Patent Publication Number: US-11027965-B2

Title: Cap rotation device

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number 108207048, filed Jun. 3, 2019, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to a cap rotation device. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a multifunction cap rotation device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     With the booming of the domestic and international semiconductor markets in recent years, due to the demand for computers and the peripheral products thereof, the semiconductor industry has continued to expand, and created a large amount of foreign exchange earnings. 
     The manufacturing processes of semiconductor components are very complicated, and the technologies involved cover almost all of the most important and critical technologies and inventions of modern scientific research. Therefore, the semiconductor industry is not only a cutting-edge technology industry, but also requires a lot of money to maintain high-end research. 
     Due to the increasingly complicated design of semiconductor components, the manufacturing technologies of semiconductor components are becoming more sophisticated and complex, and the potential occupational hazards and property losses are becoming more serious in semiconductor processes. Chemicals are commonly used in processes such as epitaxy, diffusion, ions implantation, chemical vapor deposition, etching and lithography. The storage and usage in the semiconductor fabrication plant is much less than the storage and usage in a chemical or petrochemical plant. However, since the chemicals are flammable, toxic and corrosive, the chemical substances may cause personal injury and serious property damage if leakage or abnormal operation occurs. 
     In a semiconductor fabrication plant, chemical liquids are stored in chemical storage drums to connect to a supply line in the semiconductor fabrication plant. When the chemical liquid is used up, the chemical storage drum need to be replaced. 
     How to easily replace the chemical storage drum may improve the safety of the semiconductor fabrication plant, and further improve the yield thereof. 
     SUMMARY 
     One objective of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a cap rotation device able to easily open and close sealing caps of the chemical drum, thereby improving the safety and convenience of replacing the chemical drum. 
     To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the objective of the embodiments of the present invention, as the embodiment broadly describes herein, the embodiments of the present invention provides a cap rotation device including a cap rotator, a liquid transferring device, and an optical detecting device. The liquid transferring device is disposed near the cap rotator and the optical detecting device is disposed between the cap rotator and the liquid transferring device. The optical detecting device detects a position of a sealing cap of a chemical drum to guide the cap rotator aligning with the sealing cap, the cap rotator opens the sealing cap and the liquid transferring device transfers a chemical liquid. 
     In some embodiments, the liquid transferring device includes a liquid extractor to extract the chemical liquid from the chemical drum. 
     In some embodiments, the liquid transferring device includes a liquid reflux device to flow the chemical liquid back to the chemical drum. 
     In some embodiments, the cap rotation device further includes a fixing plate, two vertical moving devices, and two horizontal moving devices. The vertical moving devices are respectively connected between the fixing plate and the cap rotator, and the fixing plate and the liquid transferring device vertically moves the cap rotator and the liquid transferring device respectively. The horizontal moving devices are connected to the fixing plate to horizontally move the fixing plate. 
     In some embodiments, the cap rotation device further includes an isolating plate and two elastic isolating shields connected to the isolating plate and the fixing plate to isolate an evaporated chemical gas of the chemical drum. 
     In some embodiments, the cap rotation device further includes a first motor driving the liquid transferring device to couple the liquid transferring device to an opening of the chemical drum. 
     In some embodiments, the cap rotation device further includes a second motor driving the cap rotator to open or close the sealing cap from the opening of the chemical drum with the cap rotator. 
     In some embodiments, the first motor and the second motor include torque motors. 
     In some embodiments, the cap rotation device further includes a liquid transferring pipe connected to the liquid transferring device to directly transfer the chemical liquid through the opening of the chemical drum. 
     In some embodiments, each of the vertical moving devices includes an air cylinder and a position detecting device to detect a working position of the air cylinder, and the cap rotator and the liquid transferring device adopt corresponding cap opening connectors to engage with the sealing caps respectively according to types of the sealing caps of the chemical drum. 
     Hence, the cap rotation device can utilize the optical detecting device to precisely align with the chemical drum, the cap rotator to open or close the sealing cap from the chemical drum, and the liquid transferring device to connect the opening of the chemical drum after the sealing cap is opened from the opening of the chemical drum. The cap rotation device can further utilize the liquid transferring pipe to directly extract the chemical liquid from the chemical drum so that the connections of the cap rotation device can be effectively reduced, and therefore the contamination and the leakage of the chemical liquid can be effectively reduced. In addition, the cap rotation device can utilize the torque motor and the position detecting device to ensure the safety and accuracy while opening or closing the sealing cap. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic perspective diagram showing a cap rotation device equipped on a multifunction cap replacement module according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic perspective diagram showing a cap rotation device equipped on a multifunction cap replacement module according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a schematic perspective diagram showing a cap rotation device equipped on a cap rotation module according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a schematic perspective diagram showing a cap rotation device according to embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following description is of the best presently contemplated mode of carrying out the present disclosure. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined by referencing the appended claims. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a cap rotation device equipped on a multifunction cap replacement module according to one embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 2  illustrates a cap rotation device equipped on a multifunction cap replacement module according to another embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 3  illustrates a cap rotation device equipped on a cap rotation module according to embodiments of the present invention, and  FIG. 4  illustrates a cap rotation device according to embodiments of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the multifunction cap replacement module  100  includes a cap rotation module supporter  130 , a cap rotation module  110  and another cap rotation module  120 . The cap rotation module  110  and another cap rotation module  120  are mounted under the cap rotation module supporter  130 , and the cap rotation module supporter  130  is mounted on the chemical drum storing device  500 . The chemical drum storing device  500  includes a supporting frame  510  to store at least one chemical drum, e.g. a chemical drum  520  and a chemical drum  530 , and the cap rotation module supporter  130  can be additionally disposed above the supporting frame  510 . 
