FOUP Lid Handling for Faster Inner-Surface Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current devices for cleaning pot-shaped transport containers, such as FOUPs for semiconductor wafers and EUV lithography masks, require complex movement routines and are costly due to the need for long-reaching gripping and moving devices to access the inner surfaces, leading to prolonged cleaning processes and high production downtimes.
Innovation Solution
A device with a closure body that can be moved between two positions to simplify the handling and cleaning process, featuring a fastening unit like a hinge to reduce technical effort and allow for automated locking and unlocking, enabling the use of simpler and less expensive gripping and moving devices, and a cover handling unit for independent cleaning and drying of inner and outer surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a long-reaching gripping and moving device is used to access the inner surface of FOUPs for cleaning, then the inner surface can be cleaned, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into multiple handling units, each responsible for specific cleaning tasks. The closure body is segmented to allow the FOUP to be positioned in different orientations, enabling simpler gripping devices to access the inner surface without requiring long-reaching mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure body is made movable between different positions, allowing the FOUP to be repositioned dynamically during the cleaning process. This enables the gripping and moving device to use simpler, shorter mechanisms while still accessing the inner surface through coordinated movement of the FOUP itself.
2Ease of operation
If the FOUP is kept in a fixed position during cleaning, then the gripping and moving device can operate, but the cleaning process duration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The FOUP is made dynamically repositionable through the movable closure body. During cleaning, the FOUP can be quickly switched between different positions and orientations, allowing the gripping and moving device to operate more efficiently and reduce overall cleaning time while maintaining ease of operation.
3Reliability
If the cover is removed to clean the inner surface, then thorough cleaning is possible, but the handling process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of removing the cover to access the inner surface, the FOUP is inverted or repositioned using the movable closure body. This allows the inner surface to be accessed and cleaned from the outside through coordinated movement, eliminating the need for cover removal while maintaining cleaning thoroughness.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for handling pot-shaped hollow bodies, more particularly transport containers for semiconductor wafers or for EUV lithography masks includes a wall, which encloses an inner space, a gripping and moving apparatus arranged in an inner space for moving the hollow body within the inner space and a wall opening which is formed by the wall, can be closed by a closure body and through which the inner space is accessible. The device includes a lid handling unit which can be detachably connected to the lid. The lid can be connected to the lid handling unit and is separated from the hollow body.