Temporary storage method and system and conveyance system using same

Temporary Storage Method and System and Conveyance System using Same

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a temporary storage system, a transport system using the same, and a temporary storage method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

US Patent No. 8,915,690 discloses a transport system including a first track that passes above loading ports of the processing devices, and an overhead travelling vehicle that travels along the first track and includes a hoist. A second track is below the first track, passes above the loading ports, and is disposed in parallel or substantially in parallel with the first track. A buffer is provided below the second track at a position higher than the loading ports, and is arranged such that the articles can pass in a vertical direction over the loading ports. The buffer is disposed such that the articles can pass through the height position of the buffer in a vertical direction over the loading ports. A local vehicle travels along the second track and includes a hoist to perform delivery and receipt of the articles between the buffer and the loading ports.

US Patent No. 9,385,019 discloses a material handling system including an overhead rack defining a plurality of storage positions. The overhead rack defines at least one interior window devoid of storage locations. First and second side rails are disposed above the overhead rack. A first cross rail is movably coupled to the first and second side rails. A first transport vehicle movably is coupled to the first cross rail and operable to descend below the overhead rack through the at least one interior window.

WO 2013/183376 discloses a conveyance system having increased buffer capacity wherein a track of a local platform truck is provided directly below the track of an overhead traveling vehicle. A track of a local platform truck is provided directly below a track of an overhead traveling vehicle, and the overhead traveling vehicle and the local platform truck can both transfer an article to or from the same transfer destination. A buffer is provided in a position not directly below the track of the local platform truck, and said buffer, connected with the track of the conveyance local platform truck, can freely deliver the article to or from the local platform truck, and, having a loading and unloading cell below the track of the overhead traveling vehicle, can freely deliver the article to or from the overhead traveling vehicle.

WO 2012/060291 discloses a conveying system for conveying an article between a plurality of processing devices. The conveying system is provided with a path for a car that travels across the ceiling and which passes above the loading port of the processing device; and a car that travels across the ceiling and that runs along the path for the car that travels across the ceiling, and which is provided with a hoist. The conveying system is further provided with: a local path that is positioned at a lower level than the path for a car that travels across the ceiling, and which extends at least as far as immediately below the path for the car that travels across the ceiling, and which faces in plan view a direction perpendicular to the path for a car that travels across the ceiling; a local trolley that travels along the local path and which is provided with a hoist for raising and lowering articles; and buffers that are positioned beneath the local path, and which can transfer articles to and from the local trolley, and which extends at least as far as immediately below the path for a car that travels across the ceiling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problem to be solved by the Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a temporary storage system, a transport system using the same, and a temporary storage method which may store a large number of articles and may load and unload articles promptly.

Means for Solving the Problem

A temporary storage system according to the invention, for storing articles temporarily between overhead transfer vehicles and at least a load port of processing equipment, comprises:

a travelling rail provided over the processing equipment except for an area over the load port and comprising longitudinal rails and lateral rails arranged with a gap so that openings through which articles may pass are formed by the gap;

buffers provided under the openings of the travelling rail; and local vehicles comprising a carriage travelling over and along said travelling rail and a transfer unit supported by the carriage, the carriage is provided with at least a longitudinal travelling unit travelling longitudinally; at least a lateral travelling unit travelling laterally; and at least an advancement and retraction mechanism selectively advancing one of the longitudinal travelling unit and the lateral travelling unit to a position supported by said travelling rail, and is configured to be capable of travelling along said travelling rail longitudinally and laterally, said transfer unit is provided with a hoist to raise and lower an article and a hoist transport unit moving the hoist laterally, and said local vehicles are configured to stop at a position corresponding to the load port and to advance the hoist transport unit towards the load port so as to transfer an article between the load port.

