公开(公告)号：US20240153797A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-09

申请号：US18387524

申请日：2023-11-07

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 in which a processing target object is transferred, and a connection module provided between the transfer chamber and a front chamber, wherein the housing includes a rear member having a housing-side opening through which the processing target object is capable of passing, the connection module includes a first frame part arranged around the housing-side opening and pressed by a transfer chamber-side surface of the rear member, a second frame part provided in the front chamber and arranged around a front chamber-side opening, and connected to the first frame part, and a sealing part configured to seal the second frame part and the front chamber, and the sealing part includes a flexible portion capable of expanding and contracting at least in a predetermined direction, and an enclosure portion connected to the flexible portion and configured to enclose the front chamber-side opening.

公开(公告)号：US11823923B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-21

申请号：US17860202

申请日：2022-07-08

Applicant: SINFONIA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

Inventor： Toshihiro Kawai ,  Takashi Shigeta ,  Munekazu Komiya ,  Yasushi Taniyama

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  F24F13/28 ,  F24F7/06 ,  B01D53/04 ,  B65G49/07 ,  H01L21/677 ,  F24F3/167 ,  F24F7/08 ,  H01L21/673 ,  F24F7/003 ,  B01D53/40 ,  B01D53/42 ,  C12M1/12 ,  F24F6/00 ,  H01L21/687

CPC classification number: H01L21/67196 ,  B01D53/04 ,  B01D53/40 ,  B01D53/42 ,  B65G49/07 ,  C12M37/00 ,  F24F3/167 ,  F24F6/00 ,  F24F7/003 ,  F24F7/06 ,  F24F7/065 ,  F24F7/08 ,  F24F13/28 ,  H01L21/67017 ,  H01L21/67389 ,  H01L21/67393 ,  H01L21/67766 ,  H01L21/68707 ,  B01D2258/02

Abstract: To provide a transfer chamber capable of replacing a chemical filter without affecting an internal atmosphere, and shortening or eliminating stop time of a transfer process of a wafer (W) associated with replacement of the chemical filter.
The transfer chamber transfers the wafer (W) to or from a processing device (6) by using a transfer robot (2) provided thereinside, and includes a circulation path (CL1) formed inside of a transfer chamber (1) to circulate gas, a chemical filter unit (7) provided in the midstream of the circulation path (CL1), and a connecting and disconnecting means (8) which switches connection and disconnection of the chemical filter unit (7) to and from the circulation path (CL1).

公开(公告)号：US11610797B2

公开(公告)日：2023-03-21

申请号：US17297509

申请日：2019-11-25

Applicant: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Yasushi Taniyama ,  Toshihiro Kawai

IPC: H01L21/677 ,  B65G1/04 ,  F24F13/06 ,  H01L21/687 ,  B25J11/00

Abstract: A wafer stocker is capable of further improving an environment around wafers. The wafer stocker includes a housing, a loading device provided on a front surface of the housing, a wafer cassette shelf arranged in the housing, a wafer transfer robot configured to move the wafers from a transfer container mounted on the loading device to a wafer cassette in the wafer cassette shelf, a wafer cassette delivery device configured to move the wafer cassette in the wafer cassette shelf to a stage having a different height, and a fan filter unit configured to generate a laminar flow in a wafer transfer space and in a wafer cassette transfer space.

公开(公告)号：US20220336245A1

公开(公告)日：2022-10-20

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

Abstract: There is provided a technique capable of efficiently 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. A transport system 1 for transporting a plurality of objects between a storage container 9 configured to store the plurality of objects and a processing apparatus 2 configured to collectively process the plurality of objects held on a tray 8, includes: a mounting part 31 on which the storage container 9 is mounted; a stage 41 on which the plurality of objects are mounted; a tray support part 51 configured to support the tray 8; a first transport device 44 configured to transport the plurality of objects between the storage container 9 mounted on the mounting part 31 and the stage 41; and a second transport device 53 configured to transport the plurality of objects between the stage 41 and the tray 8 supported by the tray support part 51.

