Patent Publication Number: US-2023159282-A1

Title: Transfer apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     A claim for priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 is made to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0161397 filed on Nov. 22, 2021, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Embodiments of the inventive concept described herein relate to a transfer apparatus. 
     In general, in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor element or a display element, materials such as a semiconductor wafer, a semiconductor strip, a glass substrate, a display panel, etc. may be transferred by an unmanned transport system such as an overhead hoist transport (OHT) apparatus, a rail guided vehicle (RGV) apparatus, etc. In particular, the transfer apparatuses may include a transfer vehicle configured to move along a driving rail installed on the ceiling or the floor of a clean room, and an operation control of the transfer vehicle may be controlled by an upper control device such as an OCS (OHT Control Server) apparatus. 
     For example, in the clean room for manufacturing semiconductor devices, driving rails for material transfer may be installed on the ceiling, and a plurality of transport vehicles may be movably arranged along the driving rails. The operation control of the transfer vehicles may be carried out by the OCS device, and the transfer vehicles and the OCS device may be connected to each other in a wireless communication method. 
     Meanwhile, if an abnormality occurs while the transfer vehicle is moving on the driving rail, the transfer vehicle may stop on the driving rail. In this case, if another subsequent transfer vehicle does not detect the stopped transfer vehicle, a collision between the transfer vehicles may occur, which may damage the transfer vehicles and the materials loaded on the transfer vehicles. In an embodiment, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1374665 discloses a transport vehicle equipped with a buffer stopper to reduce an impact when a collision occurs between the transport vehicles. 
     However, even if the above buffer stopper is used, it is not possible to completely eliminate the impact caused by physical contact, so a new method is required to prevent collisions between the above transport vehicles. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the inventive concept provide a transfer apparatus for absorbing an impact during a collision. 
     The technical objectives of the inventive concept are not limited to the above-mentioned ones, and the other unmentioned technical objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description. 
     The inventive concept provides a transfer apparatus. The transfer apparatus includes a transfer truck; and a bumper device installed at any one of the front part or the rear part of the transfer truck, and wherein the bumper device includes: a bumper provided spaced apart from the transfer truck; and an impact attenuation unit provided between the bumper and the transfer truck and configured to attenuate an impact force transferred from the bumper to the transfer truck by a friction force. 
     In an embodiment, the impact attenuation unit includes: a first support fixed to a frame of the transfer truck and having a slot in a longitudinal direction; a second support fixed to the bumper; and a friction pin fixed to the second support to be inserted to the slot formed on the first support and attenuating an impact by a friction force generated while moving along the slot if the bumper is impacted. 
     In an embodiment, the slot is formed to increase the friction force with the friction pin as it moves further from the bumper. 
     In an embodiment, a width of the slot decreases as it moves further from the bumper. 
     In an embodiment, a direction of the slot is formed to be curved in an upward direction or a downward direction. 
     In an embodiment, the slot includes a first section having a diameter larger than a diameter of the friction pin, a second section having a diameter smaller than the first section, and a third section having a diameter larger than the second section and smaller than the first section. 
     In an embodiment, the second section and the third direction are continuously formed. 
     In an embodiment, the bumper includes a front part positioned at a predetermined distance from the transfer truck and a side part extending from both sides of the front part and fixed to the frame of the transfer truck, and wherein the second support is fixed to a bottom surface of the front part. 
     The inventive concept provides a transfer apparatus. The transfer apparatus includes a driving module configured to be movable along a driving rail; a gripper unit configured to pick up a transfer object; a car main body mounted on the gripper unit and connected to the driving module; and a bumper device installed at any one of a front part and a rear part of the car main body, and wherein the bumper device includes: a bumper having both sides fixed to the car main body; and an impact attenuation unit provided between the bumper and the car main body to minimize an impact to the bumper from being transferred to the car main body. 
     In an embodiment, the impact attenuation unit includes: a first support fixed to the car main body and having a slot in a longitudinal direction; a second support fixed to the bumper; and a friction pin fixed to the second support to be inserted to the slot formed on the first support and attenuating an impact by a friction force generated while moving along the slot if the bumper is impacted. 
