Pod opener

Abstract

It allows for more accurate detection of whether the pod has been placed in the correct position. [Solution] The pod opener comprises a mounting base on which a pod containing a substrate is placed, comprising a case with an open bottom and a lid that closes the bottom of the case; an opening and closing means for opening and closing the pod, comprising a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering at least one of the case and the lid of the pod placed on the mounting base; a plurality of detection means for detecting that the pod has been placed on the mounting base; and a determination means for determining that the pod has been placed on the mounting base in a proper state, based on the fact that all of the plurality of detection means have detected that the pod has been placed within a predetermined time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pod opener.

Background Art

[0002] SMIF pods or the like that accommodate substrates such as semiconductor wafers are known. Such pods are opened and closed in a pod opener provided in a processing facility. The opened pod is loaded and unloaded with the internal substrate by a transfer robot. In order to prevent the opening and closing operation of the pod and the loading and unloading operation of the substrate by the transfer robot from being performed when no pod is placed on the pod opener, the pod opener is provided with a sensor for detecting the placement of the pod. The sensor of Patent Document 1 detects that a pin provided on the mounting table so as to be pushed down is pushed down by the pod.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the conventional detection method, there is a concern that even when the pod is placed in a tilted state or a foreign object is placed, and the pod is not placed on the mounting table in a normal state, the sensor may erroneously detect that the pod is placed on the mounting table in a normal state.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to more accurately detect that the pod is placed in a normal state.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to the present invention, A mounting platform comprising a case with an open bottom and a lid that closes the bottom of the case, on which a pod containing a circuit board is placed, The pod, which is placed on the aforementioned mounting platform, is equipped with a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering at least one of the case and the lid, and an opening and closing means for opening and closing the pod, Multiple detection means for detecting that the pod has been placed on the aforementioned stand, The system includes a determination means that determines that the pod has been placed on the aforementioned stand in a proper state, based on the fact that all of the aforementioned detection means have detected that the pod has been placed within a predetermined time. It is a pod opener, The aforementioned mounting platform is The first mounting section on which the lid is placed, The case is placed on a second mounting portion located around the first mounting portion, The opening and closing means opens and closes the pod by raising or lowering the first mounting portion or the second mounting portion. The aforementioned plurality of detection means are At least one first detection means for detecting that the lid is placed on the first mounting portion, The system comprises at least one second detection means for detecting that the case has been placed on the second mounting portion. A pod opener with the following characteristics is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to more accurately detect whether the pod is placed in the correct position. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] External view of a pod opener according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows a configuration in which a pod is placed on the pod opener shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Disassembled perspective view of the pod. [Figure 4] A plan view of the mounting section of the pod opener shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Diagram illustrating the internal mechanism of the pod opener shown in Figure 1. [Figure 6] Diagram illustrating the operation of the pod opener shown in Figure 1. [Figure 7] A plan view showing the configuration of the detection unit of the pod opener in Figure 1. [Figure 8] Operation explanatory diagram of the detection unit. [Figure 9] Block diagram of the control unit. [Figure 10] Flowchart showing an example of the processing of the control unit. [Figure 11] (A) and (B) are time charts showing the detection timings of the detection unit. [Figure 12] Flowchart showing an example of the determination process of the placement state by the control unit. [Figure 13] Flowchart showing another example of the determination process of the placement state by the control unit.

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 features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. Also, the same or similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0010] <First Embodiment> (Outline of the apparatus) Refer to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG. 1 is an external view of a pod opener 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a view showing a state in which a pod 100 is placed on the pod opener 1. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the pod 100. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the mounting table 4. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the internal mechanism of the pod opener 1. In each figure, arrows X and Y indicate horizontal directions orthogonal to each other, and arrow Z indicates the vertical direction.

[0011] Pod opener 1 is a device for opening and closing pods 100 such as SMIF pods. Pod 100 comprises a hollow case 101 with an open bottom 101a and a lid 102 that closes the bottom 101a of the case 101. Multiple substrates 110, such as semiconductor wafers, supported by a cassette 103 are housed inside pod 100. The cassette 103 is placed on the lid 102. Pod opener 1 opens pod 100 by separating the lid 102 from the case 101. Opening pod 100 allows a substrate transport robot (not shown) to remove the substrates 110 from the cassette 103 and to place the substrates 110 back into the cassette 103.

[0012] The pod opener 1 comprises a pair of support columns 2A and 2B spaced apart in the Y direction. A plate 3 forming an opening 3a is supported on the back of the pair of support columns 2A and 2B. The aforementioned substrate transport robot (not shown) can access the open pod 100 from the side of the plate 3 through the opening 3a. When the pod 100 is closed, the opening 3a is closed by a shutter 6. Figures 1 and 2 show the shutter 6 in the closed state.