     Further referring to  FIG. 3 , the cap rotation module  300  can be the cap rotation module  110  and/or the cap rotation module  120 . The cap rotation module  300  includes at least one pair of cap rotation device, for example, a first cap rotation device  320  and a second cap rotation device  330  as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The first cap rotation device  320  can open the sealing cap  532  of the chemical drum  530  and extract the chemical liquid form the chemical drum  530 . The second cap rotation device  330  can open another sealing cap  534  of the chemical drum  530  to transfer the chemical liquid back to the chemical drum  530 . The first cap rotation device  320  and the second cap rotation device  330  have the same or similar structure to conveniently supply the chemical liquid in the semiconductor factory. 
     In addition, the cap rotation module  300  further includes a base plate  360  and a cap rotation module central post  310  connected to the base plate  360 , and the first cap rotation device  320  and the second cap rotation device  330  are movably mounted on the base plate  360 . 
     In some embodiments, the multifunction cap replacement module  100  includes a fixing plate  390 , a vertical moving device  380  and a horizontal moving device  385 . The vertical moving device  380 , e.g. an air cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder, is connected between the fixing plate  390  and the first cap rotation device  320  or the second cap rotation device  330  to move the first cap rotation device  320  or the second cap rotation device  330  up and down, and the horizontal moving device  385  is disposed between the fixing plate  390  and the base plate  360  to horizontally move the first cap rotation device  320  or the second cap rotation device  330 . 
     In some embodiments, the first cap rotation device  320  includes a cap rotator  322 , a liquid transferring device  324 , an optical detecting device  326  and a liquid transferring pipe  328 . The liquid transferring device  324  is, for example, a liquid extractor. The optical detecting device  326  can detect a position of the sealing cap  532  of the chemical drum  530  to guide the cap rotator  322  to align with the sealing cap  532 , the cap rotator  322  opens the sealing cap  532 , the liquid transferring device  324  is moved to align with the original position of the sealing cap  532  and sealed to the opening, and the liquid transferring device  324  extracts the chemical liquid and transfer the chemical liquid to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment in the semiconductor factory through the liquid transferring pipe  328 . 
     In some embodiments, the second cap rotation device  330  includes a cap rotator  332 , a liquid transferring device  334 , an optical detecting device  336  and a liquid transferring pipe  338 . The liquid transferring device  334  is, for example, a liquid reflux device. The optical detecting device  336  of the second cap rotation device  330  can detect the position of another sealing cap  534  of the chemical drum  530  to guide the cap rotator  332  of the second cap rotation device  330  to align with the another sealing cap  534  of the cap rotator  332 , the cap rotator  332  of the second cap rotation device  330  opens the sealing cap  534 , and then the liquid transferring device  334  is moved to the original position of the sealing cap  534  and sealed to the opening to transfer the chemical liquid back to the chemical drum  530  with the liquid transferring device  334 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , as exemplarily illustrated by the second cap rotation device  330 , the second cap rotation device  330  includes a first motor  410  and a second motor  420 . The first motor  410  is connected to a liquid transferring device  334  and the liquid transferring device  334  is configured to connect to an opening of the chemical drum  530 . The second motor  420  is connected to the cap rotator  332  to open or close the sealing cap  532  from the opening of the chemical drum  530 . 
     In some embodiments, the first motor  410  and the second motor  420  include torque motors to precisely control the cap rotator  332  and the liquid transferring device  334  to open or close the sealing cap  532 . While closing the sealing cap  532 , the torque motor can effectively control the cap rotator  332  to close the sealing cap  532  on the opening of the chemical drum  530  by detecting the torque value that reached a predetermined torque setting. 
     In some embodiments, the second cap rotation device  330  further includes a liquid transferring pipe  338  connected to the liquid transferring device  334  to directly transfer the chemical liquid through the opening of the chemical drum  530  to prevent the factory contamination due to the chemical liquid leakage. 
