Cleaning module, storage system, and cleaning method for storage apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
The accumulation of dust on high shelves in semiconductor manufacturing stockers leads to contamination of processed objects and reduces production efficiency due to the need for manual cleaning, which disrupts the logistics flow and requires stopping the operation of the stocker.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning module with a housing, suction mechanism, and trap member that collects dust on support shelves without stopping the operation of the storage apparatus, using a transport unit to carry the module between shelves and discharge collected particles externally.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If manual cleaning operation is performed to remove dust accumulated on shelves, then dust removal effectiveness is improved, but stocker operation must be stopped and production efficiency is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning module autonomously navigates to shelves, detects dust accumulation, and performs cleaning operations without human intervention. The module independently manages its movement, cleaning execution, and particle discharge, enabling the stocker to clean itself during normal operation or maintenance periods without requiring external manual cleaning that would halt production.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning module acts as an intermediary device between the stocker and the dust particles. It equipped with suction mechanisms and navigation capabilities to mediate the cleaning process, allowing dust removal without direct human intervention that would stop the stocker operation. The module can be deployed during maintenance steps to clean the stocker while minimizing impact on production.
2Quantity of substance
If stocker is manufactured to be very high to increase receiving containers per unit area, then storage capacity is improved, but cleaning difficulty increases and safety risks arise
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces manual mechanical cleaning operations with an automated cleaning module that uses robotic navigation, sensors, and suction mechanisms. This substitution eliminates the need for operators to physically access high shelves, making cleaning feasible in vertically extensive stockers where manual intervention would be dangerous or impractical.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning module is designed with dynamic movement capabilities, including navigation to different shelf levels and adaptive positioning. The module can dynamically adjust its cleaning head position and suction force based on detected dust conditions, enabling effective cleaning across the entire height range of the stocker without fixed installation constraints.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If cleaning operation is performed to remove dust, then dust accumulation is reduced, but stocker operation interruption occurs and logistics flow is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning module is designed to operate during maintenance steps without interrupting normal stocker operations. The system maintains continuous useful action by allowing the stocker to continue its primary function of storing and transporting receiving containers while the cleaning module independently performs dust removal. This eliminates the need to stop logistics flow for cleaning purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning module can be deployed during scheduled maintenance periods before dust accumulation becomes critical. By performing preliminary cleaning actions during maintenance windows, the system prevents dust buildup that would otherwise require operational shutdowns, thereby reducing overall operation interruption time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effective dust collection on support shelves is achieved without interrupting the storage apparatus' operation, enhancing production efficiency and maintaining cleanliness in semiconductor manufacturing lines.
Implementation Method 1
a suction mechanism that is installed in the inner space and that forms an air flow introduced into the inner space
Implementation Method 2
a trap member that traps particles introduced into the inner space by the air flow formed by the suction mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a cleaning module for cleaning a storage apparatus. The cleaning module includes a housing that defines an inner space, a suction mechanism that is installed in the inner space and that forms an air flow introduced into the inner space, and an exhaust part that discharges the air flow introduced into the inner space by the suction mechanism to the outside of the housing.