[0013] The pod opener 1 includes a mounting base 4 on which the pod 100 is placed. The mounting base 4 is located between a pair of support columns 2A and 2B in the Y direction. The mounting base 4 includes a mounting section 40 on which the lid 102 is placed and a mounting section 41 on which the case 101 is placed. In the X direction, the side closer to the plate 3 is sometimes referred to as the rear side of the mounting base 4, and the side further away is sometimes referred to as the front side of the mounting base 4.

[0014] In this embodiment, the mounting portion 40 is a plate-shaped member having a rectangular shape in plan view. In this embodiment, the mounting portion 41 is a frame-shaped, plate-shaped member located around the mounting portion 40 so as to surround it, and has a main body portion 410 having a rectangular outer shape in plan view, and a connecting portion 411 that protrudes from the main body portion 410 in the Y direction and is connected to the opening / closing unit 7.

[0015] The main body 410 of the mounting section 41 is provided with guide members 42 and 43 that guide the mounting of the pod 100 onto the mounting base 4. The guide members 42 and 43 have a cross-sectional shape that rises from the main body 410 and guide the pod 100 to be mounted on the mounting base 4 to the center of the mounting base 4. The guide member 42 is located on the front side of the mounting section 41 and has a C-shape that follows the outer edge of the mounting section 41. The guide members 43 are located at two corners on the rear side of the mounting section 41. The lower end of the shutter 6 is fixed to the rear end of the main body 410.

[0016] The mounting base 4 is provided with a plurality of positioning pins 400 for positioning the pod 100, a pair of operating pins 403 for unlocking and locking the case 101 and lid 102 of the pod 100, and detectable members 44A, 44B, and 44C for detecting the placement of the pod 100 on the mounting base 4. In this embodiment, detectable members 44A and 44C are provided on the mounting section 40, and detectable member 44B is provided on the mounting section 41. However, it is also possible to provide all of the detectable members 44A, 44B, and 44C on the mounting section 40. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide two or more of the detectable members 44A, 44B, and 44C on the mounting section 41.

[0017] Multiple positioning pins 400 are provided on the mounting portion 40 and are positioned to protrude upward from the upper surface 40a of the mounting portion 40. When the pod 100 is placed on the mounting base 4, the upper surface 40a faces the lid 102. In this embodiment, three positioning pins 400 are provided. Two of the three positioning pins 400 are positioned spaced apart in the Y direction on the front side of the mounting portion 40, and the remaining one is positioned in the center in the Y direction on the rear side of the mounting portion 40. Each positioning pin 400 engages with each engagement hole (not shown) provided in the lid 102 to position the pod 100 in the appropriate position on the mounting base 4.

[0018] A pair of operating pins 403 are located in the center of the mounting portion 40 and penetrate the mounting portion 40 in the Z direction through corresponding arc-shaped grooves 401. Below the mounting portion 40 is a drive mechanism 11 that moves the operating pins 403 along the grooves 401. The lid 102 of the pod 100 has a built-in locking mechanism (not shown) that locks the lid 102 to the case 101, and the lid 102 to the case 101 can be locked and unlocked by operating the locking mechanism with the operating pins 403.

[0019] The detected members 44A and 44C are pin-shaped members that are provided on the mounting portion 40 so as to be able to be pushed down, and they penetrate the mounting portion 40 in the Z direction. Below the mounting portion 40, there is a detection unit 45A that detects the position of the detected member 44A in the Z direction, and a detection unit 45C that detects the position of the detected member 44C in the Z direction. The detection units 45A and 45C are supported by the mounting portion 40.

[0020] The detected member 44B is a pin-shaped member that is provided on the mounting portion 41 so as to be able to be pushed down. The detected member 44B is positioned inside the guide member 42 (closer to the inner periphery of the mounting portion 41). The detected member 44B penetrates the mounting portion 41 in the Z direction. Below the mounting portion 41 is a detection unit 45B that detects the position of the detected member 44B in the Z direction. The detection unit 45B is supported by the mounting portion 41.

[0021] The support column 2A is provided with an opening / closing unit 7 for opening and closing the pod 100. In this embodiment, the opening / closing unit 7 is a lifting mechanism that separates and combines the case 101 with the lid 102 by raising and lowering the mounting section 41. In this embodiment, the mounting section 41 is raised and lowered, but it is sufficient to separate or bring the lid 102 and the case 101 closer in the Z direction, so the mounting section 40 may be raised and lowered, or both the mounting sections 40 and 41 may be raised and lowered in opposite directions.