A transport system according to the invention comprises: the above temporary storage system; overhead transfer vehicles; and a travelling rail for the overhead transfer vehicles, and the travelling rail for the overhead transfer vehicles is configured to diverge from a common travelling rail to a travelling rail passing over the load port and another travelling rail passing over the intermediate buffer and then to merge. To “diverge and then to merge” means along the travelling direction of the overhead transfer vehicles first to diverge and then to merge. According to this system, transfer of articles between the temporary storage system and the overhead transfer vehicles is made easier. Regarding an overhead transfer vehicle system, when an overhead transfer vehicle is stopping for transferring an article, a following overhead transfer vehicle may avoid. Further, if one of the two routes is allocated for normal transport and the other to emergent transport, for emergent transport, overtaking of overhead transfer vehicles may be performed.

A temporary storage method according to the invention uses the above temporary, and articles are transported between the load port and the buffers by the local vehicles and are stored in the buffers.

According to the invention, since the travelling rail is provided in a space over the processing equipment, and since the space under the cells of the travelling rail articles is used as the storage position, the temporary storage system having a large capacity is provided. The local vehicles travel longitudinally and laterally over the travelling rail and may change the travelling directions at each cell, and therefore, it may freely select the route to destinations and may avoid another local vehicle. Therefore, the temporary storage system which may load and unload rapidly and flexibly is provided. Further, since the local vehicles may laterally move and transfer articles with respect to a line connecting the carriage and the transfer unit, no travelling rail over the load port is necessary, and therefore, the overhead transfer vehicle may perform the job without consideration with the travelling rail of the temporary storage system. In this specification, descriptions about the temporary storage system apply to the transport system and the temporary storage method as they are. Further, a hoist comprises a lifting device having a winding up mechanism and an elevation platform, for example, and a hoist transport unit is a slide fork, a scara arm, for example.

Preferably, the local vehicles are configured to move the hoist by the hoist transport unit, such as a slide fork or a scara arm, at the same time with travelling along the travelling rail. The travelling and advancement and retraction of the arm such as a slide fork or a scara arm are performed at the same time so that the cycle time of transport is made shorter.

Preferably, the local vehicles are further provided with at least a cross point sensor detecting cross points between the longitudinal rails and lateral rails; and at least a mark detection sensor reading marks indicating a stop position and provided on the longitudinal rails or the lateral rails, said local vehicles are configured to position the transfer unit just over an opening of destination by stopping at a position where the cross point sensor detects at least one of the cross points, and to configured to position the transfer unit at the position corresponding to the load port by stopping at another position indicated by a mark which is read by the mark detection sensor.

With the configuration, the local vehicles are capable of correctly stopping at the position just over a cell and a position and the position corresponding to the load port.

Preferably, the travelling rail further comprises at least an intermediate buffer between which both the overhead transfer vehicles and the local vehicles may transfer an article, located at an opposite position to the load port with respect to the travelling rail in a plan view, except for a position directly under said travelling rail. In this case, the overhead transfer vehicle system is provided with a travelling route passing over the load port and another travelling route passing over the intermediate buffer, the travelling route diverges and merges. Consequently, the transfer of articles between the temporary storage system and the overhead transfer vehicles is made easier. Further, regarding the overhead transfer vehicle system, when an overhead transfer vehicle is stopping for transferring an article, a following overhead transfer vehicle may avoid. Further, if one of the two routes is allocated for normal transport and the other to emergent transport, for emergent transport, overtaking of overhead transfer vehicles may be performed.

Preferably, the transfer unit is further provided with a turn table supported by the hoist transport unit and capable of rotating the hoist. The turn table rotates articles to a desired direction. Preferably, the hoist tranport unit is configured to be capable of transferring an article between three positions, comprising a directly under the position of the transfer unit and both side positions of the transfer unit along said perpendicular direction. As a result, the load port may be located more freely to the grid-like travelling rail.

Preferably, the advancement and retraction mechanism is configured to raise and lower at least one of the longitudinal travelling unit and the lateral travelling unit. If both the longitudinal and lateral travelling units are configured to be raised and lowered, then changing of the travelling units does not change the height of the local vehicles. However, if only one of the travelling units may be raised and lowered, and if the other unit is fixed in its height, then, the advancement and retraction mechanism is made simpler.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side view of the temporary storage system according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of grid-like travelling rail in the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of modified grid-like travelling rail;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a local vehicle in the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the local vehicle stretching a slide fork in the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the temporary storage system according to the embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a temporary storage system according to a modification;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a control algorithm of the local vehicle according to the embodiment; and

FIG. 9 is a side view of a modified local vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following, the best embodiment for carrying out the invention will be described. The scope of the invention shall be construed according to the claims, with reference to the specification and well-known arts in the field, in accordance with the understandings of a person skilled in the art.

