Systems and methods for transferring solar cells while maintaining a controlled micro-environment are provided. In particular, such systems provide automated loading and unloading of solar cells by use of a conveyor and elevator within a tank receptacle sealingly connected with a solar cell carrying
Systems and methods for transferring solar cells while maintaining a controlled micro-environment are provided. In particular, such systems provide automated loading and unloading of solar cells by use of a conveyor and elevator within a tank receptacle sealingly connected with a solar cell carrying pods and a flow tube of solar cell components in a solar cell fabrication process. The tank receptacle can include one or more ports for sealingly and operably coupling with a cover of a solar cell carrying pod, each port having an elevator for withdrawing a removable base of the pod along with a solar cell carrying cassette into the tank and a conveyor to facilitate loading and/or unloading of solar cells with the cassette by coordinated movement of the elevator and conveyor. Such systems can further include a robotic arm having a gripper and nozzle to maintain a micro-environment within the pod during transport.
대표청구항▼
1. A solar cell transfer system comprising: a receptacle sealingly coupleable with a tube through which solar cell components are conveyed in a solar cell fabrication process flow, wherein the receptacle includes one or more ports, each port sealingly coupleable with a solar cell carrying pod to fac
1. A solar cell transfer system comprising: a receptacle sealingly coupleable with a tube through which solar cell components are conveyed in a solar cell fabrication process flow, wherein the receptacle includes one or more ports, each port sealingly coupleable with a solar cell carrying pod to facilitate transport of one or more solar cells between the solar cell carrying pod and the solar cell fabrication process flow;an elevator associated with each of the one or more ports, each elevator being adapted to securely couple with a removable base of the solar cell carrying pod and withdraw the removable base and a solar cell carrier cassette attached to the removable base into the receptacle to facilitate transport of the one or more cells between the cassette and the solar cell fabrication process flow;a movable conveyor associated with each of the one or more ports, the conveyor configured to extend towards the cassette after withdrawal of the removable base into the receptacle and to convey the one or more solar cells resting thereon to facilitate transport of the one or more cells between the cassette and the solar cell fabrication process flow;a controller configured to control movement of each of the conveyor and the elevator such that movement of the elevator coordinated with conveying movement of the conveyor extended towards the cassette effects transport of the one or more cells between the cassette and the solar cell fabrication process flow through the tube;a plurality of designated staging tracks including a first staging track configured to transfer solar cell carrying pods loaded with solar cells incoming into the solar cell fabrication process flow, a second staging track configured to transfer solar cell carryings pods loaded with solar cells outgoing from the solar cell fabrication process flow for storage, and a third staging track configured to transfer empty solar cell carrying pods; anda robotic arm having a gripper configured to place any of a plurality of solar cell carrying pods cell on a respective port of the one or more ports of the receptacle, wherein the robotic arm is configured to automatically transfer solar cell carrying pods between any of the designated staging tracks and a respective port to facilitate repeated large-scale loading and unloading of outgoing and incoming solar cells from the solar cell fabrication process flow tube. 2. The solar cell transfer system of claim 1, wherein the elevator includes an actuator positioned on an elevator platform to engage one or more gears of the removable base to effect removal and/or replacement of the base from the solar cell carrying pod. 3. The solar cell transfer system of claim 2, wherein the actuator comprises a motor-driven collet adapted to expand into a rotatable collar operably coupled with a gear system within the removable base that effects removal and/or replacement of the base of the solar cell carrying pod. 4. The solar cell transfer system of claim 3, wherein the collet is incorporated into the movable elevator platform. 5. The solar cell transfer system of claim 1, wherein the one or more ports includes: an incoming port for transferring the one or more incoming solar cells from a respective solar cell carrying pod, andan outgoing port for transferring the one more solar cells outgoing to a respective solar cell carrying pod. 6. The solar cell transfer system of claim 1, wherein the gripper comprises at least two distally extending gripper jaws adapted to close on a handle disposed atop the solar cell carrying pod, wherein the at least two gripper jaws are movable between an open position for receiving the handle and a closed position for grasping the handle, wherein movement of the gripper jaws is effected by a gripper actuation mechanism. 7. The solar cell transfer system of claim 6, the wherein the at least two gripper jaws are biased in the open position and the actuation mechanism comprises a sleeve that slides over the at least two gripper jaws so as to move the at least two gripper jaws towards each other as the sleeve is distally advanced. 8. The solar cell transfer system of claim 7, wherein the gripper actuation mechanism is configured such that movement of the sleeve is pneumatically actuated. 9. The solar cell transfer system of claim 6, wherein the gripper further includes a nozzle adapted to sealingly couple with a valve disposed atop the solar cell carrying pod to facilitate maintaining a controlled environment within the solar cell carrying pod. 10. The solar cell transfer system of claim 9, wherein the nozzle includes an circumferential seal along a distal nozzle opening for sealing against a valve boss surrounding the valve when the gripper is coupled with the handle of the solar cell carrying pod. 11. The solar cell transfer system of claim 1, further comprising: a lip seal circumscribing each of the one or more ports to facilitate sealing of a cover of the solar cell carrying pod with the respective port. 12. The solar cell transfer system of claim 11, further comprising: a clamp mechanism disposed on a receptacle housing adjacent each of the one or more ports, wherein each clamp mechanism includes a finger that pressingly engages an outer surface of the solar pod sufficiently to seal the cover against the receptacle housing about the port. 13. The solar cell transfer system of claim 12, wherein each clamp mechanism comprises: a base attached to a housing of the receptacle,a movable arm pivotally coupled to the base; anda rod extending distally from the movable arm and defining the finger for engaging the outer surface of the respective solar cell carrying pod. 14. The solar cell transfer system of claim 1, further comprising: one or more sensors for determining a status and/or location of a respective solar cell carrying pod or the removable base of the respective solar cell carrying pod relative the respective port, wherein an output of each of the one or more sensors is coupled with the control unit such that movement of the removable base into the receptacle and/or movement of the conveyor is based on data from the one or more sensors. 