Abstract: The EFEM comprises: a transfer chamber in which a transfer robot is disposed, a first fan that forms a downward air flow in the transfer chamber, a gas return space that circulates the gas flowing downward in the transfer chamber above the first fan, a box that communicates with the transfer chamber and is provided with a gas outlet, and a connecting and disconnecting means configured to switch connection and disconnection of the box to and from the transport chamber. A circulation path in which gas circulates is formed by the transfer chamber, the gas return space, and the box. When the transfer chamber and the box are separated by the connecting and disconnecting means, a shortened circulation path is formed in which the gas circulates without passing through the box.

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.

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: 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).

Abstract: A vehicle control device mounted on a vehicle includes: an operation detection unit that detects an operation performed on the vehicle by a user; a power supply control unit that controls execution of power supply from a first battery involved in vehicle traveling to an auxiliary load powered by a second battery that is different from the first battery, with a start switch of the vehicle being off; and a prohibition control unit that prohibits the power supply to the auxiliary load by the power supply control unit, in response to the operation of the user detected by the operation detection unit.

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.

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 battery cell short circuit detection device includes: a control unit that controls operation of a direct current-direct current converter; a first acquisition unit that acquires a storage rate of the battery; a second acquisition unit that acquires a current flowing into the battery and a current flowing out of the battery when the direct current-direct current converter is operating; a third acquisition unit that acquires a terminal voltage value that is a voltage that appears at a terminal of the battery when the direct current-direct current converter is not operating; and a determination unit that determines presence or absence of the short circuit between the battery cells based on an average storage rate indicating an average value of the storage rate of the battery, an average inflow current value indicating an average value of the current flowing into the battery, and the terminal voltage value.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Abstract: A vehicle control device for a vehicle includes a processor. The vehicle includes a first battery, a second battery, an auxiliary load powered by the second battery, and a DC-to-DC converter configured to supply electric power from the first battery to either the second battery or the auxiliary load, or to both of the second battery or the auxiliary load. The processor is configured to: determine the state of a start switch and the boarding state of the vehicle; acquire the voltage of the second battery; and when the processor determines that the vehicle is in a non-started on-board state, determine based on the voltage of the second battery an order in which the DC-to-DC converter and the auxiliary load are driven. The non-started on-board state is a state in which the start switch is off and a user is presumed to be in the vehicle.

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.

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: 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.

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).

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.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus mounted on a vehicle including a DC-DC converter that supplies electric power from a first battery to a second battery and an auxiliary load includes an electronic control unit configured to control an operation of the converter, determine a state of a starter switch of the vehicle, detect a user operation to the vehicle, and acquire charging status information of the second battery. The electronic control unit is configured to, when the electronic control unit detects a first operation by the user and determines that the starter switch is off, drive the converter such that the converter charges the second battery, and, when an electric power amount charged in the second battery reaches a target amount of charge set based on an amount of electric power to be consumed by the auxiliary load while the starter switch is off, stop the converter.

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).