JPH0595042A - Storage container for ceiling traveling vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely prevent the drop of a stored article. CONSTITUTION:The bottom face of each engaging plate 28 fixed to a frame magazine 20 is approximately parallel with a wafer supporting groove 27. Two engaging grooves 29 and 30 are provided a specified interval apart in the longitudinal direction at the bottom of each engaging plate 28. The engaging groove 29 on the side of an opening 19 is made to be shallower than the engaging groove on the side of a board 21. That is, it is so made that the bottom of the engaging plate 28 and the line which connects the engaging groove 29 on the side of opening 19 with the engaging groove 30 on the side of a board 21 form a specified angle A.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a storage container for an overhead traveling vehicle system for storing articles such as wafer frames.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an overhead traveling vehicle system, there is a frame magazine as a storage container used when a wafer frame is transferred. The frame magazine is provided with an opening through which the wafer frame can be inserted and removed. The wafer frame is supported by the wafer supporting groove formed on the inner surface of the frame magazine. On both sides of the outer surface of the frame magazine, a total of four engaging grooves are provided, two for each. The engaging grooves are provided at substantially the same height position, that is, on the same horizontal plane parallel to the wafer supporting groove. A chuck claw provided on the lift of the overhead traveling vehicle can be engaged with each of the engaging grooves. A frame magazine like this
With the wafer frame inserted through the opening being supported by the wafer supporting groove, the chuck claws are engaged with the engaging grooves.
Then, the frame magazine is suspended in a horizontal state by the chuck claws when the elevating table is raised. In this state, the overhead traveling vehicle travels and carries the frame magazine.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional frame magazine, when the chuck claws are engaged with and supported by the engaging grooves, the chuck claws are horizontal and the engaging grooves are on the same horizontal plane. The wafer support groove becomes horizontal by being positioned at. Therefore, there is a problem that the wafer frame may drop from the opening due to vibrations of the overhead traveling vehicle during traveling. An object of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an overhead traveling vehicle system that can reliably prevent the stored articles from falling.

[0004]

A storage container of an overhead traveling vehicle system according to the present invention includes a first engaging portion provided on both side surfaces sandwiching an opening portion through which articles are put in and taken out, and the first engaging portion. A second engaging portion provided at a position farther from the opening than the engaging portion and relatively higher than the first engaging portion, and these first and second engaging portions are provided. It is characterized in that it is supported by the overhead traveling vehicle by the supporting member engaged therewith.

[0005]

The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.
FIG. 1 shows the structure of a frame magazine and chuck jaws of an overhead traveling vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, the frame magazine 20 stores a wafer frame (not shown) and is conveyed while being suspended by the chuck claws 42 of the overhead traveling vehicle 40.

In the frame magazine 20, the left and right side plates are joined to the both ends of the substrate 21 at substantially right angles, and the substrate 2
1 and a top plate 24 and a bottom plate 2 on the upper and lower ends of the left and right side plates.
5 are joined at substantially right angles. An opening 19 is formed in the frame magazine 20 at a position facing the substrate 21 by left and right side plates 22, 23, a top plate 24, and a bottom plate 25.

The left and right side plates 22 of the frame magazine 20,
Wafer support grooves 27 are provided on the inner surface of 23 in multiple stages in the vertical direction and in parallel with the bottom plate 25. Each wafer support groove 27
A wafer frame that is inserted into and removed from the opening 19 is supported by.

The left and right side plates 22 of the frame magazine 20,
Engagement plates 28 are fixed to the upper ends of the outer surfaces of 23, respectively. The bottom surface of each engagement plate 28 is substantially parallel to the wafer support groove 27. Two engaging grooves 2 are formed on the bottom surface of each engaging plate 28 at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction.
9 and 30 are provided, respectively. The engagement groove 29 on the opening 19 side is formed to be shallower than the engagement groove 29 on the substrate 21 side. That is, the bottom surface of the engagement plate 28 and the opening 1
A line connecting the engagement groove 29 on the 9 side and the engagement groove 30 on the substrate 21 side is formed so as to form a predetermined angle A. As a result, when the support surface 43 of the chuck claw 42 of the overhead traveling vehicle 40 is engaged with and supported by the engagement grooves 29 and 30, the frame magazine 20 is angled so that the opening 19 side faces obliquely upward. Incline by A.