     In some embodiments, the first cap rotation device  320  and the second cap rotation device  330  are the same or similar with each other to extract the chemical liquid and flow back the chemical liquid. In some embodiments, the first cap rotation device  320  and the second cap rotation device  330  can use different components to extract the chemical liquid and flow back the chemical liquid, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     In some embodiments, the cap rotator  322  and the liquid transferring device  324  respectively include independent vertical moving devices  380  to independently control the cap rotator  322  and the liquid transferring device  324  to move up and down. In addition, the cap rotator  332  and the liquid transferring device  334  also include independent vertical moving devices  380  to independently control the cap rotator  332  and the liquid transferring device  334  to move up and down. 
     Simultaneously referring to  FIG. 4 , as exemplarily illustrated by the second cap rotation device  330 , the vertical moving device  380  includes an air cylinder and a position detecting device  430 . The position detecting device  430  can detect a current working position of the air cylinder to precisely determine whether the sealing cap  532  is properly opened/closed from the opening of the chemical drum  530 . 
     In some embodiments, the multifunction cap replacement module  100  further includes an isolating plate  350  and an elastic isolating shield  370 . The isolating plate  350  includes two openings that allow the cap rotator  322  and the liquid transferring device  324 , or the cap rotator  332  and the liquid transferring device  334  to pass through. The elastic isolating shield  370  connects to the isolating plate  350  and the base plate  360  to prevent the evaporated chemical gas of the chemical drum  530  from directly contacting, polluting and corroding the interior components of the cap rotation module  300 . The isolating plate  350  of the first cap rotation device  320  has the same shape with the isolating plate  350  of the second cap rotation device  330 . In order to illustrate the interior components, the isolating plate  350  of the first cap rotation device  320  is omitted in  FIG. 3 . 
     In some embodiments, simultaneously referring to  FIG. 1 , the multifunction cap replacement module  100  utilizes the base plate  360 , the isolating plate  350  and the elastic isolating shield  370  to effectively isolate the evaporated chemical gas from the interior components of the cap rotation module  110  and the cap rotation module  120  of the multifunction cap replacement module  100  to improve the safety and reliability of the multifunction cap replacement module  100  in use. In addition, the cap rotation module  110  further includes sealing walls  112  connected to the base plate  360  to prevent the evaporated chemical gas from contacting the interior components of the cap rotation module  110  and the cap rotation module  120  of the multifunction cap replacement module  100  to further improve the safety and reliability of the multifunction cap replacement module  100  in use. In order to illustrate the interior components, the sealing wall of the cap rotation module  120  is omitted in  FIG. 1 . 
     In some embodiments, the cap rotation module central post  310  includes a ventilating channel  340  therein, and the ventilating channel  340  includes a suction port  342  formed on the base plate  360  and an exhaust port  346  connected to an external ventilating machine to exhaust the evaporated chemical gas of the chemical drum  520  and the chemical drum  530  and prevent contamination and corrosion of the cap rotation module  300 , thereby further increasing the service life of the multifunction cap replacement module  100 . 
     In some embodiments, the cap rotation module central post  310  can be rotated to position the first cap rotation device  320  and the second cap rotation device  330  to open the cap, extract and flow back the chemical liquid. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the multifunction cap replacement module  200  includes a cap rotation module  210  and a horizontal moving module mounted in the cap rotation module supporter  230 . The horizontal moving module can move the cap rotation module  210  around a plurality of chemical drums, e.g. the chemical drum  520  and the chemical drum  530 , and align the cap rotation module  210  with one of the chemical drums to extract and flow back a desired chemical liquid. In  FIG. 1 , the multifunction cap replacement module  100  utilizes a plurality of cap rotation modules to respectively connect to a plurality of chemical drums to extract and flow back desired chemical liquids respectively. In  FIG. 2 , the multifunction cap replacement module  200  utilizes single cap rotation module to selectively connect one of a plurality of the chemical drums and extract and flow back a desired chemical liquid. 
     In some embodiments, the front ends of the cap rotator  332  and the liquid transferring device  334  include cap opening connectors. The cap rotator  332  and the liquid transferring device  334  respectively adopt corresponding cap opening connectors to engage with the sealing caps  532  of the chemical drum  530  according to types of the sealing caps of the chemical drum, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Accordingly, the cap rotation device can utilize the optical detecting device to precisely align with the chemical drum, the cap rotator to open or close the sealing cap from the chemical drum, and the liquid transferring device to connect the opening of the chemical drum after the sealing cap is opened from the opening of the chemical drum. The cap rotation device can further utilize the liquid transferring pipe to directly extract the chemical liquid from the chemical drum so that the connections of the cap rotation device can be effectively reduced, and therefore the contamination and the leakage of the chemical liquid can be effectively reduced. In addition, the cap rotation device can utilize the torque motor and the position detecting device to ensure the safety and accuracy while opening or closing the sealing cap. 
     As is understood by a person skilled in the art, the foregoing preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrative of the present invention rather than limiting of the present invention. It is intended that various modifications and similar arrangements be included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.