Conveyor system

• US 6,450,757 B1
• Filed: 05/17/2001
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Kondoh, Keisuke, Saeki, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lillis, Eileen D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOWE, MICHAEL S
• Application Number:
  US09/856,097
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 414/744.5, 414/917, 901/15
• US Class Current: 414/744.5
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1065 with parallelograms
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/107 of the froglegs type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/687 using mechanical means, e.g. chucks, clamps or pinches using elecrostatic chucks H01L21/6831
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/13 Handlers utilizing parallel links
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20305 Robotic arm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20329 Joint between elements

Abstract

In most cases, a hot, corrosive atmosphere is created in, for example, a semiconductor wafer processing chamber. When an arm including belts, such as steel belts, is moved into such a semiconductor wafer processing chamber, the belts are exposed to the hot, corrosive atmosphere. Belts, such as steel belts, have limited heat resistance and corrosion resistance and the hot, corrosive atmosphere in the processing chamber shortens the life of the belts. A carrying device of the present invention has a frog leg type arm (3) and a wafer holder (4) connected to the frog leg type arm (3). The wafer holder (4) is pivotally connected to front end parts of a first front arm (8A) and a second front arm (8B) by coaxial joints (10). The wafer holder (4) is linked to the first front arm (8A) and the second front arm (8B) by a posture maintaining linkage (5) including two antiparallel linkages capable of controlling the turning of the wafer holder (4) relative to the first and the second front arms (8A, 8B).

Claims

1. A carrying device comprising:

a support member;

first and second shafts supported on the support member;

a frog leg type arm having a base end part connected to the first and the second shaft; and

a holding member for holding a workpiece, connected to a front end part of the frog leg type arm;

wherein the frog leg type arm comprises;

a rotatable first drive arm having a base end part mounted on the first shaft,

a rotatable second drive arm having a base end part mounted on the second shaft,

a first front arm having a base end part pivotally connected to a front end part of the first drive arm by a first joint and

a second front arm having a base end part pivotally connected to a front end part of the second drive arm by a second joint;

the holding member is connected by third and fourth joints to front end parts of the first and the second front arm;

the holding member is linked to the first and the second front arm by a posture maintaining linkage having two similar antiparallel linkages, and the posture maintaining linkage controls turning of the holding member relative to the first and the second front arm.

2. A carrying device according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second shaft are coaxial, the third and the fourth joint are coaxial,

the first and the second drive arm and the first and the second front arm have the same length,

a parallel linkage is formed by connecting opposite end parts of a links disposed opposite to the first drive arms to the first front arm and the second drive arm, and

the parallel linkage has an uncontrollable and unstable point at a position other than a position where the coaxial third and fourth joints overlap the coaxial first and the second shaft.

3. A carrying device according to claim 2, wherein the holding member is provided with workpiece holding parts at its opposite ends, and a joint is disposed at a middle point between the workpiece holding parts.

4. A carrying device comprising:

a support member;

first and second shafts coaxially supported on the support member;

a frog leg type arm having a base end part connected to the first and the second shaft; and

a holding member for holding a workpiece, connected to a front end part of the frog leg type arm;

wherein the frog leg type arm comprises;

a rotatable first drive arm having a base end part mounted on the first shaft,

a rotatable second drive arm having a base end part mounted on the second shaft,

a front arm having a base end part pivotally connected by a first joint to a front end part of the first drive arm and

two links extended in parallel to the first drive arm and having opposite end parts connected to the front arm and the second drive arm;

the first and the second drive arm, the front arm and the two links have the same length, and the first and the second drive arm, the front arm and the two links form two parallel linkages;

the two parallel linkages have different uncontrollable and unstable points, respectively, and the first and the second drive arm and the front arm form three sides of a rhombus;

the holding member is pivotally connected to a front end part of the front arm by a second joint; and

the front arm, a front end part of the second drive arm and the holding member are linked by a posture maintaining linkage having two similar antiparallel linkages, and the posture maintaining linkage controls the turning of the holding member relative to the front arm.

5. A carrying device according to claim 4, wherein the holding member is provided with workpiece holding parts at its opposite ends, and a joint is disposed at a middle point between the workpiece holding parts.

6. A carrying device comprising:

a support member;

a parallel linkage type arm having a base end part supported on the support member; and

a holding member for holding a workpiece, connected to a front end part of the parallel linkage type arm;

wherein the parallel linkage type arm comprises;

a first link fixed to the support member,

a rotatable drive arm having a base end part mounted on a drive shaft penetrating an end part of the first link,

a driven arm having a base end part pivotally connected to the other end of the first link by a first joint,

a second link pivotally connected to front end parts of the drive arm and the driven arm by second and third joints, respectively, and

first and second front arms having base end parts pivotally connected to the second link;

the holding member is connected pivotally to front end parts of the first and the second front arm by fourth and fifth joints; and

the drive arm or the driven arm, the second link, and the first or the second front arm are linked by a posture maintaining linkage having two similar antiparallel linkages, and the posture maintaining linkage makes the holding member move along a straight line.