Material or article handling – Vertically swinging load support – Grab
Patent
1996-05-22
1998-03-10
Underwood, Donald W.
Material or article handling
Vertically swinging load support
Grab
901 15, B25J 1800
Patent
active
057253528
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a multi-articulate arm type transporting device for transporting a plate-shaped article, such as a semiconductor wafer or a disc substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
The multi-articulate arm type transporting device is employed for automatically transporting a plate-shaped component, such as a semiconductor wafer or a disc substrate, between process steps or within a process which requires highly accurately positioning.
Prior-art examples of the multi-articulate arm type transporting device, are disclosed in the following applications. JP Patent Kohyo 2-500179, entitled "Multi-Articulated Arm Type Transporting Device", has first and second articulated arms movably connected to each other, a platform and a motor for driving one of the articulate arms. The articulate arm is extended or contracted by the motor for effecting linear movement of the platform with the article set thereon.
The JP Patent Kokai 2-311237, entitled "Transporting Device", has a pair of driving side gears axially mounted on the distal ends of a first link arm which are in meshing engagement with each other, a pair of meshing connecting gears axially mounted on the distal ends of a second link arm, a transport table rotatably supporting the distal ends of the second link arm and a resilient member secured to one end of the second link arm. The driving side gears are fitted with a left-side pair and a right-side pair of links in the form of first and second link arms having one ends rotatably connected to each other.
When the driving side gears are rotated by the driving motor, the paired links are extended or contracted at the connected portions for effecting linear movement of the transport table with the article set thereon. The resilient member causes additional rotation of the second link arm to prevent the occurrence of a jack-knife phenomenon in a so called "stacked" state of the first and second link arms wherein the link arms are aligned with one another.
The multi-articulate arm type transporting devices of the above-described prior art examples are adapted for highly accurately positioning and shifting the transport table with the article set thereon. However, these prior-art devices suffer from the drawback that, since the transport table is able to perform only a linear movement, the devices can be used only for transporting extremely limited types of articles.
Another prior-art example of a multi-articulate arm type transporting device, having an extended range of movement, is disclosed in JP Patent Kokai No. 59-97861 entitled "Link Type Robot" This multi-articulate arm type transporting device has two sets of first and second links, in which the distal ends of the first link arm and the second link arm of the sets of links are coaxially supported in a state wherein they are vertically separated from each and in manner to constitute a closed loop.
The first link arms are driven by separate servo motors for shifting a transporting section provided at the distal end of the second link arm substantially within a range of 180.degree. centered about a supporting shaft of the first link arm.
The above-described representative example of the conventional multi-articulate arm type transporting device is explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. A multi-articulated arm type transporting device 1 has a left-side set of links 5A made up of first link arms 3A, 3B rotatably connected to each other by a connecting shaft 2A and a right-side set of links 5B made up of first link arms 4A, 4B rotatably connected to each other by a connecting shaft 2B. The first and second link arms 3A and 3B are supported at the opposite ends thereof by driving shafts 6A and 6B, respectively.
These driving shafts 6A, 6B are rotatably supported via bearing frames 7A, 7B by a frame of the device and are fitted with driving gears 9A, 9B having the same number of teeth and meshing with each other. The driving shaft 6A is connected to the motor 11 via a speed reduci
REFERENCES:
patent: 4728252 (1988-03-01), Lada et al.
Kananen Ronald P.
Sony Corporation
Underwood Donald W.
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