Substrate transport apparatus

• US 20070020081A1
• Filed: 07/11/2005
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brooks Automation Ltd. (United Kingdom) (Azenta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brooks Automation Incorporated (Azenta, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hofmeister, Christopher, Gilchrist, Ulysses
• Granted Patent: US 8,573,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/744.500
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 18/04 rotatable
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0087 Dual arms double SCARA arms B25J9/043
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/042 comprising an articulated arm
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/08 characterised by modular constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/10 characterised by positioning means for manipulator elements
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/104 with cables, chains or ribbons
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/15 Jointed arm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/23 Electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/28 Joint
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20305 Robotic arm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20317 including electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20329 Joint between elements

Abstract

A substrate transport apparatus having a frame, a drive section and an articulated arm. The drive section has at least one motor module that is selectable for placement in the drive section from a number of different interchangeable motor modules. Each having a different predetermined characteristic. The articulated arm has articulated joints. The arm is connected to the drive section for articulation. The arm has a selectable configuration selectable from a number of different arm configurations each having a predetermined configuration characteristic. The selection of the arm configuration is effected by selection of the at least one motor module for placement in the drive section.

Claims

1. A substrate transport apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a drive section connected to the frame, the drive section having at least one motor module selectable for placement in the drive section from a number of different interchangeable motor modules each having a different predetermined characteristic; and

an articulated arm with articulating joints, the arm being connected to the drive section for articulation of at least one of the articulating joints, wherein the arm has a selectable arm configuration selectable from a number of different arm configurations each having a predetermined configuration characteristic, selection of the arm configuration being effected by selection of the at least one motor module for placement in the drive section.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the articulated arm comprises a number of rigid arm links movably joined together to define the articulating joints.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the articulating joints are pivot joints.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined configuration characteristic is a number of articulating joints capable of being independently moved.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein articulated arm is a scara arm and wherein the selectable configuration is selectable between the arm having one independently rotatable end effector and the arm having two independently rotatable end effectors.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined configuration characteristic is a number of independent movement axis of the articulated arm.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one motor module is removably attachable as a unit to the articulated arm.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the articulating arm has an upper arm, rotatable relative to the frame about a first axis of rotation, a forearm joined to the upper arm at one of the articulating joints, and at least one end effector joined to the forearm at another of the articulating joints, and wherein the at least one motor module is carried by the upper arm.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the at least one motor module is located on the upper arm proximate the first axis of rotation.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one motor module has a number of drive motors and the predetermined characteristic is a number of the drive motors in the at least one motor module.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one motor module comprises a casing, the number of drive motors of the at least one motor module being located in the casing.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one motor module has a number of integral motors each of which defines an independent axis of rotation, and wherein at least one of the motors is offset from at least another of the motors so that the axes of rotation of the at least one motor and of the at least other motor are horizontally offset from each other.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one motor module has a number of independent drive axes, and wherein the predetermined characteristic is a number of the independent drive axes.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one motor module is selectable from different interchangeable motor modules having one, two or three independent drive axes.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive section has a drive section portion defining an independent drive axis in relation to which the articulated arm is capable of being moved as a unit by the drive section, and wherein the at least one motor module is vertically separated from the drive section portion.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the at least one motor module defines another independent drive axis, and wherein the other independent drive axis is horizontally offset from the independent drive axis defined by the drive section portion.

17. A substrate transport apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a drive section connected to the frame; and

an articulated arm connected to the drive section for articulation of the arm, the arm having an upper arm link, an forearm link pivotally joined to the upper arm link and at least one end effector link pivotally joined to the forearm link;

wherein the drive section has a first drive section portion and a motor module connected to the first drive section portion and having at least one motor for independently pivoting either the forearm relative to the upper arm or the at least one end effector relative to the forearm, and wherein the motor module is selectable for connection to the first drive section portion from different interchangeable motor modules each having a different predetermined characteristic.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the upper arm link is pivotal relative to the frame.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the motor module is removably attached to the upper arm link.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined characteristic is a number of drive motors held by the module.