Abstract: A wafer stocker capable of further improving an environment around wafers is provided. 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.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a first parallel four-joint link mechanism in which base end portions of a pair of first links are rotatably connected to a first link base and distal end portions of the first links are rotatably connected to an intermediate link base, a second parallel four-joint link mechanism in which base end portions of a pair of second links are rotatably connected to the intermediate link base and distal end portions of the second links are rotatably connected to a second link base, and a belt transmission mechanism including a pair of first pulleys respectively connected to the first links, a second pulley connected to one of the second links, and a belt provided around the first pulleys and the second pulley. The belt transmission mechanism transmits a rotational driving force such that the first links and the second links rotate in opposite directions to each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mounter air controller capable of executing appropriate air control associated with replacement of a nozzle without stopping operation of a mounter. This mounter air controller includes: a flow rate adjustment mechanism 4 mounted on a head module HM of the mounter; and control means 5 that controls this flow rate adjustment mechanism 4. The flow rate adjustment mechanism 4 is interposed between a positive-pressure region and a nozzle n and has a function capable of continuously changing a flow rate of passing air. The control means 5 is configured to bring the nozzle n to have a negative pressure and then control the flow rate in the flow rate adjustment mechanism 4 on the basis of an applied voltage or an applied current, which is determined in advance, so as to supply the air to the nozzle n.

Abstract: There is provided a control device for a synchronous electric motor that controls a drive of the synchronous electric motor. The control device includes: a limit value setting part configured to set a limit value for an output torque related value that is related to an output torque of the synchronous electric motor according to a rotation speed of the synchronous electric motor; a command generator configured to generate a voltage command based on an input command and the limit value without feeding back a current flowing through the synchronous electric motor; a PWM signal generator configured to generate a PWM signal for controlling the drive of the synchronous electric motor based on the voltage command; and a drive controller configured to control the drive of the synchronous electric motor using the PWM signal.

Abstract: There is provided a mechanical paradox planetary gear mechanism, including: a sun gear configured to be rotatable together with rotation of an input shaft; a plurality of first planetary gears arranged around the sun gear at equal intervals, and configured to rotate about their own axes while revolving around the sun gear in a state in which the first planetary gears mesh with the sun gear; a first internal gear arranged around the plurality of first planetary gears, and configured to mesh with the plurality of first planetary gears; a second internal gear arranged in the same axis as the first internal gear; and a plurality of second planetary gears respectively arranged on the same axes as the plurality of first planetary gears, and configured to mesh with the second internal gear.

Abstract: A purging nozzle unit of a gas supply device according to the present invention including: a housing that is capable of passing a predetermined gas so as to replace the internal atmosphere of a FOUP with the predetermined gas; a nozzle coming into intimate contact with the proximity of a port that is provided on one face of the FOUP, the nozzle being pressed to thereby open the port; an operation adjustment space configured to increase or decrease so as to operate the nozzle between a use posture in which the predetermined gas can be supplied into the target container via the port and a standby posture in which the predetermined gas cannot be supplied into the target container via the port; and a gas introducing part configured to export or import compression air relative to the operation adjustment space to thereby control an operation of the nozzle.

Abstract: A method of diagnosing a load port includes identifying a plurality of entities for a plurality of substrate storage containers by a plurality of load ports capable of transferring a substrate into and out of the plurality of substrate storage containers; detecting directly or indirectly a plurality of states of the plurality of substrate storage containers by a plurality of sensors provided at the plurality of load ports; associating the plurality of load ports, the plurality of entities and a plurality of sensor values, with each other; accumulating, in a database, data associated in the act of associating the plurality of load ports, the plurality of entities, and the plurality of sensor values; and analyzing the data in the database and determining a state of each of the plurality of load ports.

