Substrate transfer device and substrate transfer method

1. A substrate transfer device comprising:

a transfer unit configured to transfer, in a first direction, a carrier in which substrates are stored;

an upper interface unit configured to move the transfer unit, and a lower interface unit configured to receive the carrier from the transfer unit; and

a controller configured to control the upper interface unit and the lower interface unit integrally such that the transfer unit and the carrier move in the first direction at the same time.

2. The substrate transfer device of claim 1 , wherein the upper interface unit includes an upper track on which the transfer unit moves in the first direction, and a movement assisting mechanism which assists the movement of the transfer unit, and

the lower interface unit includes; a lower track disposed below the upper track on which the carrier moves and a shuttle which transports the carrier from the transfer unit to target equipment.

3. The substrate transfer device of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to synchronize the upper track and the lower track with each other.

4. The substrate transfer device of claim 2 ,

wherein the upper interface unit and the lower interface unit define regions which overlap each other in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, and a rail on which the transfer unit travels has an interface region corresponding to the regions which overlap each other.

5. The substrate transfer device of claim 4 , wherein the controller includes or interacts with a sensor unit which is configured to recognize an entry of the transfer unit into the interface region.

6. The substrate transfer device of claim 4 , wherein the movement assisting mechanism is configured to push the transfer unit so that the transfer unit moves in the interface region.

7. The substrate transfer device of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to control the movement assisting mechanism and the transfer unit to be synchronized with each other.

8. The substrate transfer device of claim 4 , wherein the transfer unit is configured to move in the first direction in the interface region while the carrier is loaded on the shuttle along a third direction different from the first direction.

9. The substrate transfer device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to control the movement assisting mechanism and the shuttle to be positioned to correspond to each other in the first direction.

10. The substrate transfer device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to control the movement assisting mechanism and the shuttle to move in the first direction at the same speed.

11. An article transfer device comprising:

a transfer unit that transfers an article in a first direction; and

an interface unit including a movement assisting unit configured to move the transfer unit and a shuttle unit configured to receive the article from the transfer unit and to transport the transferred article from the transfer unit,

wherein the movement assisting unit and the shuttle unit are both controlled by a control unit, so that the movement assisting unit and the shuttle unit are moved in the first direction to be disposed at the same position in the first direction.

12. The article transfer device of claim 11 , wherein the control unit controls the movement assisting unit and the transfer unit to be synchronized with each other.

13. The article transfer device of claim 11 , wherein the interface unit further includes an upper track and a lower track that have regions that are vertically aligned with each other, and

a rail on which the transfer unit travels has an interface region corresponding to the aligned regions.

14. The article transfer device of claim 13 , wherein the control unit controls the upper track and the lower track to be synchronized with each other.

15. The article transfer device of claim 13 , wherein the transfer unit moves in the first direction in the interface region, and at the same time, the transferred article is loaded on the shuttle unit along a third direction different from the first direction.

16. A substrate transfer method, comprising:

providing a substrate transfer device comprising:

a first transfer unit configured to transfer a carrier in which substrates are stored,

an upper interface unit including an upper track configured to move the first transfer unit in a first direction and a movement assisting mechanism configured to assist movement of the first transfer unit,

a lower interface unit including a lower track disposed below the upper track and a shuttle disposed on the lower track, the shuttle being configured to transport the carrier from the first transfer unit to target equipment, and

a controller that integrally controls the upper interface unit and the lower interface unit;

controlling, by the controller, the movement assisting mechanism and the shuttle to be at the same position in the first direction in a region in which the upper interface unit and the lower interface unit overlap; and

moving the first transfer unit in the first direction in an interface region corresponding to the overlapped region, and at the same time, loading the carrier on the shuttle along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

17. The substrate transfer method of claim 16 , w further comprising:

recognizing the controller, an entry of the first transfer unit into the interface region, and

synchronizing, by the controller, the first transfer unit in an idle state and the movement assisting mechanism.

18. The substrate transfer method of claim 17 , further comprising:

synchronizing, by the controller, the upper track and the lower track, and

assisting, by the movement assisting mechanism, the movement of the first transfer unit by pushing the first transfer unit in the interface region.

19. The substrate transfer method of claim 18 , further comprising:

moving the first transfer unit moves inside the interface region by a predetermined distance along the first direction and loading the carrier onto the shuttle along the second direction.

20. The substrate transfer method of claim 19 , further comprising:

recognizing, by the controller, an entry of a second transfer unit into the interface region,

transporting the carrier loaded on the shuttle to target equipment along the lower track, wherein the first transfer unit exits the interface region upon the carrier being loaded onto the shuttle, and

moving the second transfer unit moves inside the interface region along the first direction.