EP0354586A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of automatically chamfering a wafer and apparatus therefor
Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co Ltd
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Filing: 1989-08-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-08-11
Abstract
Abstract A method of automatically chamfering a wafer and an apparatus therefor are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of supplying a wafer, positioning and setting the wafer on working stages, chamfer-machining the wafer on the working stages, and recovering the wafer, all the steps being continuously performed on a full-automatic basis. The apparatus comprises a wafer supply means, a wafer positioning and setting means, a chamfer-machining means for the wafer, a wafer recovering means, and a wafer transferring means. Since the method and apparatus therefor enebles performance of a series of those operations on a continuous and full-automatic basis, it is possible to enhance the operating efficiency and machining ability and, at the same time, to achieve the manpower reduction.
Inventors
- 👤 Hideo Kudo
- 👤 Makoto Takaoka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 21:02
CPC Classifications
B; B24; B24B; B24B9/00; B24B9/02; B24B9/06; B24B9/065; B24B41/00; B24B41/005; B24B51/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
(1) A method of automatically chamfering a wafer, characterized in that it comprises the wafer supplying step of sequentially supplying a wafer one by one, the wafer transferring, positioning and setting step of the wafer thus supplied and positioning and setting the same on a plurality of working stages, the chamfer-machining step of chamfer-machining said wafer thus positioned and set on said working stages, and the wafer recovering step of transferring said wafer thus chamfer-machined and recovering the same, whereby all of said steps are continuously carried out on a full-automatic basis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
66 words
(2) The method of automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 1, characterized in that it is an automatic wafer chamfering method for a wafer having an orientation-flat portion, and that said orientation-flat portion of said wafer is properly arranged in a predetermined direction before said wafer is positioned and set on a corresponding one of said working stages in said wafer positioning and setting step.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
76 words
(3) The method of automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, in said chamfer-machining step, after one side surface of said wafer is chamfered, said wafer is transferred to an inversion stage and inverted at said inversion stage and then positioned thereof, and then said wafer is again transferred to the corresponding working stage, and then the other side surface of said wafer is chamfer-machined on said corresponding working stage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
98 words
(4) An apparatus for automatically chamfering a wafer, characterized in that it comprises a wafer supply means for sequentially supplying a wafer one by one, a wafer positioning and setting means for positioning said wafer thus supplied and positioning/setting it on working stages, a chamfer-machining means for chamfering said wafer thus positioned and set, a wafer recovering means for recovering said wafer thus chamfered, and a wafer transferring means for transferring said wafer from said wafer positioning and setting means to said chamfer-machining means and/or for transferring said wafer from said chamfer-machining means to said wafer recovering means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
98 words
(5) The apparatus for automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 4, characterized in that said wafer supply means includes a wafer supply cassette for receiving therein in such a manner that a plurality of wafers are stacked therein, a raising/lowering table having placed thereon said wafer supply cassette and causing said wafer supply cassette to be raised or lowered by a specified height with a specified timing, and a pusher for delivering said wafer one by one in said wafer supply cassette by making a stroke movement in interlocking relation with the movement of said raising/lowering table.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
(6) The apparatus for automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 4, characterized in that said wafer positioning and setting means includes a pusher for causing said wafer, which has been transferred onto its corresponding working stage of said chamfer-machining means, to be pressed against a positioning plate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
107 words
(7) The apparatus for automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 4 or 6, characterized in that said wafer positioning and setting means includes a mechanism for causing an orientation-flat portion of said wafer to be properly arranged in a specified direction, said mechanism including a positioning plate having a positioning surface against which said orientation-flat portion of said wafer is to evenly pressed, a roller for rotating said wafer by pressing inwardly against an outer peripheral edge of said wafer, and an urging means for causing said wafer to be urged toward and pressed against said positioning plate and said roller by jetting of a fluid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
(8) The apparatus for automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 7, characterized in that said roller is arranged such that its position relative to said positioning plate is variable.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
95 words
(9) The apparatus for automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 4, characterized in that said chamfer-machining means includes said working stages each for causing said wafer to be sucked and fixed, and working tools and rotating means therefor, each working tool and a corresponding one rotating means therefor being adapted to oppose said wafer thus sucked and fixed and having their posture, relative to said wafer, which is controlled through their movement along axes of three-dimensional rectangular coordinates, their movement along a single straight line, and their rotation about one of said axes thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
(10) The apparatus for automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 4 or 9, characterized in that said chamfer-machining means is intended to chamfer said wafer having an orientation-flat portion and is composed of an orientation-flat portion chamfering means and an outer circular periphery working means, each of which includes said working stage and one or more working heads.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
77 words
(11) The apparatus for automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 10, characterized in that said working stage of said outer circular periphery working means is rotatable, said outer circular periphery working means including a plurality of said working heads with said working stage interposed therebetween, the angle of inclination of said working tool of one said working head with respect to said wafer being different from that of said working tool of another said working head.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
(12) The apparatus for automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 9, 10 or 11, characterized in that said working head includes a cutting depth regulating mechanism for regulating the amount of movement of said working tool toward said wafer, said mechanism including a micrometer and a stop screw adapted to abut thereagainst.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
(13) The apparatus for automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 10, 11 or 12, characterized in that it further comprises a wafer transferring means for transferring said wafer from said orientation-flat portion chamfering means to said outer circular periphery working means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
59 words
(14) The apparatus for automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 4 or 13, characterized in that said wafer transferring means includes a transferring arm adapted to rotate about one end thereof, a suction portion provided at the other end of said transferring arm, and a driving means for driving said transferring arm so as to rotate the same.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
(15) The apparatus for automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 14, characterized in that said wafer transferring means includes a cleaning unit for cleaning said suction portion of said transferring arm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
60 words
(16) The apparatus for automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises an inversion means for inverting said wafer having had its one side surface chamfered by said chamfer-machining means and thereafter positioning said wafer thus inverted, and a transferring means for transferring said inverted wafer between said inversion means and said chamfer-machining means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
124 words
(17) The apparatus for automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 16, characterized in that said inversion means is composed of an inversion stage and an inversion unit, said inversion stage including a plurality of positioning arms of equal length which rotate about points on the same circle, respectively, inwardly pressing rollers provided at fore ends of said positioning arms, respectively, and a driving means for causing said positioning arms to rotate through the same degree of angle and in the same direction, said inversion unit including an inversion arm adapted to rotate about one end thereof and to move upwardly and downwardly, a suction portion provided at the other end of said inversion arm, and a driving means for driving said inversion arm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
107 words
(18) The apparatus for automatically chamfering a wafer according to claim 4, characterized in that said wafer recovering means includes a water chute in which water is accommodated, a wafer receiving cassette which is immersed in said water within said water chute, an upwardly/downwardly movable table having said wafer receiving cassette placed thereon and adapted to move said wafer receiving cassette upwardly and downwardly, and a guide plate disposed in such a manner that said guide plate is obliquely downwardly inclined toward said wafer receiving cassette and formed with water holes adapted to allow said water to be jetted over an upper surface of said guide plate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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