backward position Pb by the forward / backward unit 8. During the backward movement of the port door 4, the mapping sensor 60 is displaced in the opposite direction by the rotation mechanism 63 and moves forward from the backward position P1 to the standby position P2. As the port door 4 moves backward, the port door 4 and the mapping sensor 60 move towards the transport space 101, but by moving the mapping sensor 60 forward from the backward position P1 to the standby position P2, the amount of entry of the mapping sensor 60 into the transport space 101 is reduced, and a wider movement space for the substrate transport robot 110 can be secured. Therefore, the protrusion of the mapping sensor 60 and frame 61 when the port door 4 is in the backward position can be suppressed, and the influence of the mapping unit 6 on the transport space 101 can be reduced. Also, the holding part 40 During the retraction movement, the mapping sensor 60 is advanced from the retracted position P1 to the standby position P2, thereby reducing the amount of movement required to displace the mapping sensor 60 to the scanning position P3, which will be described later. 40 Compared to the case where the mapping sensor 60 is displaced from the retracted position P1 to the scanning position P3 after the retraction operation is completed, the operation time required to displace the mapping sensor 60 to the scanning position P3 is shortened, thus reducing the cycle time required for mapping.

[0044] State ST5 indicates the stage when the port door 4 is lowered from the attachment / detachment position Pu to the detection start position Ps by the lifting unit 7. During the descent, the mapping sensor 60 is maintained in the standby position P2. When the port door 4 is in the inspection start position Ps, the position of the mapping sensor 60 is at the height of the opening 30 (more specifically, below the height of the upper end of the opening 30) in the vertical direction. State ST6 indicates the stage when the mapping sensor 60 is displaced from the standby position P2 to the scanning position P3 by the rotation mechanism. The mapping sensor 60 enters the container 200 (container body 201) from the opening 30. At this time, the optical axis 60a (Figure 4) is in a position within the container 200 where it can detect the substrate W housed in the container 200.

[0045] Refer to Figures 10 and 12. State ST7 indicates the stage when the port door 4 is lowered by the lifting unit 7 from the detection start position Ps to the detection end position Pe. During the descent, the substrate W is detected by the mapping sensor 60 from the transport space 101 side, and the detection result and detection position are stored in the memory unit of the control unit 10. State ST8 indicates the stage when the mapping sensor 60 is displaced by the rotation mechanism 63 from the scanning position P3 to the standby position P2. By returning the mapping sensor 60 from the scanning position P3 to the standby position P2, interference between the container body 201, the edge of the opening 30 and the mapping sensor 60 is avoided. State ST9 indicates the stage when the port door 4 is lowered by the lifting unit 7 from the detection end position Pe to the standby position Pd. The position of the mapping sensor 60 is the standby position P2. After this, the substrate W is removed by the substrate transport robot 110, processed by a processing device (not shown), and the processed substrate W is placed into the container body 201.

[0046] Refer to Figures 11 and 12. Figure 11 shows the operation of attaching the door section 202 to the container body 201 to close the container 200, and the operation starts from the position of the port door 4 and mapping sensor 60 in state ST9 in Figure 10.

[0047] State ST10 indicates the stage in which the port door 4 is raised from the standby position Pd to the attachment / detachment position Pu by the lifting unit 7. During the raising, the mapping sensor 60 is maintained in the standby position P2. State ST11 indicates the stage in which the door section 202 is attached to the container body 201 of the container 200 to close the container 200. The reciprocating unit 8 moves the port door 4 forward from the retracted position Pb to the forward position Pf. During the forward movement of the port door 4, the rotation mechanism 63 displaces the mapping sensor 60 in the opposite direction, causing it to retract from the standby position P2 to the retracted position P1. As the port door 4 moves forward, the port door 4 and the mapping sensor 60 move toward the external space side (the side of the container 200), but by retracting the mapping sensor 60 from the standby position P2 to the retracted position P1, interference between the mapping sensor 60 and the port plate 3 above the opening 30 can be avoided.

[0048] Subsequently, the door portion 202 is locked to the container body 201 by the holding portion 40, and the holding of the door portion 202 is released. This completes the series of operations.