[0022] The opening / closing unit 7 is supported inside the support column 2A and includes a rail member 70 extending in the Z direction, and a slider 71 that engages with the rail member 70 and is movable in the Z direction. A connecting portion 411 is attached to the slider 71, and the mounting portion 41 moves up and down integrally with the slider 71.

[0023] A drive mechanism 72 is also provided inside the support column 2A. In this embodiment, the drive mechanism 72 is a ball screw mechanism and comprises a ball screw shaft 75 extending in the Z direction and a nut unit 74 having a ball nut that screws onto the ball screw shaft 75. The nut unit 74 is connected to the slider 71 via a connecting member 76.

[0024] The lower end of the ball screw shaft 75 is coupled to the output shaft of the motor 73, which is the drive source. The motor 73 drives the ball screw shaft 75 to rotate around its axis in the Z direction. The rotation of the ball screw shaft 75 causes the nut unit 74 to move up and down together with the slider 71. This allows the mounting section 41 to be raised and lowered. In this embodiment, a ball screw mechanism is exemplified as the drive mechanism 72, but the drive mechanism 72 may be other mechanisms such as a linear motor or a rack and pinion mechanism.

[0025] A box-shaped storage section 5 is provided below the mounting section 40. The mounting section 40 forms the upper wall of the storage section 5. The storage section 5 houses the drive mechanism 11 and the control unit 10 described above. The configuration of the control unit 10 will be explained with reference to Figure 9. Figure 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit 10. The control unit 10 is an electronic circuit including a processing unit 301, a storage unit 302, and an interface (I / F) 303. The processing unit 301 is a processor, such as a CPU, and executes programs stored in the storage unit 302. The storage unit 302 is a storage device, such as a semiconductor memory like RAM or ROM, or an HDD, and stores various information in addition to the programs executed by the processing unit 301. The I / F 303 includes an input / output interface between an external device and the processing unit 301, and a communication interface that enables communication between the processing unit 301 and a computer such as a host computer or peripheral devices (such as a board transport robot) via a communication line (not shown). The detection results of the sensor group 1c, such as detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C, are recognized by the control unit 10, and the actuator group 1d, such as the drive mechanism 11 and motor 73, are controlled by the control unit 10.

[0026] The storage section 5 is provided with multiple cover members 50 and 51 arranged in a multi-layered fashion. Cover member 50 is located outside cover member 51. Both cover members 50 and 51 have a front wall and left and right side walls, and the front wall is provided with transparent or translucent window sections 50a and 51a that allow the interior to be seen from the outside. Cover member 50 is supported by the mounting section 41. Cover member 51 is slidable in the Z direction relative to cover member 50 and is configured to rise in conjunction with the upward movement of cover member 50.

[0027] (Lifting and lowering motion) The opening operation of the pod 100 will be explained with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the pod opener 1. First, as shown in Figure 5, the pod 100 is placed on the mounting base 4. The upper surface 40a of the mounting section 40 and the upper surface 41a of the mounting section 41 are at the same height and are flush with each other. The pod 100 is placed on the mounting base 4 by an operator or a transport device. When the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C detect that the pod 100 has been placed, the control unit 10 drives the drive mechanism 11, moving the operation pin 403 to release the lock mechanism of the lid 102. After that, the motor 73 of the opening / closing unit 7 is driven by the control unit 10, and the mounting section 41 is raised.

[0028] State ST61 in Figure 6 shows the stage in which the mounting section 41 is in the process of rising. The shutter 6 rises together with the mounting section 41, and the opening 3a is closed only at the top by the shutter 6. Also, the case 101 of the pod 100 rises together with the mounting section 41 and separates from the lid 102. The cassette 103 on the lid 102 is now covered only at the top by the case 101. The cover member 50 rises together with the mounting section 41, and the cassette 103 and the substrate 110 supported by the cassette 103 are covered by the cover member 50 so that they are not exposed.

[0029] State ST62 in Figure 6 indicates the stage where the mounting section 41 has finished rising. The shutter 6 rises further along with the mounting section 41, and the opening 3a becomes completely open from the shutter 6. The cassette 103 on the lid 102 becomes completely open from the case 101. The cover member 50 also rises further along with the mounting section 41, and the lower end of the cover member 50 engages with the upper end of the cover member 51, causing the cover member 51 to be pulled up. The cassette 103 and the substrate 110 supported by the cassette 103 are covered by the cover members 50 and 51 so that they are not exposed. The inside of the cover members 50 and 51 can be seen from the outside through the windows 50a and 51a.

