Overhead transport system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12286306-B2
Application number	US-202117384360-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2021
Priority date	Mar 12, 2021
Publication date	Apr 29, 2025
Grant date	Apr 29, 2025

Abstract

An overhead transport system is provided capable of absorbing abnormal vibration and determining a source of the abnormal vibration. The overhead transport system in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure includes a processor, an overhead rail, a plurality of hangers that support the overhead rail, a vibration meter measuring vibration from the overhead rail, and a damper included in each of the hangers. The processor is configured to change a property of the damper in response to a determination that the measured vibration by the vibration meter is indicative of an abnormal vibration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of leveling an overhead rail structure for transporting a wafer cassette, comprising:
determining a length for each of a plurality of hangers configured to support the overhead rail structure;
leveling the rail structure by adjusting the length of the hangers; and
determining an alignment of at least one pair of the hangers with a laser transmitter along a first hanger of the pair of hangers and a laser sensor along a second hanger of the pair of hangers, wherein the first hanger and the second hanger are facing each other.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
measuring vibration from the overhead rail at different locations.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the vibration is measured by a plurality of vibration meters, and each respective vibration meter of the plurality of vibration meters is located at a corresponding location of the different locations along the overhead rail structure.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the vibration meter is an Internet of Things (IoT) device configured to transmit the vibration measurement to a controller.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining the length of at least one of the hangers includes:
measuring, by a rangefinder, a distance between the rail structure and a raceway.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the leveling the rail structure includes:
adjusting the length of the hangers to different adjusted lengths.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
measuring, by a level meter located on the rail structure, a level of the rail structure.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the level meter is an Internet of Things (IoT) device configured to transmit the level measurement to a controller.

9. A method of determining a source of abnormal vibration from an overhead transport system, including an overhead rail and an overhead vehicle transporting a wafer cassette on the overhead rail, comprising:
measuring vibration from the overhead rail at different locations;
determining a location of the overhead rail from which the abnormal vibration was measured; and
damping the abnormal vibration.

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
determining a level of the overhead rail from which the abnormal vibration was measured.

11. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
determining a length for each of a plurality of hangers configured to support the overhead rail from which the abnormal vibration was measured.

12. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
determining an alignment of at least one pair of hangers.

13. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
determining the source of the abnormal vibration based on a measurement database.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the measurement database includes at least one of vibration measurement data, level measurement data, alignment measurement data, and hanger length measurement data.

15. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
in response to a determination that the overhead transport vehicle is the source of the abnormal vibration, transmitting, by a controller, an overhead transport vehicle control signal to move the overhead transport vehicle that caused the abnormal vibration to a maintenance area.

16. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
in response to a determination that the overhead rail at the location the abnormal vibration was measured is the source of the abnormal vibration, transmitting, by a controller, an overhead transport vehicle control signal with alternative routes to avoid traveling on a portion of the overhead rail at the location.

17. An overhead rail system, comprising:
a processor;
an overhead rail;
a plurality of hangers that support the overhead rail;
a vibration meter configured to measure vibration from the overhead rail; and
a damper included in each of the hangers,
wherein the processor is configured to change a property of the damper in response to a determination that the measured vibration by the vibration meter is indicative of an abnormal vibration.

18. The overhead rail system of claim 17 , further comprising: a level meter on the overhead rail, wherein the level meter is configured to measure a slope of the overhead rail.

19. The overhead rail system of claim 17 , further comprising: a rangefinder on the overhead rail, wherein the rangefinder is configured to measure a length of at least one of the hangers.

20. The overhead rail system of claim 17 , further comprising: an alignment check device including a laser transmitter on a first hanger of the plurality of hangers and a laser sensor on a second hanger of the plurality of hangers, wherein the first hanger and the second hanger are facing each other.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hsu Chieh
• Li Guancyun
• Chang Ching-Jung
• Tung Chi-Feng
• Shen Hsiang-Yin

Classifications

• H10P72/3221 Primary

  Overhead conveying · CPC title

• H10P72/3218

  Conveying cassettes, containers or carriers · CPC title

• H10P72/32 Primary

  between different workstations · CPC title

• H10P72/0604

  Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring · CPC title

• G01B21/22

  for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes · CPC title