US 2014/0112740 A1Published application

Overhead buffer device and wafer transport system

AssigneeInotera Memories, Inc.

InventorsHANG-HAO FENG, SHENG-JUNG CHANG

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Abstract

An overhead buffer device used for disposing in a semi-conductor factory includes a strut module and a plurality of buffer modules. The strut module disposed on the top wall of the factory has a horizontal beam and a plurality of overhead strut. The overhead strut is set on the horizontal beam and spaced arranged along the horizontal beam. The buffer modules are installed on the overhead strut respectively. Each buffer module has a plurality of buffers arranged in sequence and along a vertical direction. Each buffer is used for receiving one front opening unified pod (FOUP). Thus, the instant disclosure can be used for using the space of the factory efficiently. Besides, the instant disclosure also provides a wafer transport system having the overhead buffer device.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A wafer transport system, configured to be disposed in a semi-conductor factory for transporting a plurality of front opening unified pods (FOUPs), comprising:

an overhead track installed on a top wall of the semi-conductor factory;
an overhead transport vehicle movably disposed on the overhead track;
a processing tool having at least one load port, wherein the load port is arranged under the overhead track;
and
an overhead buffer device, comprising:
a strut module installed on the top wall of the semi-conductor factory, wherein the strut module has a horizontal beam and a plurality of overhead struts hung on the horizontal beam, and the overhead struts are spacedly arranged along the horizontal beam;
and
a plurality of buffer modules respectively hung on the overhead struts, wherein each buffer module has a plurality of buffers stacked along a vertical direction, and each buffer is configured to receive one FOUP;
wherein the FOUPs are transportable between the load port of the processing tool and each buffer of the buffer modules by the overhead transport vehicle.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.