Substrate detecting method and device
First Claim
1. A substrate detector installed in a sealed container for storing therein and transferring a plurality of substrates, said substrate detector being operatively connected to a door fixing unit for moving a front door of the sealed container in directions to and from the sealed container and in vertical directions so as to open the sealed container and to close the sealed container with the front door, comprising:
- a support arm mounted on the door fixing unit;
a sensor mounted at a distal end of the support arm;
a rotation transmitting member mounted rotatably at an upper end of the door fixing unit for supporting a base end of the support arm and for transmitting rotation thereof to the support arm; and
a linkage connected to the rotation transmitting member for rotating the rotation transmitting member at a predetermined angle, said rotation of the rotary transmitting member at the predetermined angle causing the support arm to be inserted into the sealed container and to be located in a predetermined position with respect to the substrates within the sealed container.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A substrate detection sensor is operatively connected to a door moving mechanism for opening/closing a front door with respect to a sealed container accommodating therein a plurality of substrates. The substrate detection sensor enters the sealed container and detects the substrates successively as it is lowered integrally with the front door, and retracts from the sealed container when all of the substrates have been detected.
12 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A substrate detector installed in a sealed container for storing therein and transferring a plurality of substrates, said substrate detector being operatively connected to a door fixing unit for moving a front door of the sealed container in directions to and from the sealed container and in vertical directions so as to open the sealed container and to close the sealed container with the front door, comprising:
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a support arm mounted on the door fixing unit;
a sensor mounted at a distal end of the support arm;
a rotation transmitting member mounted rotatably at an upper end of the door fixing unit for supporting a base end of the support arm and for transmitting rotation thereof to the support arm; and
a linkage connected to the rotation transmitting member for rotating the rotation transmitting member at a predetermined angle, said rotation of the rotary transmitting member at the predetermined angle causing the support arm to be inserted into the sealed container and to be located in a predetermined position with respect to the substrates within the sealed container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of detecting substrates accommodated within a sealed container having a removable front door, comprising:
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positioning the sealed container with respect to a door moving mechanism for opening and closing the front door;
releasing a lock between the front door and the sealed container and moving the front door a fixed distance in a backward direction with respect to the sealed container by the door moving mechanism;
moving the front door in a direction orthogonal to said backward direction with respect to the sealed container by the door moving mechanism;
inserting a sensor into the sealed container and positioning the sensor at a location where the sensor is capable of detecting the substrates within the sealed container at a time point when the front door has been moved a predetermined distance away from the sealed container;
detecting the presence and position of each of the substrates with the sensor successively as the front door is moved away from the sealed container; and
retracting the sensor out of the sealed container when all of the substrates within the sealed container have been detected by the sensor, and wherein the sensor is operatively connected to the door moving mechanism so that the sensor is inserted into and retracted out of the sealed container with a same drive source for driving the door moving mechanism for opening and closing the front door.
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13. A method of detecting substrates accommodated within a sealed container having a removable front door, comprising:
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positioning the sealed container with respect to a door moving mechanism for opening and closing the front door;
releasing a lock between the front door and the sealed container and moving the front door a fixed distance in a backward direction with respect to the sealed container by the door moving mechanism;
moving the front door in a direction orthogonal to said backward direction with respect to the sealed container by the door moving mechanism;
inserting a sensor into the sealed container and positioning the sensor at a location where the sensor is capable of detecting the substrates within the sealed container at a time point when the front door has been moved a predetermined distance away from the sealed container;
detecting the presence and position of each of the substrates with the sensor successively as the front door is moved away from the sealed container; and
retracting the sensor out of the sealed container when all of the substrates within the sealed container have been detected by the sensor, and wherein the sensor is operatively connected to the door moving mechanism through a cam member having a cam groove of predetermined configuration and a cam follower that tracks said cam groove, one of said cam member and the cam follower being movable integrally with the door moving mechanism and the other being stationary.
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14. A sealed container for storing therein and transferring a plurality of substrates, comprising:
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a container housing;
a removable front door;
a door moving mechanism including a door fixing unit for fixedly holding the front door, a lifting block operatively connected to the door fixing unit for moving the door fixing unit upward and downward so as to open the container housing and to close the container housing with the front door;
a pair of gear wheels rotatably supported in mutual engagement for synchronous rotation and accommodated within a recess in the door fixing unit at a position near an upper end thereof;
a pair of support arms attached to said pair of gear wheels respectively at base ends thereof;
a sensor comprising a light transmission unit and a light receiving unit which are respectively mounted at distal ends of the pair of support arms;
a cam member rotatably mounted on said door fixing unit and connected to one of said pair of gear wheels such as to transmit rotation thereto;
a cam groove formed in said cam member; and
a cam follower mounted on a stationary part of the door moving mechanism at a position where it engages with said cam groove when the cam member is lowered integrally with the door fixing unit. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification