Wafer Ring Support Switching for Same-Height Wafer Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wafer delivery devices face complexity and misalignment issues when delivering wafers between vertically stacked rings, as the support pieces need to be moved up or down and circumferentially adjusted, making it difficult to deliver wafers at the same height across all rings.
Innovation Solution
A wafer delivery device with alternately stacked rings and a support mechanism featuring fixed support pieces and driving mechanisms that switch between positions to align with different ring positions, allowing for simultaneous support and delivery at the same height across multiple rings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the support piece is fixed at a predetermined vertical position to simplify the structure, then the device complexity is reduced, but the wafer delivery device cannot deliver wafers from/to each ring at the same height
Solution Approach 1:
The support piece is made movable in the vertical direction through a driving mechanism, allowing it to adjust its position dynamically. This enables the support piece to align with different vertical positions of supported elements across multiple stacked rings, facilitating wafer delivery at the same height from/to each ring while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
2Ease of operation
If the support piece is moved up or down and circumferentially adjusted to deliver wafers from/to any ring, then the wafer delivery capability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional driving mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The driving mechanism integrates both vertical movement and circumferential adjustment functions into a single coordinated system. The support piece is simultaneously driven vertically and rotated circumferentially by the same driving mechanism, eliminating the need for separate independent mechanisms for each motion, thus improving wafer delivery capability while controlling overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The support piece serves multiple functions: it supports rings, moves vertically to align with different ring positions, and rotates circumferentially to align with supported elements. This multi-functional design allows a single component to handle various delivery scenarios across multiple stacked rings, improving operational capability while avoiding the need for multiple specialized components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple driving mechanisms are used to move support pieces vertically and circumferentially, then the wafer delivery flexibility is improved, but the number of driving mechanisms increases
Solution Approach 1:
The driving mechanism combines vertical displacement and circumferential rotation functions into a single integrated system. By using one driving mechanism that can produce both types of motion, the patent reduces the total number of driving mechanisms while maintaining the flexibility needed to deliver wafers from/to any ring at any position.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
In a wafer storage container, a first ring and a second ring are stacked alternatively in a vertical direction. A wafer delivery device is provided with a first and a second ring support, a lifter and a wafer handling robot. The first ring support includes a first support piece fixed at the vertical position and a first driving mechanism that drives the first support piece. The first driving mechanism selectively switches to a first state, a second state, and a third state. The first state is a state in that the first support piece overlaps with the first position in a plan view, the second state is a state in that the first support piece overlaps with the second position in a plan view, and the third state is a state in that the first support piece does not overlap with the first and the second positions in a plan view.