Transfer chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020312686-A1
Application number	US-202016845555-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 10, 2020
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Oct 1, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

To provide a transfer chamber capable of replacing a chemical filter without affecting an internal atmosphere, and shortening or eliminating stop time of a transfer process of a wafer (W) associated with replacement of the chemical filter.
The transfer chamber transfers the wafer (W) to or from a processing device ( 6 ) by using a transfer robot ( 2 ) provided thereinside, and includes a circulation path (CL 1 ) formed inside of a transfer chamber ( 1 ) to circulate gas, a chemical filter unit ( 7 ) provided in the midstream of the circulation path (CL 1 ), and a connecting and disconnecting means ( 8 ) which switches connection and disconnection of the chemical filter unit ( 7 ) to and from the circulation path (CL 1 ).

First claim

1 . A transfer chamber for transferring a transferred object to or from a processing device by using a transfer robot disposed in a transfer space inside of a housing, comprising:
a circulation path formed in a closed loop inside the transfer chamber so as to circulate gas between the transfer space and a gas return space divided by an inner wall of the transfer chamber; a gas processing device provided in a midstream of the circulation path; and a plurality of fans provided in the circulation path, the fans including a fan forming a downward air flow in the transfer space and a fan forming an upward air flow in the gas return space,
wherein the circulation path includes a gas inlet port which is arranged at the position lower than the height where the transfer robot transfers the transferred object, and through which the gas flows out from the transfer space and flows into the gas return space.

2 . The transfer chamber according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the gas return spaces are provided and the gas which flows in the gas return spaces join before the gas processing box which contains the gas processing device.

3 . The transfer chamber according to claim 1 , wherein the gas return space has a channel narrowing upward.

4 . The transfer chamber according to claim 1 , comprising a controller which controls the plurality of fans so as to compensate an amount of pressure loss and form a gas flow in the circulation path.

5 . The transfer chamber according to claim 1 , comprising a gas supply line which supplies gas to the circulation path, gas exhaust line which exhausts gas from the circulation path, and a controller which controls the gas supply line and the gas exhaust line so as to keep the inside pressure positive.

6 . The transfer chamber according to claim 1 , wherein there are a plurality of gas supply lines and a plurality of gas exhaust lines, each of which is connected to a plurality of portions of the circulation path.

7 . The transfer chamber according to claim 1 , comprising a transfer robot which is provided in the housing and transfers a transferred object, a load port having a door in connection with the housing, and a controller which controls the robot and the door, wherein the robot operates under the environment of the downward air flow formed in the transfer space.

8 . A transfer chamber, filled with an inactive gas, for transferring a transferred object to or from a processing device by using a transfer robot disposed in a transfer space inside of a housing, comprising:
a main body box in which the transfer robot is arranged; a gas processing box which contains a filter device; a gas return space for returning the inactive gas to the gas processing box from the main body box; and an inner wall for dividing a space in the main body box into a transfer space in which the transfer robot operates and a gas return space, wherein the transfer chamber includes a gas circulation path to extend downward in the transfer space in which the transfer robot operates, extend upward in the gas return space, enter into a space in the gas processing box, pass through the filter device and return to the transfer space, wherein a plurality of fans are provided in the circulation path, the fans including a fan forming a downward air flow in the transfer space and a fan forming an upward air flow in the gas return space, wherein the transfer space has an inlet port which sucks gas from the transfer space and flows gas into the gas return space, and the inlet port is arranged below a transfer arm of the transfer robot.

9 . The transfer chamber according to claim 8 , wherein a plurality of the gas return spaces are provided and the gas which flows in the gas return spaces join before the gas processing box.

10 . The transfer chamber according to claim 8 , wherein the gas return space has a channel narrowing upward.

11 . The transfer chamber according to claim 8 , comprising a controller which controls the plurality of fans so as to compensate an amount of pressure loss and form a gas flow in the circulation path.

12 . The transfer chamber according to claim 8 , comprising a gas supply line which supplies gas to the circulation path, gas exhaust line which exhausts gas from the circulation path, and a controller which controls the gas supply line and the gas exhaust line so as to keep the inside pressure positive.

13 . The transfer chamber according to claim 8 , wherein there are a plurality of gas supply lines and a plurality of gas exhaust lines, each of which is connected to a plurality of portions of the circulation path.

14 . The transfer chamber according to claim 8 , comprising a transfer robot which is provided in the housing and transfers a transferred object, a load port having a door in connection with the housing, and a controller which controls the robot and the door, wherein the robot operates under the environment of the downward air flow formed in the transfer space.

Assignees

• Sinfonia Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kawai Toshihiro
• Shigeta Takashi
• Komiya Munekazu
• Taniyama Yasushi

Classifications

• H10P72/7602

  the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance · CPC title

• H10P72/3402

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/1926

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

• H10P72/1924

  characterised by atmosphere control · CPC title

• H10P72/0402

  Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence) · CPC title