Patent ID: 12240709

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings such that the present disclosure can be easily embodied by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to only the embodiments set forth herein.

For clarity, a description of parts not related to describing the present disclosure is omitted here, and the same reference numerals are allocated to the same or similar components throughout the disclosure.

Components having the same structure in various embodiments will be allocated the same reference numeral and explained only in a representative embodiment, and components which are different from those of the representative embodiment will be described in the other embodiments.

It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected to” or “coupled to” another element, the element can be directly connected to or coupled to the other element or be indirectly connected to or coupled to the other element having an intervening element therebetween. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, it will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes”, and/or “including”, when used herein, 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.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms including technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

Hereinafter, a tower lift according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring toFIGS.1and2, the tower lift100according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include a main frame120, a first carriage module110A, a second carriage module110B, and a driving module130.

The main frame120receives the first carriage module110A and a second carriage module110B, which will be described later, and guides movement paths of the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B. The driving module130, which will be described later, may be installed on the main frame120.

The main frame120for this purpose may include, for example, an upper body123, a lower body124, a first guide shaft121, and a second guide shaft122.

The upper body123and the lower body124are positioned to be spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction. The lower body124may be installed in a working space. The driving module130, which will be described later, may be installed on the upper body123.

The first guide shaft121and the second guide shaft122are positioned to be spaced apart from each other in the horizontal direction, and are positioned to be parallel to each other in the vertical direction. Each of the first guide shaft121and the second guide shaft122has a first end coupled to the upper body123and a second end coupled to the lower body124.

The first guide shaft121and the second guide shaft122may guide a lifting path of the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B, which will be described later. The first guide shaft121and the second guide shaft122for this purpose may include may be, for example, beams of circular or polygonal shape in cross-section, but are not limited thereto.

The first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B transfer an object to various positions while being lifted by the driving module130. The first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B are connected to each other inside the main frame120at left and right sides of the main frame120, respectively, have the same weight, and are moved in the vertical direction.

In more detail, the first carriage module110A is moved in the vertical direction along the first guide shaft121. The second carriage module110B is moved in the vertical direction along the second guide shaft122and is connected to the first carriage module110A.

In addition, the second carriage module110B has a weight corresponding to that of the first carriage module110A, and is moved in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the first carriage module110A. In other words, when the first carriage module110A is moved upwardly, the second carriage module110B may be moved downwardly.

The first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B as described above may have the same structure. Unlike a conventional tower lift including a separate weight body, the tower lift100according to the embodiment of the present disclosure uses the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B having the same weight and the same structure. This allows the left and right weights of the tower lift100to be kept equal. In addition, the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B can use shared components, thereby allowing quick maintenance.

Meanwhile, each of the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B may include, for example, a lifting plate111, at least one support plate112, and a carriage robot113.

The lifting plate111is installed to be movable along the main frame120, and is lifted by the driving module130. In more detail, the lifting plate111of the first carriage module110A is fixedly coupled to a timing belt131and is installed to surround the first guide shaft121. The lifting plate111of the second carriage module110B is fixedly coupled to the timing belt131and is installed to surround the second guide shaft122.

The support plate112is coupled to the lifting plate111. At least one support plate112may be provided. When two support plates112are provided, the two support plates112may be positioned to be spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction.

The carriage robot113is installed on the support plate112and handles the object. The carriage robot113may handle a storage container such as a front opening unified pod (FOUP) in which a plurality of substrates are stored.

The driving module130is installed on the main frame120and moves the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B in the vertical direction.

The driving module130for this purpose may include, for example, the timing belt131and a rotary motor132.

The timing belt131has a closed curve shape and is coupled to the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B. The rotary motor132is installed on the main frame120and rotates the timing belt131.

Meanwhile, although not illustrated in the drawings, the driving module130may include a speed reducer (not illustrated) installed between the rotary motor132and the timing belt131. In addition, the driving module130may further include an electromagnetic brake (not illustrated) connected to a rotary shaft of the rotary motor132.

Since the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B described above are connected to the timing belt131and have the same weight, the loading weights may be kept equal on the left and right sides with respect to the driving module130. The rotary motor132of the driving module130may stably roll the timing belt131without the need for generating a large torque.

Meanwhile, the tower lift100according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include an anti-fall module150.

The anti-fall module150is installed on each of the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B, and prevents the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B from falling.

In the case where the anti-fall module150is installed on the first carriage module110A, the anti-fall module150may be coupled to the first carriage module110A, and may be installed adjacent to the first guide shaft121.

In the case where the anti-fall module150is installed on the second carriage module110B, the anti-fall module150may be coupled to the second carriage module110B, and may be installed adjacent to the second guide shaft122.

When the first carriage module110A or the second carriage module110B falls, the anti-fall module150may abruptly increase a frictional force with the first guide shaft121or the second guide shaft122to thereby prevent the first carriage module110A or the second carriage module110B from colliding with the lower body124of the main frame120.

Meanwhile, the tower lift100according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include a fall detection sensor160.

The fall detection sensor160is installed on each of the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B, and detects a fall of each of the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B. The fall detection sensor160for this purpose may include may be, for example, an acceleration sensor, but is not limited thereto.

When the fall detection sensor160detects a fall of the first carriage module110A or the second carriage module110B, an operation signal may be transmitted to the anti-fall module150. The anti-fall module150may be then operated in response to the operation signal to thereby prevent the first carriage module110A or the second carriage module110B from falling.

Meanwhile, the tower lift100according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include a tension control module140.

The tension control module140is disposed at a lower portion of the main frame120and controls the tension of the timing belt131. The tension control module140may include, for example, a roller for pressing a portion of the timing belt131, but is not limited thereto. The tension control module140keeps the tension of the timing belt131constant. Therefore, the timing belt131may be stably rotated by the rotary motor132of the driving module130without idling.

The tension control module140may be in contact with a lower portion of the timing belt131positioned at a lower end portion of the tower lift100, while the rotary motor132of the driving module130may be in contact with of a portion of the timing belt131positioned at an upper end portion of the tower lift100.

As described above, the tower lift100according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can easily set the loading balance of the timing belt131by the provision of the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B. As a result, the tower lift100can transfer the object to each of the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B and thus is advantageous over the conventional tower lift in that the transfer amount per hour can be increased.

In addition, the tower lift100according to the embodiment of the present disclosure uses the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B installed on one main frame120without requiring separate installation spaces, and allows the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B to share components. This can reduce the overall size, thereby improving space utilization.

In addition, the tower lift100according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can prevent, when the timing belt131is broken, the first carriage module110A and the second carriage module110B from falling by using the fall detection sensor160and the anti-fall module150. This can prevent damage to the tower lift100.

The description of the present disclosure has been presented with reference to the accompanying drawings for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosure in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, all such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the appended claims.