Embodiment

FIGS. 1-9 show the embodiment of the invention and its modifications. FIG. 1 shows a temporary storage system 2, in particular, a grid-like travelling rail 4, a buffer 6, and local vehicles 8. The buffer 6 is provided under the grid-like travelling rail 4 along which the local vehicles 8 may travel along lateral and longitudinal directions and stores temporarily cassettes 50 such as FOUP for the accommodation of semiconductor wafers. The grid-like travelling rail 4 is supported by unshown pillars or the like, for

- רexample, from the ceiling of a clean room, and the buffer 6 is supported by columns 20 from the grid-like travelling rail 4.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of the grid-like travelling rail 4. Lateral and C character-like travelling rails 9 have a groove-like guide 10, and longitudinal and C character-like travelling rails 11 have a groove-like guide 12, and the travelling rails 9, 11 are connected laterally and longitudinally and thus form the grid-like travelling rail 4. Points where the guides 10, 12 cross each other are cross points 14, the wheels 32 of the local vehicles may travel on the cross points (see FIG.l), and the travelling rails 9, 11 partition the area into cells 16. As shown in FIG. 1, spaces under the cells 16 in the buffer 6 are referred to as buffer cells 22, each buffer cell 22 accommodates for example one cassette 50, and cassettes 50 are vertically transferred through the cells 16. Furthermore, a cassette 50 has a lid 52 in its front face and therefore, has a direction of front and rear. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, local vehicles 8 comprise a carriage 24 and a transfer unit 26 and occupies two cells. Further, one buffer cell 22 may accommodate two or four cassettes 50, for example.

The grid-like travelling rail 4 shown in FIG. 2 does not allow two local vehicles 8, 8 to travel over adjacent cells 16, 16 at the same time. FIG. 3 shows another grid-like travelling rail 17 along which two local vehicles 8, 8 may travel simultaneously over adjacent cells 16, 16. A lateral travelling rail 18 is provided with two guides 10, 10, and a longitudinal travelling rail 19 is provided with two guides 12, 12. Separation bands 21 separate the guides 10, 10 with each other and also separate the guides 12, 12 with each other, and the shape of the separation bands 21 is horizontal bar-like.

FIGS. 1, 4, 5 show the structure of the local vehicles 8. The carriage 24 having a size of one cell supports the transfer unit 26 protruding over an adjacent cell. The four sides of the carriage 24 have respectively plural wheels which are guided by the guides 10, 10, 12, 12 on the four sides of a cell 16 and are driven by travelling motors 34. The wheels 32 and the travelling motor 34 and so on are called a travelling unit 35 as a whole, and four travelling units 35 are present over the four sides of a cell 16. Vertical motion mechanisms 28, 30 comprising a pantograph, a cam, or the like, raise and lower the wheels 32 and motors 34 and so on, the wheels 32 of the carriage 24 are selectively in contact with the guides 10, 10 or the guides 12, 12, and thus, the carriage 24 travels longitudinally and laterally. As a remark, guide rollers other than the wheels 32 may be provided in the carriage 24. The carriage 24 is provided with sensors 36 (cross point sensors) at the four corners of its bottom portion, they detect the cross points 14 so that the carriage 24 is capable of stopping at a position where the center of the carriage 24 and the center of a cell 16 are coincident in a position along a vertical line. Further, the carriage 24 has barcode readers 36 (mark detection sensors), for example, at the four sides of its bottom portion so as to read barcodes provided on the rails 9, 11. These barcodes are attached at positions corresponding to the stop positions for load ports 54 described later, may be replaced by magnetic marks, optical marks, linear scales, or the like, and in such cases, other sensors in accordance with the marks are provided in place of the barcode readers 38.