[0030] The opening operation of pod 100 is completed. To close pod 100, the reverse operation is performed. That is, by lowering the mounting part 41 from the state ST62 in Figure 6, it returns to the state in Figure 5, and the case 101 is attached to the lid 102. By moving the operating pin 403, the locking mechanism of the lid 102 is locked, and the lid 102 and the case 101 are locked together.

[0031] (Detection of the pod's placement status) The configuration for detecting the pod 100 placed on the mounting base 4 will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 is a plan view of the detected members 44A, 44B, and 44C and the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C. Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the detected member 44A and the detection unit 45A, and corresponds to the cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 7.

[0032] The detected member 44A and the detection unit 45A constitute a set of presence sensors that detect whether or not the pod 100 is present on the mounting base 4 (whether or not it is placed there). In addition, two sets of presence sensors are formed by a set consisting of the detected member 44B and the detection unit 45B, and a set consisting of the detected member 44C and the detection unit 45C. The detected members 44B and 44C have basically the same structure as the detected member 44A, and the detection units 45B and 45C have basically the same structure as the detection unit 45A.

[0033] The detected member 44A has a cylindrical shape overall and is inserted into the circular hole 40c of the mounting portion 40 and supported so as to be displaceable in the Z direction. The lower end 441 of the detected member 44A has a conical shape.

[0034] The detection unit 45A includes a C-shaped optical sensor (photointerrupter) 450 that detects the downward pressure of the member to be detected 44A, and a biasing member 451. The biasing member 451 in this embodiment is an elastic member that biases the member to be detected 44A upward, and is particularly a leaf spring. The biasing member 451 has a fixed portion 451a, an extended portion 451b, and a detected portion 451c. The fixed portion 451a is the part that is fixed to the lower surface 40b of the mounting portion 40 via a spacer 46, and the biasing member 451 is supported on the mounting portion 40 in a cantilevered state. The extended portion 451b is a long piece-shaped part that extends from the fixed portion 451a along the lower surface 40b, and the lower end 441 of the member to be detected 44A abuts against it from above at a portion along the extension portion. The detected portion 451c is provided at the end of the extended portion 451b on the opposite side from the fixed portion 451a, is bent at approximately a right angle from the extended portion 451b, and extends toward the optical sensor 450.

[0035] The optical sensor 450 is fixed to the lower surface 40b of the mounting portion 40 by a fixing member 47. The optical sensor 450 has a light-emitting portion 450a and a light-receiving portion 450b that receives light from the light-emitting portion 450a. When the detected portion 451c enters the slit 450c between the light-emitting portion 450a and the light-receiving portion 450b and reaches the detection position 450d, the light from the light-emitting portion 450a is blocked from the light-receiving portion 450b, and the entry of the detected portion 451c is detected.

[0036] The operation of the detected member 44A and the detection unit 45A will be explained with reference to Figure 8. State ST81 indicates the state before the pod 100 is placed on the mounting base 4. Due to the elastic biasing force of the biasing member 451, the detected member 44A is pushed up to the upper limit position, so that the upper end 440 of the detected member 44A is higher than the upper surface 40a of the mounting part 40, and the lower end 441 is lower than the lower surface 40b. The detected part 451c is higher than the detection position 450d, and the light from the light-emitting part 450a is not blocked by the light-receiving part 450b. In this case, the detection result of the detection unit 45A is determined to be that the pod 100 is not placed on the mounting base 4.

[0037] State ST82 in Figure 8 shows the state when the pod 100 is placed on the mounting base 4. In this embodiment, with the pod 100 supported by the positioning pin 400, the bottom surface of the pod 100 is approximately the same height as the upper surfaces 40a and 41a of the mounting parts 40 and 41, respectively. During the process of mounting the pod 100 onto the mounting base 4, the weight of the pod 100 causes the detected member 44A to contact the lid 102 and be pushed down against the biasing force of the biasing member 451. As a result, the extended portion 451b of the biasing member 451 elastically deforms downward, and the detected portion 451c reaches the detection position 450d. The light from the light-emitting part 450a is blocked from the light-receiving part 450b. In this case, the detection result of the detection unit 45A is determined to be that the pod 100 is placed on the mounting base 4.

[0038] The detected member 44C and detection unit 45C have the same structure and perform the same operation as the detected member 44A and detection unit 45A. In addition, they are also attached to the mounting section 40 on which the lid 102 is placed, and the detected member 44C is pressed down by the lid 102. The detected member 44B and detection unit 45B have the same structure and perform the same operation as the detected member 44A and detection unit 45A. On the other hand, compared to the detected member 44A and detection unit 45A, they differ in that they are attached to the mounting section 41 on which the case 101 is placed, and the detected member 44B is pressed down by the case 101. This allows for individual detection of whether the case 101 or the lid 102 is placed, thus preventing the misconception that the entire pod 100 is placed when only one of the case 101 or the lid 102 is placed.