     In an embodiment, the slot is formed to increase the friction force with the friction pin as it moves further from the bumper. 
     In an embodiment, a width of the slot decreases as it moves further from the bumper. 
     In an embodiment, a direction of the slot is formed to be curved in an upward direction or a downward direction. 
     In an embodiment, the slot includes a first section having a diameter larger than a diameter of the friction pin, a second section having a diameter smaller than the first section, and a third section having a diameter larger than the second section and smaller than the first section. 
     In an embodiment, the second section and the third direction are continuously formed. 
     In an embodiment, the bumper includes a front part positioned at a predetermined distance from the transfer truck and a side part extending from both sides of the front part and fixed to the frame of the transfer truck, and wherein the second support is fixed to a bottom surface of the front part. 
     In an embodiment, two first supports are provided spaced apart, and the second support is positioned between the first support. 
     In an embodiment, two second supports are provided spaced apart, and the first support is positioned between the second support. 
     The inventive concept provides a transfer apparatus. The transfer apparatus includes a driving module configured to be movable along a driving rail; a gripper unit configured to pick up a transfer object; a car main body mounted on the gripper unit and connected to the driving module; and a bumper device installed at any one of a front part and a rear part of the car main body, and wherein the bumper device includes: a bumper having both sides fixed to the car main body; and a first support fixed to the car main body and having a slot in a longitudinal direction; a second support fixed to the bumper; and a friction pin fixed to the second support to be inserted to the slot formed on the first support and attenuating an impact by a friction force generated while moving along the slot if the bumper is impacted. 
     In an embodiment, the slot is formed to increase the friction force with the friction pin as it moves further from the bumper, and the bumper includes a front part positioned at a predetermined distance from the car main body and a side part extending from both sides of the front part and fixed to the frame of the car main body, and wherein the second support is fixed to a bottom surface of the front part. 
     According to an embodiment of the inventive concept, an impact transferred to a main body may be minimized by reducing an impact force by a friction force generated during a process while the friction pin moves according to a slot despite an impact on a bumper. 
     The effects of the inventive concept are not limited to the above-mentioned ones, and the other unmentioned effects will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The above and other objects and features will become apparent from the following description with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified, and wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a plan view of a transfer facility having a transfer apparatus. 
         FIG.  2    is a side view illustrating the transfer apparatus which is in a state of transferring a transfer object to a mounting location. 
         FIG.  3    and  FIG.  4    illustrate the transfer apparatus. 
         FIG.  5    and  FIG.  6    illustrate an impact attenuation unit. 
         FIG.  7    illustrates a performance effect at the impact attenuation unit. 
         FIG.  8 A  and  FIG.  8 B  illustrate a modified embodiment of the impact attenuation unit. 
         FIG.  9 A  to  FIG.  9 C  illustrate various modified embodiments of a slot. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The inventive concept may be variously modified and may have various forms, and specific embodiments thereof will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. However, the embodiments according to the concept of the inventive concept are not intended to limit the specific disclosed forms, and it should be understood that the present inventive concept includes all transforms, equivalents, and replacements included in the spirit and technical scope of the inventive concept. In a description of the inventive concept, a detailed description of related known technologies may be omitted when it may make the essence of the inventive concept unclear. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the inventive concept. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Also, the term “exemplary” is intended to refer to an example or illustration. 
     It will be understood that, although the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the inventive concept. 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the inventive concept will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG.  1    is a plan view of a transfer facility having a transfer apparatus, and  FIG.  2    is a side view of the transfer apparatus transferring a transfer object to a mounting location. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2   , the transfer apparatus  100  may include a transfer truck which transfers the transfer object  20  to a transfer location  10 . 
     In this embodiment, the transfer apparatus  100  transfers the transfer object  20  to each of the transfer locations  10  in a transfer facility having a plurality of transfer locations  10 . The transfer object  20  is an object to be transferred, and may be, for example, a single item, or a combination of a plurality of items such as an object to be stored and a container storing the object. In this embodiment, transfer object  20  may be a substrate storage container such as a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) in which a plurality of substrates are stored. 
