JPH0680723B2 - Storage device for goods - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a storage device for storing and storing a large number of articles such as a cassette containing a semiconductor wafer easily and dustproofly.

[Prior art]

BACKGROUND ART A manufacturing line for articles having many processing steps requires a storage device for temporarily storing the articles between processing steps. For example, a manufacturing line for semiconductor devices such as ICs and LSIs has more than 100 processing steps, requires a large number of storage devices that have high storage efficiency and are easy to put in and take out. Furthermore, semiconductor devices do not like dust, and must be kept clean during storage.

As an example of an article to be stored, a cassette is shown in a perspective view in FIG. The cassette (1) is provided with a large number of storage grooves (1a) on the inner sides of both sides, and stores a large number (for example, 25) of semiconductor wafers (not shown).

A conventional storage device has a perspective view as shown in FIG. (2) is a storage device, which is configured as follows.
Reference numeral (3) is a storage box having a large opening at the front and provided with a plurality of shelves (4). (5) is a blower that sucks outside air, passes through an air filter (6) to make clean air, press-fits from the back side of the cassette (1) placed on each shelf (4), and is stored in the cassette (1). It is designed to prevent dust from adhering to the outside of the wafer.

In the above-mentioned conventional device, the cassette (1) is put into and taken out of each shelf (4) manually, and putting in and out of the shelf (4) and the shelf (4) at a high position is troublesome and the workability is high. I didn't get well. Further, when the cassette (1) was tried to be taken in and out by an automatic machine, there was the cassette (1) in the front and the back, which was very difficult to carry out. Moreover, the front surface of the storage case (3) was largely opened, and dust adhesion prevention was insufficient.

[Outline of Invention]

The present invention has been made in order to eliminate the drawbacks of such a conventional device. A pair of endless traveling bodies are arranged on both sides of the storage box body, and the traveling device is driven by these traveling bodies. It is possible to stop at the position, install a plurality of receiving shelves at equal intervals across both traveling bodies, place articles on these receiving shelves, and at the predetermined position where the receiving shelves can be stopped on the front of the storage box An opening for one shelf
An object of the present invention is to provide a storage device that allows articles to be taken in and out, is easy to take in and out, has a high storage efficiency, and can automate the operation of taking articles in and out.

Further, each of a pair of traveling bodies arranged on both sides inside the storage box and a plurality of receiving shelves are partitioned by a pair of partition plates, and a plurality of receiving shelves are surrounded to form a storage chamber, and air from the blower is supplied. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a storage device having good dustproofness so that it is blown into a storage chamber through air filtration and discharged from an opening on the front surface.

Example of Invention

3 and 4 are a perspective view and a cotton cross-sectional view of a storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV of FIG. 3 to 5,
(10) shows a case where the cassette (2) containing the semiconductor wafer shown in FIG. 1 is stored. Reference numeral (11) is a storage box whose outer periphery is enclosed, and an opening (11a) is provided near the lower part of the front surface. (12) is a pair of conducting wheels on both sides, which are fixed to the conducting shaft (13). The transmission shaft (13) is rotatably supported below the partition plates (14) on both sides via bearings (15). Reference numeral (16) is a single chain on both sides, which is fixed to a pair of support shafts (17) supported by bearings (18) above the partition plates (14) on both sides. (19) is a pair of chains that are respectively hung on the chain wheels (12) and (16), and (20) is an indexing drive device for intermittently running the chain (19) by a predetermined pitch. To control the predetermined indexing operation. (21) is a drive chain wheel fixed to the shaft end of the index drive device (20), (2
2) is a transmission chain wheel fixed to the shaft end of the transmission shaft (13),
A chain (23) is hung on the chain wheel (21) and the rotation is transmitted. Reference numeral (24) is a plurality of receiving shelves that are arranged at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction of the chain and extend between a pair of chains (23), and both ends are fixed to the lower part of the support arm (25). These support arms (25) are rotatably supported by support pins (26) fitted in the chain (19) so that the receiving shelves (24) are always kept downward.
The partition plates (14) on both sides are provided with slits (14a) at the portions through which the intermediate portions of the support pins (26) pass.
The center side of the partition plate (14) divided by the slit (14a) is a supporting member (not shown) on the side plate of the storage box body (11).
It is fixed through. (27) is a tray mounted on each receiving rack (24), on which a plurality of cassettes (1) are positioned and placed.

Next, (28) is a blower that sucks in the outside air and uses an air filter (2
9), clean air is pressed into the storage chamber (30) and discharged from the opening (11a). In this way, the storage chamber (30) is pressurized to prevent dust from adhering to the semiconductor wafer in each cassette (1), and the chain wheels (12), (16) and the partitions (14) partitioned by the partition plate (14). Wear dust from the chain (19) is prevented from entering the storage chamber (30).

The operation of the apparatus of the above-described embodiment is as follows. The cassette (1) is put in and taken out by moving both chains (19) by the drive indexing device (20), moving the required receiving rack (24) to the position of the opening (11a), and stopping it. .

Although the cassette (1) can be put in and taken out manually, it can be automated by providing a device for gripping and moving the cassette (1). Further, the cassette (1) having an arbitrary lot number can be taken in and out by storing the lot number of the article by using a micro computer or the like.

In the above embodiment, the case (1) in which the semiconductor wafer is stored as the article is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to the case of storing other kinds of articles.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the chain and chain wheels are used to support and move the receiving shelves (24), but a supporting and moving device such as a belt drive for moving bodies may be used.

[Effect of Invention]

As described above, according to the present invention, a pair of endless traveling bodies are arranged on both sides of the storage box body so that the traveling bodies can be stopped at desired positions, and a plurality of receiving shelves are spread over both traveling bodies at equal intervals. This receiving rack is always kept in a suspended posture, and articles are placed on the receiving rack in a stopped state and stored or taken out from the opening for one shelf provided on the front of the storage box. As a result, the articles can be easily taken in and out, the storage efficiency is good, and the article can be taken in and out automatically.

Further, each of a pair of traveling bodies arranged on both sides inside the storage box and a plurality of receiving shelves are partitioned by a pair of partition plates, a plurality of receiving shelves are surrounded to form a storage chamber, and an outside air is sucked by a blower. Then, the product is passed through the air filter and press-fitted into the storage chamber and discharged from the opening of the storage box having a relatively small height, so that the article can be stored and stored in a good dust-proof state.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cassette to be stored, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a conventional storage device, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective and side sectional views of a storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The drawing is a sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. In the figure, 1 ... cassette, 10 ... storage device, 11 ...
Storage box, 11a ... Opening, 12,16 ... Chain, 14 ... Partition plate, 14a ... Slit, 19 ... Chain, 20 ... Indexing drive, 21,22 ... Chain, 23 …… chain, 24 …… receiving rack, 28 …… blower, 29 …… air filter, 30 …… storage room. The same reference numerals in the drawings indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A storage box body having an opening on the front surface through which articles for one shelf are put in and taken out, a pair of endless traveling bodies disposed on both sides of the storage box body for traveling, and these traveling bodies. Drive means for moving and moving a body to a predetermined pitch, a plurality of receiving shelves that straddle between the pair of running bodies and are supported by the running body in a constantly suspended state and that run in conjunction with the running body, A pair of partition plates for partitioning the traveling bodies and the plurality of receiving shelves arranged on both sides in the box body to form a storage chamber surrounding the plurality of receiving shelves, and an air filter for sucking outside air An article storage device including a blower that is press-fitted into the storage chamber through the pipe and discharged from the opening of the storage box.