U.S. patent application number 11/889094 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-14 for gas filling facility for photomask pod or the like.
This patent application is currently assigned to GUDENG PRECISION INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Yung-Shun Pan.
Application Number | 20080035237 11/889094 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39049428 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080035237 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pan; Yung-Shun |
February 14, 2008 |
Gas filling facility for photomask pod or the like
Abstract
A gas filling system includes a work platform installed in a pod
storage cabinet and defining an accommodation chamber for holding a
photomask pod, a pod detaching mechanism disposed in one side of
the work platform and controllable to unlock the locking members of
the photomask pod for allowing removal of a cover member of the
photomask pod from its support tray, and a displacement mechanism
mounted in a second side of the work platform and controllable to
separate the support tray and the cover member of the photomask pod
for allowing filling of an inert gas into the accommodation
chamber.
Inventors: |
Pan; Yung-Shun; (Hsichih
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE, FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
GUDENG PRECISION INDUSTRIAL CO.,
LTD.
Hsien
TW
|
Family ID: |
39049428 |
Appl. No.: |
11/889094 |
Filed: |
August 9, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/98 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 21/67393 20130101;
H01L 21/67359 20130101; G03F 7/70741 20130101; H01L 21/67353
20130101; G03F 7/7075 20130101; H01L 21/67017 20130101; H01L
21/67769 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/98 |
International
Class: |
B65B 3/04 20060101
B65B003/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 9, 2006 |
TW |
095129271 |
Claims
1. A gas filling system for filling a pod with a gas, said pod
comprising a support tray, a cover member detachably covering said
support tray, and locking members for locking said cover member to
said support tray, said support tray having support members for
holding a storage item in position, said locking members each
having at least one retaining hole, the gas filling system
comprising: a work platform, said work platform comprising an
accommodation chamber, a first opening at a one side of said
accommodation chamber, a second opening at another side of said
accommodation chamber, and at least one filling port through which
a gas is filled into said accommodation chamber; a pod detaching
mechanism disposed in one side of said work platform, said pod
detaching mechanism comprising a power drive, and a plurality of
movable blocks movable by said power drive to lock/unlock said
locking members of said pod, said movable blocks each having at
least one retaining rod for engaging said retaining holes of said
locking members; and a displacement mechanism mounted at the second
opening of said work platform, said displacement mechanism
comprising at least one vertical motion rod, a carrier plate
fixedly fastened to said at least one vertical motion rod for
holding said pod in said accommodation chamber, at least one
suction mount provided at said carrier plate for securing said pod,
and transmission means controllable to move said at least one
vertical motion rod and said carrier plate.
2. The gas filling system as claimed in claim 1, where in the gas
to be filled in said accommodation chamber is prepared from one of
an inert gas, dry air, pure air and nitrogen.
3. The gas filling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power
drive of said pod detaching mechanism is prepared from one of a
motor drive, a gear transmission mechanism, a belt transmission
mechanism, a linear slide and track assembly, a pneumatic cylinder,
a hydraulic cylinder and their combination.
4. The gas filling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
transmission means of said displacement mechanism is prepared from
one of a motor drive, a gear transmission mechanism, a belt
transmission mechanism, a linear slide and track assembly, a
pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder and their combination.
5. The gas filling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover
member of said pod is sealed to the first opening of said
accommodation chamber of said work platform.
6. The gas filling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
accommodation chamber of said work platform is peripherally sealed
with an airtight seal member.
7. A pod detaching mechanism installed in one side of a work
platform of a gas filling system adapted for filling a pod with a
gas, said pod comprising a support tray, a cover member detachably
covering said support tray, and locking members for locking said
cover member to said support tray, said locking members each having
at least one retaining hole, the pod detaching mechanism comprising
a power drive, and a plurality of movable blocks and movable by
said power drive to lock/unlock said locking members of said pod,
said movable blocks each having at least one retaining rod for
engaging the retaining holes of said locking members.
8. The pod detaching mechanism as claimed in claim 7, wherein said
power drive is prepared from one of a motor drive, a gear
transmission mechanism, a belt transmission mechanism, a linear
slide and track assembly, a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic
cylinder and their combination.
9. A displacement mechanism installed in a work platform of a gas
filling system adapted for moving a pod, said pod comprising a
support tray, a cover member detachably covering said support tray,
and locking members for locking said cover member to said support
tray, said locking members each having at least one retaining hole,
the displacement mechanism comprising at least one vertical motion
rod, a carrier plate fixedly fastened to said at least one vertical
motion rod for holding said pod in said accommodation chamber, at
least one suction mount provided at said carrier plate for securing
said pod, and transmission means controllable to move said at least
one vertical motion rod and said carrier plate.
