JP3184479B2 - Vacuum clean box, clean transfer method and device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is capable of transferring conveyed objects required in the manufacturing process of semiconductors, electronic parts-related products, optical disks, etc. in a clean state free of contaminants. The present invention relates to a vacuum clean box configured to carry out and carry in from a side opening, and a clean transfer method and apparatus using the vacuum clean box.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-235580 by the present applicant.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-260, a clean transfer method for transferring a transferred object by vacuum sealing it in a vacuum clean box has been proposed. FIG. 5 shows an example of a vacuum clean box used in this case.

A vacuum clean box 1 shown in FIG. 5 comprises a box body 2 and a bottom lid 3 which also serves as a shutter for hermetic sealing, and a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the box (the inside of the box is vacuum, the outside is atmospheric pressure). As a result, the bottom cover 3 is pushed to maintain the closed state. On the bottom cover 3, an object 4 to be transported is held by a holder 5, for example, in multiple stages. The vacuum clean box 1 has a structure that opens and closes a bottom surface.

In order to open the bottom cover 3 of the vacuum clean box 1, the vacuum clean box 1 is placed on a connecting block 12 having an opening / closing opening 11 of a vacuum changer 10 shown by a virtual line in FIG. The opening / closing port 11 is closed at 13, and the closed space surrounded by the connection block 12, the bottom cover 3 and the elevating shutter 13 is evacuated to eliminate the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the bottom cover 3. Thereafter, the transported object 4 on the bottom lid is vertically lowered together with the bottom lid 3 by the lid receiving and lowering platform 14 on the vacuum changer 10 side as shown by an arrow A, and is drawn into the vacuum changer 10. B
Transfer horizontally as shown.

[0005]

By the way, in the case of the vacuum clean box 1 of the bottom openable type shown in FIG. 5, the vertical operation as shown by the arrow A is indispensable for carrying out and carrying in the article 4 to be carried. Therefore, the height of the transported object 4 from the floor surface changes, and extra vertical movement is required in addition to horizontal movement for interfacing with various processing apparatuses. In addition, since there is a vertical movement for carrying out and carrying in the transported object 4, there is a problem that the installation height of the vacuum clean box 1 in the vacuum changer 10 is also increased.

On the other hand, with regard to a semiconductor transport box,
Standardization is progressing in EIAJ (J300). Until now, semiconductor wafers have been taken out from the bottom side of the box. However, the method of taking out from the side has been decided because the height when installing the box becomes high. For example, the currently proposed semiconductor transport box 20 of FIG. 6 is also of a side opening type (side open type) having an opening 21 on the side surface. However, there remains a problem that a mechanical seal requires a complicated mechanism and sufficient reliability cannot be guaranteed, and a practically sufficient holding force cannot be obtained because a mechanical holding force such as a spring is used. .

[0007] A first object of the present invention is to solve the above problems,
Even with a side-opening type (side-open type) structure, the side opening can be airtightly closed by the side lid due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside, eliminating the need for a mechanical seal using a conventional spring or the like. It is to provide a vacuum clean box.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a clean transfer method and apparatus capable of transferring an object to be transferred in a vacuum-sealed state using a simple side-opening vacuum clean box having a structure that does not require a mechanical seal. To provide.

Other objects and novel features of the present invention will be clarified in embodiments described later.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, a vacuum clean box according to the present invention comprises a box body having an opening on one side and a small hole for intake and exhaust on the other side, and a pressure difference between inside and outside. It is characterized by comprising a lateral lid for hermetically closing the opening, and an additional lid for hermetically closing the small air intake / exhaust hole by an internal / external pressure difference.

The clean transfer method according to the present invention further comprises a box body having an opening on one side and a small hole for intake and exhaust on the other side, a lateral lid for hermetically closing the opening by an internal / external pressure difference, Using a vacuum clean box provided with an additional lid that hermetically closes the intake / exhaust small hole by an internal / external pressure difference, the gate port of a clean device in which a gate port formed on a side wall surface is hermetically closed by a gate valve. The vacuum clean box is connected in an airtight manner, and a closed space outside the box body including the additional lid is evacuated by a vacuum changer to eliminate the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the additional lid, thereby opening the small hole for suction and exhaust, After the inside of the vacuum clean box is set to the atmospheric pressure through the small holes for intake and exhaust, the side lid is held by the gate valve and drawn into the clean device, so that the inside of the vacuum clean box is removed. Communicates with the interior of the spatial clean device is characterized by transferring the transported object between them.

