Ceiling Transferring Unit Vibration Control via Dynamic Belt Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor manufacturing line transferring vehicles experience inefficiencies due to long waiting times and significant vibrations during container transfer, leading to potential contamination and damage of articles.
Innovation Solution
A transferring unit with a controller that manages the lifting and traveling drivers to maintain constant speed and belt length during acceleration and deceleration sections, performing shaking damping operations to minimize vibrations and shorten transfer times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the belt is wound or unwound while the transferring vehicle is traveling, then the waiting time is shortened and operational efficiency is increased, but the belt length changes significantly during acceleration and deceleration, causing the gripper position to change and generate vibrations that may contaminate or damage articles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the belt length adjustable during travel. The lifting driver dynamically changes the belt length to compensate for vibrations caused by acceleration and deceleration, while still allowing the gripper to move vertically during constant-speed travel to reduce waiting time. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between efficiency and vibration control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of belt length dynamically during operation. During acceleration and deceleration phases, the belt length is adjusted to maintain gripper position stability and reduce vibrations. During constant-speed phases, the belt length can change to enable gripper movement for container transfer, thus reducing waiting time while controlling harmful vibrations.
2Reliability
If the transferring vehicle stops completely to transfer containers, then the transfer operation is stable and accurate, but the operational efficiency is degraded due to long waiting times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous operation by allowing the gripper to move vertically during constant-speed travel phases without stopping the transferring vehicle. The lifting driver operates continuously to adjust gripper position while the vehicle travels, eliminating idle waiting time while maintaining transfer stability through controlled motion during stable travel phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodic action by operating the lifting driver during specific phases of the vehicle's travel cycle (constant-speed sections) while maintaining vehicle motion. This periodic operation allows container transfer activities to occur during stable travel phases, combining motion with transfer operations to improve efficiency while maintaining reliability.
3Loss of time
If the belt length is changed during acceleration and deceleration sections, then the gripper position changes significantly and vibrations increase, but maintaining fixed belt length increases waiting time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selectively changes the belt length parameter based on the vehicle's motion phase. During acceleration and deceleration, the belt length is kept fixed to maintain gripper position stability. During constant-speed travel, the belt length is changed to enable gripper movement for container transfer, thus reducing waiting time without compromising stability during critical phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamic control by adjusting the belt length based on real-time vehicle motion conditions. The lifting driver is activated only during constant-speed phases when vibrations are minimal, allowing dynamic gripper position adjustment without inducing harmful vibrations during acceleration and deceleration phases.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a transferring unit traveling on a rail provided along a ceiling, the transferring unit including: a body provided with a traveling driver; traveling wheel rotated by receiving power from the traveling driver; a grip member configured to grip an article; a lifting member provided between the body and the grip member and configured to move the grip member in a vertical direction; and a controller, in which the controller lowers or raises the grip member while the transferring unit travels on the rail, in which the controller controls the lifting member and the traveling driver so that the lowering or raising of the grip member is performed in a constant speed section in which the transferring unit travels at a constant speed.