In the overhead traveling vehicle 40, as shown in FIG. 1, an elevating table 41 is supported by a main body (not shown) traveling along rails (not shown) provided on the ceiling so as to be able to ascend and descend. It On the bottom of the lift 41, the frame magazine 2
Four chuck claws 4 that can be engaged with the engagement grooves 29 and 30 of 0
2 are provided so as to be movable inwardly of the elevating table 41. A substantially horizontal support surface 43 is formed at the tip of each chuck claw 42. Each chuck claw 42, with the support surface 43 engaged with the engagement grooves 29, 30,
It synchronously moves inward and supports the wafer frame.

The operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. Wafer frame is frame magazine 2
It is inserted from the opening 19 of 0 and is supported by each wafer supporting groove 27.

The overhead traveling vehicle 40 includes a frame magazine 20.
The elevating table 41 is lowered above the table to move the chuck claws 4
The supporting surface 43 of the frame 2 is used as the engaging groove 2 of the frame magazine 20.
It is located near 9, 30. Next, the overhead traveling vehicle 40
Moves each chuck claw 42 toward the inside of the lift table 41 and engages the support surface 43 of each chuck claw 42 with each engagement groove 29, 30 of the frame magazine 20 (FIG. 3). In this state, the overhead traveling vehicle 40 raises the elevator 41,
The frame magazine 20 is supported by the chuck claws 42.
At this time, since the engaging groove 29 on the opening 19 side of the frame magazine 20 is formed shallower than the engaging groove 30 on the substrate 21 side, the frame magazine 20 has the opening 19 side directed obliquely upward. It tilts in the state (Fig. 4). The inclination angle at this time is equal to the angle A (see FIG. 1) formed by the bottom surface of the engagement plate 28 and the line connecting the engagement groove 29 on the opening 19 side and the engagement groove 30 on the substrate 21 side.

An overhead traveling vehicle 40, which supports the frame magazine 20 with chuck claws 42, travels along a rail and conveys the frame magazine 20 to a predetermined place.
At this time, since the frame magazine 20 is supported in a state where the opening 19 side is inclined obliquely upward, the wafer frame supported in the wafer supporting groove 27 is affected by the traveling vibration of the overhead traveling vehicle 40. It will not be received and fall from the opening 19.

In the above embodiment, when a wafer frame having a smaller width is conveyed, the distance between the side plates 22 and 23 of the frame magazine 20 is reduced according to the width of the wafer frame and the side plate 2 is made smaller.
The thickness of the engagement plate 28 is increased by the amount by which the distance between the two and 23 is reduced. As a result, the overhead traveling vehicle 40
It is possible to transfer wafer frames having different width-direction dimensions without changing the chuck claws 42.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to reliably prevent the contained articles from falling.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a frame magazine and a chuck claw of an overhead traveling vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state before a frame magazine is conveyed.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state when the frame magazine is being conveyed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 19 opening 20 storage container 29 opening-side engaging groove (first engaging portion) 30 substrate-side engaging groove (second engaging portion) 42 chuck claw (supporting member)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A storage container for articles, comprising: a first engaging portion provided on both side surfaces sandwiching an opening through which an article is taken in and out; and a first engaging portion separated from the opening, And the first
A second engaging portion provided at a position relatively higher than the engaging portion of the above, and is supported by the overhead traveling vehicle by a supporting member engaged with the first and second engaging portions. A storage container for an overhead traveling vehicle system characterized by being performed.