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US 2009/0022574 A1Published application
Workpiece loading system
OwnerSteve L. Eudy, Randy A. Harris +1inventors
InventorsSteve L. Eudy, Randy A. Harris, Paul Z. Wirth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wafer loading system accommodates sufficient wafer carriers to substantially maximize the processing speed capability of wafer processing systems. Wafer carriers are placed into and removed from the loading system by one or two overhead carrier loading elements, such as overhead track systems. Carriers may be loaded or removed while other carriers are in work. One or more transfer robots may move wafers from the carriers to buffers. Methods of operating the loading system allow delivery and removal of wafers to and from the processing systems to meet or exceed the processing speeds of the processing systems.
Claims33
A method for moving wafers into and out of a processing system, comprising:
- lowering a first wafer carrier into a first position on a wafer loading system;
- moving the first wafer carrier substantially in a first direction, from the first position to a second position;
- lifting the first wafer carrier to a third position;
- moving wafers from the first wafer carrier out of the wafer loading system and into a processing system;
- moving the wafers back into the wafer loading system and returning the wafers to the first wafer carrier or to an auxiliary wafer carrier;
- lowering a second wafer carrier into the first position of the wafer loading system;
- and
- lifting the first wafer carrier from the wafer loading system.
5 more elements
2-8. (canceled)
(canceled)
A method for moving wafers, comprising:
- lowering a first wafer carrier into a first position of a wafer loading system;
- moving the first wafer carrier substantially in a first direction, from the first position to a second position;
- lifting the first wafer carrier to a third position;
- lowering a second wafer carrier into the first position of the wafer loading system;
- moving a first lot of wafers from the first wafer carrier into a wafer processing system;
- moving the first lot of wafers back into the first wafer carrier or into an auxiliary wafer carrier;
- moving the second wafer carrier up to an intermediate position vertically above the first position;
- moving the first wafer carrier down from the third position back to the second position;
- moving the second wafer carrier substantially in the first direction from the intermediate position into third position;
- moving the first wafer carrier from the second position back to the first position;
- and
- lifting first wafer carrier up and removing it from the wafer loading system.
9 more elements
14-19. (canceled)
A method comprising:
- lowering a first wafer carrier into a first position of a wafer loading system;
- moving the first wafer carrier substantially in a first direction from the first position to a second position;
- moving a first lot of wafers from the first wafer carrier into a wafer processing system;
- returning the first lot of wafers back into the first wafer carrier or into an auxiliary wafer carrier;
- moving the first wafer carrier from the second position to the first position;
- lowering a second wafer carrier into third position of the wafer loading system, with the third position vertically above the second position;
- moving a second lot of wafers from the second wafer carrier into the wafer processing system;
- returning the second lot of wafers back into the second wafer carrier;
- lifting the first wafer carrier up off of the loading system;
- and
- lifting the second wafer carrier up off of the loading system.
8 more elements
26-27. (canceled)
A method comprising:
- lowering a first wafer carrier into a first position of a wafer loading system;
- moving the first wafer carrier substantially in a first direction, from the first position to a second position;
- lifting the first wafer carrier to a third position;
- moving a first lot of wafers out of the first wafer carrier and into a wafer processing system;
- returning the first lot of wafer to the first wafer carrier or into an auxiliary wafer carrier;
- lowering a second wafer carrier into a stack position substantially aligned above the third position;
- lowering the first wafer carrier from the third position back to the second position;
- lowering the second wafer carrier from the stack position to the third position;
- moving the first wafer carrier from the second position back to the first position;
- moving a second lot of wafers out of the second wafer carrier and into a wafer processing system;
- returning the second lot of wafers to the second wafer carrier;
- and
- lifting the first wafer carrier off of the wafer loading system.
10 more elements
32-34. (canceled)
The method of claim 34 further comprising:
- lowering a third wafer carrier from the first overhead carrier loading element into a fourth position of the wafer loading system;
- moving the third wafer carrier substantially horizontally from the fourth position to a fifth position;
- lifting the third wafer carrier to a sixth position;
- docking the third wafer carrier at a docking position;
- removing a door from the third wafer carrier;
- moving wafers from the third wafer carrier out of the loading system and into a processing system;
- moving the wafers taken from the third wafer carrier back into the loading system and returning them to the third wafer carrier;
- replacing the door onto the third wafer carrier;
- undocking the third wafer carrier;
- lowering a fourth wafer carrier from the second overhead carrier loading element into the stack position;
- and
- lifting the third wafer carrier from the wafer loading system via the first overhead carrier loading element.
9 more elements
A wafer loading system comprising:
- a docking wall having a plurality of docking openings;
- a carrier loading system on a first side of the docking wall, with the carrier loading system having:
- first and second rows of carrier loading positions accessible by a first overhead loading element, and a second row of carrier loading positions accessible by a second overhead loading element;
- a shuttle actuator positioned to move a carrier to or from a position in the first row to or from a position in the second row;
- a carrier loader positioned to receive a carrier from the shuttle actuator, at the second row;
- and
- a lift actuator linked to the carrier loader for lifting and lowering the carrier load.
4 more elements
(canceled)
A wafer loading system comprising:
- a docking wall having a plurality of docking openings;
- a carrier loading system on a first side of the docking wall, with the carrier loading system having:
- a first row of carrier loading positions accessible by an overhead wafer carrier loading and unloading element, and a second row of carrier loading positions adjacent to the first row;
- a first carrier loader having a first carrier plate, a first shuttle actuator for horizontal movement and a first lift actuator for vertical movement;
- a second carrier loader having a second carrier plate, a second shuttle actuator for horizontal movement and a second lift actuator for vertical movement;
- with the first and second carrier loaders adapted to the move the first and second carrier plates in substantially equal and opposite directions, respectively.
3 more elements
(canceled)
A wafer loading system comprising:
- a docking wall having a first row of docking openings and a second row of docking openings above the first row;
- a carrier loading system on a first side of the docking wall, with the carrier loading system having:
- a first row of carrier loading positions accessible by a first overhead loading element, and a second row of carrier loading positions accessible by a second overhead loading element;
- a shuttle actuator positioned to move a first carrier from a position in the first row to a position at a docking opening in the first row of docking openings;
- and
- a docking actuator positioned to dock a second carrier at a docking opening in the second row of docking openings.
3 more elements
A wafer loading system comprising:
- a docking wall having a plurality of docking openings;
- a carrier loading system on a first side of the docking wall, with the carrier loading system having:
- a carrier loading position accessible by a first overhead loading element;
- a carrier loader having upper and lower carrier holding plates, with the upper carrier plate accessible by a second overhead loading element;
- an upper docking actuator attached to the upper carrier plate and a lower docking actuator attached to the lower carrier plate;
- a lift actuator connected to the carrier loader for lifting and lowering the carrier loader;
- and
- a shuttle actuator adapted to move a carrier from the first carrier loading position onto the lower carrier holding plate.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.