Further, the clean transfer device of the present invention has a box body having an opening on one side and a small hole for intake and exhaust on the other side, a horizontal lid for hermetically closing the opening by an internal / external pressure difference, A vacuum clean box having an additional lid for hermetically closing the intake / exhaust hole by an internal / external pressure difference, a gate port formed on a side wall surface, and the gate port being connected to the gate port so as to be openable and closable. A clean device having a gate valve capable of holding a side cover of a vacuum clean box, and a vacuum changer that evacuates a closed space outside a box body including an additional cover of a vacuum clean box connected to the gate port, Eliminate the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the additional lid with the vacuum changer, open the small hole for suction and exhaust, and let the inside of the vacuum clean box reach atmospheric pressure through the small hole for suction and exhaust. In state, it has a configuration for communicating the interior of the clean apparatus and the vacuum cleaner box interior space to hold the lateral lid by the gate valve draws in the clean unit.

In the above-described clean transfer apparatus, the vacuum changer has a box holding member having a vacuum suction path for sucking the box body formed on a surface facing the box body. A configuration in which a closed space is formed may be employed.

Further, the vacuum changer may have a structure in which a lid receiving member for supporting the additional lid detached from the box body is movable inside the box holding member.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of a vacuum clean box, a clean transfer method and an apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 4, a vacuum clean box 30 has a box body 31 having a side opening 32 on one side and a small intake / exhaust hole 33 on the bottom, and hermetically closes the opening 32 by an internal / external pressure difference. Side lid 34 to form
And an additional lid 35 for hermetically closing the intake / exhaust small hole 33 by an internal / external pressure difference, and having an airtightness capable of maintaining a vacuum state when the lateral lid 34 and the additional lid 35 are closed, and It has no means and no transfer means. To ensure airtightness, the side flange portion 31a of the box body 31
An annular groove 34a is formed on the contact surface of the lateral lid 34 in contact with the O-ring 34b, and an O-ring 34b for hermetic sealing is provided in the annular groove 34a. The small hole for intake and exhaust 3
An annular groove 35a is also formed on the contact surface of the additional lid 35 that abuts on the peripheral edge portion 3 to ensure airtightness.
An O-ring 35b for hermetic sealing (hermetic sealing) is provided in a.

A holder 36 for supporting the object 4 such as a semiconductor wafer is mounted in the box body 31. The holder 36 is, for example,
Can be stored horizontally at equal intervals.

A gate port is provided at a side wall 41 of the clean room 40 for carrying a transferred object 4 such as a semiconductor wafer into the vacuum clean box 30 or transferring the transferred object 4 to the vacuum clean box 30 using the vacuum clean box 30. (Unloading entrance) 42 is formed. The gate port 42 has a structure that can be opened and closed by a gate valve 43. That is, the gate valve 43 is attached to the vertical plate-like elevating member 44 behind it so as to be freely movable in the horizontal direction (the direction of arrow P), and the elevating member 44 is driven up and down by the pneumatic cylinder 45 in the direction of arrow Q. . Further, the gate valve 43 is driven laterally by a pneumatic cylinder 46 attached to the elevating member 44 (driven so as to perform a closing or opening operation of the gate port 42). In order to ensure airtightness, an annular groove 43a is formed on a contact surface of the gate valve 43 in contact with a peripheral portion of the gate port 42, and an airtight seal (airtight seal) is formed in the annular groove 43a.
O-ring 43b is provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the cylinder 46 is extended at the raised position of the elevating member 44 in which the cylinder 45 is extended, the gate valve 43 becomes the inner peripheral portion of the side wall 41 in which the gate port 42 is formed. To close the gate port 42 hermetically. Further, the cylinder 4
6, the gate valve 43 is disengaged from the gate port 42, and then the cylinder 45 is contracted to lower the elevating member 44, thereby lowering the gate valve 43 to the position X in FIG. 42 can be opened.