[0039] The detectable members 44A, 44B, and 44C, which define the detection position of the pod 100, are positioned at locations separated from each other in the X and Y directions on the mounting base 4. Therefore, the detection positions of the pod 100 by the detection units 45A to 45C are set at locations separated from each other in the X and Y directions on the mounting base 4. If only a part of the pod 100 is improperly placed on the mounting base 4, or if something other than the pod 100 is placed on the mounting base 4, the possibility of the detectable members 44A to 44C being pushed down simultaneously is low. Therefore, it is possible to prevent false detection of the pod 100 placed on the mounting base 4 and improve detection accuracy.

[0040] (Example of processing by the control unit) An example of processing by the control unit 10 will be described. It is undesirable for the pod 100 to be opened unnecessarily or for the opening 3a of the plate 3 to be opened unnecessarily. In this embodiment, when it is confirmed that the pod 100 is properly placed on the mounting base 4, the opening / closing unit 7 performs an opening operation of the pod 100 (raising operation of the mounting section 41).

[0041] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing performed by the processing unit 301 of the control unit 10. The processing in Figure 10 is performed while the pod 100 is awaiting placement on the mounting base 4. In step S1, a determination process is performed to determine whether the pod 100 has been placed on the mounting base 4 in the correct state. Details will be described later.

[0042] In step S2, the process branches based on the result of the determination in step S1. If it is determined that pod 100 was placed in a normal state, the process proceeds to step S3. If it is determined that pod 100 was placed in an abnormal state, the process proceeds to step S4.

[0043] In step S3, the pod 100 is opened, and the process proceeds to step S5. Here, the control unit 10 drives the drive mechanism 11, moving the operating pin 403 to release the locking mechanism of the lid 102. Subsequently, the motor 73 of the opening / closing unit 7 is driven by the control unit 10, and the mounting section 41 is raised.

[0044] Once the opening operation of pod 100 is complete, the process proceeds to step S5. In step S5, a signal is output to the host computer or the control device of the substrate transport robot to allow the transport operation of substrate 110. This completes the process.

[0045] In step S4, error handling is performed. Here, the opening operation by the opening / closing unit 7 is not performed, and a process is executed to notify that the mounting status of the pod 100 is abnormal. For example, a notification is sent to the host computer indicating that the operating conditions are not met. Alternatively, a warning is issued to the operator by voice or display.

[0046] (Determining the pod's mounting status) The determination process in step S1 of Figure 10 will now be explained. When the pod 100 is placed on the mounting base 4, the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C should ideally detect it almost simultaneously. If there is a large time difference in the detection timing of the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C, it is possible that a foreign object is present between the mounting section 40 and the pod 100, causing the pod 100 to be placed at an angle, or that the pod 100 has fallen onto the mounting section 40. If the ON / OFF status of the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C is used as the determination criterion, it is undesirable because it would lead to a false detection that the pod 100 is properly placed in such cases. Therefore, in this embodiment, the detection timing of the pod 100 is added as a determination factor.

[0047] Figures 11(A) and 11(B) are time charts showing an example of detection timing in which the corresponding detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C detect that the detected members 44A, 44B, and 44C have been pressed in. The horizontal axis represents elapsed time t, and the vertical axis represents the detection result (ON / OFF) of the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C. ON indicates detection of the detected members 44A, 44B, and 44C (detection of pod 100).

[0048] When the pod 100 is placed in a normal position, such as when the pod 100 is placed horizontally on the mounting base 4, the bottom surface of the pod 100 comes into contact with the multiple detection members 44A, 44B, and 44C almost simultaneously. Therefore, as shown in Figure 11(A), the detection timing of each detection unit 45A, 45B, and 45C is almost simultaneous, with a small time difference.

[0049] On the other hand, if the pod 100 is placed in an abnormal position, such as when the pod 100 is tilted, the bottom surface of the pod 100 will come into contact with multiple detection members 44A, 44B, and 44C with a time difference. Therefore, as shown in Figure 11(B), a large time difference occurs in the detection timing of each detection unit 45A, 45B, and 45C.

[0050] In this embodiment, after all detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C have detected the pod 100, the time difference ΔT between the first detection timing and the last detection timing is calculated. If this time difference ΔT is within a predetermined time (threshold Tth) (ΔT ≤ Tth), it is determined that the placement state of the pod 100 is normal. If this time difference ΔT exceeds the threshold Tth (ΔT > Tth), it is determined that the placement state of the pod 100 is abnormal.

