Automated material handling system for semiconductor manufacturing based on a combination of vertical carousels and overhead hoists
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
H01L-021/00
G06F-019/00
출원번호
UP-0652707
(2007-01-12)
등록번호
US-7771153
(2010-08-30)
발명자
/ 주소
Doherty, Brian J.
Mariano, Thomas R.
Sullivan, Robert P.
출원인 / 주소
Murata Machinery Ltd.
대리인 / 주소
Fish & Richardson P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
10인용 특허 :
16
초록▼
An Automated Material Handling System (AMHS) that allows an overhead hoist transport vehicle to load and unload Work-In-Process (WIP) parts directly to/from WIP storage units included in the system. The AMHS includes an overhead hoist transport subsystem and a vertical carousel stocker having a plur
An Automated Material Handling System (AMHS) that allows an overhead hoist transport vehicle to load and unload Work-In-Process (WIP) parts directly to/from WIP storage units included in the system. The AMHS includes an overhead hoist transport subsystem and a vertical carousel stocker having a plurality of storage bins. The subsystem includes an overhead hoist transport vehicle traveling along a suspended track defining a predetermined route running adjacent to the stocker, allowing the vehicle to access a WIP part directly from a storage bin. At least one storage bin includes a movable shelf operative to move laterally from a first position along the carousel path to a second position near the vehicle. The storage unit is partially open to allow the movable shelf to move to the second position, allowing the hoist to access a material unit directly from the shelf for subsequent transport along the track.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. An automated material handling system, comprising: at least one storage unit including a plurality of storage bins, each of the plurality of storage bins being configured to hold at least one unit of material, the plurality of storage bins being disposed within the storage un
What is claimed is: 1. An automated material handling system, comprising: at least one storage unit including a plurality of storage bins, each of the plurality of storage bins being configured to hold at least one unit of material, the plurality of storage bins being disposed within the storage unit for movement and positioning along a carousel path, the carousel path including at least one vertical path; and an overhead hoist transport subsystem including at least one overhead hoist transport vehicle, and at least one overhead hoist having a gripper portion configured to grip the at least one material unit, the overhead hoist transport vehicle being configured to travel along a suspended track defining at least one predetermined route running adjacent to the storage unit, wherein at least one of the plurality of storage bins comprises a movable shelf, the movable shelf being operative to move in a vertical direction to a first position along the vertical carousel path, to move in a lateral direction from the first position along the vertical carousel path to a second position proximate the overhead hoist transport vehicle, and to move in the lateral direction from the second position back to the first position along the vertical carousel path, and wherein the storage unit is at least partially open to allow the moveable shelf to move to and from the second position, thereby allowing the gripper portion of the overhead hoist to access at least one material unit directly from the movable shelf disposed at the second position for subsequent transport along the track between various locations within a product manufacturing facility. 2. The automated material handling system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the suspended track is disposed substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the at least one storage unit adjacent the first position alongside the at least one storage unit. 3. The automated material handling system of claim 1, wherein at least one storage unit is configured to move a selected one of the plurality of storage bins to an upper region of the at least one storage unit to allow the gripper portion to access a selected one of the at least one unit of material from a position above the selected one of the plurality of storage bins. 4. The automated material handling system of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the suspended track is disposed substantially directly above the selected one of the plurality of storage bins at the upper region of the at least one storage unit. 5. The automated material handling system of claim 1, wherein the at least one unit of material comprises a cassette pod. 6. An automated material handling system, comprising: an overhead transport subsystem including an overhead transport vehicle, a suspended track, an overhead hoist, a translating stage and a gripper, the suspended track forming at least one predetermined route and the overhead transport vehicle being configured to carry the overhead hoist, translating stage and gripper along the at least one predetermined route; at least one storage bin located adjacent the suspended track, the at least one storage bin being configured to hold at least one unit of material; and the translating stage being configured to laterally translate the gripper from a first position proximate to the overhead transport vehicle to a second position proximate to the at least one storage bin and the gripper being configured to directly access the at least one material unit from the at least one storage bin; wherein the overhead transport vehicle transports the at least one material unit between various manufacturing equipment locations within a production manufacturing facility along the at least one predetermined route. 7. The automated material handling system of claim 6, wherein the gripper is configured to transport the at least one unit of material directly to the storage bin. 8. The automated material handling system of claim 6, wherein the translating stage is further configured to move the gripper from the first position proximate the overhead transport vehicle to a selected one of the second position and a third position with the translating stage, wherein the second position and third position are disposed on opposite sides of the overhead transport vehicle. 