The gate valve 43 is formed with a suction recess 47 for vacuum-sucking the side cover 34 on the vacuum clean box 30 side, and an annular groove 48a is formed surrounding the suction recess 47. An O-ring 48b for hermetic sealing is provided in the annular groove 48a.

Further, a vacuum changer 50 (equipped with a vacuum exhaust means) is provided for evacuating the vacuum clean box 30 or returning the pressure to the atmospheric pressure (usually outside the clean room 40 at the gate port 42). The vacuum changer 50 is provided with a cup-shaped mounting table 51 serving as a box holding member that holds the vacuum clean box 30 at a height position that can be connected to the gate port 42 of the clean room 40. (In the direction of arrow R). That is, the cup-shaped mounting table 51 is attached to the fixed base 60 of the vacuum changer 50 via the horizontal slider 61, and the expansion and contraction of the pneumatic cylinder 62 installed on the fixed base 60 for the horizontal movement of the mounting table. As a result, it approaches or separates from the side wall 41 of the clean room 40.

A box body 3 is provided at the upper end of an elevating shaft 52 penetrating vertically through an inner central portion of the cup-shaped mounting table 51.
Lid receiving member 5 for supporting additional lid 35 when detached from 1
3 is fixed. A pneumatic cylinder 54 for driving up and down the elevating shaft 52 to which the lid receiving member 53 is fixed.
Is a mounting plate 56 supported on the cup-shaped mounting table 51 side.
The piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder 54 is connected to the lifting shaft 52.

On the vacuum clean box mounting surface of the cup-shaped mounting table 51, there are formed suction annular grooves 55 for vacuum suction of the bottom surface of the vacuum clean box 30, and inside and outside of the suction annular grooves 55. Each of the annular grooves 51a for ensuring airtightness is formed, and an O-ring 51b for hermetic sealing is provided in each of the annular grooves 51a.

In order to ensure airtightness, an annular groove 41a surrounding the gate port 42 is provided on the outer surface of the side wall 41 where the side flange 31a (peripheral edge of the side opening 32) of the vacuum clean box 30 contacts. Is formed, and the annular groove 41a is formed.
An O-ring 41b for hermetic sealing (hermetic sealing) is provided therein.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIG. 4, a vacuum clean box 30 containing a transferred object 4 such as a semiconductor wafer has a horizontal cover 34 and an additional cover 3 in a state where the inside is maintained in a vacuum.
5 is a side opening 32 and a small hole 3 for intake and exhaust due to a pressure difference between inside and outside.
3 is hermetically sealed, and can be freely transported and stored in this state.

When transferring the transferred object 4 between the vacuum clean box 30 and the clean room 40, as shown in FIG. 1, the cup-shaped mounting table 51 of the vacuum changer 50 is used.
The vacuum clean box 30 is mounted thereon, and the suction-use annular groove 55 is vacuum-sucked, so that the bottom surface of the vacuum clean box 30 (box body 31) is suction-held on the cup-shaped mounting table 51. In the holding state of the vacuum clean box 30, the pneumatic cylinder 62 is extended, the cup-shaped mounting table 51 is brought close to the side wall 41, and the side flange portion 31a of the box main body 31 is placed on the outer surface of the side wall 41 of the peripheral edge of the gate port 42. Press tightly. At this time, as shown in FIG.
4 enters the gate port 42 and adheres tightly to the gate valve 43 that seals the gate port 42, and performs vacuum suction of the suction recess 47 on the gate valve 43 side so that the side lid 34 is also suction-held on the gate valve 43 side. I do.

The interior space U of the cup-shaped mounting table 51 whose upper surface is sealed by the vacuum clean box 30 is evacuated to eliminate the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the additional lid 35 (both the inside of the vacuum clean box 30 and the inside space U are evacuated. After the additional lid 35 can be lowered by its own weight, the lifting shaft 52 to which the lid receiving member 53 is fixed is lowered by the pneumatic cylinder 54,
The additional lid 35 is lowered to the position of the imaginary line Y in FIG. 1 together with the lid receiving member 53, and the small intake / exhaust hole 33 on the bottom side of the box body 31 is opened.

