Unmanned gas cylinder supply / discharge device

Abstract

The present invention relates to an unmanned gas cylinder supply / discharge device for supplying gas cylinders from a stocker to a cabinet or discharging same in order to supply gas to a wafer production line in fabrication process (FAB) equipment of a semiconductor, wherein safety caps are separated from gas cylinders stored in the stocker and stored, and then an autonomous mobile robot moves the gas cylinders from the stocker to the cabinet for supply. To this end, the present invention comprises: a stocker (20) installed in a bunker room (10) for storing at least one filled gas cylinder (30) and exhausted gas cylinders; a safety cap handling unit (60) provided in the stocker for separating and storing safety caps (32) from the gas cylinders or fastening the safety caps (32); a cabinet (70) installed in the bunker room (10) for supplying gas from the gas cylinders to the gas supply line; an autonomous mobile robot (11) for mounting the gas cylinders (30) and transporting same while traveling inside the bunker room (10); and an integrated management system for controlling the stocker (20), the autonomous mobile robot (11), and the cabinet (70) while communicating with the stocker (20), the autonomous mobile robot (11), and the cabinet (70).

Description

Gas cylinder unmanned supply / discharge device

[0001] The present invention relates to an unmanned gas cylinder supply / discharge device that unmannedly supplies or discharges a gas cylinder from a stocker to a cabinet to supply gas to a wafer production line in a semiconductor FAB process (Fabrication Process) facility, and more specifically, to an unmanned gas cylinder supply / discharge device that separates a safety cap from a gas cylinder stored in a stocker, stores it, and then uses an autonomous driving robot to move the gas cylinder from the stocker to a cabinet and then supply it.

[0002] In general, various types of gases are supplied and used in the manufacturing process of semiconductors depending on the purpose. However, most of these gases require careful attention as they can cause serious damage such as safety accidents and environmental pollution if inhaled by the human body or exposed to the atmosphere.

[0003] For example, the types of gases used in the ion implantation process include fluid gases such as arsenic hydride (AsH3: Arsine), phosphine (PH3: Phosphine), or boron trifluoride (BF3: Boron Fluoride). These gases are highly toxic and can cause fatal consequences if inhaled by workers. Therefore, they must be carefully managed to prevent leakage during the process of supplying them to the production line.

[0004] The management of gases used in semiconductor manufacturing processes such as this is very important. These gases are charged at high pressure in gas cylinders, mounted in a cabinet, and supplied to the production line through a gas supply line. When about 90% of the gas is used up, workers replace the gas cylinder with a new one to prevent foreign substances remaining inside the gas cylinder from being supplied to the wafer processing process, thereby continuously supplying the gas.

[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a gas supply device for semiconductor equipment according to a conventional technology. A cabinet (1) is positioned at a predetermined location outside of a FAB (7) so that a plurality of gas cylinders (not shown) each filled with process gases such as SiH4, PH3, NF3, CF4, etc. required by various equipment (8) within the FAB (7) can be installed, and a duct (4) is installed on one side of the cabinet (1) so as to guide gas supply lines (3) respectively connected to the gas cylinders.

[0006] On the other side of the above duct (4), a number of regulator boxes (5) corresponding to the number of gas cylinders are installed so that process gas introduced along the gas supply line (3) can be supplied, and a number of supply pipes (9) equal to the number of equipment (8) are connected to the upper part of each regulator box (5) so that they can be connected to each equipment (8) in the FAB (7).

[0007] Accordingly, when process gas is supplied from each gas cylinder installed in the cabinet (1), each process gas flows into each regulator box (5) along the gas supply line (3) passing through the interior of the duct (4).

[0008] Afterwards, each process gas flowing into each regulator box (5) is purified through a filter (not shown) and then supplied along each supply pipe (9) that is branched and connected to the corresponding number of equipment (8) in the FAB (7), thereby enabling wafer processing.

[0009] As described above, when gas is supplied to the gas supply line (3) and the gas runs out and the time to replace the gas cylinder is detected by the control unit (not shown), the worker closes the valve of the used gas cylinder and then separates it from the external gas line.

[0010] Afterwards, the worker disconnects the exhausted gas cylinder from the gas supply line, unloads it from the cabinet (1), transports it to a stocker (not shown), replaces it with a filled gas cylinder, reconnects the gas cylinder to the external gas line, and opens the valve handle that closes the gas injection nozzle, thereby completing the replacement of the gas cylinder.

