Transfer chamber
AssigneeSinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.
InventorsToshihiro Kawai, Takashi Shigeta, Munekazu Komiya, Yasushi Taniyama
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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 (CL1) formed inside of a transfer chamber (1) to circulate gas, a chemical filter unit (7) provided in the midstream of the circulation path (CL1), and a connecting and disconnecting means (8) which switches connection and disconnection of the chemical filter unit (7) to and from the circulation path (CL1).
Claims17
A transfer chamber comprising:
- a housing which comprises a main body box in which a transfer robot for transferring an object to or from a processing device is arranged,
- an inner wall which divides a space in the main body box into a transfer space in which the transfer robot operates and a gas return space;
- a gas processing box in which a gas processing device is provided in the housing;
- a circulation path which is formed in a first closed loop to extend downward from a fan filter unit which is arranged above the transfer space, extend upward in the gas return space, enter into a space inside of the gas processing box, pass through the gas processing device and return to the transfer space;
- a shortened circulation path which is formed in a second closed loop to extend downward from the fan filter unit, extend upward in the gas return space, and return to the fan filter unit without passing through the gas processing device;
- and
- openable lids which open or close each of a gas inflow port through which gas flows into the gas processing box and a gas outflow port through which the gas is exhausted from the gas processing device, the openable lids switching the first closed loop and the second closed loop by being opened or closed.
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
- openable lids configured to switch connection and disconnection of the gas processing device to and from the circulation path,
- 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.
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 processing box return flow 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 the transfer chamber further includes openable lids to switch to a gas flow path different from the gas processing box return flow path, and
- 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.