FOUP Drawer Device with Lifting Member for Narrow Gap Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual carrier unit in storage devices for semiconductor wafers faces difficulties in handling larger and heavier FOUPs due to the challenge of inserting and fixing holding members in the narrow gap between the FOUP and the shelf, which hampers workability during manual carriage.
Innovation Solution
A drawer device with a supporting member that can be inserted and fixed under the FOUP and a lifting member that switches between two height positions, allowing easy insertion and subsequent lifting and sliding of the FOUP, eliminating the need for fitting a holding member in the narrow gap.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a holding member is attached on the flange of the FOUP to enable manual carriage, then the FOUP can be manually transferred, but the workability deteriorates due to the difficulty of working in the narrow gap between the FOUP and shelf
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of attaching the holding member to the FOUP flange from above, the invention inverts the approach by placing the holding member on the shelf below and having the FOUP rest on it. This eliminates the need to work in the narrow gap during installation, as the holding member is accessible from below the shelf
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a shelf-mounted holding member as an intermediary between the shelf and the FOUP. This mediator component facilitates manual carriage by providing a secure attachment point without requiring direct manipulation in the difficult-to-access narrow gap between the FOUP and shelf
2Quantity of substance
If the FOUP becomes larger and heavier to store more semiconductor wafers, then the storage capacity increases, but the ease of manual handling deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The drawer device enables the FOUP to be drawn out automatically using its own weight and the mechanical advantage of the drawer mechanism, reducing the need for manual lifting and handling of heavy FOUPs. The alignment pins and drawer structure work together to facilitate self-guided movement
Data Source
AI summary
A drawer device and a storage device improving workability are provided. A drawer device 1 includes supporting members 2a, 2b configured to be inserted in a gap under a FOUP 120 loaded on a shelf 134 and to be fixed to the shelf 134, and lifting members configured to switch between a first height position and a second height position where the first height position enables insertion of the supporting members 2a, 2b into the gap and the second height position allows the lifting member to lift the FOUP 120 higher than the first height position, and configured to allow the FOUP 120 to slide toward the front of the shelf 134 at the second height position.