[0011] However, these conventional devices had several problems, including:

[0012] First, exhausted gas cylinders must be replaced quickly to ensure that the supply of gas to the gas line is not interrupted. However, since the worker had to transport the heavy gas cylinders stored in the stocker to the cabinet side using a cart to replace them, not only was quick replacement of the gas cylinders impossible, but the worker's fatigue was also increased.

[0013] Second, since the worker manually replaced the exhausted gas cylinders loaded in the cabinet whenever the gas was exhausted, human error occurred depending on the worker's skill level.

[0014] Third, there was a fatal defect that could cause an explosion or poisoning of the worker by leaking gas from the gas cylinder if the worker was careless while carrying or replacing the gas cylinder.

[0015] The present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems of the past, and its purpose is to drastically improve the structure so that when a worker or an autonomous driving robot fills a plurality of gas cylinders filled with gas into the inside of a stocker, the autonomous driving robot clamps the gas cylinders in the stocker under the control of an integrated management system, loads them, transports them unmanned to the cabinet side, and then automatically supplies or discharges them.

[0016] Another object of the present invention is to prevent safety accidents due to gas leakage in advance by detaching the safety cap from the gas cylinder before transporting the gas cylinder stored in the stocker to the cabinet side, and then attaching the safety cap stored to the empty gas cylinder when the empty gas cylinder is returned to the stocker by an autonomous driving robot after all gas has been supplied from the cabinet.

[0017] According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, a gas cylinder unmanned supply / discharge device is provided, characterized by comprising: a stocker installed in a bunker room to store at least one filled gas cylinder and an exhausted gas cylinder; a safety cap handling unit provided in the stocker to separate and store or fasten a safety cap from the gas cylinder; a cabinet installed in the bunker room to supply gas from the gas cylinder to a gas supply line; an autonomous driving robot that carries the gas cylinder and transports it while driving inside the bunker room; and an integrated management system that controls the stocker, the autonomous driving robot, and the cabinet while communicating with each other.

[0018] The present invention enables unmanned bunker rooms by allowing a worker or an autonomous driving robot to simply fill a plurality of gas cylinders filled with gas into a stocker, and then the autonomous driving robot clamps the gas cylinders in the stocker under the control of an integrated management system, loads them, transports them unmanned to a cabinet, and then automatically supplies or discharges them. In addition, before transporting the gas cylinders stored in the stocker to the cabinet, the safety caps are separated from the gas cylinders and stored, and when the gas cylinders are completely supplied from the cabinet and the exhausted gas cylinders are returned to the stocker by the autonomous driving robot, the safety caps stored are attached to the exhausted gas cylinders, thereby preventing safety accidents due to gas leakage in advance.

[0019] Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a gas supply device for semiconductor equipment according to a conventional technology.

[0020] Figure 2 is a floor plan showing one embodiment of the bunker room of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the bunker room of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the autonomous driving robot of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the stocker of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the safety cap handling unit of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of Figure 6.

[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily practice the present invention. The present invention may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. It should be noted that the drawings are schematic and not drawn to scale. The relative dimensions and proportions of parts in the drawings are exaggerated or reduced in size for clarity and convenience in the drawings, and any dimensions are merely illustrative and not limiting. In addition, the same reference numerals are used for the same structures, elements, or parts appearing in two or more drawings to indicate similar features.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a bunker room of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an autonomous driving robot of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a stocker of the present invention. In the present invention, a stocker (20) in which at least one filled gas cylinder (30) and an exhausted gas cylinder are stored is installed inside a bunker room (10), and a safety cap handling unit (60) is provided inside the stocker (20) to separate and store a safety cap (32) from a gas cylinder (30), and then reattach the stored safety cap (32) when the used exhausted gas cylinder (30) is retrieved, thereby preventing a safety accident in advance in which toxic gas leaks due to careless opening of the valve (31).

[0028] The above stocker (20) may be provided with only an inner door (21) so as to be located inside the bunker room (10), so that the autonomous driving robot (11) can move inside the bunker room (10) along the driving guidance means (12) as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, or can automatically take out or store the gas cylinder (30) from the stocker (20) while moving by a driving means (not shown) that obtains location information by a laser or camera as a wireless guidance method. However, it is more preferable to additionally install an outer door (22) so that a worker can handle the gas cylinder (30) outside the bunker room (10).

[0029] This not only reduces worker fatigue by allowing the worker to store or take out the heavy gas cylinder (30) from outside the bunker room (10) instead of carrying it inside the bunker room (10), but also minimizes the worker's exposure to toxic gas.