15. The solar cell transfer system of claim 14, wherein the one or more sensors includes any of: a first sensor adapted for determining when a solar cell carrying pod is sealingly coupled to the port;a second sensor adapted for determining a location of a cassette attached to the removable base of a respective solar cell carrying pod when withdraw into the receptacle; anda third sensor adapted for determining a location of a respective solar cell of the one or more solar cells during unloading from a cassette and/or loading onto a cassette,or any combination thereof. 16. A solar cell transfer system comprising: a receptacle sealingly coupleable with a tube through which solar cell components are conveyed in a solar cell fabrication process flow, wherein the receptacle includes one or more ports, each port sealingly coupleable with a solar cell carrying pod to facilitate transport of one or more solar cells between the solar cell carrying pod and the solar cell fabrication process flow;an elevator associated with each of the one or more ports, each elevator being adapted to securely couple with a removable base of the solar cell carrying pod and withdraw the removable base and a solar cell carrier cassette attached to the removable base into the receptacle to facilitate transport of the one or more cells between the cassette and the solar cell fabrication process flow;a movable conveyor associated with each of the one or more ports, the conveyor configured to extend towards the cassette after withdrawal of the removable base into the receptacle and to convey the one or more solar cells resting thereon to facilitate transport of the one or more cells between the cassette and the solar cell fabrication process flow; andwherein the system is configured to control movement of each of the conveyor and the elevator such that movement of the elevator coordinated with conveying movement of the conveyor extended towards the cassette effects transport of the one or more cells between the cassette and the solar cell fabrication process flow through the tube;a plurality of designated staging tracks including a first staging track configured to transfer solar cell carrying pods loaded with solar cells incoming into the solar cell fabrication process flow, a second staging track configured to transfer solar cell carryings pods loaded with solar cells outgoing from the solar cell fabrication process flow for storage, and a third staging track configured to transfer empty solar cell carrying pods; anda robotic arm having a gripper configured to place any of a plurality of solar cell carrying pods cell on a respective port of the one or more ports of the receptacle, wherein the robotic arm is configured to automatically transfer solar cell carrying pods between any of the designated staging tracks and a respective port to facilitate repeated large-scale loading and unloading of outgoing and incoming solar cells from the solar cell fabrication process flow tube. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the system is configured to automatically convey a plurality of solar pods to particular positions along the respective staging racks to facilitate repeated loading and unloading of large volumes of solar cell carrying pods with the robotic arm. 18. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more conveyors comprise an incoming and an outgoing conveyor, and the one or more ports comprise an incoming port and an outgoing port, the incoming and outgoing conveyor being configured for conveying solar cells incoming and outgoing from the solar cell fabrication process tube for unloading at the incoming port and for loading at the outgoing port, respectively,wherein the incoming and outgoing conveyor are adjacent each other within the tank receptacle attached to the solar cell fabrication process tube. 19. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more ports comprise a single port,wherein the system is configured to facilitate loading and unloading of outgoing and incoming solar cells, respectively, from the process flow tube at the single port.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (19)
Tullis Barclay J. (Palo Alto CA) Bailey John S. (Sunnyvale CA) Gunawardena D. R. (Union City CA) Kaempf Ulrich (Los Altos CA), Apparatus for automated cassette handling.
Bachrach, Robert Z.; Chae, Yong-Kee; Choi, Soo Young; De Vries, Nicholas G. J.; Elgar, Yacov; Englhardt, Eric A.; Frei, Michel R.; Gay, Charles; Hawkins, Parris; Ho, Choi (Gene); Hunter, James Craig; Kankanala, Penchala N.; Li, Liwei; Lo, Wing Hoo (Hendrick); Lu, Danny Cam Toan; Mei, Fang; Murphy, Stephen P.; Patel, Srujal (Steve); Saunders, Matthew J. B.; Schlezinger, Asaf; Sheng, Shuran; Su, Tzay-Fa (Jeff); Sullivan, Jeffrey S.; Tanner, David; Trowbridge, Teresa; Walker, Brice; White, John M.; Won, Tae K., Automated integrated solar cell production line composed of a plurality of automated modules and tools including an autoclave for curing solar devices that have been laminated.
Ragard Phillip A. (Binghamton NY), Component pick and place spindle assembly with compact internal linear and rotary displacement motors and interchangeabl.
Bonora Anthony C. (Menlo Park CA) Richardson Bruce A. (Pleasanton CA) Brain Michael D. (San Jose CA) Cortez Edward J. (San Jose CA) Huang Barney H. (Sunnyvale CA), Human guided mobile loader stocker.
Crabb Richard (Mesa AZ) Robinson McDonald (Paradise Valley AZ) Hawkins Mark R. (Mesa AZ) Goodwin Dennis L. (Tempe AZ) Ferro Armand P. (Scottsdale AZ), Method for loading a substrate into a GVD apparatus.
Bonora Anthony C. (Menlo Park CA) Rosenquist Frederick T. (Redwood City CA) Jain Sudhir (Milpitas CA) Davis Mark R. (Campbell CA), Sealable transportable container having improved liner.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.