[0051] In the example shown in Figure 11(A), detection unit 45A turns ON first, then detection unit 45B turns ON, and finally detection unit 45C turns ON. The time difference ΔT is the difference between the ON timing of detection unit 45A and the ON timing of detection unit 45C. Since ΔT ≤ Tth, the mounting state of pod 100 is determined to be normal.

[0052] In the example in Figure 11(B), detection unit 45A turns ON first, then detection unit 45B turns ON, and finally detection unit 45C turns ON. The time difference ΔT is the difference between the ON timing of detection unit 45A and the ON timing of detection unit 45C. However, since ΔT > Tth, the mounting state of pod 100 is determined to be abnormal.

[0053] This detection method allows for the detection of abnormal placement conditions, such as when pod 100 is placed in a tilted position, thereby preventing false detections.

[0054] The threshold Tth is set, for example, within the range of 0.05 seconds to 10 seconds. In particular, it is set, for example, within the range of 0.05 seconds to 3 seconds, or for example, within the range of 0.1 seconds to 1 second. It may be set according to the type of pod 100, the transport method, the installation environment, etc. The threshold Tth may be set to be changeable using the memory unit 302.

[0055] Figure 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the determination process in step S1 of Figure 10, where this determination method is applied.

[0056] In step S11, the detection results from detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C (occupancy sensors) are acquired.

[0057] In step S12, it is determined whether at least one of the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C (occupancy sensors) has detected the placement of the pod 100. If at least one of them has detected it, the process proceeds to step S13. If none of them have detected it, the process returns to step S11.

[0058] In step S13, for each of the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C that was determined to have detected the placement of the pod 100 in step S12, it is determined whether or not the detection timing has been saved in the storage unit 302 by the process described in step S14. If the detection timing has been saved, the process proceeds to step S15; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S14.

[0059] In step S14, for each of the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C that was determined to have detected the placement of the pod 100 in step S12, the detection timing is stored in the storage unit 302 in association with the detection unit. For example, if detection unit 45A is turned ON for the first time in step S12, its ON timing is stored in the storage unit 302 in association with detection unit 45A. If both detection units 45A and 45B are turned ON for the first time in step S12, their ON timings are stored in the storage unit 302 in association with detection units 45A and 45B, respectively. The stored detection timing may be time information, or it may be information such as the count value of a timer that starts timing when the process in Figure 13 begins.

[0060] Furthermore, each detection timing may be assigned an identifier indicating the detection order. For example, the detection timings of each detection unit 45A, 45B, and 45C may be stored in the storage unit 302 as t1, t2, and t3, in the order in which they detected the pod 100. For example, if the pod 100 is detected in the order of detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C, the detection timing of detection unit 45A may be stored as t1, the detection timing of detection unit 45B as t2, and the detection timing of detection unit 45C as t3.

[0061] In step S15, based on the detection results obtained in step S11, it is determined whether all detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C (occupancy sensors) have detected the placement of the pod 100. If all detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C have detected the placement of the pod 100, the process proceeds to step S16. If at least one of the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C has not detected the placement of the pod 100, the process returns to step S11.

[0062] In this embodiment, after the pod 100 is detected by all detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C, the placement status of the pod 100 is determined by the processing from step S16 onward. This allows the time difference ΔT described above to be calculated and compared with the threshold Tth.

[0063] In step S16, the detection timings of detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C are read from the storage unit 302, and the time difference ΔT between the first detection timing and the last detection timing is calculated. Since intermediate detection timings are not used, the process can be simplified. After the calculation, the process proceeds to step S17, where it is determined whether ΔT is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold Tth.

[0064] If it is determined in step S17 that ΔT ≤ Tth, the process proceeds to step S18, where it is determined that the mounting state is normal. If it is determined in step S17 that ΔT > Tth, the process proceeds to step S19, where it is determined that the mounting state is abnormal. The determination process is then completed.

[0065] <Second Embodiment> Another example of the determination process in step S1 of Figure 10 will be described. In this embodiment, the timer starts counting from the moment any of the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C detect the placement of the pod 100, and it is determined that the pod 100 has been placed in a normal state if all of the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C detect the placement of the pod 100 within a predetermined time.

[0066] In addition, in this embodiment, once a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer started, the judgment process is terminated and error processing is executed. This prevents the process from continuing if the pod 100 is placed at a significant tilt and all detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C do not detect the placement of the pod 100.

[0067] Figure 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the determination process in step S1 of Figure 10 in this embodiment.

[0068] In step S21, the detection results of detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C (occupancy sensors) are acquired. In step S22, based on the detection results acquired in step S21, it is determined whether at least one of the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C has detected the placement of the pod 100. If it is determined that at least one of the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C has detected the placement of the pod 100, the process proceeds to step S23. If it is determined that none of the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C have detected the placement of the pod 100, the process returns to step S21.

