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US 12,703,107 B2Granted
Compound fork device and system including the same
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsCheng-Lung Wu, Chih-Hung Huang, Yang-Ann Chu, Jiun-Rong Pai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A compound fork device includes a first prong and a second prong spaced apart from the first prong. Each of the first and second prongs has an upper surface and a lower surface which is depressed relative to the upper surface. The upper surfaces of the first and second prongs are configured to cooperatively retain a first type container. The lower surfaces of the first and second prongs are configured to cooperatively retain a second type container having a configuration different from that of the first type container. A method and a system using the compound fork device are also disclosed.
Claims20
A compound fork device comprising:
- a first prong and a second prong spaced apart from the first prong, each of the first prong and the second prong having an upper surface and a lower surface which is depressed relative to the upper surface, the upper surface of the first prong and the upper surface of the second prong being configured to cooperatively retain a first type container, the lower surface of the first prong and the lower surface of the second prong being configured to cooperatively retain a second type container having a configuration different from a configuration of the first type container;
- wherein the upper surface of each of the first prong and the second prong includes a front supporting region located forwardly of the lower surface, and a rear supporting region located rearwardly of the lower surface so as to permit four portions of the first type container to be respectively retained by the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the first prong and the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the second prong;
- wherein the lower surface of each of the first prong and the second prong has an inner supporting region and an outer mounting region located outwardly of the inner supporting region, the inner supporting region of the first prong and the inner supporting region of the second prong being located to cooperatively retain a top flange of the second type container;
- wherein the compound fork device further comprises two upper guiding units which are respectively formed on the upper surface of the first prong and the upper surface of the second prong to guide two sides of the first type container so as to permit the four portions of the first type container to be respectively moved onto the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the first prong and the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the second prong;
- wherein the compound fork device further comprises two lower guiding units which are respectively formed on the outer mounting region of the first prong and the outer mounting region of the second prong so as to guide two sides of the top flange of the second type container to respectively move onto the inner supporting region of the first prong and the inner supporting region of the second prong;
- wherein one of the two upper guiding units on the first prong is spaced apart from one of the two lower guiding units on the first prong, and another one of the two upper guiding units on the second prong is spaced apart from another one of the two lower guiding units on the second prong;
- and
- wherein each of the two lower guiding units includes two lower guide blocks which are spaced apart from each other and which are disposed on the outer mounting region of a respective one of the first prong and the second prong, the two lower guide blocks respectively having two lower guiding surfaces, the two lower guiding surfaces of the two lower guide blocks of one of the two lower guiding units being disposed to confront the two lower guiding surfaces of the two lower guide blocks of another one of the two lower guiding units.
5 more elements
A system comprising:
- a compound load port stage configured to permit loading of a first type container or a second type container having a configuration different from a configuration of the first type container;
- a processing tool;
- a robot located between the compound load port stage and the processing tool;
- and
- a compound fork device coupled to be driven by the robot, and configured to selectively retain the first type container or the second type container so as to permit the robot to selectively transport the first type container or the second type container from the compound load port stage to an entry load port of the processing tool, the compound fork device including a first prong and a second prong spaced apart from the first prong, each of the first prong and the second prong having an upper surface and a lower surface which is depressed relative to the upper surface, the upper surface of the first prong and the upper surface of the second prong being configured to cooperatively retain the first type container, the lower surface of the first prong and the lower surface of the second prong being configured to cooperatively retain the second type container,
- wherein the compound fork device further includes a rear frame, a rear end of each of the first prong and the second prong being mounted to a lower portion of the rear frame;
- and
- wherein the compound fork device further includes two links, each of which interconnects an upper portion of the rear frame and a respective one of the first prong and the second prong.
5 more elements
A compound fork device comprising:
- a first prong and a second prong spaced apart from the first prong, each of the first prong and the second prong having an upper surface and a lower surface which is depressed relative to the upper surface, the upper surface of the first prong and the upper surface of the second prong being configured to cooperatively retain a first type container, the lower surface of the first prong and the lower surface of the second prong being configured to cooperatively retain a second type container having a configuration different from a configuration of the first type container;
- wherein the upper surface of each of the first prong and the second prong includes a front supporting region located forwardly of the lower surface, and a rear supporting region located rearwardly of the lower surface so as to permit four portions of the first type container to be respectively retained by the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the first prong and the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the second prong;
- wherein the upper surface of each of the first prong and the second prong has a front mounting region located outwardly of the front supporting region, and a rear mounting region located outwardly of the rear supporting region;
- wherein the lower surface of each of the first prong and the second prong has an inner supporting region and an outer mounting region located outwardly of the inner supporting region, the inner supporting region of the first prong and the inner supporting region of the second prong being located to cooperatively retain a top flange of the second type container;
- wherein the compound fork device further comprises two upper guiding units which are respectively formed on the upper surface of the first prong and the upper surface of the second prong to guide two sides of the first type container so as to permit the four portions of the first type container to be respectively moved onto the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the first prong and the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the second prong;
- wherein the compound fork device further comprises two lower guiding units which are respectively formed on the outer mounting region of the first prong and the outer mounting region of the second prong so as to guide two sides of the top flange of the second type container to respectively move onto the inner supporting region of the first prong and the inner supporting region of the second prong;
- wherein each of the two upper guiding units includes two upper guide blocks which are respectively disposed on the front mounting region and the rear mounting region of a respective one of the first prong and the second prong, the two upper guide blocks respectively having two upper guiding surfaces, the two upper guiding surfaces of the two upper guide blocks of one of the two upper guiding units being disposed to confront the two upper guiding surfaces of the two upper guide blocks of another one of the two upper guiding units;
- and
- wherein each of the two lower guiding units includes two lower guide blocks which are spaced apart from each other and which are disposed on the outer mounting region of a respective one of the first prong and the second prong, the two lower guide blocks respectively having two lower guiding surfaces, the two lower guiding surfaces of the two lower guide blocks of one of the two lower guiding units being disposed to confront the two lower guiding surfaces of the two lower guide blocks of another one of the two lower guiding units.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.