Next, the internal space U of the cup-shaped mounting table 51
Is leaked by clean air or clean gas such as nitrogen to return the internal space U and the inside of the vacuum clean box 30 communicating with the internal space U to the atmospheric pressure. This eliminates the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the side cover 34 (both the inside of the vacuum clean box 30 and the inside of the clean room 40 become atmospheric pressure), so that the side cover 34 is in a state of being sucked and held only by the gate valve 43. The pneumatic cylinder 46 is contracted to release the gate valve 43 from the gate port 42, and then the pneumatic cylinder 45 is contracted to lower the elevating member 44.
The gate valve 43 is lowered to the position, the side cover 34 is drawn into the clean room 40, and the gate port 42 is opened.
In the state shown in FIG. 2, the interior of the vacuum clean box 30 and the clean room 40 are continuous spaces. Therefore, the transfer object 4 such as a semiconductor wafer is transferred from the holder 36 in the vacuum clean box 30 to the transfer robot inside the clean room 40. It can be horizontally transported and taken out by using the method described above.

Conversely, the transferred objects 4 can be sequentially and horizontally transferred to the holder 36 of the vacuum clean box 30 which is empty in the state of FIG. When the number of transferred objects 4 is stored in the vacuum clean box 30, the cylinder 45 is extended as shown in FIG. 3 to set the elevating member 44 to the raised position, and then the cylinder 46 is extended to open the gate valve 43 to the gate port 42. Is pressed into contact with the inner peripheral portion of the side wall 41 having the side wall formed, thereby closing the gate port 42 in an airtight manner, and pressing the side lid 34, which is vacuum-adsorbed by the gate valve 43, against the side flange portion 31a of the box body 31. Vacuum clean box 3
In a state in which the side opening 32 of 0 is airtightly closed by the side cover 34, the internal space U of the cup-shaped mounting table 51 and the inside of the vacuum clean box 30 communicating therewith are evacuated and added when the evacuation is completed. The cover receiving member 53 on which the cover 35 is placed is raised by the pneumatic cylinder 54, and the additional cover 35 is pressed against the bottom surface of the box body 31 as indicated by the imaginary line Z in FIG. Thereafter, the internal space U of the cup-shaped mounting table 51 is leaked by clean gas such as clean air or nitrogen to return the internal space U to the atmospheric pressure. As a result, the side lid 34 and the additional lid 35 are reliably secured to the side opening 32 and the intake / exhaust small holes 33 without a mechanical seal mechanism due to a pressure difference between the inside and outside because the inside of the vacuum clean box 30 is vacuum and the outside is at atmospheric pressure. Is hermetically sealed. Then, by releasing the suction of the side cover 34 by the gate valve 43, it is possible to freely carry the apparatus as shown in FIG. 4, and the vacuum clean box 30 can be transferred to an arbitrary position by an automatic guided vehicle or the like. It is.

According to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) The vacuum clean box 30 has a simple structure in which a side opening 32 for taking out a transferred object is closed by a side cover 34 and a small hole 33 for suction and exhaust is closed by an additional cover 35 in an airtight manner due to a pressure difference between inside and outside. Yes, side opening type (side open type) without using mechanical seal like conventional products
The structure can be realized, and the disadvantages associated with using a mechanical seal can be eliminated.

(2) Since the vacuum clean box 30 is of a side opening type, the transported object 4 can be transferred horizontally by transferring the transported object 4 in a state where the vacuum clean box 30 is connected to the clean room 40. No extra movement is required for the interface with the processing unit. Further, since the vacuum clean box 30 does not use a mechanical seal, connection and disconnection from the gate port 42 of the clean room 40 are easy.

(3) Since the vacuum clean box 30 is of a side opening type, the vacuum clean box 30 does not move in the vertical direction as in the conventional structure for taking out an object to be transferred from the bottom of the vacuum clean box. It is not necessary to set the installation position high, and it is possible to set the height suitable for processing in the clean room 40 in advance.