[0030] It is understandable that the inner door (21) or outer door (22) installed in the above-mentioned stocker (20) can be installed in any one of the types of hinged, sliding, or double-door.

[0031] In FIG. 6, which illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, the safety cap handling unit (60) comprises an X-axis rail (61) installed horizontally on the upper portion of the stocker (20), a Z-axis rail (62) installed on the X-axis rail, a slider (63) installed so as to be able to ascend and descend on the Z-axis rail, a holder (64) installed on the slider and covering the safety cap (32) of the gas cylinder (30), a pair of clamps (66) installed directly below the holder and moving according to the operation of the clamp cylinder (65) to clamp the lower end of the safety cap (32), and a motor (67) installed on the upper portion of the slider and rotating the holder (64) to separate or attach the safety cap (32) from the gas cylinder (30).

[0032] At this time, it is more preferable to further provide a tilt means (68) on the upper part of the holder (64) for finely adjusting the position of the holder along the X - Y direction.

[0033] This is to enable the safety cap (32) to be wrapped while the position of the holder (64) is finely adjusted along the X - Y direction by the tilt means (68) when the slider (63) is lowered, even if the position of the gas cylinder (30) placed on the gas cylinder die (40) changes slightly.

[0034] The above gas cylinder die (40) has a horizontal tilt function, an angular tilt function, a die free rotation function, and a die rotation and angular tilt fixed clamp function.

[0035] Although the lowering stroke of the holder (64) may be adjusted, it is more preferable to install a sensor (69) that detects the safety cap (32) of the gas cylinder (30) on a pair of clamps (66) so that the operation of the slider (63) that lowers the holder (64) is stopped when the sensor (69) detects the safety cap (32).

[0036] In addition, each gas cylinder (30) is equipped with a barcode (33) containing information on the stored gas, and the safety cap handling unit (60) is equipped with a reading means (34) for checking the information of the barcode (33) attached to the gas cylinder (30).

[0037] In addition, in the bunker room (10), a cabinet (70) is installed in-line to supply gas from a gas cylinder (30) to a gas supply line, and inside the bunker room (10), an autonomous driving robot (11) equipped with a gas cylinder (30) is moved along a driving guidance means (12) installed on the floor, or is moved by a driving means that obtains location information using a laser or camera, which is a wireless guidance method, and is transported.

[0038] As described above, the cabinets (70) installed in the bunker room (10) are arranged symmetrically in multiple rows on both sides of the driving guidance means (12) so that the autonomous driving robot (11) can move along the driving guidance means (12) or, while moving by the driving means that obtains location information by a laser or camera as a wireless guidance method, replace the gas cylinder (30) in the cabinet (70), which is more preferable because a larger number of cabinets (70) can be arranged inside the limited bunker room (10).

[0039] When the above cabinets (70) are arranged symmetrically in multiple rows on both sides of the driving guidance means (12), the autonomous driving robot (11) can turn 90° or 180° in a space where there are no cabinets at both ends of the cabinet (70) and then move along the driving guidance means (12) while supplying or discharging the gas cylinder (30) to the cabinet (70).

[0040] At this time, it is understandable that the stocker (20) can be installed not only to have a 90° phase difference with the cabinet (70) as shown in FIG. 2, but can also be installed parallel to the cabinet (70) as shown in FIG. 3, which is another embodiment.

[0041] A self-driving robot (11) that moves by moving along a driving guidance means (12) installed on the floor of the bunker room (10) or by moving by a driving means that obtains location information by a laser or camera as a wireless guidance method, and carries a gas cylinder (30) is equipped with a gripping unit (11a), so that the gripping unit (11a) clamps the gas cylinder (30) and then moves up, backward, and down to load it onto the self-driving robot (11), or an empty gas cylinder loaded onto the self-driving robot (11) is clamped by the gripper unit (11a), then moves up, forward, and down to be placed into a cabinet (70), and then a clamper unit (50) provided in the cabinet (70) clamps the gas cylinder (30), so that the gripping unit (11a) of the self-driving robot (11) releases the clamping state of the gas cylinder (30) so that the gas cylinder (30) is released. It is designed to be built into the cabinet (70).

[0042] The operation of the present invention is explained as follows.

[0043] First, the process of supplying gas from a gas cylinder built into a cabinet (omitted) to a gas process line and then, as the gas runs out, an autonomous driving robot (omitted) transports the exhausted gas cylinder from the cabinet and loads it into a stocker (20), and then removing a filled gas cylinder (30) from the stocker (20) and supplying it to the cabinet will be described.

