Vacuum Lifting Head Structure for Stable Needle Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lifting heads in semiconductor manufacturing face challenges in maintaining the position of the needle relative to the lifting device due to air leakage from vacuum ports, leading to potential movement and misalignment during changes in negative pressure, which is exacerbated by the need for frequent adjustments with diverse semiconductor chip types.
Innovation Solution
The lifting head and device incorporate a configuration with a base member gripped by a first negative pressure passage and a needle cap gripped by a second negative pressure passage, using suction elastic members and pressing elastic members to maintain the needle's position, preventing air leakage and allowing easy detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the lifting head is made detachable for frequent needle position changes, then adaptability to diverse chip types is improved, but positioning stability deteriorates due to air leakage from vacuum ports
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting head is divided into separate components: a base member with a first vacuum port for holding the lifting head, and a needle cap with a second vacuum port for holding the needle. This segmentation allows independent positioning control of each component, preventing movement caused by pressure fluctuations while maintaining adaptability for different chip types.
Solution Approach 2:
A pressing elastic member is introduced as an intermediary between the needle cap and the base member. This elastic member applies continuous pressing force to ensure tight contact between components, preventing air leakage from the first vacuum port while allowing the detachable structure to remain in place for frequent reconfiguration.
2Ease of operation
If the needle cap is coupled to the base member with vacuum communication, then ease of attachment/detachment is improved, but positioning precision deteriorates due to play between protrusion and recess
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing elastic member serves as a mediator that eliminates the play between the protrusion and recess interfaces. By applying continuous elastic pressing force, it ensures tight contact between the needle cap and base member, achieving precise positioning while maintaining the simple attach/detach mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing elastic member changes the contact pressure parameter between components from a static, loose fit to a dynamic, high-pressure contact state. This parameter change eliminates gaps and ensures precise positioning without complicating the attachment mechanism.
3Device complexity
If a single vacuum port is used for holding both lifting head and needle, then device complexity is reduced, but positioning stability deteriorates due to pressure fluctuations affecting both components
Solution Approach 1:
The single vacuum system is segmented into two independent vacuum ports: the first vacuum port exclusively for holding the lifting head, and the second vacuum port exclusively for holding the needle. This segmentation isolates pressure fluctuations to individual components, preventing cascading effects while adding minimal complexity to the overall system.
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
This configuration ensures stable and reproducible positioning of the needle relative to the lifting device, preventing movement during changes in negative pressure and facilitating easy attachment and detachment, even with diverse semiconductor chip types.
Implementation Method 1
a base member (2) which is gripped by a suction force of a first negative pressure passage (16e) of the attachment member (16) in a state in which the base member (2) is positioned on the attachment member (16)
Implementation Method 2
an inside of the needle cap (9) is gripped by a suction force of a second negative pressure passage (14b) of a raising/lowering drive mechanism (11)
Data Source
AI summary
A lifting head comprises a base member that has a suctioned surface, a raising/lowering shaft supported by the base member and having a raising/lowering axial channel, a contact member fixed to one end of the raising/lowering shaft and contacting with a raising/lowering drive mechanism of a lifting device, a needle support member fixed to the other end of the raising/lowering shaft and supporting a needle, and a needle cap having a stage at one end thereof and fixed to the base member. The suctioned surface of the base member is gripped by a suction force of a first negative pressure passage of an attachment member of the lifting device. While the contact member contacts with the raising/lowering drive mechanism, an inside of the needle cap is suctioned by a suction force of a second negative pressure passage of the raising/lowering drive mechanism via the raising/lowering axial channel.