[0049] In this embodiment, the mapping sensor 60 is displaced in the X direction opposite to the port door 4 during the reciprocating movement of the port door 4 by the reciprocating unit 8. This reduces the amount the mapping sensor 60 enters the transport space 101 and prevents interference between the mapping sensor 60 and the port plate 3. Therefore, a load port 1 is provided that has less impact on the transport space 101 of the substrate transport device 100 and improves the protection performance of the mapping sensor 60.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a displacement unit 600 that displaces a pair of mapping sensors 60 in the forward and backward directions is provided on a support portion 41 that supports the holding portion 40 of the port door 4. By providing the displacement unit 600 on the support portion 41, the size of the load port 1 can be suppressed. In addition, by arranging the rotation mechanism 63 in the internal space of the support portion 41, the displacement unit 600 can be miniaturized, and the area occupied by the mapping unit 6 can be reduced. The lifting unit 7 raises and lowers the mapping unit 6 together with the port door 4, but by miniaturizing the displacement unit 600 (especially suppressing the downward protrusion of the port door 4), the amount of movement of the slider 72 required to open and close the container 200 is reduced. Therefore, the lifting unit 7 can be miniaturized.

[0051] Although embodiments of the invention have been described above, the invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention.

Claims

1. A mounting platform on which a container containing a circuit board is placed, A port plate having an opening that allows the substrate to be inserted and removed, A port door capable of opening and closing the aforementioned opening and holding the door portion of the container, A substrate detection means provided in the port door for detecting the substrate housed in the container, A lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the port door relative to the opening, A means for moving the port door back and forth in a horizontal direction relative to the opening, The substrate detection means is further provided with a displacement means for displacing it in the forward and backward direction, The displacement means displaces the substrate detection means in the opposite direction to the port door during the reciprocating movement of the port door by the reciprocating means. A load port characterized by the following features.

2. A load port according to claim 1, The port plate separates the external space on the side of the aforementioned stand from the transport space for the substrate. The port door holds the door portion of the container from the side of the transport space, The substrate detection means detects the substrate housed in the container from the side of the transport space. A load port characterized by the following features.

3. A load port according to claim 2, The aforementioned reciprocating means is When separating the door portion from the container, the port door is moved from the forward position on the external space side to the retracted position on the transport space side. When attaching the door portion to the container, the port door is moved forward from the retracted position to the forward position. The displacement means is During the forward movement of the port door as it moves from the retracted position to the forward position, the substrate detection means is displaced to the first position. During the retraction operation in which the port door moves from the forward position to the retracted position, the substrate detection means is displaced to a second position. In the relative position of the substrate detection means with respect to the port door, the second position is located closer to the external space than the first position. A load port characterized by the following features.

4. A load port according to claim 3, The displacement means displaces the substrate detection means to a third position on the side of the external space rather than the second position when the substrate detection means is at the height of the opening. A load port characterized by the following features.

5. A load port according to claim 4, The third position is the position in which the substrate detection means enters the opening. A load port characterized by the following features.

6. A load port according to claim 3, The substrate detection means is positioned higher than the port door. The first position and the second position are positions above the opening where the substrate detection means faces the port plate. A load port characterized by the following features.

7. A load port according to claim 4, The aforementioned port door is A retaining part that holds the door portion, It comprises a support portion that supports the holding portion, The lifting means raises and lowers the support portion, The aforementioned reciprocating means moves the support portion forward and backward, The displacement means is A frame supporting the substrate detection means, A rotating mechanism provided in the support portion, which rotates the frame in the forward and backward direction, The system includes a position detection means for detecting the position of the frame, A load port characterized by the following features.

8. A load port according to claim 7, The aforementioned frame is A beam section extending in a horizontal direction intersecting the aforementioned forward and backward direction, The shaft portion extends horizontally and passes through the support portion, The beam section has a pair of support columns spaced apart from each other in the direction of extension of the beam section, with one end connected to the beam section and the other end connected to the shaft section. The substrate detection means is supported by the beam portion, The aforementioned rotation mechanism rotates the frame in the forward and backward direction with the shaft portion as the pivot point. At the first position, the pair of support columns are in a first inclined position such that one end is positioned on the side of the transport space. In the third position, the pair of support columns are in a second inclined position, with one end of each column positioned towards the external space. A load port characterized by the following features.

