Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Apparatus – Sequential work treating receptacles or stations with means...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-28
2001-05-15
Gulakowski, Randy (Department: 1746)
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Apparatus
Sequential work treating receptacles or stations with means...
C134S066000, C134S133000, C134S902000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230721
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a processing apparatus and method for sequentially performing processing on a material, such as a glass substrate for a liquid crystal, a semiconductor wafer, etc., at a plurality of processing units and to a robot apparatus for conveying the above-mentioned material.
BACKGROUND ART
For example, in a manufacturing process for forming a circuit pattern on a material, such as a glass substrate for a liquid crystal, a semiconductor wafer, etc., it is required that various kinds of processing be performed on the material and it is required that, as one such processing, the material be washed to a high purity level.
In the washing of a material to be washed, various kinds of washing means (processing sections) are known, such as an ultraviolet ray irradiation means for irradiating the material with the ultraviolet ray and decomposing an organic matter for removal, a brush washing means for washing a material which is conveyed with a brush, while applying a chemical solution, etc., to the conveyed material, and a spin washing means for applying a washing solution, such as a chemical solution, to a material while being spun with the material retained on a table. In the case where the washing processing is done on the material with the use of a plurality of washing means, a conveying means (processing section) is also provided for conveying the material to and from these washing means.
In order to increase the purity level of the material, the material is washed by as many washing means as possible out of the above-mentioned washing means. In this case, it has been normal practices to juxtapose utilized washing means in a plane in a clean room and sequentially convey the washing material to and from a plurality of washing means by conveying means.
If, however, the plurality of washing means and conveying means are arranged in a plane, a greater space was sometimes taken up by the washing means and conveying means in the clean room. It is required that a space be utilized in the clean room as effectively as possible. It is, therefore, desirable to decrease the occupation space of the plurality of washing means and conveying means.
If the above-mentioned material is to be conveyed to and from the juxtaposed washing means, it is only necessary to continuously convey the material by the conveyor in the case where the washing processing can be continuously performed by the washing means. In the case where, however, the washing processing by the washing means cannot be continuously done such as the spin washing, it has been the practice to convey the material by a robot apparatus constituting the above-mentioned conveying means which is one of the processing units.
When the robot apparatus is used as the conveying means, there is sometimes the case where this robot apparatus is run along a plurality of juxtaposed washing means. In this case, a track is provided over a range over which the robot apparatus is run.
There is sometimes the case where, when the convey-in/convey-out of the washing material by the robot apparatus is done, a washing solution drops from the material onto the above-mentioned track. Use is sometimes made, as a washing solution, of, in addition to pure water, a chemical solution of high acidity for instance. For this reason, there was sometimes the case where, if the chemical solution is used as the washing solution, the chemical solution dropping from the material corroded the track and caused an injury to cables for controlling the above-mentioned robot apparatus.
Further, there is sometimes the case where, when the material is conveyed by the robot apparatus to a predetermined washing means, until the washing of the material by the washing means is completed, the material washed at a previous step need be kept in a standby state with the material retained. In this case, when the standby time becomes longer, the washing solution deposited on the material in the previous step dried up and there was sometimes the case where a spot, etc., was formed on the material.
The above-mentioned “space problem” may arise not only in the case where the material is subjected to wash processing but also may arise even in various steps involved. In the case where, for example, a resist is coated on the material, a plurality of processing units has to be provided, such as a coating device, heating device and preheating device, thus producing a similar problem.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is accordingly one object of the present invention to provide a processing apparatus and method which can install a plurality of processing sections in a smaller space.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a processing apparatus which, in the case where, in order to pass a material between processing sections, the robot apparatus is run along the processing section, prevents a wash solution from dropping from the material onto a track, etc., of the robot apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a processing apparatus which, even if a material passed between processing sections is retained and set in a standby state, can avoid drying-up of the material.
According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a processing apparatus is provided having a plurality of processing sections and adapted to sequentially convey a material to these processing sections, characterized in that the plurality of processing sections are arranged in up/down two stages.
By doing so, an occupation area taken up by the plurality of processing sections can be made smaller than in the case where these processing sections are arranged in a plane.
According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a processing apparatus for processing a material, characterized by comprising:
a plurality of processing sections arranged at up/down two stages;
a loader section arranged opposite to a processing sections situated at one end of any one of that upper stage or that lower stage and retaining a not yet processed material;
an unloader section arranged opposite to a processing section situated at one end of the other of the upper stage or lower stage and storing a processed material;
a first passing means for supplying the not yet processed material from the loader section to the processing section situated at the one end of the upper stage or lower stage; and
a second passing means for receiving the material from the processing section situated at the other end of any one of the upper stage or lower stage and supplying the material to the processing section situated at the other end of the other of the upper stage or lower stage.
By doing so, an occupation area taken up to install a plurality of processing sections can be made smaller than they are arranged in a plane.
According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for conveying and processing a material, characterized by comprising:
a supplying step of supplying a not yet processed material at a predetermined height;
a first processing step of processing the material, which is supplied and conveyed from the supplying step, at a processing section arranged at a height substantially the same as that at which the material is conveyed;
a height varying step of varying the height at which a processed material processed at the first processing step is conveyed;
a second processing step of processing the material at that processing section located at a height position to which the height is varied by the height varying step; and
a storing step for storing the material processed by the second processing step.
By doing so, the material can be processed at different heights at which the material is conveyed and a space for processing the material can be effectively utilized in a three-dimensional way.
According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a robot apparatus including a first arm and second arm having a plurality of links connected to be swingable and having setters for retaining a mate
Chaudhry Saeed
Christensen O'Connor Johnson & Kindness PLLC
Gulakowski Randy
Shibaura Mechatronics Corporation
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