公开(公告)号：US11710652B2

公开(公告)日：2023-07-25

申请号：US17761816

申请日：2020-09-23

Applicant: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Toshihiro Kawai ,  Hiroaki Nakamura ,  Gengoro Ogura ,  Kosuke Sugiura ,  Yasushi Taniyama

IPC: H01L21/677 ,  B65G47/248 ,  H01L21/683

CPC classification number: H01L21/67781 ,  B65G47/248 ,  H01L21/67766 ,  H01L21/67796 ,  H01L21/6838

Abstract: A transport system for transporting a plurality of objects between a storage container configured to store the plurality of objects and a processing apparatus configured to collectively process the plurality of objects held on a tray, including a mounting part on which the storage container is mounted, a stage on which the plurality of objects are mounted, a tray support part configured to support the tray, a first transport device configured to transport the plurality of objects between the storage container mounted on the mounting part and the stage, and a second transport device configured to transport the plurality of objects between the stage and the tray supported by the tray support part.

公开(公告)号：US20220347694A1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-03

申请号：US17730980

申请日：2022-04-27

Applicant: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Toshihiro Kawai ,  Gengoro Ogura

IPC: B03C3/017 ,  B08B6/00

Abstract: An EFEM includes a circulation path including a transfer chamber configured to form a transfer space where a substrate is transferred and a return path configured to return a gas flowing from one side to the other side of the transfer chamber, the EFEM including: a capture part provided in the return path and configured to electrically capture particles contained in the gas flowing through the return path, wherein the return path and the transfer chamber are provided such that a partition wall is interposed therebetween, and a differential pressure is generated on both sides of the partition wall such that a pressure on the side of the return path becomes higher than a pressure on the side of the transfer chamber in a state in which the gas circulates through the circulation path.

公开(公告)号：US20210010598A1

公开(公告)日：2021-01-14

申请号：US16980638

申请日：2019-03-13

Applicant: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Toshihiro Kawai ,  Gengoro Ogura

IPC: F16J15/10

Abstract: A housing is made sealable even when the rigidity of a frame member and a cover member is not high. In an EFEM, a pressure difference having a predetermined value or less exists between an internal space of a housing and an external space of the housing. The housing includes a frame member assembled so as to form an opening, a cover member attached to the frame member so as to cover the opening, and a seal member sandwiched between the frame member and the cover member and configured to extend so as to surround the opening. The frame member and the cover member are formed of a sheet metal. The seal member is an elastic member having a hollow cross section orthogonal to an extension direction of the seal member.

公开(公告)号：US20240355652A1

公开(公告)日：2024-10-24

申请号：US18643387

申请日：2024-04-23

Applicant: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Gengoro Ogura ,  Toshihiro Kawai

IPC: H01L21/67

CPC classification number: H01L21/67196

Abstract: An EFEM includes: a housing including a transfer chamber where a processing object is transferred; and a connection module provided between the transfer chamber and a front chamber of a processing apparatus configured to perform a predetermined process on the processing object, and connect the transfer chamber and the front chamber, wherein the housing includes a rear member formed with a housing side opening through which the processing object is capable of passing, wherein the connection module includes: a first connection member arranged around the housing side opening when viewed from a depth direction in which the housing and the front chamber are arranged, and attached to the rear member; and a second connection member arranged around a front chamber side opening formed in the front chamber so as to allow the processing object to pass therethrough when viewed from the depth direction, and attached to the front chamber.

公开(公告)号：US20240282606A1

公开(公告)日：2024-08-22

申请号：US18649968

申请日：2024-04-29

Applicant: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Toshihiro Kawai ,  Gengoro Ogura

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  B01D46/00 ,  B01D46/10

CPC classification number: H01L21/67201 ,  B01D46/0041 ,  H01L21/67196 ,  B01D46/10 ,  B01D2273/30

Abstract: Particles in an accommodation chamber are also easily discharged while facilitating replacement of an atmosphere in the accommodation chamber with an inert gas. An EFEM includes a load port 4, a housing configured to define, in the housing, a transfer chamber closed by connecting the load port 4 to an opening provided in a partition wall, a supply pipe for supplying nitrogen to a transfer chamber, and a discharge pipe 49 for discharging a gas in the transfer chamber. The load port 4 includes an opening/closing mechanism 54 capable of opening and closing a lid 101 of a mounted FOUP 100, and an accommodation chamber 60 kept in communication with the transfer chamber via a slit 51b and configured to accommodate a part of the opening/closing mechanism 54. The discharge pipe 49 is connected to the accommodation chamber 60 to discharge the gas in the transfer chamber via the accommodation chamber 60.