10. The displacement mechanism as claimed in claim 9, wherein said
transmission means is prepared from one of a motor drive, a gear
transmission mechanism, a belt transmission mechanism, a linear
slide and track assembly, a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic
cylinder and their combination.
11. A gas filling system for filling a pod with a gas, said pod
comprising a support tray, a cover member detachably covering said
support tray, and locking members for locking said cover member to
said support tray, the gas filling system comprising: a work
platform, said work platform comprising an accommodation chamber
for accommodating said pod and for filling of a gas in the pod
stored therein; a pod detaching mechanism disposed in one side of
said work platform, said pod detaching mechanism comprising a power
drive, and actuating means movable by said power drive to
lock/unlock said locking members of said pod; and a displacement
mechanism mounted in a second side of said work platform and
controllable to move said support tray of said pod relative to said
cover member of said pod after unlocking of said locking members of
said pod.
12. A gas filling system for filling a pod with a gas, said pod
comprising a support tray, a cover member detachably covering said
support tray, and locking members for locking said cover member to
said support tray, said support tray having support members for
holding a storage item in position, said locking members each
having at least one retaining hole, the gas filling system
comprising: a pod storage cabinet, said pod storage cabinet
comprising a storage; a work platform installed in said pod storage
cabinet in a bottom side of said storage, said work platform
comprising an accommodation chamber for accommodating said pod and
for filling of a gas in the pod stored therein; a pod detaching
mechanism disposed in one side of said work platform inside said
pod storage cabinet, said pod detaching mechanism comprising a
power drive, and actuating means movable by said power drive to
lock/unlock said locking members of said pod; and a displacement
mechanism mounted in a second side of said work platform inside
said pod storage cabinet and controllable to move said support tray
of said pod relative to said cover member of said pod after
unlocking of said locking members of said pod.
13. The gas filling system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said
access door of said pod storage cabinet are peripherally sealed
with airtight seal means.
14. The gas filling system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said pod
storage cabinet comprises an access door controllable to close/open
said storage.
15. The gas filling system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said
storage of said pod storage cabinet are peripherally sealed with
airtight seal means.
Description
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to gas filling facility and
more particularly, to a gas filling system for SMIF system storage
box, for example, photomask pod, which keeps the storage photomask
in an airtight environment for the filling of an inert gas so that
the filled inert gas maintains excellent cleanliness of the
photomask pod.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] The 21.sup.st Century is the era of digitalization where
high-tech products have been developed and intensively used in our
daily life, bringing a great convenience to human beings. These
high-tech products use IC chips for operation control. It is
necessary to employ new knowledge and techniques to control
high-tech products such as computer, new generation TV, digital
stereo system, central control of building, advanced car, aircraft,
and other clothing, food, housing and transportation related
products. IC chips are most important components parts in high-tech
products. An IC chip is comprised of high-precision integrated
circuits, and made through a high-precision processing operation on
a silicon single crystal in a clean room by means of a photomask
and high-precision machines. These high-precision machines are very
expensive. During fabrication of wafers, the yield rate determines
the profitability of the foundry. Therefore, it is quite important
to a semiconductor factory manager to bring up the yield rate for
their products.
[0005] Further, the novel standardized mechanical interface (SMIF)
technology is utilized in a clean room for the fabrication of ICs,
which reduces particle contamination by significantly reducing
particle fluxes onto wafers. During transportation, storage, and
most processing steps, the gaseous media surrounding the wafers is
essentially stationary relative to the wafers, and particles from
exterior environments cannot enter the wafer environments. The SMIF
system of wafer handling reduces wafer particle contamination.
[0006] In order to prevent damage to wafers or photomasks, SMIF
system storage boxes are used and filled with an inertia gas to
deliver wafers or photomasks, preventing oxidation of wafers or
photomasks during delivery. A SMIF system photomask pod has a valve
device through which gaseous media is filled into the inside space
of the photomask pod. FIGS. 10 and 11 shows a prior art design.
According to this design, the photomask pod A comprises a port A1,
a valve device B mounted in the port A1 and adapted to close/open
the port A1, and a spring member C mounted in the port A1 around
the valve device B and holding the valve device B in the close
position. The valve device B has a downwardly extending insertion
hole B1 in communication with the atmosphere, and peripheral air
outlets B2. When filling an inert gas into the photomask pod A, the
nozzle tip D of the gas pipe from the inert gas source (not shown)
is inserted into the insertion hole B1 to lift the valve device B,
thereby opening the peripheral air outlets B2 for letting supplied
inert gas to pass through the peripheral air outlets B2 into the
inside of the photomask pod A. After removal of the nozzle tip D
from the insertion hole B1, the spring member C immediately pulls
the valve device B back to its former position to close the
peripheral air outlets B2. This arrangement has drawbacks. During
an inert gas filling operation, the spring member C is moved,
thereby causing friction with the peripheral wall of the port A1
and the valve device B. Friction between the spring member C and
the peripheral wall of the port A1 or the valve device B invites
particle contamination, thereby destructing the cleanliness of the
inside storage space of the photomask pod A. Further, the
installation of this photomask pod is complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention has been accomplished under the
circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present
invention to provide an inert gas filling system for photomask pod
or the like, which eliminates the drawbacks of the aforesaid prior
art photomask pod design.
