Precision soft-touch gripping mechanism for flat objects

Details Precision soft-touch gripping mechanism for flat objects Precision soft-touch gripping mechanism for flat objects

2006-11-28

2006-11-28

Lillis, Eileen D. (Department: 3652)

Handling: hand and hoist-line implements

Grapple

Fixed and moveable jaw

C414S941000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07140655

ABSTRACT:
A precision soft-touch gripping mechanism has a mounting plate attached to a robot arm. The plate supports a stepper motor. The output shaft of the stepper motor is connected through a spring to an elongated finger that slides in a central longitudinal slot of the plate and supports a first wafer gripping post, while on the end opposite to the first wafer gripping post the mounting plate pivotally supports two L-shaped fingers with a second and third wafer gripping posts on their respective ends. The mounting plate in combination with the first sliding finger and two pivotal fingers forms the end effector of the robot arm which is thin enough for insertion into a wafer-holding slot of a wafer cassette. The end effector is equipped with a mapping sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the preceding wafer, wafer position sensors for determining positions of the wafer with respect to the end effector, and force sensors for controlling the wafer gripping force. Several embodiments relate to different arrangements of gripping rollers and mechanisms for control of the gripping force and speed of gripping required for gripping the wafer with a soft and reliable touch.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4715637 (1987-12-01), Hosoda et al.
patent: 5102291 (1992-04-01), Hine
patent: 5108140 (1992-04-01), Bartholet
patent: 5504345 (1996-04-01), Bartunek et al.
patent: 5810935 (1998-09-01), Lee et al.
patent: 5988191 (1999-11-01), Duncan
patent: 6155773 (2000-12-01), Ebbing et al.
patent: 6167322 (2000-12-01), Holbrooks
patent: 6216883 (2001-04-01), Kobayashi et al.
patent: 6256555 (2001-07-01), Bacchi et al.
patent: 6435807 (2002-08-01), Todorov et al.
patent: 6623235 (2003-09-01), Yokota et al.
patent: 6900451 (2005-05-01), Kesil et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Precision soft-touch gripping mechanism for flat objects does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Precision soft-touch gripping mechanism for flat objects, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Precision soft-touch gripping mechanism for flat objects will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3692676