IP Library Granted Patent US 7,637,708
Granted Patent B2
US 7,637,708 · App. 11/327,336 · Granted Dec 29, 2009

Production system for wafer

Assignee: Sumco Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,637,708
App. No.
11/327,336
Granted
Dec 29, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

The system includes a first conveying vehicle for holding and conveying wafers as products finished with an inspection step from a stock storage shelf group 11 to a reloading device 17 , and a second conveying vehicle for holding and conveying a transporting container from a reloading device to a transporting storage shelf group: wherein a traveling course of the first conveying vehicle is provided on one side of the reloading device and a traveling course for the second conveying vehicle is provided on the other side; the reloading device includes a first mounting table for mounting the conveying container, a second mounting table for mounting the transporting container, and a reloading device for reloading wafers in the conveying container mounted on the first mounting table to the transporting container mounted on the second mounting table; and the installed number of the first mounting tables is larger than that of the second mounting tables.

Claims (20)

1. A production system for wafers, comprising:

a polishing subsystem for polishing wafers cut out from an ingot;

an inspection subsystem for inspecting the polished wafers; and

a reloading subsystem for reloading the wafers as products produced through the inspection subsystem from a conveying container having a movable cover affixed thereto and configured to cover storage space inside the conveying container, to a transporting container having a movable cover affixed thereto and configured to cover storage space inside the transporting container, the transporting container structurally different from the conveying container, the reloading system comprising:

a first conveying vehicle for holding and conveying said conveying container holding the wafers as products produced through the inspection subsystem from a stock position to a reloading position;

a second conveying vehicle for holding and conveying said transporting container from said reloading position to a transporting position;

a reloading device provided at said reloading position;

a traveling course of said first conveying vehicle provided on one side of said reloading device; a traveling course of said second conveying vehicle provided on the other side of said reloading device;

a plurality of first mounting tables provided to said reloading device for mounting said conveying container;

at least one second mounting table provided to said reloading device for mounting said transporting container; and

a reloading device for reloading wafers in a conveying container mounted on said plurality of first mounting tables to a transporting container mounted on said at least one second mounting table;

a first opening and closing device mounted on the plurality of first mounting table tables and configured to open and close the movable cover of the conveying container; and

a second opening and closing device mounted on the at least one second mounting table and configured to open and close the movable cover of the transporting container,

wherein the installed number of said plurality of first mounting tables is larger than that of said at least one second mounting table.

2. The production system for wafers as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first conveying vehicle is an overhead traveling type vehicle and said second conveying vehicle is a land traveling type vehicle.

3. The production system for wafers as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said second conveying vehicle comprises container cradles for loading a plurality of conveying containers.

4. The production system for wafers as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said second conveying vehicle comprises container cradles for loading a plurality of conveying containers.

5. The production system for wafers as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the traveling course of said first conveying vehicle is provided in a loop shape between the reloading position and the transporting position.

6. The production system for wafers as set forth in claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the second conveying vehicles are also provided on the traveling course between the reloading device and the transporting position.

7. The production system for wafers as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first conveying vehicles convey emptied conveying containers on the plurality of first mounting tables to a predetermined place along the traveling course of the first conveying vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 25, 2006
From: AOKI, TOSHIHIKO; IMAO, SHUNICHI; KOSUGI, AKIHIKO; UCHINO, KIICHI
To: SUMCO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 017929/0049 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20070157878A1 · Jul 12, 2007