Handling apparatus for transferring carriers and a method of transferring carriers
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A handling apparatus operable in a clean room, comprising:
- transferring means for transferring a box-like carrier between a storage compartment and a loading/unloading stage in said clean room, said transferring means including an arm member which has a prongshaped loading portion by means of which said arm member picks up the box-like carrier and a main arm portion curved like a boomerang;
rocking means, provided in a portion which is lower than said prongshaped loading portion, for rocking said arm member; and
moving means for moving said transferring means to the loading/unloading stage, picking up the box-like carrier placed on the loading/unloading stage, moving the carrier so as to be overhead of the rocking means via said arm member, and moving said transferring means to the storage compartment where the arm member is rocked so as to discharge the carrier from the loading portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A handling apparatus, used for handling a carrier of semiconductor wafers, comprises a first mechanism for transferring a carrier between a loader/unloader table and a storage compartment, and a second mechanism, for moving the first mechanism in both vertical and horizontal directions. The first mechanism includes an arm, a loading portion for loading the carrier, and an arm-rocking mechanism. The second mechanism moves the first mechanism to the loader/unloader table, picks up the carrier, and then moves the first mechanism to the storage compartment, where the arm is rocked, so as to discharge the object from the loading portion.
336 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A handling apparatus operable in a clean room, comprising:
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transferring means for transferring a box-like carrier between a storage compartment and a loading/unloading stage in said clean room, said transferring means including an arm member which has a prongshaped loading portion by means of which said arm member picks up the box-like carrier and a main arm portion curved like a boomerang; rocking means, provided in a portion which is lower than said prongshaped loading portion, for rocking said arm member; and moving means for moving said transferring means to the loading/unloading stage, picking up the box-like carrier placed on the loading/unloading stage, moving the carrier so as to be overhead of the rocking means via said arm member, and moving said transferring means to the storage compartment where the arm member is rocked so as to discharge the carrier from the loading portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for transferring box-like carriers by use of a handling apparatus in a clean room, comprising:
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means for transferring a box-like carrier between a storage compartment and a loading/unloading stage in said clean room, said means for transferring said carrier including an arm member which has a prongshaped loading portion by means of which said arm member picks up the box-like carrier and a main arm portion curved like a boomerang; rocking means, provided in a portion which is lower than said prongshaped loading portion, for rocking said arm member; and moving means for moving said transferring means to the loading/unloading stage, picking up the box-like carrier placed in the loading/unloading stage, moving the carrier so as to be overhead of the rocking means via said arm member, and moving said transferring means to the storage compartment where the arm member is rocked so as to discharge the carrier from the loading portion, said method comprising the steps of; picking up at least one of a plurality of box-like carriers placed on the loading/unloading stage and loading the picked-up carrier onto the loading portion of the means for transferring said carrier, bu use of the means for moving said means for transferring said carrier and rocking means; moving the carrier from the loading/unloading stage to the storage compartment, bu use of the means for moving said means for transferring said carrier, while making the rocking means unswayable; and discharging the picked-up carrier from the loading portion in the stage compartment, bu use of said means for moving said means for transferring said carrier and said rocking means. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification