Processing apparatus

• US 10,153,836 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2017
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Disco Corporation
• Inventors: Sekiya, Kazuma
• Primary Examiner(s): Dobson, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US15/715,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20180097564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/418 Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM]
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4186 by protocol, e.g. MAP, TOP
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33198 Laser, light link, infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2200/00 Transmission systems for measured values, control or similar signals
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67 Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere processes per se H01L21/30, H01L21/46, H01L23/00; simple temporary support means, e.g. using adhesives, electric or magnetic means H01L21/68, H01L21/302; apparatus for manufacturing arrangements for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies and for methods related thereto H01L24/74;
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67276 Production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput program-control systems per se G05B19/00, e.g. total factory control G05B19/418
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67294 using identification means, e.g. labels on substrates or labels on containers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 Bidirectional transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A processing apparatus for processing a workpiece includes: a chuck table that holds the workpiece; a processing unit that processes the workpiece held by the chuck table; a controller that controls the chuck table and the processing unit; an input section that inputs a processing condition to the controller; a storage section that stores the processing condition inputted to the input section; and an infrared transmission/reception unit that transfers apparatus information between the processing apparatus and another processing apparatus by infrared radiation.

Claims

1. A processing apparatus comprising:

a chuck table that holds a workpiece, the chuck table being in a housing having an upper plate;

processing means for processing the workpiece held by the chuck table;

control means for controlling at least the chuck table and the processing means;

input means for inputting and setting a processing condition to the control means;

a storage section that stores apparatus information including the processing condition;

a display lamp disposed outside the housing on an outside surface of the upper plate, the display lamp operating as an indicator means for indicating, with visible light, a status of at least one of the workpiece, the processing means, and the control means; and

infrared transmission/reception means including a transmission section disposed on the display lamp that transmits the apparatus information by infrared radiation, and a reception section disposed on the display lamp that receives apparatus information transmitted from another processing apparatus by infrared radiation,

wherein the apparatus information is transferred between the processing apparatuses by the infrared transmission/reception means.

2. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus information is transferred between a plurality of the processing apparatuses by relaying the apparatus information between the adjacent processing apparatuses.

3. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the display lamp indicates the status of at least one of the workpiece, the processing means, and the control means by generating at least two different color lights corresponding to different statuses; and

the upper surface of the housing only includes the display lamp.

4. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission section has a plurality of infrared emission elements arranged at regular intervals on an outer peripheral surface of the display lamp, said infrared emission elements emitting infrared radiation to the surroundings of the processing apparatus.

5. The processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the infrared emission elements have emission ranges (effective angles) that partly overlap each other, and the infrared radiation is emitted in 360-degree directions to the surroundings of the display lamp.

6. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reception section has a plurality of infrared reception elements arranged at regular intervals on an outer peripheral surface of the display lamp so as to receive, from the surroundings of the processing apparatus, the apparatus information transmitted from another processing apparatus by infrared radiation.

7. The processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the infrared reception elements have reception ranges (effective angles) that partly overlap each other, and the infrared radiations are received in 360-degree directions from the surroundings of the display lamp.