Stocker provided with purging functionality, stocker unit, and method for supplying cleaning gas

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9878353-B2
Application number	US-201314421215-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2013
Priority date	Aug 21, 2012
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

A stocker includes cells including a purge function and cells not including the purge function. A cell not including the purge function is easily changed to a cell that includes the purge function. The stocker includes a frame to which multiple cell supports not including a cleaning gas supplying nozzle are configured to be attached along the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, and the base of a stocker unit is attached to the frame. The stocker unit includes a pipe configured to supply cleaning gas that is provided along the base, and multiple cell supports including the purge function that are attached to the base and are aligned along the vertical direction or the horizontal direction. Each cell support preferably is configured to support a container and includes a nozzle configured to supply cleaning gas from the pipe to the container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stocker including a purge function comprising:
a frame to which a plurality of first cell supports not including a cleaning gas supplying nozzle are configured to be attached along a vertical direction or a horizontal direction, and which includes a container accommodating space and a pair of first columns at a rear end of the container accommodating space; and
a stocker unit including:
a base attached to the frame and including a pair of second columns at the rear end of the container accommodating space;
a pipe configured to supply cleaning gas provided along the base; and
a plurality of second cell supports including a purge function and supported by the pair of second columns; wherein

the second cell supports including a purge function are attached to the base, are aligned along the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, are configured to support a container, and each include a respective nozzle configured to supply cleaning gas from the pipe to the container, a respective branch line configured to supply cleaning gas from the pipe to the respective nozzle configured to supply cleaning gas, a respective controller, a respective valve configured to control a flow rate of cleaning gas in the respective branch line, and a respective flow meter;
the second columns are attached to the first columns, and in a view from in front of the container accommodating space, the second columns are located diagonally forward of the first columns and a gap between the second columns is narrower than a gap between the first columns; and
in the view from in front of the container accommodating space, the pipe, the respective controller, the respective valve, and the respective flow meter are provided forward of rear ends of the first columns and rearward of front ends of the second columns.

2. The stocker according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first cell supports not including a cleaning gas supplying nozzle are attached to the frame, and the stocker unit is attached to the frame.

3. The stocker according to claim 1 , wherein, in the view from in front of the container accommodating space, the respective nozzle configured to supply cleaning gas is provided forward of front ends of the first columns.

4. A method for supplying cleaning gas to a container with respect to a stocker including a frame to which a plurality of first cell supports not including a cleaning gas supplying nozzle are configured to be attached along a vertical direction or a horizontal direction, and which includes a container accommodating space and a pair of first columns at a rear end of the container accommodating space, comprising:
a step for attaching a stocker unit to the stocker, the stocker unit including a base including a pair of second columns at the rear end of the container accommodating space, a pipe configured to supply cleaning gas provided along the base, and a plurality of second cell supports including a purge function that are attached to the base along the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, that are supported by the pair of second columns, and that each include a respective nozzle configured to supply cleaning gas from the pipe, a respective branch line configured to supply cleaning gas from the pipe to the respective nozzle configured to supply cleaning gas, a respective controller, a respective valve configured to control a flow rate of cleaning gas in the respective branch line, and a respective flow meter, and the stocker unit being attached to the stocker by attaching the second columns to the first columns such that, in a view from in front of the container accommodating space, the second columns are located diagonally forward of the first columns, a gap between the second columns is narrower than a gap between the first columns, and the pipe, the respective controller, the respective valve, and the respective flow meter are provided forward of rear ends of the first columns and rearward of front ends of the second columns; and
a step for supplying cleaning gas from the respective nozzle configured to supply cleaning gas to the container supported by the second cell supports including a purge function.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the step for attaching the stocker unit to the stocker further includes attaching the second columns to the first columns such that the respective nozzle configured to supply cleaning gas is located forward of front ends of the first columns.

Assignees

• Murata Machinery Ltd
• Murata Machinery Ltd

Inventors

• Murata Masanao
• Yamaji Takashi

Classifications

• H10P72/3408

  Docking arrangements · CPC title

• H10P72/3404

  Storage means · CPC title

• H10P72/1926

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

• B08B5/02 Primary

  Cleaning by the force of jets, e.g. blowing-out cavities {(airguns or nozzles per se B05B1/005)} · CPC title

• H01L21/67393

  Electricity · mapped topic