JPS6268005A - Conveyor for linear motor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To keep a dust-free environment clean by discharging air by means of an exhaust duct connected to an air path through the lower end section of a traveling rail from the air path formed in the traveling rail. CONSTITUTION:A rail surface 11 with a U-shaped section opened to an oppositely faced surface is shaped into a traveling rail 1, and wheels 12 fitted to the rail are supported rotatably to the rail surface 11. A traveling rail internal section 2a with a groove-shaped section, at both end sections thereof the wheels 12 are mounted pivotally, and a loading section 2b arranged to an upper section on the outside of the traveling rail 1 are installed integrally through a plate- shaped connecting section 2c, thus constituting a carrier 2. An air path 8 shaped into the traveling rail 1 reaches a communicating port 8b in the lower end section of the traveling rail 1 through holes 8a in a stator-coil 6 mounting section, and passes through the lower end of a hollow strut 5 from the inside of the strut 5 and is connected to exhaust ducts 15, 16 extending to the outside of a clean room 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an IJ = amotor transfer device used in a dust-free environment such as a clean room.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, linear motor transport devices as described above have been used for transporting wafer cassettes in semiconductor product manufacturing factories. Such a conventional linear motor conveyance device will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, 1 has stations I on both ends.
2 is a wafer cassette 4 between stations 1a and Ib of the running rail 1;
A carrier that travels with a load of 3&.

3b is a robot placed outside of station 1a and Ib and close to these; 5 is a support that fixes the running rail 1 on the floor; 6 is a stator coil installed inside the running rail 1; 7 is a stator. It is an action plate, that is, a secondary conductor, which is fixed to the bottom of the carrier 2, facing the coil 6. -17'c8 is an air passage formed in the running rail 1, the air passage 8 is provided with a blowout port 8a opened at the top of the running rail 1, and the air passage 80 is an air supply port located at the lower end of the running rail 1. 8b is connected to an air pipe 9, and this pipe 9 is connected to an air supply device 10. Note that the air supply device 10 incorporates a high-performance filter, an air supply pump, and a pressure and liquid volume adjustment device (none of which are shown).

In the conventional linear motor conveyance device as described above, a linear motor is composed of a stator coil 6 provided on the traveling rail 1 and a secondary coil 7 provided on the carrier 2, and the carrier 2 is moved along the traveling rail by the drive of this motor. 1
The air supply device 10 runs along the longitudinal direction of the air supply device 10.
Clean air is supplied to the air passage 8 through the air pipe 9, and the clean air is blown out from the blowhole 8a of the air passage 8, thereby keeping the carrier 2 in a floating state with a slight gap between it and the traveling rail 1. . Further, at both ends of the running rail 1, the carrier 2 stops and descends, and the robots 3a and 3b handle the wafer cassette 4 and load and unload it onto the carrier 2.

In this way, the conventional linear motor conveyance device uses an air floating type carrier 2 in order to prevent dust generation in a clean room.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the conventional linear motor transport device described above, in order to levitate the carrier, it is necessary to supply clean air with the pressure and flow rate strictly controlled, and if this is done incorrectly, the running carrier and the traveling rail may Dust is generated on contact and scattered in the clean room. Therefore, an expensive air supply device with a complicated configuration is required, and the rail surface of the traveling rail facing the carrier must be finished with high smoothness over the entire length of the traveling rail so that the fluid resistance does not change. However, there was a problem in that the conveyance device was expensive.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and provides an inexpensive linear motor conveyance device that does not require severe air control and requires relatively low smoothness of the rail surface of the traveling rail. It is an object.

[Rounding method to solve problems]

The linear motor conveyance device according to the present invention removably supports wheels provided inside the running rail of the carrier on a rail surface provided within the running rail, and transfers a loading portion provided outside the running rail of the carrier to the running rail. It is integrated with the inner part of the running rail by a connecting part passed through the formed slit part, and connects the air passage formed in the running rail to an exhaust duct extending outside the dust-free environment through the lower end of the running rail.

[For production]

