US 5,603,777 A · Substrate surface treating apparatus and substrate surface treating method

Abstract

A loader station of substrate treating apparatus receives a transport cassette from a preceding stage. This transport cassette stores a plurality of substrates to be treated, arranged with a predetermined spacing therein. An empty processing cassette stands by at the loader station when the transport cassette arrives. The processing cassette is constructed to store the plurality of substrates arranged with a storage spacing that is independent of the storage spacing in the transport cassette but is optimal for surface treatment in the apparatus. In the loader station, a loader substrate transport robot transfers the substrates to be treated from the transport cassette to the empty processing cassette while absorbing any difference that may exist between the storage spacings of the respective cassettes. After being emptied, the transport cassette is transported through a transport cassette buffer to an unloader station, the now loaded processing cassette is transported to the unloader station by way of a predetermined transport path having treating baths therealong for cleaning and drying the substrates in the processing cassette. In the unloader station, an unloader substrate transfer robot transfers the treated substrates from the processing cassette to an empty transport cassette while absorbing any difference there may be between the storage spacings of the respective transport and processing cassettes. After unloading of the treated substrates, the empty processing cassette is transported through a processing cassette buffer to the loading station for standby, and the transport cassette storing the treated substrates is transported from the apparatus to a next stage.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A surface treating apparatus for providing surface treatment to a plurality of substrates stored in a cassette, said apparatus comprising:

a transport cassette transfer station to support a transport cassette adapted to store the plurality of substrates arranged with a first storage spacing;
a processing cassette transfer station to support a processing cassette adapted to store the plurality of substrates arranged with a second storage spacing which is different from the first storage spacing;
substrate transfer means for transferring the plurality of substrates between said transport cassette at said transport cassette transfer station and said processing cassette at said processing cassette transfer station, such that said substrates are stored in said transport cassette and said processing cassette with said first storage spacing and said second storage spacing, respectively;
a surface treating section to provide surface treatment for the plurality of substrates stored in said processing cassette;
and
surface treatment transport means for transporting said processing cassette storing the plurality of substrates to be treated, after a substrate transfer by said substrate transfer means from said transport cassette to said processing cassette, from said processing cassette transfer station through said surface treating section to said processing cassette transfer station.

3 more elements

A surface treating method for providing surface treatment to a plurality of substrates stored in a cassette, said method comprising the steps of:

transferring the plurality of substrates to be treated, which are stored in a transport cassette with a first storage spacing, from said transport cassette to an empty processing cassette to be stored therein with a second storage spacing which is different from the first storage spacing;
transporting said processing cassette, after transfer of said substrates to be treated, to a surface treating section for providing surface treatment of the plurality of substrates in said processing cassette;
and
transferring the plurality of treated substrates from said processing cassette to an empty transport cassette to be stored therein with said first storage spacing.

1 more element

A surface treating apparatus for providing surface treatment for a plurality of substrates stored in a cassette, said apparatus comprising:

a transport cassette transfer station to support a transport cassette adapted to store the plurality of substrates arranged with a first storage spacing;
a processing cassette transfer station to support a processing cassette adapted to store the plurality of substrates arranged with a second storage spacing which is different from the first storage spacing;
substrate transfer device for transferring the plurality of substrates between said transport cassette at said transport cassette transfer station and said processing cassette at said processing cassette transfer station, such that said substrates are stored in said transport cassette and said processing cassette with said first storage spacing and said second storage spacing, respectively;
a surface treating section to provide surface treatment for the plurality of substrates stored in said processing cassette;
and
surface treatment transport device to transport said processing cassette storing the plurality of substrates to be treated, after a substrate transfer by said substrate transfer device from said transport cassette to said processing cassette, from said processing cassette transfer station through said surface treating section to said processing cassette transfer station.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Substrate surface treating apparatus and substrate surface treating method

Life of this patent

Substrate surface treating apparatus and substrate surface treating method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28