Automated material handling system for semiconductor manufacturing based on a combination of vertical carousels and overhead hoists

• US 7,165,927 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2003
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Brooks Automation Incorporated (Azenta, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Robert P., Mariano, Thomas R., Doherty, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fox; Charles A.
• Application Number:
  US10/393,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20030235486A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 414/331.01, 414/331.02, 414/331.03, 414/751.1, 414/333.4, 414/217
• US Class Current: 414/331.02
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0457 with suspended load carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67733 Overhead conveying
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67736 Loading to or unloading from a conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67769 Storage means

Abstract

An Automated Material Handling System (AMHS) that allows an overhead hoist transport vehicle to load/ unload parts directly to/from storage units included in the system. The AMHS includes an overhead hoist transport subsystem and a vertical carousel stocker having a plurality of storage bins. The subsystem includes an overhead hoist transport vehicle traveling along a suspended track defining a predetermined route. The route passes over the stocker, which allows the vehicle to access parts directly from one of the storage bins. The selected bin is positioned at the top of the stocker underneath the track. Next, the vehicle is moved along the track to a position above the selected bin. The hoist is then lowered parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stocker toward the selected bin. Finally, the hoist is operated to pick parts directly from the bin, or to place parts in the bin.

Claims

1. An automated material handling system for transporting material between various locations within a product manufacturing facility, comprising:

at least one housing unit configured to house a plurality of storage bins, each storage bin being configured to hold at least one unit of material; and

an overhead hoist transport subsystem including at least one overhead hoist and at least one overhead hoist transport vehicle, the overhead hoist including a translating stage and a gripper portion coupled to the translating stage, the gripper portion being configured to grip the at least one material unit, the overhead hoist transport vehicle being configured to travel along a suspended track defining at least one predetermined route running adjacent to the storage bin housing unit, the suspended track being disposed external to the storage bin housing unit,

wherein the overhead hoist transport vehicle is operative to carry the overhead hoist including the translating stage and the gripper portion along the suspended track to a first track position adjacent one of the plurality of storage bins,

wherein, while the overhead hoist transport vehicle is at the first track position, the translating stage is configured to move the gripper portion laterally from a first position proximate to the overhead hoist transport vehicle to a second position proximate to said one of the plurality of storage bins,

wherein a portion of the storage bin housing unit is at least partially open to allow the gripper portion of the overhead hoist to access at least one material unit directly from said one of the plurality of storage bins housed therein, and

wherein the gripper portion of the overhead hoist is configured to access the at least one material unit directly from said one of the plurality of storage bins for subsequent transport along the track to a predetermined location within the product manufacturing facility.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the gripper portion of the overhead hoist is further configured to provide at least one material unit directly to said one of the plurality of storage bins for subsequent storage within the storage bin housing unit.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said one of the plurality of storage bins comprises a movable shelf configured to move at least one material unit directly to the gripper portion of the overhead hoist at the first position proximate to the overhead hoist transport vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said one of the plurality of storage bins includes a mechanism configured to move the material unit in at least one axial direction of a Cartesian (X, Y, Z) coordinate system.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said one of the plurality of storage bins comprises a fixed shelf disposed within the storage bin housing unit.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one storage bin housing unit comprises a vertical carousel stocker.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the vertical carousel stocker is configured to move said one of the plurality of storage bins to a first position along one side of the stocker to allow the gripper portion of the overhead hoist to access the at least one material unit from a second position alongside the selected storage bin.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein at least a portion of the track is disposed substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stocker adjacent the first position alongside the stocker.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the vertical carousel stocker is configured to move said one of the plurality of storage bins to an upper region of the stocker to allow the gripper portion of the overhead hoist to access the at least one material unit from a position above the selected storage bin.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein at least a portion of the track is disposed substantially directly above the selected storage bin at the upper region of the stocker.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the material unit comprises a cassette pod.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one storage bin housing unit is configured as at least one fixed storage position.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the at least one fixed storage position comprises at least one fixed shelf.

14. A method of operating an automated material handling system for transporting material between various locations within a product manufacturing facility, comprising the steps of:

housing a plurality of storage bins in at least one storage bin housing unit, each storage bin holding at least one unit of material,

wherein a portion of the storage bin housing unit is at least partially open to allow at least one material unit to be accessed directly from a selected one of the plurality of storage bins housed therein;

carrying, by an overhead hoist transport vehicle, an overhead hoist along a suspended track to a first track position adjacent the selected storage bin, the overhead hoist including a translating stage and a gripper portion coupled to the translating stage;

while the overhead hoist transport vehicle is at the first track position, moving, by the translating stage, the gripper portion laterally from a first position proximate to the overhead hoist transport vehicle to a second position proximate to the selected storage bin;

accessing the at least one material unit directly from the selected storage bin by the gripper portion of an overhead hoist; and

transporting the at least one material unit to a predetermined location within the product manufacturing facility by the overhead hoist transport vehicle,

wherein the transporting step includes traveling along the suspended track to the predetermined location by the overhead hoist transport vehicle, the suspended track defining at least one predetermined route running adjacent to the storage bin housing unit, and wherein the suspended track is disposed external to the storage bin housing unit.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the material unit comprises a cassette pod.

16. The method of claim 14 further including the step of providing at least one material unit directly to the selected storage bin by the gripper portion of the overhead hoist for subsequent storage within the storage bin housing unit.

17. The method of claim 14 further including the step of providing the at least one material unit directly to the gripper portion of the overhead hoist at the first position proximate to the overhead hoist transport vehicle by the selected storage bin, the selected storage bin comprising a movable shelf.

