Adjustable Load Port Carrier Plate for Multi-Cassette Nozzle Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The lack of a unified standard specification for wafer transfer cassettes results in the need for multiple carrier plates, leading to inconvenient operations and increased costs due to the need to match different specifications, and the challenge of maintaining a clean microenvironment around wafers.
Innovation Solution
A carrier plate with adjustable nozzles that can be positioned to correspond to various types of wafer transfer cassettes, allowing a single plate to be used with multiple cassette types, thereby reducing the need for multiple plates and enhancing operational convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple carrier plates are prepared to match different specifications of wafer transfer cassettes, then compatibility with various cassette types is improved, but device complexity and storage space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier plate is designed with multiple nozzles that can be positioned at different locations to accommodate different types of wafer transfer cassettes. The plate includes a first nozzle for injecting gas into air holes, a second nozzle for injecting gas into side holes, and a third nozzle for exhausting gas from air holes, allowing a single plate to perform multiple functions and兼容 different cassette specifications
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier plate employs movable nozzles that can be adjusted to different positions based on the type of wafer transfer cassette being used. The first, second, and third nozzles can move to align with different air hole and side hole arrangements, enabling dynamic adaptation to various cassette configurations without requiring multiple fixed plates
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple carrier plates are prepared for different cassette specifications, then adaptability is improved, but storage space and operational convenience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
A single carrier plate is designed to handle multiple cassette types by incorporating nozzles that can be positioned to match different air hole and side hole arrangements. This universal design eliminates the need for operators to select between multiple specialized plates, simplifying the operational process
Solution Approach 2:
The movable nozzle mechanism allows the carrier plate to automatically or manually adjust to the correct configuration for the inserted cassette type. This dynamic positioning capability ensures that operators only need to load the cassette and the plate will adapt, significantly improving ease of operation
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple carrier plates are prepared for different cassette types, then compatibility is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of manufacturing multiple specialized carrier plates for different cassette types, a single universal plate is produced with movable nozzles that can be positioned to accommodate various air hole and side hole arrangements. This reduces manufacturing costs by eliminating the need to produce and inventory multiple plate variants
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic nozzle positioning system allows a single manufactured plate to replace multiple static plates. The ability to move nozzles to different positions provides the functionality of multiple plates while incurring the manufacturing cost of only one plate design
Data Source
AI summary
A carrier plate applied for a load port is provided, which includes a first guide slot is provided with a first switch to drive a first nozzle to move up and down to switch the position, a second guide slot is provided with a second switch to drive a second nozzle to move up and down to switch the position, a third guide slot is provided with a third switch to drive a third nozzle to move obliquely to switch the position, and a fourth guide slot is provided with a fourth nozzle to move obliquely to switch the position, thereby, the first nozzle, the second nozzle, the third nozzle and the fourth nozzle move to the positions corresponding to the air holes on each of the bottoms of the wafer transfer cassettes to inflate or exhaust the wafer transfer cassette.