Material or article handling – Elevator or hoist and loading or unloading means therefor – Comprising means enabling additional movement of carrier or...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-18
2003-02-25
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Elevator or hoist and loading or unloading means therefor
Comprising means enabling additional movement of carrier or...
C414S495000, C414S940000, C187S244000, C312S319500, C439S378000, C403S014000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06524057
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to manufacturing, and more specifically to microelectronics manufacturing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The fabrication of microelectronic devices such as semiconductor elements and LCD panels often involves various and repetitive processes. For example, an LCD panel is typically manufactured by submitting an LCD glass substrate to several processes including, but not limited to, a cleaning process for removing particles, a coating process for applying RGB resist and a developing process. Typically, each process is performed using equipment specific to a respective process.
A robot and the like are often configured to transport cassettes containing LCD glass substrates, as well as other semiconductor elements such as wafers, to and from the processing equipment. A robot is generally used when there are a series of programmed processes that need to be performed in a short period of time, typically without intervention. However in the event intervention is required, a robot may not be appropriate. For example, a robot is typically not used when randomly selected samples are conveyed to test equipment between the various processes for such purposes as determining whether the various equipment is functioning normally, or checking the quality of the LCD glass substrates. When unexpected errors occur in the process equipment, programmed process steps are typically unable to be successively performed. The occurrence of process equipment errors typically renders the use of robots inappropriate.
In cases where the use of a robot is inappropriate, cassettes are often conveyed by an operator via a Manual Guide Vehicle (MGV). Because cassettes containing samples often weigh between 50-60 kg, MGVs are advantageous for carrying these heavy cassettes.
A conventional MGV is shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
and is used for transporting LCD glass cassettes. In the illustrated embodiment, the MGV includes a body
17
, having a generally hexagonal shape. A load frame
2
, having a hexagonal shape, is positioned on top of the body
17
. The height of the load frame
2
is less than the height of the body
17
. The load frame
2
has a recessed part
29
on the top thereof. The recessed part
29
has an area that is larger than the area of the bottom of an LCD glass cassette
1
. The recessed part
29
has a predetermined depth configured to receive a cassette
1
. Formed in the center of the recessed part
29
, is an aperture
30
, which extends through the load frame
2
and forms an aperture
30
a
on the top of the body
17
.
A bar
9
extends through both apertures
30
and
30
a.
The bar
9
has generally the same diameter as the aperture
30
, and is configured to vertically reciprocate therein. The length of the bar
9
is approximately equal to the distance between the recessed part
29
and the bottom portion of the body
17
, as illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2
.
The upper end of the bar
9
, which extends through aperture
30
a
in the body
17
is connected to a support
3
and supports the LCD cassette
1
, as illustrated. The lower end of the bar
9
is in contact with the bottom portion of the body
17
, as illustrated. Only a portion of the bar
9
is supported within the apertures
30
and
30
a
, as illustrated. Accordingly, a guide
11
is installed at a predetermined location in the body
17
, as illustrated. A guide aperture
12
is formed in the guide
11
for guiding the reciprocating movement of the bar
9
inserted therethrough. The guide aperture
12
has generally the same diameter as the bar
9
.
The lower part of the bar
9
includes a rack
8
containing teeth on a face thereof. The teeth of the rack
8
are configured to mesh with a pinion gear
7
, which is connected to a shaft extending from an electric motor
5
. Rotation of the pinion gear
7
via the electric motor
5
causes the bar
9
to vertically reciprocate. The pinion gear
7
includes a lock/unlock member (not shown) for suspending the movement of the bar
9
when the bar
9
is located at a predetermined position.
Still referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the body
17
further includes a rechargeable battery
13
which is electrically connected to the input terminal of the electric motor
5
and to a charger
15
for charging the rechargeable battery
13
on demand.
The charger
15
is supplied with voltage from an external power supply through an electrical wire. One end of the wire is connected to the charger
15
and the other end is attached to a connector(not shown), which is inserted into an outlet of the external power supply. The charger
15
generally provides Direct Current (DC) output power to the electric motor
5
.
Typically, a control knob or a control panel
21
is installed on a handle
19
mounted on the body
17
, as illustrated. The power supplied to the motor
5
is adjusted by operating the control knob
21
. By adjusting the control knob
21
the motor
5
is selectively rotated in a positive
egative direction to thereby control reciprocation of the bar
9
.
Operation of a conventional MGV for transporting cassettes with LCD glasses will now be described. First, an operator operates the control knob
21
to unload LCD glass cassettes
1
from the MGV and load them into processing equipment for performing a respective process. Operation of the control knob
21
causes direct current electrical power to be output from the battery
13
, which has been charged by the charger
15
in advance, and supplied to the motor
5
.
When the motor
5
is supplied with electrical power, the motor
5
begins rotating in a predetermined direction together with the shaft connected thereto. The pinion gear
7
connected to the shaft rotates in the same direction as the shaft. The rotating motion of the pinion gear
7
is transmitted to the rack
8
at the lower portion of the bar
9
. The rack
8
translates the rotating motion of the pinion gear
7
into vertical reciprocating motion of the bar
9
.
The rack
8
continuously moves upwardly while the motor
5
is supplied with electrical power. When an LCD cassette
1
reaches a predetermined vertical position, the operator operates the control knob
21
to cause the motor
5
to stop rotating, thereby suspending the upward movement of the LCD cassette
1
via the bar
9
. The movement of the bar
9
is suspended via a ratchet which engages with the teeth of the pinion gear
7
to prevent the pinion gear
7
from further movement. The bar
9
then stops its upward movement and is not allowed to reverse its upward direction. When the LCD cassette
1
is at a predetermined height, it is either unloaded from the MGV to the processing equipment or loaded from the processing equipment to the MGV.
Referring to
FIG. 3
, another embodiment of a conventional MGV is illustrated. The illustrated MGV includes a charger
65
and a rechargeable battery
60
therein. The illustrated MGV includes a first motor
50
connected with vertical screws
40
, rather than a rack and pinion, to move the support
70
. A recessed portion
75
is formed in the support
70
. In the recessed portion is installed a second motor(not shown), which is operably engaged with horizontal screws
77
for horizontally moving an LCD cassette
80
. The second motor is electrically connected with the battery
60
.
Conventional MGVs, such as those described above with reference to
FIGS. 1
,
2
and
3
may have several disadvantages. One problem is the increased weight associated therewith. Because the MGVs have a heavy rechargeable battery as well as a charger for charging the battery therein, an operator can find the MGV to be somewhat difficult to pull or push. Another disadvantage is that the rechargeable battery often requires much time to be recharged. Another disadvantage is that an operator is often required to check the charging state of the battery in order to ensure proper operation. Typically, the battery cannot output enough power to move the support vertically if not properly charged. Hence, a smooth process may not result. Still an
Ellis Christopher P.
Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec P.A.
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
Tran Thuy V.
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