Material or article handling – Horizontally swinging load support – Swinging about pivot
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-26
2003-03-18
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Horizontally swinging load support
Swinging about pivot
C414S744600, C414S749100, C414S752100, C901S015000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06533530
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a wafer transferring robot for transferring wafers such as semiconductor wafers.
BACKGROUND ART
Priorly, a wafer transferring robot is, for example, as shown in
FIG. 13
, provided with a rotating base
20
supported so as to be rotatable on a base
10
, and two robot arms
30
A and
30
B are arranged laterally symmetrically on the rotating base
20
. Robot arms
30
A and
301
are provided with first arms
320
A and
320
B supported so that one end of each is driven to rotate by the driving motors
310
A and
310
B; on the other ends of the first arms
320
A and
320
B, one end of each of the second arms
330
A and
330
B are supported so as to be driven to rotate; on the other ends of the second arms
330
A and
330
B, one end of each of the third arms
340
A and
340
B are supported so as to be driven to rotate; and on the other ends of the third arms
340
A and
340
B, chucks
40
A and
40
B for holding a wafer W are provided, respectively.
Herein, when the first arms
320
A and
320
B, second arms
330
A and
330
B, and third arms
340
A and
340
B rotate and chucks
40
A and
40
B are distant from the rotating base
20
by a predetermined distance, in order to prevent interference between chucks
40
A and
40
B, a robot is disclosed (for example, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 274140 of 1996) wherein one of the third arms
340
A and
340
B is formed in a U-shaped and whereby the chucks
40
A and
40
B are separated in the vertical direction.
In the abovementioned prior art, since the first arms
320
A and
320
B and second arms
330
A and
330
B are mounted with the third arms
340
A and
340
B and chucks
40
A and
40
B, enhanced rigidity is necessary. However, since the third arms
340
A and
340
B do not necessitate great rigidity, and in order to improve operation properties by reducing inertia, it is necessary to configure them so as to have relatively smaller rigidity.
Also, there is another problem in that, when the third arms
340
A and
340
B have improved rigidity, since form dimensions enlarge and weight increases, the capacity of the arm driving motors has to be increased.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a wafer transferring robot capable of restraining the vibration; of wafers during the transfer without increasing rigidity of third arms.
According to the present invention, a wafer transferring robot comprises a rotating base arranged so as to rotate l.on a base, two horizontally extensible robot arms arranged laterally symmetrically to each other on the rotating base and comprising first arms, second arms, and third arms respectively, and chucks fixed to the third arms, respectively; wherein the linear movable devices consist of linear motors, wherein mobile elements fixed, so as to be vertically erect, to transferring parts arranged so as to be vertically erect and stators fixed, so as to be perpendicularly erect, on the rotating base are arranged so as to be horizontally opposed, and besides, in one robot arm, the third arm is over the second arm, and the third arm of the other robot arm is below the second arm so as to be opposed to the third arm of said former robot arm.
Furthermore, the wafer transferring robot comprising a rotating base arranged so as to rotate on a fixed base, linear movable devices horizontally extended on the rotating base, holding parts fixed to transferring parts of the linear movable devices, and chucks fixed to the holding parts; wherein the linear movable devices consist of linear motors, wherein mobile elements fixed, so as to be vertically erect, to transferring parts arranged so as to be vertically erect and stator fixed, so as to be perpendicularly erect, on the rotating base are arranged so as to be horizontally opposed, and besides, the plurality of linear motors horizontally arranged in parallel to each other, and the holding parts are arranged at places where wafers held by the chucks do not interfere with each other, respectively.
Furthermore, the linear movable devices comprise linear motors for driving the transferring parts.
Furthermore, the linear movable devices comprise belt movable devices for driving the transferring parts.
Furthermore, the linear movable devices comprise cylinders for driving the transferring parts.
Furthermore, the linear movable devices are horizontally arranged side by side on the rotating base.
Furthermore, the linear movable devices are vertically arranged to be stacked up on the rotating base.
Accordingly, without increasing rigidity of the third arms the rigidity of the transferring parts can be so enhanced that: the vibration of wafers WA and WB can be prevented.
As described above, the following effects are provided according to the present invention,
(1) Since the chucks are supported by the linear movable devices having configurations with high rigidity, the vibration of wafers during transfer can be prevented,
(2) Since the linear movable devices consist of linear motors wherein movable elements and stators are arranged to be horizontally opposed, and the plurality of linear motors are horizontally arranged in parallel to each other, a great number of wafers can be transferred at the same time and a high quality wafer transferring robot, which can deal with and a plurality of compact processing operations and restrain vibration, can be provided.
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Ellis Christopher P.
Kabushiki Kaisha Yasakawa Denki
Shapiro Jeffery A.
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