9. A load port according to claim 8, In the second position, the pair of support columns are in a vertical position. A load port characterized by the following features.

10. A load port according to claim 8, The aforementioned rotating mechanism is, Power source and A cam member that rotates due to the aforementioned drive source, The system comprises an arm member fixed to the shaft portion and extending radially in the direction of the shaft portion, The arm member has an opening having an inner surface that contacts the cam member. The rotation of the cam member causes the arm member to rotate around the shaft as its pivot point. A load port characterized by the following features.

11. A load port according to claim 10, The arm member is provided with a detection piece that is detected by the position detection means, The position detection means comprises a plurality of sensors arranged to detect the detection piece at different positions. A load port characterized by the following features.

12. A load port according to claim 1, The lifting means has a first drive source, The aforementioned reciprocating means has a second drive source, The displacement means has a third drive source, The load port includes control means for controlling the first drive source, the second drive source, and the third drive source, The control means controls the reciprocating movement of the port door and the displacement movement of the substrate detection means. A load port characterized by the following features.

13. A mounting platform on which a container capable of housing a circuit board is placed, A port plate having an opening that allows the substrate to be inserted and removed, A port door capable of opening and closing the aforementioned opening and holding the door portion of the container, A substrate detection means provided in the port door for detecting the substrate housed in the container, A lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the port door relative to the opening, A means for moving the port door back and forth in a horizontal direction relative to the opening, The substrate detection means is further provided with a displacement means for displacing it in the forward and backward direction, The aforementioned port door is A retaining part that holds the door portion, It comprises a support portion that supports the holding portion, The forward and backward means includes a movable body that supports the support portion and moves in the forward and backward direction, The support portion is provided with the displacement means, The displacement means is A frame supporting the substrate detection means, The frame has a rotating mechanism that rotates it in the forward and backward directions, The aforementioned support portion is A box-shaped body having an opening, The main body comprises a cover member that covers the opening, The rotation mechanism is located in the internal space of the support portion formed by the main body and the cover member. A load port characterized by the following features.

14. A load port according to claim 13, The frame includes a shaft portion that serves as the center of rotation, The support portion includes a bearing portion that rotatably supports the shaft portion. A load port characterized by the following features.

15. A load port according to claim 13, The aforementioned frame is A beam portion extending in a horizontal direction intersecting the aforementioned forward and backward direction, which supports the substrate detection means, The shaft portion extends horizontally and passes through the support portion, The beam section has a pair of support columns spaced apart from each other in the direction of extension of the beam section, with one end connected to the beam section and the other end connected to the shaft section. The aforementioned rotating mechanism is, Power source and A cam member that rotates due to the aforementioned drive source, The system comprises an arm member fixed to the shaft portion and extending radially in the direction of the shaft portion, The arm member has an opening having an inner surface that contacts the cam member. The rotation of the cam member causes the arm member to rotate around the shaft as its pivot point. A load port characterized by the following features.

16. A load port according to claim 13, The system further comprises control means for controlling the load port, The rotation mechanism includes position detection means for detecting the position of the frame, The control means controls the lifting means and the displacement means based on the detection result of the position detection means. A load port characterized by the following features.

17. A load port according to claim 16, The position detection means is A first detection sensor corresponding to the reference position of the frame, A second detection sensor corresponding to a position on one side of the aforementioned reference position, It comprises a third detection sensor corresponding to a position on the other side of the aforementioned reference position, The control means determines, based on the detection result of the position detection means, whether the frame is at the reference position, the position of one side, or the position of the other side. A load port characterized by the following features.

18. A mounting platform on which a container containing a circuit board is placed, A port plate having an opening that allows the substrate to be inserted and removed, A port door capable of opening and closing the aforementioned opening and holding the door portion of the container, A load port control method comprising: a substrate detection means provided in the port door for detecting the substrate housed in the container, A lifting and lowering process for raising and lowering the port door relative to the opening, A step of moving the port door back and forth in a horizontal direction relative to the opening, The process includes a displacement step of displacing the substrate detection means in the forward and backward direction, In the displacement step, the substrate detection means is displaced in the opposite direction to the port door during the reciprocating movement of the port door in the reciprocating step. A control method characterized by the following:

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