Alerting device, transporting device, transporting method, and exposure apparatus

• US 20070241880A1
• Filed: 10/20/2005
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Ishihara, Junichi
• Application Number:
  US11/253,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20070241880A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/521
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70975 Assembly, maintenance, transport or storage of apparatus

Abstract

An alerting device has: a shock sensor, mounted to or in the vicinity of a main body of an exposure apparatus being transported, which detects values with respect to shocks acting on the device; a controlling device which determines whether or not values detected by the shock sensor have exceeded predetermined tolerable values; and an alerting lamp which emits alerts based on the determination results made by the controlling device. By doing this, it is possible to provide an alerting device which provides alerts with respect to transportation environment and transportation conditions of precision apparatuses, e.g., exposure apparatuses during the transportation thereof on a real-time basis.

Claims

1. An alerting device comprising:

a detecting device, mounted to or in a vicinity of a precision apparatus being transported, which detects at least any one of transportation conditions and transportation environment;

a determining device which determines whether or not values detected by the detecting device exceed predetermined values; and

an informing device which emits alerts based on the determination results made by the determining device.

2. An alerting device according to claim 1, wherein the detecting device comprises shock sensors which detect shocks applied on the precision apparatus being transported.

3. An alerting device according to claim 1, wherein the detecting device comprises at least any one of temperature sensors and humidity sensors.

4. An alerting device according to claim 1, wherein the detecting device comprises density sensors which detect densities of predetermined substances around the precision apparatus.

5. An alerting device according to claim 1, wherein the detecting device comprises attitude sensors which detect attitudes of the precision apparatus being transported.

6. An alerting device according to claim 1, wherein the detecting device is mounted to an inside of a first packaging material which packs the precision apparatus, and the informing device is mounted to an outside of the first packaging material.

7. An alerting device according to claim 6, wherein the informing device is mounted to an outside of a second packaging material which packs the first packaging material.

8. An alerting device according to claim 1, wherein the informing device emits at least any one of light and sound.

9. An alerting device according to claim 1, fewer comprising a displaying device which displays values detected by the detecting device.

10. An alerting device according to claim 1, further comprising a wireless communicating section which makes wireless communications between the detecting device and the determining device.

11. An alerting device according to claim 1, wherein the informing device emits the alerts, via a communication device, to at least any one of a transporter who transports the precision apparatus, a forwarder who undertakes the transportation, an ordering party who orders the transportation, and a receiving party to whom the precision apparatus is transported.

12. An alerting device according to claim 11, wherein the informing device emits, via the communication device, at least any one of information:

information with respect to the precision apparatus;

information with respect to the receiving party to whom the precision apparatus is transported;

information with respect to places where the detected values exceed the predetermined values; and

information with respect to the detected values.

13. An alerting device according claim 1, wherein the precision apparatuses include semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

14. An alerting device according to claim 13, wherein the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus include exposure apparatuses.

15. A transporting device for transporting precision apparatuses, comprising the alerting device of claim 1.

16. A method of transporting precision apparatuses, comprising transporting the precision apparatuses using the alerting device of claim 1.

17. A transporting method according to claim 16, wherein the predetermined values are set corresponding to each unit which comprises the precision apparatus.

18. An exposure apparatus transported by the method according to claim 16.

19. An exposure apparatus transported by the method according to claim 17.