Automated material handling system and method thereof, door control apparatus

Abstract

A door control device includes a door control valve coupled to a door, the door being disposed in an opening. The door is configured to switch between a closed position and an open position, the closed position being the door covering the opening and the open position being the door not covering the opening. The door control device includes a first pressure control module coupled to a fluid inlet, the fluid inlet being defined by the door control valve. The door control device also includes a second pressure control module coupled to a fluid outlet, the fluid outlet being defined by the door control valve. During a door closing operation, moving the door from the open position to the closed position, the door control device is configured to use the first pressure control module to regulate the inlet pressure associated with the door control valve and to use the second pressure control module to regulate the back pressure associated with the door control valve.

Claims

1. An automated material handling system, comprising: A wall defines an opening leading to a chamber; a door is installed in the opening and configured to switch between a closed position and an open position, the closed position being that the door covers the opening to prevent entry into the chamber, and the open position being that the door does not cover the opening; a semiconductor wafer transport device is configured to transport a semiconductor wafer through which, when the door is in the open position, the wafer either enters or leaves the chamber at least through the opening; And a door control device, comprising: a door control valve coupled to the door; a first pressure control module coupled to a fluid inlet defined by the door control valve; and a second pressure control module coupled to a fluid outlet defined by the door control valve, wherein during a door closing operation performed by the door control device to move the door from the open position to the closed position, the door control device is configured to: regulate an inlet pressure associated with the door control valve using the first pressure control module; and regulate a back pressure associated with the door control valve using the second pressure control module.

2. The automated material handling system as described in claim 1, further comprising: A detector is configured to determine one or more fluid flow metrics associated with the gate control valve, wherein the second pressure control module adjusts the back pressure associated with the gate control valve based on the one or more fluid flow metrics.

3. The automated material handling system as described in claim 1, further comprising: A wafer processing station configured to perform a semiconductor manufacturing process on the semiconductor wafer, wherein the chamber is a wafer processing chamber defined by the wafer processing station.

4. The automated material handling system as described in claim 1, further comprising: A vacuum transmission module, wherein: the chamber is a vacuum transmission chamber defined by the vacuum transmission module; and the vacuum transmission module includes a vacuum source configured to adjust a pressure in the vacuum transmission chamber.

5. The automated material handling system as described in claim 1, wherein: The gate control valve includes a cylinder and a piston, the piston separating a first space in the cylinder from a second space in the cylinder; the inlet pressure regulated by the first pressure control module corresponds to a first pressure in the first space; and the back pressure regulated by the second pressure control module corresponds to a second pressure in the second space.

6. A method for automating material handling, comprising: A door control valve is used to perform a door opening operation to move the door from a closed position to an open position, the closed position being that the door covers an opening defined by a wall, and the open position being that the door does not cover the opening; when the door is in the open position, a semiconductor wafer is transmitted through the opening; and the door control valve is used to perform a door closing operation to move the door from the open position to the closed position, wherein performing the door closing operation includes: adjusting an inlet pressure associated with the door control valve using a first pressure control module; and adjusting a back pressure associated with the door control valve using a second pressure control module.

7. The method as described in claim 6, further comprising: A detector is used to determine one or more fluid flow measurements associated with the gate control valve, wherein, based on the one or more fluid flow measurements, the back pressure associated with the gate control valve is adjusted using a second pressure control module.

8. A door control device, comprising: A door control valve coupled to a door installed in an opening defined by a wall, wherein the door is configured to switch between a closed position and an open position, the closed position being in which the door covers the opening and the open position being in which the door does not cover the opening; a first pressure control module coupled to a fluid inlet defined by the door control valve; and a second pressure control module coupled to a fluid outlet defined by the door control valve, wherein during a door closing operation to move the door from the open position to the closed position, the door control device is configured to: regulate an inlet pressure associated with the door control valve using the first pressure control module; and regulate a back pressure associated with the door control valve using the second pressure control module.

9. The door control device as described in claim 8, wherein: The gate control valve includes a cylinder and a piston, the piston separating a first space in the cylinder from a second space in the cylinder; the inlet pressure regulated by the first pressure control module corresponds to a first pressure in the first space; and the back pressure regulated by the second pressure control module corresponds to a second pressure in the second space.

10. The door control device as described in claim 8, wherein: During the door closing operation, the door control device is configured to use the second pressure control module to increase the back pressure associated with the door control valve.

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