Compound fork device and system including the same

1 . A compound fork device comprising:

a first prong and a second prong spaced apart from the first prong, each of the first prong and the second prong having an upper surface and a lower surface which is depressed relative to the upper surface, the upper surface of the first prong and the upper surface of the second prong being configured to cooperatively retain a first type container, the lower surface of the first prong and the lower surface of the second prong being configured to cooperatively retain a second type container having a configuration different from a configuration of the first type container;

wherein the upper surface of each of the first prong and the second prong includes a front supporting region located forwardly of the lower surface, and a rear supporting region located rearwardly of the lower surface so as to permit four portions of the first type container to be respectively retained by the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the first prong and the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the second prong;

wherein the lower surface of each of the first prong and the second prong has an inner supporting region and an outer mounting region located outwardly of the inner supporting region, the inner supporting region of the first prong and the inner supporting region of the second prong being located to cooperatively retain a top flange of the second type container;

wherein the compound fork device further comprises two upper guiding units which are respectively formed on the upper surface of the first prong and the upper surface of the second prong to guide two sides of the first type container so as to permit the four portions of the first type container to be respectively moved onto the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the first prong and the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the second prong;

wherein the compound fork device further comprises two lower guiding units which are respectively formed on the outer mounting region of the first prong and the outer mounting region of the second prong so as to guide two sides of the top flange of the second type container to respectively move onto the inner supporting region of the first prong and the inner supporting region of the second prong;

wherein one of the two upper guiding units on the first prong is spaced apart from one of the two lower guiding units on the first prong, and another one of the two upper guiding units on the second prong is spaced apart from another one of the two lower guiding units on the second prong; and

wherein each of the two lower guiding units includes two lower guide blocks which are spaced apart from each other and which are disposed on the outer mounting region of a respective one of the first prong and the second prong, the two lower guide blocks respectively having two lower guiding surfaces, the two lower guiding surfaces of the two lower guide blocks of one of the two lower guiding units being disposed to confront the two lower guiding surfaces of the two lower guide blocks of another one of the two lower guiding units.

2 . The compound fork device of claim 1 , wherein a height difference between the upper surface and the lower surface of each of the first prong and the second prong is in a range from 1 mm to 5 cm.

3 . The compound fork device of claim 1 , wherein

the upper surface of each of the first prong and the second prong has a front mounting region located outwardly of the front supporting region, and a rear mounting region located outwardly of the rear supporting region.

4 . The compound fork device of claim 3 , wherein

each of the two upper guiding units includes two upper guide blocks which are respectively disposed on the front mounting region and the rear mounting region of a respective one of the first prong and the second prong, the two upper guide blocks respectively having two upper guiding surfaces, the two upper guiding surfaces of the two upper guide blocks of one of the two upper guiding units being disposed to confront the two upper guiding surfaces of the two upper guide blocks of another one of the two upper guiding units.

5 . The compound fork device of claim 4 , wherein one of the two upper guiding surfaces forms an included angle with the upper surface of a corresponding one of the first prong and the second prong, and the first included angle is not less than 45° and is less than 90°.

6 . The compound fork device of claim 4 , wherein

each of the two upper guide blocks further has an upper flat surface extending downwardly from one of the two upper guiding surfaces to the upper surface of a corresponding one of the first prong and the second prong such that the upper flat surface is arranged perpendicular to the upper surface of the corresponding one of the first prong and the second prong.

7 . The compound fork device of claim 4 , further comprising two sensors, one of the two sensors being disposed forwardly of the two upper guide blocks of one of the two upper guiding units, and another one of the two sensors being disposed rearwardly of the two upper guide blocks of another one of the two upper guiding units.

8 . The compound fork device of claim 1 , wherein the first prong and the second prong are symmetrical to each other, the two upper guiding units disposed respectively on the first prong and the second prong are symmetrical to each other, and the two lower guiding units disposed respectively on the first prong and second prong are symmetrical to each other.