     In this embodiment, the transfer location  10  includes a treating apparatus  12  for treating a semiconductor substrate and a mounting location  14  for mounting the substrate storage container, which is a transfer object  20 . For example, the treating apparatus  12  withdraws the semiconductor substrate from the substrate storage container  20  mounted on the mounting location  14  and treats the semiconductor substrate. In addition, the treating apparatus  12  stores the treated semiconductor substrate in the substrate storage container mounted on the mounting location  14 . As shown in  FIG.  1   , a plurality of transfer locations  10  are provided in the transfer facility. For example, in the transfer facility, a transfer path  30  is installed to pass through the plurality of transfer locations  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , in the inventive concept, the transfer path  30  is determined by a rail  32  connected to a ceiling. In addition, the mounting location  14  is installed below the rail  32  and is installed to overlap the rail  32  when viewed on a plane (see  FIG.  1   ). 
     In the embodiment, the transfer apparatus  100  is an Overhead Hoist Transport (OHT) apparatus which drives on a rail  32  and transfers the transfer object  20  to each of the plurality of transfer locations  10 . In this embodiment, a plurality of such transfer apparatuses  100  are provided in the transfer facility. In addition, as shown in  FIG.  2   , the transfer apparatus  100  transfers the transfer object  20  to the mounting location  14  installed below. In other words, the transfer apparatus  100  lowers the transfer object  20  from a height (a height of the rail  32 ) at which the transfer apparatus  100  is disposed, toward the mounting location  14 , and mounts the transfer object  20  on the mounting location  14 . 
       FIG.  3    and  FIG.  4    illustrate the transfer apparatus. 
     As shown in  FIG.  3    and  FIG.  4   , the transfer apparatus  100  transfers the transfer object ( 20 ; hereinafter referred to as a substrate storage container) in a suspended state. In the inventive concept, the transfer apparatus  100  may be a transfer truck including a driving module  200  and a hoist module  300 . 
     The driving module  200  drives along the rail  32  provided along the ceiling of the semiconductor manufacturing line by a separate driving unit. The driving module  200  may include a body  210  having a driving wheel  212  on both sides thereof. Although not shown, an actuator for rotating the driving wheel  212  may be provided inside the body  210 . The body  210  drives along the rail  32 . Specifically, the body  210  may drive while rotating while the driving wheel  212  is in contact with the rail  32 . Meanwhile, although not shown, a steering wheel may be provided on a top surface of the body  210 . The steering wheel is provided to be movable along a horizontal direction perpendicular to a driving direction of the body. For example, the steering wheel may move in the left and right directions of the body  210 . The steering wheel may selectively be in contact with a straight steering rail (not shown) guiding a straight driving and a branch steering rail (not shown) guiding a branch driving. 
     The hoist module  300  may include a main body  310  mounted on the driving module  200 , a gripper unit  320  for picking up the substrate storage container  20 , a lifting/lowering unit  330  for lifting/lowering the gripper unit  320 , and a bumper device  350  provided at a front and rear of the main body, respectively. 
     The main body  310  is fixed as if hanging from a bottom portion of the driving module. A front surface of the main body  310 , which is a side surface, may be opened for a vertical movement and a horizontal movement of the substrate storage container  20 . In this case, the side surface may be a direction perpendicular to the driving direction of the transfer apparatus  100 . 
     The gripper unit  320  may be connected to the lifting/lowering unit  330  through a plurality of lifting/lowering belts  336 , and may include grippers  322  for gripping the substrate storage container  20 . In addition, a flange configured to be gripped by the grippers  322  may be provided on the substrate storage container  20 . 
     The gripper unit  320  may include a gripper driving unit (not shown) for driving the grippers  322 , for example, the gripper driving unit may operate the grippers  322  using a cam plate and a cam follower, and may include a motor and a ball screw to move the cam plate. However, since the configuration of the gripper unit  320  itself may be variously changed, the scope of the inventive concept is not limited thereby. 
     The bumper device  350  may be provided at the front and rear sides of the main body, respectively. The bumper device  350  may include a bumper  352  and an impact attenuation unit  360 . 
       FIG.  5    and  FIG.  6    illustrate the impact attenuation unit. 