The transfer unit 26 has a slide fork 40 having a fixed base part 41, a middle part 42, and a top part 43. The top part 43 is configured to advance towards both sides of the transfer unit 26 by a stroke corresponding to the length of one side of the cell 16, for example, and a state where the slide fork 40 is stretched is shown in FIG. 5. Other arms advancing and retracting along a horizontal direction, such as a scara arm, may be used in place of the slide fork 40. The top part 43 of the slide fork 40 is provided at its bottom portion with a turn table 44 which rotates a lifting device 45, an elevation platform 46, and a cassette 50 by 180 degrees, for example, so as to make the direction of the cassette 50 in order. The lifting device 45 is attached to a lower portion of the turn table 44 and raises and lowers, by belts, ropes, wires, or the like, the elevation platform 46 which chucks a flange 51 of the cassette 50, and thus transfer between the buffer cells 22 and so on is performed. Look down sensors 47, 48 detect an interfering object such as a human being when transferring a cassette 50 between load ports 54 shown in FIGS. 6, 7. The look down sensors 47, 48 are provided at the vicinities of both ends of the top part 43 along its longitudinal direction and therefore are capable of monitoring the lower space without being disturbed by a cassette 50 which is chucked by the elevation platform 46.

A sensor for detecting presence or absence of a cassette on the buffers 22 and so on, an ID reader for reading the IDs of cassettes and so on, and similar sensors may be provided in addition to the look down sensors 47, 48. Further, the local vehicles 8 may advance the slide fork 40, while travelling. Therefore, interference might occur with an elevation platform, or the like, lowering from an overhead transfer vehicle 56 as shown in FIGS. 6, 7. Consequently, a further sensor for detecting such an interfering object may be provided. A counterweight 49 cancels the moment of force from the transfer unit 26 to the wheels 32 and keeps the center of gravity of the local vehicles within an area surrounded by the plural wheels 32.

FIG. 6 shows the layout of the temporary storage system 2 and an overhead transfer vehicle system 57 according to the embodiment. Unshown multi pieces of processing equipment are provided under the grid-like travelling rail 4, the load ports 54 of the processing equipment protrude from the grid-like travelling rail 4 in a plan view, and a travelling rail 58 of the overhead transfer vehicle system 57 passes over the load ports 54. Note that the actual grid-like travelling rail 4 has more cells in number than one shown in FIG. 6, and thus, under the grid-like travelling rail 4, the processing equipment may be placed. The local vehicles 8 travel laterally and longitudinally along the grid-like travelling rail 4, while they may travel lengthwise and crosswise, but they may not rotate or travel circularly, or the like, and have constant postures. When transferring a cassette between a buffer cell 22 under the grid-like travelling rail 4, the local vehicles 8 transfer the cassette between a buffer cell 22 under the transfer unit 26 without stretching the slide fork. Since the load ports 54 are independently positioned of the grid-like travelling rail 4, the local vehicles 8 stop at positions where the transfer units 26 face the load ports 54 and stretch the slide forks towards the load ports for transferring cassettes, or protrude the transfer units 26 from the grid-like travelling rail 4 to positions over the load ports 54 for the transfer.