Abstract: This air control device for mounter is to solve a problem of realizing an air control device for a mounter capable of providing a secured holding state by a nozzle without damaging a part by adjusting, during vacuum suction, an amount of air to be drawn suitably for the part and the nozzle. This air control device for mounter is configured such that a nozzle n detachably attached to a head module HM of a mounter is connected to a negative pressure region, and a part is suctioned at a distal end of the nozzle n. The head module HM is mounted with a variable throttle mechanism 4, and by using the variable throttle mechanism 4, an amount of air to be drawn into the negative pressure region from the nozzle is adjustable.

Abstract: In an invention including: a piezoelectric element (13) which generates, as a displacement, a driving force necessary for an operation of a valve body (12) which is an operating body; a displacement enlarging mechanism (14) including at least a spring element so as to enlarge a displacement of the piezoelectric element (13) which acts on the valve body (12); and a driving device (15) which operates the valve body (12) by applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element (13) to extend the piezoelectric element (13), the driving device (15) includes a first filter processing unit (15x) having an inverse function characteristic of a mechanical resonance frequency when operating the displacement enlarging mechanism (14), and is configured to apply, a voltage which reduces the mechanical resonance, to the piezoelectric element (13) through this resonance suppression processing unit (15x).

Abstract: A motor control apparatus includes: a motor drive control section that controls driving of a motor using a predetermined phase; a rotation position detecting section that, at every 180 degrees of an electrical angle of the motor, outputs two kinds of detection signals according to the rotation position of the rotor of the motor; a stopped position estimating section that estimates the stopped position at the start of rotation of the rotor using an elapsed time from when rotation the rotor starts until the kind of the detection signal outputted from the rotation position detecting section switches; a rotational speed estimating section that estimates the rotational speed of the rotor using the elapsed time and the stopped position; and an estimated phase calculating section that calculates an estimated phase as the aforementioned predetermined phase using the rotational speed.

Abstract: A substrate storage container management system includes a load port, configured to transfer a substrate into and out of one or more substrate storage containers, including an ID reader configured to read one or more entity IDs for the substrate storage containers, and one or more sensors configured to directly or indirectly detect one or more states of the substrate storage containers, an associator configured to associate the entity IDs read by the ID reader with one or more sensor values detected by the sensors; a database in which data associated by the associator is accumulated, and a data processor configured to analyze the data in the database and to output a state of a respective substrate storage container for each of the entity IDs.

Abstract: A load port including: a base as part of a wall partitioning a transportation space from an external space; an opening provided to the base; a door configured to open and close the opening and securing a lid to, and releasing a lid from, a container containing contents; and a first seal member for sealing the space between the base and the container. At least some of the container-side end surface of the door is located nearer to the transportation space than the container-side end part of the first seal member. The load port can keep a surrounding space clean when a FOUP is connected to a casing.

Abstract: A motor control apparatus 1 includes a fixed phase setting section that sets a fixed phase of a motor according to a detection signal. At the start of rotation of a rotor, the fixed phase setting section sets a first fixed phase that is equal to or greater than ?90 degrees relative to a stable stopping point at a maximum electrical angle and is equal to or less than 90 degrees relative to a stable stopping point at a minimum electrical angle of the rotor as the fixed phase, and sets a second fixed phase that is equal to or greater than ?90 degrees relative to a stable stopping point at a maximum electrical angle and is equal to or less than 90 degrees relative to a stable stopping point at a minimum electrical angle of the rotor.

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.

Abstract: There is provided a load port provided to a loading/unloading port of a semiconductor-processing apparatus to transfer a semiconductor wafer, including: a FOUP support configured to support a FOUP that includes a FOUP lid and move the FOUP in a front-rear direction with respect to the loading/unloading port; a lid configured to open and close the loading/unloading port; a FOUP lid sensor provided to perform a detection operation between a position of the lid in a closed state and a position of the FOUP lid when unloading is normally completed by retreating the FOUP by a predetermined distance with respect to the loading/unloading port; and an observer configured to observe that the FOUP lid sensor has performed the detection operation after the unloading is completed.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.