9. The automated material handling system of claim 6, wherein the at least one material unit comprises a cassette pod. 10. An automated material handling system for transporting material between various locations within a product manufacturing facility, comprising: at least one housing unit configured to house a plurality of storage bins, each storage bin including a shelf having an outer peripheral border and being configured to hold at least one unit of material on the shelf; and an overhead hoist transport subsystem including at least one overhead hoist, a suspended track and at least one overhead hoist transport vehicle, the suspended track forming at least one predetermined route disposed adjacent to the storage bin housing unit, the overhead hoist including a translating stage and a gripper portion coupled to the translating stage, the gripper portion being configured to grip the at least one material unit, the overhead hoist transport vehicle being configured to carry the overhead hoist including the translating stage and the gripper portion along the suspended track to a first track position adjacent one of the plurality of storage bins; and wherein, while the overhead hoist transport vehicle is at the first track position, the translating stage is configured to move the gripper portion laterally from a first position proximate to the overhead hoist transport vehicle past the outer peripheral border of the one of the plurality of storage bins to a second position proximate to the one of the plurality of storage bins where the gripper portion of the overhead hoist is configured to access the at least one material unit directly from the one of the plurality of storage bins for subsequent transport along the track to a predetermined location within the product manufacturing facility. 11. The automated material handling system of claim 10, wherein the gripper portion is further configured to provide the at least one unit of material directly to one of the plurality of storage bins for subsequent storage within the at least one housing unit. 12. The automated material handling system of claim 10, wherein the one of the plurality of storage bins comprises a movable shelf configured to move the at least one unit of material to the gripper portion at the first position proximate to the overhead hoist transport vehicle. 13. The automated material handling system of claim 12, wherein the one of the plurality of storage bins includes a mechanism configured to move the at least one unit of material in at least one axial direction of a Cartesian (X, Y, Z) coordinate system. 14. The automated material handling system of claim 10, wherein the one of the plurality of storage bins comprises a fixed shelf disposed within the at least one housing unit. 15. The automated material handling system of claim 10, wherein the at least one housing unit comprises a vertical carousel stocker. 16. An automated material handling system, comprising: at least one storage unit including a plurality of storage bins, each of the plurality of storage bins including a shelf having an outer peripheral border and being configured to hold at least one unit of material on the shelf, the plurality of storage bins being disposed within the storage unit for movement and positioning at a predetermined carousel position along a carousel path, the carousel path including at least one vertical path; and an overhead hoist transport subsystem including at least one overhead hoist transport vehicle, and at least one overhead hoist having a translating stage and a gripper portion coupled to the translating stage, the gripper portion being configured to grip the at least one unit of material, the overhead hoist transport vehicle being configured to carry the overhead hoist including the translating stage and gripper portion along a suspended track, defining at least one predetermined route running adjacent to the storage unit, to a predetermined track position; the translating stage being configured to laterally move the gripper portion from a first position proximate the overhead hoist transport vehicle past the outer peripheral border of the respective shelf for a selected one of the plurality of storage bins to a second position proximate the selected one of the plurality of storage bins disposed at the predetermined carousel position; and the gripper portion being configured to access a selected one of the at least one units of material directly from the selected one of the plurality of storage bins for subsequent transport along the suspended track between various manufacturing equipment locations within a product manufacturing facility. 17. The automated material handling system of claim 16, wherein the translating stage is further configured to move the gripper portion from the first position proximate the overhead hoist transport vehicle to a selected one of the second position and a third position with the translating stage, wherein the second position and third position are disposed on opposite sides of the overhead hoist transport vehicle.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (16)
Trammell, Harold L., Assembly for transporting material.
Bonora, Anthony C.; Martin, Raymond S.; Netsch, Robert; Oen, Joshua T.; Mosier, Terry; Fosnight, William J., SMIF pod storage, delivery and retrieval system.
Doherty, Brian J.; Mariano, Thomas R.; Sullivan, Robert P., Automated material handling system for semiconductor manufacturing based on a combination of vertical carousels and overhead hoists.
Doherty, Brian J.; Mariano, Thomas R.; Sullivan, Robert P., Automated material handling system for semiconductor manufacturing based on a combination of vertical carousels and overhead hoists.
Doherty, Brian J.; Mariano, Thomas R.; Sullivan, Robert P., Automated material handling system for semiconductor manufacturing based on a combination of vertical carousels and overhead hoists.
Doherty, Brian J.; Mariano, Thomas R.; Sullivan, Robert P., Automated material handling system for semiconductor manufacturing based on a combination of vertical carousels and overhead hoists.
Doherty, Brian J.; Mariano, Thomas R.; Sullivan, Robert P., Automated material handling system for semiconductor manufacturing based on a combination of vertical carousels and overhead hoists.
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