     As shown in  FIG.  5    and  FIG.  6   , the bumper  352  may be provided to be spaced apart from the main body  310 . In an embodiment, the bumper  352  may include a front part  354  positioned at a predetermined distance from the main body  310  and a side part  356  extending from both sides of the front part  354  and fixed to a frame of the main body  310 . 
     The impact attenuation unit  360  may be provided between the front part  354  of the bumper  352  and the main body  310 . The impact attenuation unit  360  is a device for mitigating an impact force transmitted from the bumper  352  to the main body  310  by a friction force. 
     According to an embodiment, the impact attenuation unit  360  may include a first support  362 , a second support  366 , and a friction pin  370 . The first support  362  is fixed to the frame of the main body  310 . The first support  362  is formed of a rod-shaped frame and is horizontally installed toward the front part  354  of the bumper  352 . The first support  362  has a slot  364  formed in a lengthwise direction. 
     The second support  366  is fixed to the bumper  352 . The second support  366  is formed of a rod-shaped frame and is installed to face the main body  310 . The first support  362  and the second support  366  have a length which may partially overlap. 
     The friction pin  370  is fixed to the second support  366  to be inserted into the slot  364  formed in the first support  362 . The friction pin  370  may alleviate an impact by a friction force generated while moving along the slot  364  if an impact is generated at the bumper  352 . 
     The slot  364  is formed such that a friction force with the friction pin  370  increases as a distance from the bumper  352  increases. In an embodiment, an end of the slot  364  closer to the bumper  352  may be larger than a diameter d 3  of the friction pin  370 , and the other end of the slot  364  further from the bumper  352  may be formed to have a diameter d 2  smaller than the friction pin  370 . For reference, a size of the slot and the number of friction pins can be selectively combined and applied to absorb an appropriate impact force according to an operating speed of the transfer apparatus. 
       FIG.  7    illustrates a performance effect at the impact attenuation unit. 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , if an impact is applied to the bumper device  350 , the impact is primarily absorbed by a plastic deformation of the bumper  352 . In addition, the friction pin  370  moves from an end of the slot  364  to the other end due to the plastic deformation of the bumper  352 , and the impact is absorbed by the friction between the friction pin  370  and the slot  364 , and the microplastic deformation of the contact surface. 
       FIG.  8 A  and  FIG.  8 B  illustrate a modified embodiment of the impact attenuation unit. 
     As shown in  FIG.  8 A  and  FIG.  8 B , the impact attenuation unit  360  may apply one first support  362  and two second supports  366  or two first supports  362  and one second support  366  as needed. 
       FIG.  9 A  to  FIG.  9 C  illustrate various modifications of the slot. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  9 A , the slot  364   a  may be upwardly curved. In another embodiment, the slot  364   b  may be formed to be downwardly curved. If the slots  364   a  and  364   b  having this shape are applied, if an impact is applied to the bumper device  350 , the friction pin  370  moves upwardly or downwardly along the slots  364   a  and  364   b,  causing the bumper  352  to move down or move up. That is, an impact force applied to the bumper  352  in a horizontal direction may improve an attenuation effect as a direction is tilted by a shape of the slots  364   a  and  364   b.    
     The slot  364   c  illustrated in  FIG.  9 C  may include a first section X 1  having a diameter larger than the diameter of the friction pin  370 , a second section X 2  having a diameter smaller than the first section X 1 , and a third section X 3  having a diameter larger than the second section X 2  and smaller than the first section X 1 . The second section X 2  and the third section X 3  may be continuously formed. For reference, the diameter of the second section is smaller than the diameter of the friction pin  370 . 
     A friction force may occur while the friction pin passes the second section at a slot having the same configuration as above. 
     The effects of the inventive concept are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and the unmentioned effects can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the inventive concept pertains from the specification and the accompanying drawings. 
     Although the preferred embodiment of the inventive concept has been illustrated and described until now, the inventive concept is not limited to the above-described specific embodiment, and it is noted that an ordinary person in the art, to which the inventive concept pertains, may be variously carry out the inventive concept without departing from the essence of the inventive concept claimed in the claims and the modifications should not be construed separately from the technical spirit or prospect of the inventive concept.