Load port mounting mechanism

A load port mounting mechanism for a semiconductor manufacture apparatus, comprising:

• a positioning plate fixed to one of a load port and a semiconductor manufacture apparatus, and having planar positioning surfaces at both ends in a horizontal direction;
• and
• a positioning guide fixed to the other of the load port and the semiconductor manufacture apparatus, and having a pair of planar positioning surfaces disposed at an interval in the horizontal direction and opposed to each other,
• wherein when the load port is to be mounted on the semiconductor manufacture apparatus in a single alignment step, said planar positioning plate is fitted between the pair of planar positioning surfaces opposed to each other and the planar positioning surfaces at both ends of said positioning plate are engaged with an opposed planar positioning surfaces of said positioning guide so that the load port is positioned in the horizontal direction relative to the semiconductor manufacture apparatus.

A load port mounting position adjusting mechanism for adjusting a position where a load port is to be mounted on a semiconductor manufacture apparatus, comprising:

• a first positioning member provided in one of the load port and the semiconductor manufacture apparatus;
• a first movable member movable in an up-and-down direction and provided in the other one of the load port and the semiconductor manufacture apparatus than the one provided with said first positioning member;
• a first positional adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of said first movable member in the up-and-down direction;
• a second positioning member provided in one of the load port and the semiconductor manufacture apparatus;
• a second movable member movable in the up-and-down direction provided in the other one of the load port and the semiconductor manufacture apparatus than the one provided with said second positioning member;
• and
• a second positional adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of said second movable member in the up-and-down direction,
• wherein when the load port is mounted on the semiconductor manufacture apparatus, said first movable member and said second movable member are brought into contact with said first positioning member and said second positioning member, respectively, and a groove into which said first positioning member is to be fitted is formed in a surface of said first movable member in contact with said first positioning member.

A load port to be mounted on a semiconductor manufacture apparatus, comprising:

• a base plate;
• a first movable member movable in an up-and-down direction relative to said base plate;
• a first positional adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of said first movable member in the up-and-down direction;
• a second movable member movable in the up-and-down direction relative to said base plate;
• and
• a second positional adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of said second movable member in the up-and-down direction,
• wherein when the load port is to be mounted on the semiconductor manufacture apparatus, said first movable member and said second movable member are adapted to contact with a first positioning member and a second positioning member provided in the semiconductor manufacture apparatus, respectively, and a groove into which said first positioning member is to be fitted is formed in a surface of said first movable member which contacts with said first positioning member.

A load port to be mounted on a semiconductor manufacture apparatus, comprising:

• a base plate;
• a movable member movable in an up-and-down direction relative to said base plate;
• and
• a positional adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of said movable member in the up-and-down direction,
• wherein when the load port is to be mounted on the semiconductor manufacture apparatus, said movable member is adapted to contact with a positioning member provided on the semiconductor manufacture apparatus, and a groove into which said positioning member is to be fitted is formed in a surface of said movable member which contacts with said positioning member.

A semiconductor manufacture apparatus on which a load port is to be mounted, comprising:

• a housing having a load port mounting surface;
• a first movable member movable in an up-and-down direction relative to said housing;
• a first positional adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of said first movable member in the up-and-down direction
• a second movable member movable in the up-and-down direction relative to said housing;
• and
• a second positional adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of said second movable member in the up-and-down direction,
• wherein when the load port is to be mounted on the semiconductor manufacture apparatus, said first movable member and said second movable member are adapted to contact with a first positioning member and a second positioning member provided on the load port, respectively, and a groove into which said first positioning member is to be fitted is formed in a surface of said first movable member which contacts with said first positioning member.

A semiconductor manufacture apparatus on which a load port is to be mounted, comprising:

• a housing having a load port mounting surface;
• a movable member movable in an up-and-down direction relative to said housing;
• and
• a positional adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of said movable member in the up-and-down direction,
• wherein when the load port is to be mounted on the semiconductor manufacture apparatus, said movable member is adapted to contact with a positioning member provided on the load port, and a groove into which said positioning member is to be inserted is formed in a surface of said movable member which contacts with said positioning member.

A load port mounting position adjusting method for adjusting a position where a load port is to be mounted on a semiconductor manufacture apparatus for the load port and the semiconductor manufacture apparatus,

• said load port and semiconductor manufacture apparatus including:
• a first positioning member provided on one of the load port and the semiconductor manufacture apparatus;
• a first movable member movable in an up-and-down direction and provided on the other one of the load port and the semiconductor manufacture apparatus than the one where said first positioning member is provided;
• a first positional adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of said first movable member in the up-and-down direction;
• a second positioning member provided in one of the load port and the semiconductor manufacture apparatus;
• a second movable member movable in the up-and-down direction provided on the other one of the load port and the semiconductor manufacture apparatus than the one provided with said second positioning member;
• and
• a second positional adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of said second movable member in the up-and-down direction,
• wherein when the load port is mounted on the semiconductor manufacture apparatus, said first movable member and said second movable member are brought into contact with said first positioning member and said second positioning member, respectively, and a groove into which said first positioning member is to be inserted is formed in a surface of said first movable member which contacts with said first positioning member, said method comprising:
• moving said first movable member in the up-and-down direction by said first positional adjustment mechanism to adjust the height of the load port relative to the semiconductor manufacture apparatus;
• and
• moving said first movable member in the up-and-down direction by said second positional adjustment mechanism to adjust a tilt of the load port relative to the semiconductor manufacture apparatus.