Clean stocker and method of storing articles

• US 7,731,470 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodríguez; Saúl J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Snelting; Jonathan D
• Application Number:
  US11/831,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20080023417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 414/416.08, 414/331.02, 414/331.05, 414/940
• US Class Current: 414/331.05
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/66 Containers specially adapted for masks, mask blanks or pellicles; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70741 Handling masks outside exposure position, e.g. reticle libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67769 Storage means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/14 Wafer cassette transporting

Abstract

A reticle rotatable rack is provided at an upper position, and a pod rotatable rack is provided at a lower position in a clean stocker. A clean gas is supplied downwardly. In the stocker, a pod transportation device and a reticle transportation device are elevated and lowered. Load ports, a pod opener, and the pod rotatable rack are connected by the pod transportation device. The pod opener and the reticle rotatable rack are connected by the reticle transportation device.

Claims

1. A clean stocker for storing and retrieving an article placed in a container from a storage and retrieval port, the clean stocker comprising:

a container opening and closing device for placing the article into, and taking the article out of the container;

an article storage rack, said article storage rack being disposed on an upper side of said container opening and closing device, said article storage rack being circular and having a center in top plan view;

a container storage rack, said container storage rack being disposed on a lower side of said container opening and closing device;

a container transportation device for transporting the container among said container opening and closing device, said storage and retrieval port, and said container storage rack; and

an article transportation device for transporting the article between said container opening and closing device and said article storage rack,

wherein said article storage rack and said container storage rack vertically overlap each other in plan view,

wherein a down flow of a clean gas is provided in the clean stocker,

wherein said container opening and closing device is located in the vicinity of a periphery of said article storage rack,

wherein said article transportation device and said container transportation device are located along a perpendicular line substantially perpendicular to a radial line connecting the center of said article storage rack and said container opening and closing device, and

wherein said article transportation device and said container transportation device are located on opposite sides of said container opening and closing device along the perpendicular line such that said article transportation device and said container transportation device face each other in top plan view.

2. The clean stocker according to claim 1, wherein said article storage rack and said container storage rack are horizontally rotatable independently from each other.

3. The clean stocker according to claim 2, further comprising a fixed rack for storing the container, separate from said container storage rack, said fixed rack being disposed at a position to which said container transportation device may transport the container.

4. A method of retrieving and storing an article placed in a container from a retrieval and storage port, the method comprising:

placing the article into, and taking the article out of the container retrieved and stored through said retrieval and storage port, using a container opening and closing device;

storing the article on an article storage rack disposed on an upper side of said container opening and closing device, said article storage rack being circular and having a center in top plan view;

storing the container on a container storage rack disposed on a lower side of said container opening and closing device;

supplying clean gas to said article storage rack, and thereafter, to said container storage rack;

transporting the container among said container opening and closing device, said retrieval and storage port, and said container storage rack using a container transportation device; and

transporting the article between said article storage rack and said container opening and closing device using an article transportation device,

wherein said article storage rack and said container storage rack vertically overlap each other in plan view,

wherein the article is stored cleanly by providing a down flow of the clean gas,

wherein said container opening and closing device is located in the vicinity of a periphery of said article storage rack,

wherein said article transportation device and said container transportation device are located along a perpendicular line substantially perpendicular to a radial line connecting the center of said article storage rack and said container opening and closing device, and

wherein said article transportation device and said container transportation device are located on opposite sides of said container opening and closing device along the perpendicular line such that said article transportation device and said container transportation device face each other in top plan view.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said article storage rack and said container storage rack are horizontally rotatable independently from each other.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

storing the container on a fixed rack separate from said container storage rack,

wherein said fixed rack is disposed at a position to which said container transportation device may transport the container.