18. The method of claim 17 further including the step of moving the shelf in at least one axial direction of a Cartesian (X, Y, Z) coordinate system by a mechanism included in the storage bin housing unit.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the selected storage bin comprises a fixed shelf.

20. The method of claim 19 further including the step of moving the gripper portion of the overhead hoist to a second position by the translating stage to allow the gripper portion to remove the at least one material unit from the storage bin housing unit.

21. The method of claim 14 further including the step of moving the selected storage bin to an upper region of the storage bin housing unit by a carousel mechanism included in the storage bin housing unit, thereby allowing the gripper portion of the overhead hoist to access the at least one material unit from a position above the selected storage bin.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein at least a portion of the track is disposed substantially directly above the selected storage bin at the upper region of the storage bin housing unit.

23. The method of claim 14 further including the step of moving the selected storage bin to a first position along one side of the storage bin housing unit by a carousel mechanism included in the storage bin housing unit, thereby allowing the gripper portion of the overhead hoist to access the at least one material unit from a second position alongside the selected storage bin.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein at least a portion of the track is disposed substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the storage bin housing unit adjacent the first position alongside the storage bin housing unit.

25. The method of claim 14 including the step of housing the plurality of storage bins in the at least one storage bin housing unit, and wherein the at least one storage bin housing unit is configured as at least one fixed storage position.

26. The method of claim 25 including the step of housing the plurality of storage bins in the at least one storage bin housing unit, wherein the at least one storage bin housing unit is configured as the at least one fixed storage position, and wherein the at least one fixed storage position comprises at least one fixed shelf.

27. An automated material handling system, comprising:

at least one storage unit including at least one storage bin, the at least one storage bin being configured to hold at least one unit of material; and

an overhead hoist transport subsystem including at least one overhead hoist transport vehicle, and at least one overhead hoist, the overhead hoist including a translating stage and a gripper portion coupled to the translating stage, the gripper portion being configured to grip the at least one material unit, the overhead hoist transport vehicle being configured to travel along a suspended track defining at least one predetermined route running adjacent to the storage unit,

wherein the overhead hoist transport vehicle is operative to carry the overhead hoist including the translating stage and the gripper portion along the suspended track to a first track position adjacent the storage bin,

wherein, while the overhead hoist transport vehicle is at the first track position, the translating stage is configured to move the gripper portion laterally from a first position proximate to the overhead hoist transport vehicle to a second position proximate to the storage bin, and

wherein the storage unit is at least partially open to allow the gripper portion of the overhead hoist to access at least one material unit directly from the at least one storage bin for subsequent transport along the track between various locations within a product manufacturing facility.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the gripper portion of the overhead hoist is configured to provide at least one material unit directly to the at least one storage bin.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein the at least one storage bin is configured as a fixed storage position.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the fixed storage position comprises a fixed shelf.

31. The system of claim 27 wherein the translating stage is configured to move the gripper portion from a first position proximate to the overhead hoist transport subsystem to a selected one of a second position and a third position, and wherein the second and third positions are disposed on opposite sides of the overhead hoist transport subsystem.

32. The system of claim 27 wherein the material unit comprises a cassette pod.

33. A method of operating an automated material handling system, comprising the steps of:

holding at least one unit of material by at least one storage bin of a storage unit;

carrying, by an overhead hoist transport vehicle, an overhead hoist along a suspended track to a first track position adjacent the storage bin, the overhead hoist including a translating stage and a gripper portion coupled to the translating stage;

while the overhead hoist transport vehicle is at the first track position, moving, by the translating stage, the gripper portion of the overhead hoist laterally from a first position proximate to the overhead hoist transport vehicle to a second position proximate to the storage bin;

accessing the at least one material unit directly from the at least one storage bin by the gripper portion of the overhead hoist; and

transporting the at least one material unit between various locations within a product manufacturing facility by the overhead hoist transport vehicle,

wherein the transporting step includes traveling along the suspended track to the various locations by the overhead hoist transport vehicle, the suspended track defining at least one predetermined route running adjacent to the storage unit.

34. The method of claim 33 further including the step of providing at least one material unit directly to the at least one storage bin by the gripper portion of the overhead hoist.

35. The method of claim 33 further including the step of moving the gripper portion of the overhead hoist from a first position proximate to the overhead hoist transport subsystem to a selected one of a second position and a third position by a translating stage of the overhead hoist, and wherein the second and third positions are disposed on opposite sides of the overhead hoist transport subsystem.

36. The method of claim 33 including the step of holding the at least one unit of material by the at least one storage bin, and wherein the material unit comprises a cassette pod.

37. An automated material handling system, comprising:

at least one storage unit including a plurality of storage bins, each of the plurality of storage bins being configured to hold at least one unit of material, the plurality of storage bins being disposed within the storage unit for movement and positioning along a carousel path, the carousel path including at least one vertical path; and

an overhead hoist transport subsystem including at least one overhead hoist transport vehicle, and at least one overhead hoist having a translating stage and a gripper portion coupled to the translating stage, the gripper portion being configured to grip the at least one material unit, the overhead hoist transport vehicle being configured to travel along a suspended track defining at least one predetermined route running adjacent to the storage unit,

wherein the translating stage is configured to move the gripper portion laterally from a first position proximate to the overhead hoist transport vehicle to a second position proximate to one of the plurality of storage bins positioned along the vertical carousel path, and

wherein the storage unit is at least partially open to allow the translating stage to move the gripper portion to the second position to access the at least one material unit directly from the storage bin positioned along the vertical carousel path for subsequent transport along the track between various locations within a product manufacturing facility.