US 6,283,695 B1Granted

Tray conveying apparatus and method

AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Shinkawa

InventorsTakeyuki Nakagawa, Yasuo Chiyo

Life of this patent

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Abstract

In a tray conveying apparatus and method for, for instance, semiconductor parts, a main station and substation which have a tray conveying function are driven slidably in a direction perpendicular to a tray conveying line by a station sliding mechanism. When the preparation of a satisfactory-parts tray is required, the sub-station is positioned on the conveying line, and a satisfactory-parts tray is prepared on this sub-station by means of the exchange of parts, etc. Afterward, both main station and sub-station are caused to slide so that the main station is positioned on the conveying line. In this state, the satisfactory-parts tray is positioned in the vicinity of the conveying line, and a tray on the main station is replenished with satisfactory parts from the satisfactory-parts tray. A table sliding mechanism is further provided that has an upper-stage table, which carries a defective-parts tray, and a lower table, which caries a reclaimable-parts tray.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A tray conveying apparatus which has a conveying line that conveys trays on which a plurality of semiconductor parts are carried, said tray conveying apparatus comprising:

a main staton which is disposed in a movable manner at a prescribed position on said conveying line for conveying trays;
a sub-station which is disposed in a movable manner at a position adjacent to said prescribed position on said conveying line, said sub-station for carrying satisfactory-part replenishment trays;
a station exchanging means which exchanges stations positioned at said prescribed position on said conveying line;
a part transfer means which removes deficient parts from a tray that is fed onto and positioned at the main station and replenishes satisfactory parts in said tray from said satisfactory-part replenishment tray when said main station is positioned at said prescribed position on said conveying line;
and
a control means which controls operation of said tray conveying apparatus, and wherein
said control means comprises:
a means for positioning said sub-station at said prescribed position on said conveys line instead of said main station;
a means for preparing, as said satisfactory-part replenishment tray, a tray with only satisfactory parts thereon on said sub-station positioned at said prescribed position on said conveying line;
and
a means for positioning said main station at said prescribed position on said conveying line instead of said sub-station, and for positioning said sub-station in said adjacent position, after said tray with only satisfactory parts thereon has been prepared.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/420,871Filed 19 Oct 1999
Priority: JP 10-29627219 Oct 1998
Granted: 4 Sep 2001
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H10P 72/3411
The wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading: involving loading and unloading of wafers
G01R 31/01
Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by…
H10P 72/0612
Apparatus for monitoring, sorting, marking, testing or measuring: production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput
H10P 72/3412
Involving loading and unloading of wafers: batch transfer of wafers