[0008] According to the present invention, the gas filling system
is for filling a photomask pod with a gas. The photomask pod
comprises a support tray, a cover member detachably covering the
support tray, and locking members for locking the cover member to
the support tray. The gas filling system comprises a pod storage
cabinet, which has a storage, a work platform, which is installed
in the bottom side of the storage of the pod storage cabinet and
has an accommodation chamber for accommodating the photomask pod
and for filling of a gas in the pod stored therein, a pod detaching
mechanism, which is disposed in one side of the work platform
inside the v storage cabinet and comprises a power drive and
actuating means movable by the power drive to lock/unlock the
locking members of the pod, and a displacement mechanism, which is
mounted in a second side of the work platform and controllable to
move the support tray of the pod relative to the cover member of
the pod after unlocking of the locking members of the pod.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an inert gas filling system
in accordance with the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the inert gas filling system
in accordance with the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a photomask pod for use with
the inert gas filling system according to the present
invention.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing showing the inert gas filling
system installed in a pod storage cabinet according to the present
invention.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of a part of the present
invention, showing the pod detaching mechanism in action.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of the present
invention, showing a status of the inert gas filling system before
the inert gas filling operation.
[0015] FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view of the present
invention, showing an inert gas filling status of the inert gas
filling system.
[0016] FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view of an alternate form of
the inert gas filling system according to the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 9 corresponds to FIG. 8, showing the cover member of
the pod removed from the support tray.
[0018] FIG. 10 is a schematic drawing showing the insert gas
filling operation of a photomask pod according to the prior art
(I).
[0019] FIG. 1110 is a schematic drawing showing the insert gas
filling operation of a photomask pod according to the prior art
(II).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 1.about.5, an inert gas filling system 1
in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a work
platform 11, a pod 12, a pod detaching mechanism 13 and a
displacement mechanism 14.
[0021] The work platform 11 comprises an accommodation chamber 110,
a first opening 111 at the top side of the accommodation chamber
110, a second opening 112 at the bottom side of the accommodation
chamber 110, and inert gas filling ports 113 in the accommodation
chamber 110. The accommodation chamber 110 is peripherally sealed
with an airtight seal means.
[0022] The pod 12 is provided at one side, namely, the top side of
the work platform 11 for accommodating a storage item (for example,
photomask, semiconductor wafer, substrate, circuit board, etc.) 2.
According to this embodiment, the pod 12 is a photomask pod for
holding a photomask. The pod 12 comprises a support tray 121, a
cover member 122 covering the support tray 121, and locking members
123 for locking the cover member 122 to the support tray 121. The
support tray 121 is provided with support members 1211 for holding
the storage item 2 in position.
[0023] The pod detaching mechanism 13 comprises a power drive 131,
and actuating means, for example, movable blocks 132 symmetrically
arranged at two sides and movable by the power drive 13 to unlock
the locking members 123 of the pod 12. The movable blocks 132 each
have retaining rods for engaging respective retaining holes of the
locking members 123 so that the power drive 131 can drive the
movable blocks 132 to unlock the locking members 123. The power
drive 13 can be a motor drive, a gear transmission mechanism, a
belt transmission mechanism, a linear slide and track assembly, a
pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder or their combination.
[0024] The displacement mechanism 14 is provided at an opposite
side, namely, the bottom side of the work platform 11, comprising a
plurality of vertical motion rods 141, a carrier plate 142 fixedly
fastened to the top ends of the vertical motion rods 141, and
transmission means (not shown) controlled to move the vertical
motion rods 141 and the carrier plate 142 in and out of the
accommodation chamber 110 of the work platform 11. The transmission
means can be a motor drive, gear transmission mechanism, belt
transmission mechanism, pneumatic cylinder, hydraulic cylinder,
etc., that can move the vertical motion rods 141 and the carrier
plate 142 in and out of the accommodation chamber 110 of the work
platform 11.