9 . The compound fork device of claim 1 , wherein one of the two lower guiding surfaces forms an included angle with the lower surface of a corresponding one of the first prong and the second prong, and the included angle is not less than 45° and is less than 90°.

10 . The compound fork device of claim 1 , wherein

each of the two lower guide blocks further has a lower flat surface extending downwardly from one of the two lower guiding surfaces to the lower surface of a corresponding one of the first prong and the second prong such that the lower flat surface is arranged perpendicular to the lower surface of the corresponding one of the first prong and the second prong.

11 . The compound fork device of claim 1 , further comprising two positioning units which are mounted on the lower surface of the first prong and the lower surface of the second prong, respectively, and which are configured to position the top flange when being retained by the lower surface of the first prong and the lower surface of the second prong.

12 . The compound fork device of claim 11 , wherein

each of the two positioning units includes two main positioning pins, one of the two main positioning pins being located forwardly of the two lower guide blocks of a respective one of the two lower guiding units, another one of the two main positioning pins being located rearwardly of the two lower guide blocks of the respective one of the two lower guiding units such that when the two sides of the top flange are respectively moved onto the inner supporting region of the first prong and the inner supporting region of the second prong, the two main positioning pins of one of the two positioning units and the two main positioning pins of another one of the two positioning units are respectively located outwardly of four edges of the top flange, thereby positioning the top flange; and

each of the two positioning units further includes an auxiliary positioning pin which is located between the two lower guide blocks of a respective one of the two lower guiding units, and which is configured to engage with a respective one of the two sides of the top flange when the two sides of the top flange are respectively moved onto the inner supporting region of the first prong and the inner supporting region of the second prong.

13 . A system comprising:

a compound load port stage configured to permit loading of a first type container or a second type container having a configuration different from a configuration of the first type container;

a processing tool;

a robot located between the compound load port stage and the processing tool; and

a compound fork device coupled to be driven by the robot, and configured to selectively retain the first type container or the second type container so as to permit the robot to selectively transport the first type container or the second type container from the compound load port stage to an entry load port of the processing tool, the compound fork device including a first prong and a second prong spaced apart from the first prong, each of the first prong and the second prong having an upper surface and a lower surface which is depressed relative to the upper surface, the upper surface of the first prong and the upper surface of the second prong being configured to cooperatively retain the first type container, the lower surface of the first prong and the lower surface of the second prong being configured to cooperatively retain the second type container,

wherein the compound fork device further includes a rear frame, a rear end of each of the first prong and the second prong being mounted to a lower portion of the rear frame; and

wherein the compound fork device further includes two links, each of which interconnects an upper portion of the rear frame and a respective one of the first prong and the second prong.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the compound fork device further includes a mount mounted at a rear side of the rear frame, and configured to permit the robot to be coupled to the compound fork device through the mount.

15 . A compound fork device comprising:

a first prong and a second prong spaced apart from the first prong, each of the first prong and the second prong having an upper surface and a lower surface which is depressed relative to the upper surface, the upper surface of the first prong and the upper surface of the second prong being configured to cooperatively retain a first type container, the lower surface of the first prong and the lower surface of the second prong being configured to cooperatively retain a second type container having a configuration different from a configuration of the first type container;

wherein the upper surface of each of the first prong and the second prong includes a front supporting region located forwardly of the lower surface, and a rear supporting region located rearwardly of the lower surface so as to permit four portions of the first type container to be respectively retained by the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the first prong and the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the second prong;

wherein the upper surface of each of the first prong and the second prong has a front mounting region located outwardly of the front supporting region, and a rear mounting region located outwardly of the rear supporting region;

wherein the lower surface of each of the first prong and the second prong has an inner supporting region and an outer mounting region located outwardly of the inner supporting region, the inner supporting region of the first prong and the inner supporting region of the second prong being located to cooperatively retain a top flange of the second type container;