In the above embodiment, the case where the small holes 33 for suction and exhaust for sucking and exhausting the inside of the vacuum clean box 30 are provided on the bottom surface of the box body 31 is not limited to the bottom surface. The small hole 33 for intake and exhaust may be formed on one surface other than the surface provided with the gasket, and the small hole 33 may be hermetically sealed with the additional lid 35.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the claims. There will be.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Without using a mechanical seal unlike conventional products, a vacuum cleaner box with a side opening can be realized with a simple structure, and the disadvantages associated with using a mechanical seal can be eliminated. Also, since no mechanical seal is used, connection and disconnection of the vacuum clean box from the gate port of the clean room are easy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention, showing a stage of preparing a connection between a vacuum clean box and a clean room in which a vacuum clean box is placed on a vacuum changer.

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view showing a state where the vacuum clean box and the clean room are connected to each other and their internal spaces are connected.

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view showing a stage of preparing a separation between a vacuum clean box and a clean room in which the vacuum clean box is placed on a vacuum changer.

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view showing the vacuum clean box in a separated state.

FIG. 5 is a front sectional view showing a conventional vacuum clean box.

FIG. 6 is a front sectional view showing a conventional side-opening type semiconductor transport box using a mechanical seal.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 30 Vacuum clean box 2, 31 Box body 4 Conveyed object 10, 50 Vacuum changer 20 Semiconductor transfer box 32 Side opening 33 Small air intake / exhaust hole 34 Side cover 35 Additional cover 36 Holder 40 Clean room 41 Side wall 42 Gate opening 43 Gate Valve 44 Elevating member 45, 46, 54, 62 Cylinder 47 Suction recess 51 Cup-shaped mounting table 52 Elevating shaft 53 Lid receiving member

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A box body having an opening on one side and a small hole for intake and exhaust on the other side, a lateral lid for hermetically closing the opening by an internal / external pressure difference, and a pressure between the internal and external pressures for the small hole for intake and exhaust. With an additional lid that closes tightly due to
And a vacuum clean box. 2. A box body having an opening on one side and a small hole for intake and exhaust on the other side, a lateral lid for hermetically closing the opening by an internal / external pressure difference, and an internal and external pressure for the small hole for intake and exhaust. Using an empty clean box having an additional lid that is air-tightly closed by a difference, the gate opening formed on the side wall surface is air-tightly closed by a gate valve, the gate opening of the clean device, A vacuum clean box is connected in an airtight manner, and a vacuum changer is used to evacuate the enclosed space outside the box body including the additional lid to eliminate the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the additional lid, thereby opening the small holes for intake and exhaust. After the inside of the vacuum clean box is set to the atmospheric pressure through the small hole, the side lid is held by the gate valve and drawn into the clean device, and the inside of the vacuum clean box and the inside of the clean device are drawn. And a conveyed object is transferred between the two. 3. A box body having an opening on one side and a small hole for intake and exhaust on the other side, a lateral lid for hermetically closing the opening by an internal and external pressure difference, and an internal and external pressure for the small hole for intake and exhaust. A vacuum clean box having an additional lid that is airtightly closed by a difference, a gate port formed on a side wall surface, and a vacuum clean box connected to the gate port so that the gate port can be opened and closed. A vacuum device having a gate valve capable of holding a horizontal lid, and a vacuum changer for evacuating a closed space outside a box body including an additional lid of a vacuum clean box connected to the gate port, wherein the vacuum changer is provided. The gate valve is opened in a state in which the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the additional lid is eliminated and the small hole for intake and exhaust is opened, and the inside of the vacuum clean box is set to the atmospheric pressure through the small hole for intake and exhaust. Clean conveying apparatus for causing said at lateral lid holding drawn into the clean unit communicates the interior of the clean apparatus and the vacuum cleaner box interior space. 4. The vacuum changer has a box holding member in which a vacuum suction path for sucking the box body is formed on a surface facing the box body, and the closed space is formed inside the box holding member. The clean transfer device according to claim 3, wherein the cleaning is performed. Wherein said vacuum changer, inside the box holding member, according to have movably lid receiving member supporting the additional lid detached from the box body
Item 5. The clean transfer device according to Item 4 .