[0069] In step S23, it is determined whether the timer is operating or not. If the timer is operating, the process proceeds to step S25; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S24. In step S24, the timer starts counting. The timer is, for example, a software counter and may be provided in the control unit 10 of the pod opener 1, or in the control unit of an external device connected to the pod opener 1. For example, it may be provided in the highest-level control unit that controls a substrate transport robot or a substrate transport system.

[0070] In step S25, it is determined whether the timer's timing is less than or equal to the threshold Tth. If the timer's timing is less than or equal to the threshold Tth, the process proceeds to step S26. If the timer's timing exceeds the threshold Tth, the process proceeds to step S28. In step S28, it is determined that the mounting state of pod 100 is abnormal.

[0071] In step S26, it is determined whether all detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C (occupancy sensors) have detected the placement of the pod 100 based on the detection results obtained in step S21. If it is determined that detection has been detected, the timer is stopped and reset, and the process proceeds to step S27, where it is determined that the placement is normal. If it is determined that at least some of the detection units have not detected the pod, the process returns to step S21.

[0072] The judgment process is then completed. In this embodiment, if the placement state of the pod 100 is abnormal, the judgment result will be set to abnormal within the threshold time Tth, thus preventing the judgment process from taking too long.

[0073] <Other Embodiments> In this embodiment, three sets of detected members 44A, 44B, and 44C and detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C are provided, but the number is not limited to three sets; there may be four or more sets, or even just two sets.

[0074] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C detect the placement of the pod 100 by detecting the downward pressure on the detected members 44A, 44B, and 44C. However, the method of detecting the placement of the pod 100 is not limited to this. The detection units 45A, 45B, and 45C may be sensors that directly detect the pod 100, or they may be other types of sensors, such as magnetic sensors, instead of optical sensors.

[0075] 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. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1 Pod opener, 4 Mounting base, 7 Opening / closing unit, 44A Detected member, 45A Detection unit, 10 Control unit

Claims

1. A mounting platform comprising a case with an open bottom and a lid that closes the bottom of the case, on which a pod for housing a circuit board is placed, The pod, which is placed on the aforementioned mounting platform, is equipped with a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering at least one of the case and the lid, and an opening and closing means for opening and closing the pod, Multiple detection means for detecting that the pod has been placed on the aforementioned stand, A pod opener comprising: determination means for determining that the pod is placed on the aforementioned stand in the correct state, based on the fact that all of the plurality of detection means have detected that the pod has been placed within a predetermined time; The aforementioned mounting platform is The first mounting section on which the lid is placed, The case is placed on a second mounting portion located around the first mounting portion, The opening and closing means opens and closes the pod by raising or lowering the first mounting portion or the second mounting portion. The aforementioned plurality of detection means are At least one first detection means for detecting that the lid is placed on the first mounting portion, The system comprises at least one second detection means for detecting that the case has been placed on the second mounting portion. A pod opener characterized by the following features.

2. A mounting platform comprising a case with an open bottom and a lid that closes the bottom of the case, on which a pod for housing a circuit board is placed, The pod, which is placed on the aforementioned mounting platform, is equipped with a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering at least one of the case and the lid, and an opening and closing means for opening and closing the pod, Multiple detection means for detecting that the pod has been placed on the aforementioned stand, A pod opener comprising: determination means for determining that the pod is placed on the aforementioned stand in the correct state, based on the fact that all of the plurality of detection means have detected that the pod has been placed within a predetermined time; The determination means determines that the pod is placed on the aforementioned stand in an abnormal state, based on the timing at which any of the plurality of detection means detects that the pod has been placed, and on the fact that none of the plurality of detection means detect that the pod has been placed within the predetermined time. A pod opener characterized by the following features.

3. A pod opener according to claim 2, The system includes a processing means for executing error processing based on the determination means's determination that the pod is placed on the aforementioned stand in an abnormal state. A pod opener characterized by the following features.

4. A mounting platform comprising a case with an open bottom and a lid that closes the bottom of the case, on which a pod for housing a circuit board is placed, The pod, which is placed on the aforementioned mounting platform, is equipped with a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering at least one of the case and the lid, and an opening and closing means for opening and closing the pod, Multiple detection means for detecting that the pod has been placed on the aforementioned stand, A pod opener comprising: determination means for determining that the pod is placed on the aforementioned stand in the correct state, based on the fact that all of the plurality of detection means have detected that the pod has been placed within a predetermined time; The determination means determines whether the pod is placed on the aforementioned base in the correct state after all of the plurality of detection means have detected that the pod is placed on the aforementioned base. A pod opener characterized by the following features.