As mentioned above, the linear motor transport device of this invention is of a wheel running type in which the wheels of the carrier are supported on the rail surface provided in the running rail, so there is no need to finish the rail surface with a high degree of smoothness. In addition, since the air passage formed in the running rail is discharged outside of a dust-free environment such as a clean room through an exhaust duct connected to the air passage through the lower end of the running rail, the air passage supported by the rail surface is Even if dust is generated within the running rail due to the rolling of the wheels, the air containing dust can be discharged outside the dust-free environment, and this dust-free environment can be kept clean. It does not require a complicated air supply device, and the air can be easily controlled using a simple blower.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 3 and 4 indicate corresponding parts. In this embodiment, a rail surface 11 having a U-shaped cross section that opens to the opposing surface is formed in the running rail 1, and wheels 12 fitted thereon are supported on the rail surface 11 so as to be freely movable. An inner portion 2a of the running rail having a groove-shaped cross section, to which the wheels 12 are pivotally attached at both ends, and a loading portion 2b disposed above the outside of the running rail 1 are integrally provided via a flat connecting portion 2c, Carrier 2 is configured. A cover 13 constituting a part of the running rail 1 is fixed to both sides of the running rail 1 and covers the open top surface of the running rail 1.
A slit portion 13m is provided along the longitudinal direction of the traveling rail 1 between the upper surface portions, and the carrier 2 is inserted into the slit portion 13m.
The connecting portion 2C is inserted with a narrow gap. The air passage 8 formed in the running rail 1 passes through the hole 8a of the stator coil 6 installation part to the communication port 8b at the lower end of the running rail 1, and the communication port 8b passes from the inside of the hollow support 5 through its lower end. It is connected to an exhaust duct (exhaust duct) 15, 16 extending outside the clean room 14, and a blower 17 is provided inside the exhaust duct 16. Note that the configuration of this embodiment other than that described above is the same as that of the conventional example shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

In the linear motor transport device of this embodiment, the carrier 2 travels along the traveling rail 1 by driving a linear motor composed of a stator coil 6 and a secondary coil T. During this traveling, the carrier 2 travels while the wheels 12 roll on the rail surface 11 of the traveling rail 1, so dust is generated within the traveling rail 1. However, due to the drive of the blower 1T, the dust 18 is removed from the top of the traveling rail 1 (from the slit portion 13a to the air passage 8 to the exhaust duct) as shown by the arrow in FIG.
Clean room 1 with air flowing through path 15.16
4 It is discharged outside. Therefore, the dust 18 does not enter the clean room 14, and the inside of the room 14 is kept clean.

In addition, in this invention, the articles loaded on the carrier are not limited to wafer cassettes, and can be changed as appropriate.
All or part of the small running rail is installed in a dust-free environment such as a clean room.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, the wheel running type is adopted in which the wheels of the carrier are supported on the rail surface provided in the running rail, and the air is transmitted from the air passage formed in the running rail through the lower end of the running rail. Air is discharged outside the dust-free environment through an exhaust duct connected to the passage, so even if dust is generated within the running rail due to the transfer of the rail surface and wheels, the air containing dust is exhausted outside the dust-free environment. It is possible to maintain a clean dust-free environment without emitting dust into this environment, and the structure is simple, air control is easy, and the reeds and rail surfaces do not need to be highly smooth, so processing is easy. In addition, an advantage can be obtained in that an inexpensive linear motor conveyance device can be provided.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a linear motor transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view of the same, and FIG. 3 is a side view showing a conventional linear motor transport device. FIG. 4 is a front view with the same part cut away. 1... Traveling rail, 2... Carrier, 2m...
Traveling rail inner part, 2b... Loading part, 2c... Connection part, 8... Air passage, 11... Rolling surface, 12...
Wheels, 13 &... slit section, 14... clean room, 15.16... exhaust duct), 17... blower, 18... dust. Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or corresponding parts. Agent Masuo Oiwa (and 2 others) Figure 1 Figure 2 Procedure amendment (voluntary) Showa 6 August 5th, Office of the Director-General's Palace - A1;
Indication of case: Japanese Patent Application No. 60-207645 2, title of the invention: Linear motor conveyance device 3, person making the amendment: Relationship with the case: Patent applicant address: 2-2-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Name (601) Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Representative: Moriya Shiki 4, Agent address: 2-2-3-gin 5, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
, Target of correction (1) Drawing 6, Details of correction (1) Drawing 1 will be corrected as shown in the attached sheet. 7. Attached documents

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A slit section is formed along the longitudinal direction in a running rail, at least a part of which is provided in a dust-free environment, and a rail surface is provided in the running rail, and the carrier runs in the longitudinal direction of the running rail. The portion is provided with wheels, and the wheels are rotatably supported on the rail surface, and the loading portion of the carrier located outside the traveling rail is integrated with the inner portion of the traveling rail by a connecting portion inserted through a slit portion. A linear motor transport device characterized in that an air passage formed in the running rail is connected to an exhaust duct extending outside the dust-free environment through a communication port provided at a lower end of the running rail. (2) The linear motor conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein the air passage extends from a slit opening on the upper surface of the traveling rail, passes around the rail surface, and reaches a communication port at the lower end of the traveling rail. (3) The exhaust duct extends from the lower end of the pillar supporting the traveling rail to the outside of the dust-free environment, and has a blower installed inside. Motor conveyance device.