[0044] Before transporting the gas cylinder (30) stored in the above stocker (20) to the cabinet (70), the safety cap (32) that was protecting the valve (31) must be separated and stored by the safety cap fastening means (60).

[0045] To this end, the Z-axis rail (62) on which the slider (63) is installed so as to be able to rise and fall moves along the X-axis rail (61), and when the holder (64) installed on the slider (63) reaches the upper part of the gas cylinder (30), the movement of the Z-axis rail (62) is stopped.

[0046] In this state, the holder (64) descends along the Z-axis rail (62), and when the holder (64) wraps around the safety cap (32), a pair of sensors (69) installed in the clamp (66) detect the safety cap (32), and then the descent of the slider (63) stops.

[0047] Even if the position of the gas cylinder (30) placed on the gas cylinder die (40) is misaligned during the above operation, a tilt means (68) is provided so that the holder (64) can be finely adjusted along the X - Y direction, so that the holder (64) stably wraps the safety cap (32).

[0048] In addition, when the slider (63) descends, the reading means (34) provided in the safety cap fastening means (60) checks the information of the gas filled in the gas cylinder (30) through the barcode (33) attached to the gas cylinder (30), thereby preventing the phenomenon of the gas cylinder (30) being incorrectly supplied to the cabinet (70).

[0049] After the slider (63) has completed its descent through the above-described operation, the clamp cylinder (65) is driven, so that a pair of clamps (66) clamp the lower part of the safety cap (32).

[0050] After that, as the motor (67) drives and rotates the holder (64), the safety cap (32) is separated from the gas cylinder (30) and accommodated inside the holder (64).

[0051] When the holder (64) is rotated by the driving of the above motor (67) and the safety cap (32) is received inside the holder (64), the slider (63) rises to the top dead center along the Z-axis rail (62) and at the same time, the Z-axis rail (62) returns to the initial position along the X-axis rail (61) and waits.

[0052] At the same time, the inner door (21) of the stocker (20) is automatically opened by the control of the integrated management system (city is omitted), and the autonomous driving robot (11) transporting the gas cylinder (30) toward the cabinet (70) moves toward the stocker (20) along the driving guidance means (12) and stops in front of the gas cylinder (30).

[0053] When the above autonomous driving robot (11) is stopped in front of the gas cylinder (30), the gas cylinder (30) is gripped by the gripping unit provided in the autonomous driving robot (11), and then the clamper unit (50) releases the clamping state of the gas cylinder (30), so that the gas cylinder (30) can be mounted on the autonomous driving robot (11).

[0054] Accordingly, the gas cylinder (30) mounted on the autonomous driving robot (11) can be transported to the cabinet (70) side, and the gas cylinder (30) can be stored in the cabinet (70).

[0055] Meanwhile, when the gas cylinder (30) is transported to the cabinet (70) by the operation described above and all gas is supplied to the gas process line, the detection means detects this and notifies the integrated management system of the time to replace the gas cylinder.

[0056] Therefore, the autonomous driving robot (11) must move to the cabinet (70) side, load the exhausted gas cylinder, then move to the stocker (20) side, store it in the stocker (20), and transport the filled gas cylinder (30) to the cabinet (70).

[0057] After the autonomous driving robot (11) transports the exhausted gas cylinder to the stocker (20), the gripper unit of the autonomous driving robot (11), which was maintaining the clamper unit (50) in a mutually opened state, moves the exhausted gas cylinder to be placed on top of the gas cylinder die (40) of the stocker (20).

[0058] After the exhausted gas cylinder is placed on the upper surface of the gas cylinder die (40) through the above-described operation, the clamper unit (50) clamps the exhausted gas cylinder and simultaneously releases the clamping of the exhausted gas cylinder by the gripper unit, so that the autonomous driving robot (11) moves to the charging position and waits.

[0059] After the exhausted gas cylinder is stored inside the stocker (20), the safety cap (32) stored in the holder (64) of the safety cap fastening means (60) must be fastened to the exhausted gas cylinder to prevent an accident in which the toxic gas remaining in the exhausted gas cylinder leaks due to the valve (31) being opened inadvertently.

[0060] Accordingly, when the Z-axis rail (62) moves along the X-axis rail (61) and the holder (64) installed on the slider (63) reaches the top of the exhausted gas cylinder, the movement of the Z-axis rail (62) stops.