wherein the compound fork device further comprises two upper guiding units which are respectively formed on the upper surface of the first prong and the upper surface of the second prong to guide two sides of the first type container so as to permit the four portions of the first type container to be respectively moved onto the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the first prong and the front supporting region and the rear supporting region of the second prong;

wherein the compound fork device further comprises two lower guiding units which are respectively formed on the outer mounting region of the first prong and the outer mounting region of the second prong so as to guide two sides of the top flange of the second type container to respectively move onto the inner supporting region of the first prong and the inner supporting region of the second prong;

wherein each of the two upper guiding units includes two upper guide blocks which are respectively disposed on the front mounting region and the rear mounting region of a respective one of the first prong and the second prong, the two upper guide blocks respectively having two upper guiding surfaces, the two upper guiding surfaces of the two upper guide blocks of one of the two upper guiding units being disposed to confront the two upper guiding surfaces of the two upper guide blocks of another one of the two upper guiding units; and

wherein each of the two lower guiding units includes two lower guide blocks which are spaced apart from each other and which are disposed on the outer mounting region of a respective one of the first prong and the second prong, the two lower guide blocks respectively having two lower guiding surfaces, the two lower guiding surfaces of the two lower guide blocks of one of the two lower guiding units being disposed to confront the two lower guiding surfaces of the two lower guide blocks of another one of the two lower guiding units.

16 . The compound fork device of claim 15 , wherein

one of the two upper guiding surfaces forms a first included angle with the upper surface of a corresponding one of the first prong and the second prong, and the first included angle is not less than 45° and is less than 90°, and

one of the two lower guiding surfaces forms a second included angle with the lower surface of a corresponding one of the first prong and the second prong, and the second included angle is not less than 45° and is less than 90°.

17 . The compound fork device of claim 15 , wherein

each of the two upper guide blocks further has an upper flat surface extending downwardly from one of the two upper guiding surfaces to the upper surface of a corresponding one of the first prong and the second prong such that the upper flat surface is arranged perpendicular to the upper surface of the corresponding one of the first prong and the second prong; and

each of the two lower guide blocks further has a lower flat surface extending downwardly from one of the lower guiding surfaces to the lower surface of a corresponding one of the first prong and the second prong such that the lower flat surface is arranged perpendicular to the lower surface of the corresponding one of the first prong and the second prong.

18 . The compound fork device of claim 15 , further comprising two sensors, one of the two sensors being disposed forwardly of the two upper guide blocks of one of the two upper guiding units, and another one of the two sensors being disposed rearwardly of the two upper guide blocks of another one of the two upper guiding units.

19 . The compound fork device of claim 15 , further comprising

two front main positioning pins and two rear main positioning pins, each of the two front main positioning pins being located forwardly of the two lower guide blocks of a respective one of the two lower guiding units and on the lower surface of a respective one of the first prong and the second prong, each of the two rear main positioning pins being located rearwardly of the two lower guide blocks of a respective one of the two lower guiding units and on the lower surface of a respective one of the first prong and the second prong such that when the two sides of the top flange are respectively moved onto the inner supporting region of the first prong and the inner supporting region of the second prong, the two front main positioning pins and the two rear main positioning pins are respectively located outwardly of four edges of the top flange, thereby positioning the top flange; and

two auxiliary positioning pins each of which is located between the two lower guide blocks of a respective one of the two lower guiding units, and each of which is configured to engage with a respective one of the two sides of the top flange when the two sides of the top flange are respectively moved onto the inner supporting region of the first prong and the inner supporting region of the second prong.

20 . The compound fork device of claim 15 , wherein

for each of the two lower guiding units, each of the two lower guide blocks has a block height in a direction normal to the lower surface of a corresponding one of the first prong and the second prong, the block height being not greater than a height difference between the upper surface and the lower surface of the corresponding one of the first prong and the second prong.