公开(公告)号：US10923372B2

公开(公告)日：2021-02-16

申请号：US15757560

申请日：2016-08-19

Applicant: SINFONIA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

Inventor： Toshihiro Kawai ,  Yasushi Taniyama ,  Munekazu Komiya ,  Takashi Shigeta

IPC: F16K31/122 ,  H01L21/673 ,  F16K15/14 ,  H01L21/677 ,  F16K15/02

Abstract: There is provided a gas injection device configured to prevent entry of atmospheric air when charging gas into a FOUP. In order to realize such a gas injection device, the gas injection device is structured so as to include: a gas supply port 72 through which inert gas is supplied; a nozzle main body 71 including a gas passage 77 communicating with the gas supply port 72; an opening/closing mechanism 92 configured to close the gas supply port 72; and an opener 96 configured to cause the opening/closing mechanism 92 to open the gas supply port 72 closed by the opening/closing mechanism 92.

公开(公告)号：US12087606B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-10

申请号：US17894328

申请日：2022-08-24

Applicant: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Masahiro Osawa ,  Toshihiro Kawai

IPC: H01L21/673

CPC classification number: H01L21/67396 ,  H01L21/67389

Abstract: An EFEM includes a housing having a substantially closed substrate transfer space in the housing and a control part configured to perform a control of supplying an inert gas into at least the housing. The control part includes an inert gas total supply amount setting part configured to set a total supply amount of the inert gas to be supplied into the housing; a door open/purge determination part configured to determine whether a container door of a substrate storage container is in an open state and whether a purge device is performing a purge process; and an in-housing inert gas supply amount calculation part configured to calculate a supply amount of the inert gas to be supplied into the housing. The supply amount of the inert gas to be supplied into the housing is determined according to an inert gas supply amount command value determined based on a calculation result.

公开(公告)号：US20230073234A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-09

申请号：US17902148

申请日：2022-09-02

Applicant: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Toshihiro Kawai ,  Gengoro Ogura

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/673 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/677

Abstract: An EFEM is provided with a circulation path including a substrate transfer space formed inside a housing and a return path configured to return gas flowing from one side to the other side of the substrate transfer space, the EFEM including: a partition wall configured to separate the substrate transfer space and the return path; a capture part provided in the return path having a higher pressure than the substrate transfer space in a state in which the gas circulates through the circulation path, and configured to capture particles contained in the gas flowing through the return path; and a connecting pipe configured to guide the gas flowing inside a predetermined device arranged in the substrate transfer space to the return path, wherein the connecting pipe is connected to the return path on an upstream side of the capture part in a gas flow direction.

公开(公告)号：US11322378B2

公开(公告)日：2022-05-03

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.

公开(公告)号：US10930537B2

公开(公告)日：2021-02-23

申请号：US16774758

申请日：2020-01-28

Applicant: SINFONIA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

Inventor： Toshihiro Kawai ,  Yasushi Taniyama ,  Munekazu Komiya ,  Takashi Shigeta

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

Abstract: Provided are a door opening/closing system which prevents the entry of atmospheric air into a front-opening unified pod (FOUP) and an equipment front end module (EFEM) when the FOUP and the EFEM are placed in communication with each other, and a load port equipped with the door opening/closing system. The door opening/closing system is provided with: a base which constitutes a part of a wall isolating a conveyance space from an external space, an opening portion provided in the base; a door which is capable of opening and closing the opening portion; a first seal member which seals a gap between the base and a container; a second seal member which seals a gap between the base and the door, a sealed space which is constituted by the base, the first seal member, the second seal member, a lid member, and the door when the container is in a state of contact with the opening portion with the first seal member therebetween, a first gas injection unit which injects gas into the sealed space; and a second gas discharge unit 88 which evacuates the sealed space.

公开(公告)号：US20210028031A1

公开(公告)日：2021-01-28

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

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.