FIG. 7 shows the layout of the temporary storage system 2, processing equipment 53, and an overhead transfer vehicle system 60 according to a modification. The travelling route 61 of the overhead transfer vehicle system 60 diverges and then merges to and from a main route 62 and a bypass route 63 at the vicinities of the temporary storage system 2. Further, the grid-like travelling rail 4 is provided at an area over the processing equipment 53 and interposed by the routes 62, 63, and the local vehicles 8 may transfer cassettes 50 to and from positions under the routes 62, 63 with stretching the slide fork 40. The processing equipment 53 has at least a load port 54 at a position under the main route 62 and not overlapping with an opening in the grid-like travelling rail 4 in a plan view. The temporary storage system 2 has intermediate buffers 64 under the bypass route 63 and,for example, over the processing equipment 53, and they serve as buffers between the overhead transfer vehicles 56 and the local vehicles 8. In this regard, it is preferable not to provide the travelling rail 4 over the intermediate buffers 64 so as to make transfer by the overhead transfer vehicles 56 not interfere with the travelling rail 4. The temporary storage system 2 has a controller 66, the overhead transfer vehicle system 60 has a controller 68, and the controllers prevent, by mutual communication, interference such as one between transfer by overhead transfer vehicles 56 and the advancing of the slide fork 40 from the local vehicles 8. The routes 62, 63 consisting of unshown travelling rails occupy the highest positions in the vicinity of the ceiling, and the grid-kike travelling rail 4, the buffer 6, and the intermediate buffers 64 occupy intermediate positions above the processing equipment 53. While the local vehicles 8 travel on a lower plane than the overhead transfer vehicles 56 travel, they may travel at the same height, and the load ports 54 are positioned at the lowest level so that workers may access them.

FIG. 8 shows control algorithm of local vehicles 8 by an on-board controller. A local vehicle 8 receives instructions from the controller 66 and further receives at the same time data indicating an area where the slide fork may be advanced (step 1). This data consists of ranges within which the slide fork may be advanced for respective positions of the local vehicle (the positions of the carriage 24 indicated by the No. of cell 16). The local vehicle 8 travels along a trajectory instructed by the controller 66 (step 2) and simultaneously, advances the slide fork 40 within the allowed range (step 3.). When the direction of the cassette is not suitable (step 4), the turn table 44 rotates during the travelling so as to adjust the direction of the cassette (step 5). Thus, in parallel with the travelling to the destination, the slide fork is advanced, and the direction of the cassette is adjusted (step 6).

Transfer is ready, when the local vehicle has arrived at a destination cell, the slide fork has already advanced, if necessary, and the direction of the cassette is correct. Then, the elevation platform is lowered (step 7). a cassette is chucked or released from being chucked by the motion of chuck (step 8), and the elevation platform is raised (step 9). Thus, a cassette is transferred by the local vehicle between buffer cells 22 of the buffer 6, load ports 54, or intermediate buffers 64. When the next destination after the transfer has not been received, instructions about the next destinations, and so on, including the ranges where the slide fork may be advanced during travelling are received (step 10). Then, at the same time of travelling (step 11), advancement or retraction of the slide fork (step 12) and the rotation of a cassette if necessary (step 13) are performed, and then, similar steps with the steps 6-9 are performed. For example, when at the former transfer the slide fork was advanced and at the next destination the slide fork shall be advanced towards the opposite direction, the slide fork is advanced towards the opposite direction during the travelling.

The stop control of local vehicles 8 will be described. The local vehicles 8 detect cross points 14 at the four comers of a cell 16 by the sensors 36, and, when stopping at a position where the sensors 36 are detecting cross points 14, then, the carriage 24 can stop directly above a cell 16, and so on. Further, since the intermediate buffers 64 are supported by the grid-like travelling rail 4, the carriage 24 stops directly above one cell 16 of the grid-like travelling rail 4 for the transfer between buffer cells 22 and the intermediate buffers 64. Since it is difficult to align the positions of cells 16 of grid-like travelling rail 4 with the load ports 54, the local vehicles 8 have to stop at positions according to the positions of load ports 54 and different from the center of cells 16, for the transfer between the load ports 64. Therefore, the barcodes, optical marks, magnetic marks, linear scales, or the like, are attached to the travelling rails 9, 11 at the four sides of cells 16 for indicating the stop positions. And when a mark detection sensor such as the barcode reader 38 detects a mark and the carriage stops at an indicated position by the mark, then, the carriage may stop at a position suitable for transfer between a load port 54.