[0061] In this state, the holder (64) descends along the Z-axis rail (62) and wraps the gas cylinder (30) in which the safety cap (32) contained in the holder (64) is exhausted. Then, the motor (67) drives the holder (64) to rotate, so that the safety cap (32) is safely attached to the exhausted gas cylinder.

[0062] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the attached drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without changing the technical idea or essential features.

[0063] Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as being exemplary and not restrictive in all respects, and the scope of the present invention described in the detailed description above is indicated by the claims described below, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

[0064] The present invention enables a self-driving robot to remove the safety cap from a gas cylinder stored in a stocker, store it, and then move the gas cylinder from the stocker to a cabinet for resupply. Therefore, it has industrial applicability, making it useful in semiconductor manufacturing.

Claims

1. A stoker installed in the bunker room, in which at least one filled gas cylinder and one exhausted gas cylinder are stored, A safety cap handling unit provided in the above stocker to separate and store or attach the safety cap from the gas cylinder, A cabinet installed in the above bunker room to supply gas from a gas cylinder to a gas supply line, An autonomous driving robot that carries the above gas cylinder and moves inside the bunker room to transport it, A gas cylinder unmanned supply / discharge device characterized by comprising an integrated management system that controls the above-mentioned stocker, autonomous driving robot, and cabinet while communicating with each other.

2. In claim 1, A gas cylinder unmanned supply / discharge device characterized in that a driving guidance means for guiding the movement of an autonomous driving robot or a driving means that obtains location information by using a laser or camera as a wireless guidance method is installed on the floor of the bunker room, so that the autonomous driving robot follows the driving guidance means or moves by the driving means that obtains location information by using a laser or camera as a wireless guidance method.

3. In claim 2, A gas cylinder unmanned supply / discharge device characterized in that multiple rows of cabinets are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the driving guidance means so that the autonomous driving robot replaces the gas cylinder in the cabinet while moving along the driving guidance means.

4. In claim 3, The above autonomous driving robot is a gas cylinder unmanned supply / discharge device characterized in that it supplies or discharges gas cylinders to the cabinet while moving along a driving guidance means in a state where the autonomous driving robot rotates 90° or 180° in a space where there are no cabinets at the left and right ends of the cabinets installed in multiple rows to suit the installation of the cabinets.

5. In claim 1, A gas cylinder unmanned supply / discharge device characterized in that the above-mentioned stocker is arranged inline with a cabinet installed in multiple rows in a bunker room so as to have a 90° phase difference.

6. In claim 1, A gas cylinder unmanned supply / discharge device characterized in that the autonomous driving robot is provided with a gripper unit for handling a gas cylinder, the gripper unit clamps the gas cylinder and then moves up, backward, and down to load it onto an autonomous driving unit, or the gas cylinder loaded onto the autonomous driving robot is clamped by the gripper unit and then moved up, forward, and down to be placed into a cabinet, and then the clamper unit provided in the cabinet clamps the gas cylinder, and the gripper unit of the autonomous driving robot releases the clamping state of the gas cylinder so that the gas cylinder is loaded into the cabinet.

7. In claim 1, The above-mentioned stocker is a gas cylinder unmanned supply / discharge device characterized in that it is equipped with a plurality of gas cylinders to be stored and multiple gas cylinders can be replaced at once.

8. In claim 1, The above-mentioned stocker is characterized by being installed as an external door, which is an area where a worker or an autonomous robot supplies and discharges gas cylinders from outside the bunker room, and an internal door, which is an area where an autonomous robot supplies and discharges gas cylinders from inside the bunker room.

9. In claim 1, The above safety cap handling unit, An X-axis rail installed horizontally on the upper part of the above stocker, A Z-axis rail installed on the above X-axis rail, A slider installed on the Z-axis rail so that it can be raised and lowered, A holder installed on the above slider and covering the safety cap of the gas cylinder, A pair of clamps that are installed directly below the holder and clamp the lower part of the safety cap while moving according to the operation of the clamp cylinder, A gas cylinder unmanned supply / discharge device characterized by comprising a motor installed on the upper portion of the slider to rotate the holder to separate or fasten the safety cap from the gas cylinder.

10. In claim 9, A gas cylinder unmanned supply / discharge device characterized in that a barcode containing information on gas stored in each of the above gas cylinders is attached, and a safety cap handling unit is equipped with a reading means for checking the information of the barcode attached to the gas cylinder.

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