Flow supply apparatus and supply method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12500104-B2
Application number	US-202218083179-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2022
Priority date	Dec 29, 2021
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

Provided are a flow supply apparatus and supply method. The flow supply apparatus, comprising: a rail; a transport unit disposed on the rail, where an object is loaded; and a gas treatment unit provided on the transport unit and configured to purge the object. The object includes a FOUP with a substrate accommodated therein, and fume is removed from the substrate through the purging.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A flow supply method, comprising:
loading an object on a transport unit on a rail; and purging the inside of the object by injecting a purge gas into the loaded object by a gas treatment unit provided in the transport unit, wherein the object may include a FOUP with a substrate accommodated therein, and fume is removed from the substrate through the purging, wherein the gas treatment unit comprises a supply docking module docked on the object, configured to supply the purge gas, and comprising: a first base part provided on the transport unit; a first interlocking part connected to the first base part through a first-first connector; and a first docking part installed with the first base part on the first interlocking part through a first-second connector and docked on the object.

2 . The flow supply method of claim 1 , wherein the gas treatment unit comprises:
a supply gas storage tank provided on the transport unit and configured to store the purge gas for the purging; and a recovery gas storage tank provided on the transport unit and configured to recover the purge gas from the purged object.

3 . The flow supply method of claim 2 , wherein the gas treatment unit comprises:
an exhaust docking module docked on the object and configured to exhaust the purge gas from the inside of the object.

4 . The flow supply method of claim 1 , wherein the first docking part rotates from the first base part in a set range through the first interlocking part and is rotatably provided on at least an area facing the object.

5 . The flow supply method of claim 1 , wherein the first docking part supplies the purge gas to the object based on contact at least on a bottom surface of the object.

6 . The flow supply method of claim 3 , wherein the exhaust docking module comprises:
a second base part provided on the transport unit; a second interlocking part connected to the second base part with a second-first connector; and a second docking part installed with the second base part on the second interlocking part through a second-second connector.

7 . The flow supply method of claim 6 , wherein the second docking part rotates from the second base part in a set range through the second interlocking part and is rotatably provided on at least an area facing the object.

8 . The flow supply method of claim 6 , wherein the second docking part exhausts the purge gas from the object based on contact at least on a bottom surface of the object.

9 . The flow supply method of claim 3 , wherein the gas treatment unit comprises:
a first valve module configured to control an internal purge gas stream of the supply gas storage tank.

10 . The flow supply method of claim 9 , wherein the first valve module comprises:
a first-first valve configured to control one purge gas stream; and a first-second valve configured to control the other purge gas stream, wherein the first-first valve is disposed between the supply gas storage tank and the supply docking module.

11 . The flow supply method of claim 3 , wherein the gas treatment unit comprises:
a second valve module configured to control the internal purge gas stream of the recovery gas storage tank.

12 . The flow supply method of claim 11 , wherein the second valve module comprises:
a second-first valve configured to control one purge gas stream; and a second-second valve configured to control another purge gas stream, wherein the second-first valve is disposed between the recovery gas storage tank and the exhaust docking module.

13 . The flow supply method of claim 3 , comprising: a gas treatment auxiliary unit docked with the gas treatment unit to assist in treating the purge gas,
wherein the gas treatment auxiliary unit comprises: a purge gas supply module disposed on the rail or the transport unit and configured to supply the purge gas to the supply gas storage tank; and a purge gas recovery module disposed on the rail or the transport unit and configured to recover the purge gas from the recovery gas storage tank.

14 . A flow supply apparatus, comprising:
a rail; a transport unit disposed on the rail, where an object is loaded; and a gas treatment unit provided on the transport unit and configured to purge the object, wherein the object includes a FOUP with a substrate accommodated therein, and fume is removed from the substrate through the purging, wherein the gas treatment unit comprises a supply docking module docked on the object, configured to supply the purge gas, and comprising: a first base part provided on the transport unit; a first interlocking part connected to the first base part through a first-first connector; and a first docking part installed with the first base part on the first interlocking part through a first-second connector and docked on the object.

15 . A flow supply apparatus, comprising:
a rail; a transport unit disposed on the rail, where an object is loaded; a gas treatment unit provided on the transport unit and configured to purge the object; and a gas treatment auxiliary unit docked with the gas treatment unit to assist in treating a purge gas, wherein the object includes a FOUP with a substrate accommodated therein, and fume is removed from the substrate through the purging, and the gas treatment unit comprises: a supply gas storage tank provided on the transport unit and configured to store the purge gas for the purging; a recovery gas storage tank provided on the transport unit and configured to recover the purge gas from the purged object; a supply docking module docked on the object and configured to supply the purge gas; and an exhaust docking module docked on the object and configured to exhaust the purge gas from the inside of the object, wherein the supply docking module comprises: a first base part provided on the transport unit; a first interlocking part connected to the first base part through a first-first connector; and a first docking part installed with the first base part on a first connection part through a first-second connector and docked on the object; wherein the first docking part rotates from the first base part in a set range through the first interlocking part, and is rotatably provided on an area facing at least the object, and the first docking part supplies the purge gas to the object based on contact at least on a bottom surface of the object, wherein the gas treatment auxiliary unit comprises: a purge gas supply module disposed on the rail or the transport unit and configured to supply the purge gas to the supply gas storage tank; and a purge gas recovery module disposed on the rail or the transport unit and configured to recover the purge gas from the recovery gas storage tank.

Assignees

• Semes Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Sung Ho
• Park No Jae

Classifications

• H10P72/3408

  Docking arrangements · CPC title

• H10P72/3404

  Storage means · CPC title

• H10P72/1926 Primary

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

• H10P72/3218

  Conveying cassettes, containers or carriers · CPC title

• H10P72/3221 Primary

  Overhead conveying · CPC title