公开(公告)号：US12027398B2

公开(公告)日：2024-07-02

申请号：US16980764

申请日：2019-03-13

Applicant: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Toshihiro Kawai ,  Gengoro Ogura

IPC: H01L21/673 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/677

CPC classification number: H01L21/67393 ,  H01L21/67253 ,  H01L21/6773

Abstract: In the present disclosure, when a supply flow rate of an inert gas is changed, a pressure fluctuation in a circulation path is suppressed. An EFEM includes a supply valve configured to be capable of changing a supply flow rate of the inert gas supplied to the circulation path, a discharge valve configured to be capable of changing a discharge flow rate of a gas discharged from the circulation path, a concentration detection part configured to detect a change in an atmosphere inside the circulation path, a pressure detection part configured to detect a pressure in the circulation path, and a control part configured to control the supply valve and the discharge valve. The control part is configured to determine an opening degree of the discharge valve to a predetermined value based on a detection result obtained by the concentration detection part.

公开(公告)号：US20230077810A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-16

申请号：US17959247

申请日：2022-10-03

Applicant: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Toshihiro Kawai ,  Gengoro Ogura

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  B01D46/00

Abstract: Particles in an accommodation chamber are also easily discharged while facilitating replacement of an atmosphere in the accommodation chamber with an inert gas. An EFEM includes a load port 4, a housing configured to define, in the housing, a transfer chamber closed by connecting the load port 4 to an opening provided in a partition wall, a supply pipe for supplying nitrogen to a transfer chamber, and a discharge pipe 49 for discharging a gas in the transfer chamber. The load port 4 includes an opening/closing mechanism 54 capable of opening and closing a lid 101 of a mounted FOUP 100, and an accommodation chamber 60 kept in communication with the transfer chamber via a slit 51b and configured to accommodate a part of the opening/closing mechanism 54. The discharge pipe 49 is connected to the accommodation chamber 60 to discharge the gas in the transfer chamber via the accommodation chamber 60.

公开(公告)号：US20230033168A1

公开(公告)日：2023-02-02

申请号：US17788647

申请日：2020-09-23

Applicant: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Hiroaki Nakamura ,  Toshihiro Kawai ,  Kosuke Sugiura ,  Gengoro Ogura ,  Yasushi Taniyama

IPC: B65G47/90 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/677

Abstract: A conveyance system discriminates the front and back of a frame wafer without human intervention. A frame is partially formed asymmetrically with respect to a predetermined center line when viewed in a direction orthogonal to a surface of a wafer. The conveyance system includes a hand configured to hold the frame so that the frame extends in a predetermined virtual plane, a first sensor configured to detect a portion of the frame held on the hand and located in a predetermined first region in the virtual plane, a second sensor configured to detect a portion of the frame held on the hand and located in a second region opposite to the first region across the center line, and a controller configured to determine the front and back of the frame wafer based on a detection result obtained by the first sensor and a detection result obtained by the second sensor.

公开(公告)号：US11495481B2

公开(公告)日：2022-11-08

申请号：US16980727

申请日：2019-03-13

Applicant: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Toshihiro Kawai ,  Gengoro Ogura

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  B01D46/00 ,  B01D46/10

Abstract: There is provided an EFEM, including: at least one load port; a housing closed by connecting the at least one load port to an opening provided on a side wall of the housing and configured to define, in the housing, a transfer chamber for transferring a substrate; a substrate transfer device disposed in the transfer chamber and configured to transfer the substrate; an inert gas supply unit configured to supply an inert gas to the transfer chamber; and a gas discharge unit configured to discharge a gas in the transfer chamber, wherein the at least one load port includes: an opening/closing mechanism capable of opening and closing a lid of a mounted FOUP; and an accommodation chamber kept in communication with the transfer chamber and configured to accommodate a part of the opening/closing mechanism.

公开(公告)号：US20210013077A1

公开(公告)日：2021-01-14

申请号：US16980528

申请日：2019-03-13

Applicant: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Toshihiro Kawai ,  Gengoro Ogura

IPC: H01L21/673 ,  H01L21/677

Abstract: In an inert-gas circulating type EFEM, generation of any constraints on installation of incidental equipment, a maintenance door, or the like is inhibited, and the need for changing the placement position, etc. of a feedback path according to the specifications, etc. of a substrate processing device connected thereto is eliminated. An EFEM 1 is provided with: a transfer chamber 41 in which a wafer W is conveyed; a unit installation chamber 42 in which a FFU 44 for feeding nitrogen to the transfer chamber 41 is installed; and a return path 43 for feeding the nitrogen having flown through the transfer chamber 41, back to the unit installation chamber 42. A substrate processing apparatus 6 is connected to the rear-side end of the transfer chamber 41. The return path 43 is disposed at the front-side end of the transfer chamber 41.