Substrate transportation system

Abstract

A versatile substrate transportation system is provided which can cope with various processing devices with high degrees of freedom. For this purpose, a tunnel ( 101 ) is arranged to connect a plurality of processing devices ( 102 ). The tunnel ( 101 ) and processing devices ( 102 ) are not directly connected but via interface devices ( 103 ). That is, the tunnel ( 101 ) is connected at its lower surface to the interface device ( 103 ), and the interface device ( 103 ) is connected at its side surface to the processing device ( 102 ). The interface device ( 103 ) is arranged below the tunnel ( 101 ) at a height corresponding to a substrate reception port of the processing device ( 102 ).

1 . A substrate transportation system including a tunnel which transports a substrate one by one and an interface device which delivers the substrate between said tunnel and a processing device, 
 wherein said interface device can cope with a plurality of types of processing devices.    
   
   
       2 . A substrate transportation system including a tunnel which transports a substrate one by one and an interface device which delivers the substrate between said tunnel and a processing device, 
 wherein said interface device is arranged under said tunnel and has means for delivering the substrate vertically to and from said tunnel.    
   
   
       3 . The substrate transportation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said interface device includes substrate moving means capable of moving the substrate vertically to substrate loading ports of said plurality of types of processing devices.  
   
   
       4 . The substrate transportation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said interface device detachably includes a hand to load the substrate to substrate loading ports of said plurality of types of processing devices.  
   
   
       5 . The substrate transportation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said interface device has a substrate loading port from said tunnel and a substrate unloading port to said processing device, includes openable/closeable doors at said substrate loading port and substrate unloading port, and has a chamber function.  
   
   
       6 . The substrate transportation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said interface device includes first transporting means for delivering the substrate from said tunnel to said processing device, and second transporting means for delivering the substrate from said processing device to said tunnel.  
   
   
       7 . The substrate transportation system according to  claim 1 , comprising buffer means for buffering vibration between said tunnel and interface device.  
   
   
       8 . The substrate transportation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said tunnel has a window portion.  
   
   
       9 . The substrate transportation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said interface device includes direction adjusting means for adjusting a direction of the substrate to be delivered to said processing device.  
   
   
       10 . The substrate transportation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said interface device includes information reading means for reading information added to the substrate.  
   
   
       11 . The substrate transportation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said interface device includes transporting means capable of transporting the substrate in two directions to load the substrate to substrate loading ports of said processing devices on the two sides when said processing devices are provided on two sides of said interface device.  
   
   
       12 . The substrate transportation system according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 said substrate transportation system includes a plurality of interface devices each of which delivers the substrate to and from a corresponding processing device, and    said plurality of interface devices include delivery means for delivering the substrate to and from said processing device arranged on one side of said tunnel.