The avoidance of interference between the local vehicles 8 and the overhead transfer vehicles 56 will be described. When a local vehicle 8 and an overhead transfer vehicle 56 try transfer simultaneously between the same load ports 54 or the same intermediate buffer 64, then there happens an interference. Therefore, as an exclusion control, the local vehicles 8 and the overhead transfer vehicles 56 require the permission of transfer to terminals of the load ports 54 or the intermediate buffers 64 and perform the transfer after the permission. The overhead transfer vehicles 56 do not laterally move, raise or lower the elevation platform during travelling. However, an interference might occur, if the local vehicles 8 stretch the slide fork towards the route 62, 63 when an overhead transfer vehicle 56 is stopping and raising or lowering the elevation platform. Therefore, the range where the slide fork may advance is determined with the communication between the controllers 66, 68 or a sensor provided in the local vehicles 8.

The local vehicles 8 according to the embodiment require a space corresponding to at least two cells 16, 16 for the carriage 24 and the transfer unit 26. FIG. 9 shows another local vehicle 70 that is provided with the slide fork 40 over a carriage 72 and corresponds to one enlarged cell 16. The carriage 72 is provided with plural wheels 32, motors for driving them, and at least a vertical motion mechanism for them and supports the transfer unit 26 by columns 74. Since cassettes have to get over the vertical motion mechanism 28, and so on, the local vehicle 70 becomes taller. FIG. 9 shows a state where the slide fork 40 is stretched with dash-dotted lines.

The operation of the transport system and the temporary storage system according to the embodiment will be described.

1) The overhead transfer vehicle system 60 has the main route 62 and the bypass route 63, and the overhead transfer vehicles 56 are capable of accessing the load ports 54 and the intermediate buffers 64. Therefore, when an overhead transfer vehicle is stopping for the transfer of the cassette, following overhead transfer vehicles may travel along the other route to avoid it. When allocating one of the routes 62, 63 to normal transport and the other to emergent transport, for emergent transport, overtaking of overhead transfer vehicles may be performed.

2) The grid-like travelling route 4 may be provided in a wide space over the processing equipment 53. The local vehicles 8 may travel along lateral and longitudinal directions on the grid-like travelling rail 4, and, for example, along a travelling rail having a length of five cells, three local vehicles 8 may move laterally in parallel. Since the local vehicles 8 may change the travelling direction at each cell 16, they may freely select the travelling route to the destinations. Therefore, unlike circular travelling, local vehicles may go around and overtake other local vehicles and may move to a destination cell 16 without waiting the completion of another local vehicle's job. Since each cell 16 may store one or more cassettes, the storage capacity of the cassettes is large. Therefore, a large capacity temporary storage system 2 suitable for rapid cassettes loading and unloading is provided.

3) The transfer unit 26 protrudes from the carriage 24 to and over an adjacent cell. In addition, by the slide fork 40, the local vehicles 8 may transfer a cassette 50 to three positions from one stop position. Therefore, the grid-like travelling rail 4 is not necessary over the load ports 54 or the intermediate buffers 64. There are three stop positions suitable for the transfer between a destination cell in general, and therefore, the local vehicles 8 may select the travelling route flexibly.

4) The local vehicles 8 may stretch and retract the slide fork 40 and rotate a cassette 50 at the same time with travelling. Travelling, and stretching or retracting of 5 the slide fork need similar amount of time because of short travelling distances, and, since they may be done at the same time, the cycle time of transport is made shorter.

Description of Symbols

2 temporary storage system 4, 17 grid-like travelling rail 6 buffer 8 local vehicle 9, 11 travelling rail 10, 12 guide 14 cross point 16 cell 18, 19 travelling rail 20 column 21 separation band 22 buffer cell 24 carriage 26 transfer unit 28,30 vertical motion mechanism 32 wheel 34 travelling motor 35 travelling unit 36 sensor 38 barcode reader 40 slide fork 41 base part 42 middle part 43 top part 44 turn table 45 lifting device 46 elevation platform 47,48 look down sensor 49 counter weight 50 cassette 51 flange 52 lid 53 processing equipment 54 load port 56 overhead transfer vehicle 57 overhead transfer vehicle system 58 travelling route 60 overhead transfer vehicle system 61 travelling route 62 main route 63 bypass route 64 intermediate buffer 66,68 controller 70 local vehicle 72 carriage 74 column