Storage system and purge method in storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11608229-B2
Application number	US-201816642084-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2018
Priority date	Sep 8, 2017
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

A storage system includes shelves each with a nozzle to supply clean gas into containers, flow amount controllers to control a supply amount of clean gas to a nozzle, a transport apparatus to transfer the containers to and from the shelves, and a controller to control the transport apparatus and the flow amount controllers. The controller makes an assignment of at least one shelf in preparation to store an incoming container and before the occurrence of the incoming container, and controls a flow amount controlling device to supply clean gas to the nozzle in the at least one shelf, based upon the assignment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A storage system comprising:
a plurality of shelves each including at least one nozzle to supply clean gas into containers;
a plurality of flow amount controllers to respectively control a supply amount of the clean gas to the at least one nozzle;
at least one transport apparatus to transfer the containers to and from the shelves; and
a controller to control the at least one transport apparatus and the flow amount controllers; wherein
the controller is programmed to:
unload an incoming container on a shelf of the plurality of shelves;
make an assignment of at least one shelf in preparation to store a next incoming container immediately after the unloading of the incoming container is completed and before the occurrence of the next incoming container into the storage system;
control one of the flow amount controllers to supply the clean gas to the at least one nozzle in the at least one shelf, based upon the assignment; and
start the supply of the clean gas to the at least one nozzle at a time when the assignment is made and before the occurrence of the next incoming container into the storage system.

2. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein
the storage system is a purge stocker and includes an entrance and dispatch port;
the at least one transport apparatus transports the containers between the entrance and dispatch port and the shelves; and
the controller is further configured or programmed to make the assignment of the at least one shelf in advance, before the next incoming container arrives at the entrance and dispatch port.

3. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to control the one of the flow amount controllers to intermittently supply the clean gas to the at least one nozzle in the at least one shelf.

4. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one transport apparatus is provided with a transfer device entering into and unloading the next incoming container on the shelves; and
the controller is further programmed to control the one of the flow amount controllers to supply a larger flow amount of the clean gas to the at least one nozzle, from when the transfer device starts advancement towards the at least one shelf and until completing unloading of the next incoming container, than an amount before the transfer device starts advancement.

5. A purge method in a storage system including a plurality of shelves each including at least one nozzle to supply clean gas into containers, a plurality of flow amount controllers to control a supply amount of the clean gas to the at least one nozzle, at least one transport apparatus to transfer the containers to and from the shelves, and a controller to control the at least one transport apparatus and the flow amount controllers, the method comprising:
unloading an incoming container on a shelf of the plurality of shelves;
making an assignment of at least one shelf in preparation to store a next incoming container immediately after the unloading of the incoming container is completed and before the occurrence of the next incoming container into the storage system, by the controller;
supplying the clean gas to the at least one nozzle in the at least one shelf, based upon the assignment; and
starting the supply of the clean gas to the at least one nozzle at a time when the assignment is made and before the occurrence of the next incoming container into the storage system.

6. The purge method according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one transport apparatus is provided with a transfer device entering into and unloading the next incoming container on the shelves, the method further comprising:
controlling one of the flow amount controllers to supply a larger flow amount of the clean gas to the at least one nozzle, from when the transfer device starts advancement towards the at least one shelf and until completing unloading of the next incoming container, than an amount before the transfer device starts advancement.

7. The purge method according to claim 6 , further comprising:
after the supplying the clean gas to the at least one nozzle, supplying the clean gas to a bottom portion of the next incoming container; and
after the supplying the clean gas to the bottom portion of the incoming container, supplying the clean gas to an inside of the next incoming container.

8. The storage system according to claim 4 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
control the one of the flow amount controllers to supply the clean gas to a bottom portion of the next incoming container after the supply of the clean gas to the at least one nozzle; and
control the one of the flow amount controllers to supply the clean gas to an inside of the next incoming container after the supply of the clean gas to the bottom portion of the next incoming container.

Assignees

• Murata Machinery Ltd

Inventors

• Tsubaki Tatsuo
• Yamaji Takashi

Classifications

• H10P72/3404 Primary

  Storage means · CPC title

• H10P72/3221

  Overhead conveying · CPC title

• H10P72/3218

  Conveying cassettes, containers or carriers · CPC title

• H10P72/1926 Primary

  characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrier · CPC title

• H10P72/30

  for conveying, e.g. between different workstations · CPC title