Stocker apparatus and substrate treating apparatus

Abstract

A stocker apparatus includes openers for receiving FOUPs acting as containers each for storing a plurality of substrates, to feed and collect the substrates to/from a substrate treating apparatus main body, a transport mechanism for holding and transporting the FOUPs, and racks arranged above the openers for receiving the FOUPs. The racks include an incoming rack for receiving the FOUPs from an external transport device, an outgoing rack for delivering the FOUPs to the external transport device, and a mid-treatment storage rack for keeping an empty FOUP after the substrates are fed therefrom. The openers include a feed-only opener for feeding the substrates, and a collect-only opener for collecting the substrates.

1 . A stocker apparatus connected to a single substrate type substrate treating apparatus main body, comprising:
 openers for receiving FOUPs acting as containers each for storing a plurality of substrates, to feed and collect the substrates to/from the substrate treating apparatus main body;   a transport mechanism for holding and transporting the FOUPs;   a control device for controlling at least FOUP transport; and   racks arranged above the openers for receiving the FOUPs, and including:   an incoming rack for receiving the FOUPs from an external transport device;   an outgoing rack for delivering the FOUPs to the external transport device; and   a mid-treatment storage rack for keeping an empty FOUP after the substrates are fed therefrom;   the openers including a feed-only opener for feeding the substrates, and a collect-only opener for collecting the substrates.   
     
     
         2 . The stocker apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control device is arranged, when the empty FOUP after the substrates are fed therefrom is unable to be transported to the collect-only opener because of a different FOUP present on the collect-only opener, to cause the empty FOUP to be transported to the mid-treatment storage rack. 
     
     
         3 . The stocker apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the racks further include a pre-treatment storage rack for keeping a FOUP storing substrates to be treated. 
     
     
         4 . The stocker apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the racks further include a post-treatment storage rack for keeping a FOUP storing treated substrates. 
     
     
         5 . The stocker apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the control device is arranged, when a FOUP placed on the incoming rack is unable to be transported to the feed-only opener because of a different FOUP present on the feed-only opener, to cause the FOUP placed on the incoming rack to be transported to the pre-treatment storage rack. 
     
     
         6 . The stocker apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the control device is arranged, when a FOUP having collected the substrates is unable to be transported to the outgoing rack because of a different FOUP present on the outgoing rack, to cause the FOUP having collected the substrates to be transported to the post-treatment storage rack. 
     
     
         7 . The stocker apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the racks has a mechanism for opening and closing horizontally right and left, the mechanism in an open state allowing a FOUP to move vertically. 
     
     
         8 . The stocker apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the transport mechanism is movable horizontally and vertically as opposed to the openers and the racks, and is arranged to rotate about a vertical axis after drawing near a FOUP to be transported, thereby supporting the FOUP in a position directly above a horizontal transport path, and to move horizontally and vertically in this state to transport the FOUP to a predetermined position. 
     
     
         9 . A substrate treating apparatus comprising:
 a single substrate type substrate treating apparatus main body for performing a predetermined treatment of substrates; and   a stocker apparatus connected to the substrate treating apparatus main body;   the stocker apparatus including:   openers for receiving FOUPs acting as containers each for storing a plurality of substrates, to feed and collect the substrates to/from the substrate treating apparatus main body;   a transport mechanism for holding and transporting the FOUPs;   a control device for controlling at least FOUP transport; and   racks arranged above the openers for receiving the FOUPs, and including:   an incoming rack for receiving the FOUPs from an external transport device;   an outgoing rack for delivering the FOUPs to the external transport device; and   a mid-treatment storage rack for keeping an empty FOUP after the substrates are fed therefrom;   the openers including a feed-only opener for feeding the substrates, and a collect-only opener for collecting the substrates.   
     
     
         10 . The substrate treating apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the control device is arranged to control the transport mechanism to execute:
 a first transport step for transporting a FOUP placed on the incoming rack to the feed-only opener;   a second-A transport step for transporting the FOUP placed on the feed-only opener and made empty of the substrates to the collect-only opener;   a second-B transport step for once transporting the FOUP placed on the feed-only opener and made empty of the substrates to the mid-treatment storage rack to be kept thereon, and transporting the FOUP in keeping to the collect-only opener; and   a third transport step for transporting the FOUP placed on the collect-only opener and having collected the substrates to the outgoing rack.