5. A pod opener according to claim 4, The determination means is, The elapsed time from the first detection timing to the last detection timing among the detection timings of the pod by the plurality of detection means is calculated. Based on the fact that the elapsed time is within the predetermined time, it is determined that the pod is placed on the aforementioned stand in the correct state. A pod opener characterized by the following features.

6. A mounting platform comprising a case with an open bottom and a lid that closes the bottom of the case, on which a pod for housing a circuit board is placed, The pod, which is placed on the aforementioned mounting platform, is equipped with a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering at least one of the case and the lid, and an opening and closing means for opening and closing the pod, Multiple detection means for detecting that the pod has been placed on the aforementioned stand, A pod opener comprising: determination means for determining that the pod is placed on the aforementioned stand in the correct state, based on the fact that all of the plurality of detection means have detected that the pod has been placed within a predetermined time; The determination means is, The timing of the predetermined time starts from the moment when any of the plurality of detection means detects that the pod has been placed. Based on the fact that all of the multiple detection means have detected that the pod has been placed on the aforementioned stand before the predetermined time has elapsed, it is determined that the pod has been placed on the aforementioned stand in the correct state. Based on the fact that the predetermined time has elapsed before all of the aforementioned detection means detect that the pod has been placed on the aforementioned base, it is determined that the pod has been placed on the aforementioned base in an abnormal state. A pod opener characterized by the following features.

7. A mounting platform comprising a case with an open bottom and a lid that closes the bottom of the case, on which a pod for housing a circuit board is placed, The pod, which is placed on the aforementioned mounting platform, is equipped with a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering at least one of the case and the lid, and an opening and closing means for opening and closing the pod, Multiple detection means for detecting that the pod has been placed on the aforementioned stand, A pod opener comprising: determination means for determining that the pod is placed on the aforementioned stand in the correct state, based on the fact that all of the plurality of detection means have detected that the pod has been placed within a predetermined time; The aforementioned plurality of detection means are A detection means having a first detection position on the aforementioned mounting platform, A detection means having a second detection position on the aforementioned mounting platform, Includes a detection means having a third detection position on the mounting platform, The first detection position and the second detection position are arranged on the aforementioned base so as to be spaced apart from each other in the first direction, The first detection position and the third detection position are arranged on the aforementioned base so as to be spaced apart from each other in a second direction that intersects the first direction. A pod opener characterized by the following features.

8. A pod opener according to claim 7, The mounting base comprises a first mounting section on which the lid is placed, and a second mounting section on which the case is placed and which is located around the first mounting section. The first detection position and the second detection position are set in the first mounting section. The third detection position is set on the second mounting portion. A pod opener characterized by the following features.

9. A mounting platform comprising a case with an open bottom and a lid that closes the bottom of the case, on which a pod for housing a circuit board is placed, The pod, which is placed on the aforementioned mounting platform, is equipped with a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering at least one of the case and the lid, and an opening and closing means for opening and closing the pod, Multiple detection means for detecting that the pod has been placed on the aforementioned stand, A pod opener comprising: determination means for determining that the pod is placed on the aforementioned stand in the correct state, based on the fact that all of the plurality of detection means have detected that the pod has been placed within a predetermined time; Based on the determination means determining that the pod is placed on the aforementioned stand in the correct position, the lifting control means controls an opening operation to raise or lower at least one of the case and the lid by the lifting mechanism, The lifting control means does not perform the opening operation based on the determination means's determination that the pod is placed on the aforementioned base in an abnormal state. A pod opener characterized by the following features.

10. A mounting platform comprising a case with an open bottom and a lid that closes the bottom of the case, on which a pod for housing a circuit board is placed, The pod, which is placed on the aforementioned mounting platform, is equipped with a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering at least one of the case and the lid, and an opening and closing means for opening and closing the pod, Multiple detection means for detecting that the pod has been placed on the aforementioned stand, A pod opener comprising: determination means for determining that the pod is placed on the aforementioned stand in the correct state, based on the fact that all of the plurality of detection means have detected that the pod has been placed within a predetermined time; The mounting base is provided with a plurality of detection members that are biased upward and can be pushed down, The plurality of detection means detect that the pod has been placed by detecting that the corresponding plurality of detected members have been pushed down. A pod opener characterized by the following features.

11. A pod opener according to claim 10, Each of the aforementioned multiple detection means is: Light-emitting part, Light receiving section, The optical sensor comprises a slit between the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion, through which a corresponding member to be detected can enter. A pod opener characterized by the following features.

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