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 2.about.5, the inert gas filling system 1
is installed in the bottom side of one storage 31 of a pod storage
cabinet 3, which has an openable access door 32. When a user is
going to fill an inert gas in the pod 12, open the access door 32
of the storage 31, and then put the pod 12 in the storage 31 and
placed on the carrier plate 142 of the displacement mechanism 14,
and then close the access door 32, and then operate the power drive
131 of the pod detaching mechanism 13 to move the movable blocks
132, thereby unlocking the locking members 123.
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 and FIGS. 2 and 4 again, after
separating of the cover member 122 from the support tray 121, the
cover member 122 of the pod 12 is kept secured to the movable
blocks 132 of the pod detaching mechanism 13 in such a position
that the cover member 122 seals the first opening 111 of the
accommodation chamber 110 of the platform 11, and then the
displacement mechanism 14 is operated to lower the carrier plate
142 and the support tray 121 into the accommodation chamber 110 of
the work platform 11, holding the carrier plate 142 in such a
position that the carrier plate 142 seals the second opening 112 of
the accommodation chamber 110 of the work platform 11. Thus, the
accommodation chamber 110 is kept in an airtight status. At this
time, an inert gas supply source (not shown) is connected to one of
the inert gas filling ports 113 to fill an inert gas into the
accommodation chamber 110 of the platform 11. The inert gas can be
nitrogen gas, helium gas or neon gas. After filling of the inert
gas, the vertical motion rods 141 of the displacement mechanism 14
are moved to lift the carrier plate 142 and the support tray 121 to
the cover member 122, and then the power drive 131 of the pod
detaching mechanism 13 is operated to move the movable blocks 132,
forcing the locking members 123 from the unlocking position to the
locking position to lock the cover member 122 to the support tray
121. Thereafter, open the access door 32, and then remove the pod
12 from the pod storage cabinet 3.
[0027] The aforesaid pod detaching mechanism 13 is adapted to
lock/unlock the support tray 121 and the cover member 122. The
power drive 131 of the pod detaching mechanism 13 can be a motor
drive, screw transmission mechanism or any of a variety of
equivalent means capable of moving the movable blocks 132 to shift
the locking members 123 between the locking position and the
unlocking position. Other equivalent means may be used to
substitute for the movable blocks 132.
[0028] FIGS. 8 and 9 show an alternate form of the displacement
mechanism 14. According to this embodiment, the displacement
mechanism 14 is provided above the pod 12, comprising a plurality
of vertical motion rods 141 and a plurality of vacuum mounts 143
respectively fixedly fastened to the bottom ends of the vertical
motion rods 141.
[0029] When the user is going to fill an inert gas into the pod 12,
the pod detaching mechanism 13 is operated to detach the support
tray 121 and the cover member 122, and then the displacement
mechanism 14 is operated to lower the motion rods 141 and to force
the vacuum mounts 143 into positive engagement with the cover
member 122 of the pod 12 by means of vacuum suction, and then the
displacement mechanism 14 is operated to lift the motion rods 141
and the attached cover member 122, separating the cover member 122
from the support tray 121 and forcing the cover member 122 to seal
the first opening 111 of the accommodation chamber 110 of the work
platform 11. Thus, the accommodation chamber 110 of the work
platform 11 is kept in an airtight status. The user can than fill
an inert gas into the accommodation chamber 110 through the inert
gas filling ports 113. After filling of a predetermined amount of
the inert gas in the accommodation chamber 110, the displacement
mechanism 14 is operated to return the motion rods 141 and to place
the cover member 122 on the support tray 121, and then the pod
detaching mechanism 13 is operated to lock the support tray 121 and
the cover member 122. Thus, the user can then remove the pod 12
from the pod storage cabinet 3.
[0030] As indicated above, the present invention provides an inert
gas filling system 1, which has the following features and
benefits:
[0031] 1. The invention blocks the accommodation chamber 110,
keeping it in an airtight status. Thus, an inert gas can be filled
in the accommodation chamber 110 through the inert gas filling
ports 113 to reduce particle-induced friction, maintaining
cleanliness in the pod 12.
[0032] 2. The invention uses the inert gas filling ports 113 for
filling an inert gas into the accommodation chamber 110 to control
pollutants of the storage item 2 by means of the motion and flowing
direction of the supplied inert gas, preventing oxidization of the
storage item 2.
[0033] 3. The user can start the inert gas filling operation after
opened the work platform 11 or the pod storage cabinet 3 and placed
the pod 12 with the storage item 2 in the pod storage cabinet 3.
The operation procedure is simple and convenient.
[0034] Although particular embodiments of the invention have been
described in detail for purposes of illustration, various
modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, vacuum mounts
may be provided at the carrier plate of the displacement mechanism
for securing the photomask pod. Accordingly, the invention is not
to be limited except as by the appended claims.
* * * * *