Carrier Device Dew Condensation Suppression via Negative Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Carrier devices used in wet environments, such as CMP apparatuses, face issues with dew condensation due to high humidity, leading to corrosion and sensor detection errors, which affect stable substrate conveyance and reduce equipment lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A carrier device with a gas supply unit to purge internal spaces with dry air and an exhaust unit to maintain negative pressure, controlling gas supply based on external atmospheric pressure to prevent dew condensation and particle leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a high sealing structure is employed to prevent water and high humidity air from entering the transfer robot, then the sealing performance is improved, but the complexity of the device increases and the sealing mechanism may still fail over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sealing function from a complex mechanical sealing mechanism and replaces it with a simple pressure differential approach. By maintaining negative pressure inside the transfer robot body, the system prevents humidity ingress without requiring complex seals, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an inert environment by maintaining negative pressure inside the transfer robot body. This pressure differential establishes a protective atmosphere that prevents humid external air from entering through gaps or failed seals, effectively replacing complex physical sealing with a simpler pressure-based protective environment.
2Productivity
If the transfer robot operates in a wet environment to convey substrates, then the productivity is improved, but the internal components are exposed to high humidity causing dew condensation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by maintaining negative pressure inside the transfer robot body before humidity ingress can occur. This preventive measure counteracts the harmful effect of dew condensation by ensuring that humid air cannot enter the internal space, thereby protecting components while allowing continuous operation in wet environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter inside the transfer robot body from atmospheric pressure to negative pressure. This parameter change fundamentally alters the behavior of air and humidity, preventing dew condensation by ensuring that the internal environment remains dry even when operating in wet conditions, thus enabling continuous high-productivity operation.
3Reliability
If sealing members are used to prevent humidity ingress, then the reliability is improved, but the sealing property degrades over time due to time degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the humidity prevention function from time-degradable sealing members and implements it through a pressure differential system. By maintaining negative pressure inside the transfer robot body, the system achieves long-term humidity prevention without relying on sealing members that degrade over time, thereby extending the service life of the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a sustained inert environment through continuous negative pressure maintenance. This approach replaces degradable physical seals with a persistent pressure-based protective atmosphere that prevents humidity ingress indefinitely, eliminating the service life limitation imposed by sealing member degradation.
4Reliability
If the transfer robot is sealed to prevent humidity entry, then the reliability is improved, but the atmospheric pressure inside increases relative to the external environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by maintaining negative pressure inside the transfer robot body rather than positive pressure. This inversion prevents dew condensation by ensuring that the internal pressure is lower than the external pressure, creating a pressure gradient that prevents humid air from entering while avoiding the problems of positive pressure accumulation.
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
The solution effectively suppresses dew condensation and maintains cleanliness within the carrier device, preventing corrosion and sensor errors while ensuring stable substrate conveyance and extending equipment lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
a gas supply unit configured to supply a gas to an internal space of the end effector and/or of the arm
Implementation Method 2
an exhaust unit configured to discharge the gas in the internal space of the end effector and/or of the arm, and to maintain a state of negative pressure inside of the carrier device
Data Source
AI summary
An object is to suppress dew condensation in a carrier device. There is provided a carrier device comprising a body; a rotational part provided to be rotatable relative to the body; an arm supported on the rotational part; an end effector provided in a leading end portion of the arm and configured to hold a work; a gas supply unit configured to supply a gas to an arm-side internal space provided in an arm-side base portion of the end effector and/or in the leading end portion of the arm; and an exhaust unit provided in a body-side internal space that communicates with the arm-side internal space and configured to discharge the gas in the arm-side internal space and/or in the body-side internal space.