Dual arm substrate transport apparatus

• US 7,578,649 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2002
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brooks Automation Ltd. (United Kingdom) (Azenta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brooks Automation Incorporated (Azenta, Inc.)
• Inventors: Solomon, Todd, Caveney, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lowe; Michael S
• Application Number:
  US10/159,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20030223853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,645 Days
• Field of Search: 414/744.5, 414/744.1, 414/744.3, 414/744.4, 414/744.6, 414/936, 414/941, 414/222.09, 414/222.12, 414/226.01, 414/226.04, 414/744.65, 901/8, 901/15
• US Class Current: 414/744.5
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 18/04 rotatable
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/042 comprising an articulated arm
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67766 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/141 includes means for gripping wafer

Abstract

A substrate transport apparatus comprising a drive section, an upper arm, a first forearm, and a second forearm. The upper arm is rotatably connected to the drive section at a first end of the upper arm. The upper arm is rotatably connected to the drive section for rotating the upper arm about an axis of rotation of the drive section. The first forearm is pivotably connected to the upper arm for pivoting relative to the upper arm. The first forearm has a first end effector depending therefrom. The second forearm is pivotably connected to the upper arm for pivoting relative to the upper arm. The second forearm has a second end effector depending therefrom.

Claims

1. A substrate transport apparatus, comprising:

a first drive section;

an upper arm rotatably connected to the drive section at a first end of the upper arm for rotating the upper arm about an axis of rotation of the first drive section;

a first forearm pivotably connected to the upper arm for pivoting relative to the upper arm on an axis displaced from said drive section axis, the first forearm having a first end effector depending therefrom;

a second forearm pivotably connected to the upper arm for pivoting relative to the upper arm on said displaced axis, the second forearm having a second end effector depending therefrom; and

a second drive section comprising a first motor drive mechanism, and a second motor drive mechanism mounted on said upper arm, the first motor drive mechanism being connected to the first forearm for pivoting the first forearm relative to the upper arm on said displaced axis, and the second motor drive mechanism being connected to the second forearm for pivoting the second forearm relative to the upper arm on said displaced axis.

2. The substrate transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first forearm and the second forearm are connected to a second end of the upper arm opposite the first end.

3. The substrate transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first forearm and the second forearm are each pivoted independently relative to the upper arm.

4. The substrate transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the upper arm rotates about the axis of rotation of the drive section between a retracted position and an extended position of the upper arm, the first forearm pivots relative to the upper arm from a retracted position to an extended position of the first forearm, and the second forearm pivots relative to the upper arm from a retracted position to an extended position of the second forearm, and wherein when the upper arm is rotated to its extended position, the first forearm is rotated to its extended position and the second forearm stays in its retracted position.

5. A substrate transport apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said motor drive mechanisms are mounted on said upper arm by a support system, said support system comprising:

a first hollow support shaft mounted for rotation on said upper arm, said first forearm fixed to said first hollow support shaft for rotation therewith; and

a second support shaft mounted coaxially within said first hollow support shaft, said second support shaft being fixed relative to said upper arm;

wherein said second motor drive mechanism is mounted for rotation on said second support shaft and further wherein said second forearm is mounted for rotation on said second support shaft and fixed to said second motor drive mechanism for rotation therewith.

6. A substrate transport apparatus, according to claim 5, wherein said first and second end effectors are mounted for rotation on said first and second forearms respectively and are operatively connected to first and second synchronizing links, said synchronizing links being fixed to said second support shaft to cause rotation of said end effectors in opposition to rotation of said first and second forearms.

7. The substrate transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first motor drive mechanism of the second drive section is directly connected to the first forearm, and wherein the second motor drive mechanism of the second drive section is directly connected to the second forearm.

8. A substrate transport apparatus, comprising:

a drive section; and

a scara arm rotatably connected at a shoulder joint to the drive section for rotating the scara arm about an axis of rotation at the shoulder joint of the scara arm;

wherein the scara arm has a number of end effectors connected to a common upper arm of the scara arm by link supports so that at least one of the end effectors depends from a first link support, and another one of the end effectors depends from a second link support without depending from the first link support, the first and second link supports each being independently pivotable, relative to each other, on a common axis at an elbow of the scara arm; and

wherein the scara arm is capable of extending and retracting for extending and retracting the at least one of the end effectors relative to the shoulder of the scara arm independent from extension and retraction of the another one of the end effectors, and the scara arm having a first extended position wherein the at least one of the end effectors of the scara arm is extended; and

wherein the drive section has at least one motor drive mechanism, the at least one motor drive mechanism being operably associated with the at least one of the end effectors to cause said extending and retracting of said at least one end effector.

9. The substrate transport apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein when the scara arm is in the first extended position a second end effector of the number of end effectors of the scara arm is not extended.

10. The substrate transport apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein the scara arm has a second extended position wherein both the at least one end effector and the second end effector are extended.

11. The substrate transport apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the scara arm has two end effectors.

12. The substrate transport apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the drive section has a number of motor drive mechanisms for moving the end effectors of the scara arm, the number of motor drive mechanisms of the drive section corresponding to the number of end effectors of the scara arm.

13. The substrate transport apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the common upper arm extends between the shoulder joint and the elbow joint of the scara arm, and the first and second link supports are pivotably connected to the upper arm at the elbow joint, each of the first and second link supports having a corresponding one of the end effectors depending therefrom.

14. The substrate transport apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein each of the link supports is operably connected to a corresponding motor drive mechanism in the drive section for independently pivoting each link support about the elbow joint of the scara arm when the end effector on the link support is being extended or retracted.

15. The substrate transport apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein the upper arm has said motor drive mechanisms mounted thereon, each of the motor drive mechanisms on the upper arm being operably connected to a corresponding one of the link supports for independently pivoting each link support about the elbow joint of the scara arm when the end effector on the forearm is being extended or retracted.

16. The substrate transport apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the at least one motor drive mechanism is operably associated with the at least one end effector via a first transmission member, and wherein the drive section further comprises another motor drive mechanism, operably associated with the another one of the end effectors via a second transmission member, the second transmission member being concentric with the first transmission member.

17. The substrate transport apparatus in accordance with claim 16, wherein the first and second transmission members are shafts that are co-axial with each other.

18. The substrate transport apparatus in accordance with claim 17, wherein the another drive mechanism is capable of rotating the second transmission member to cause extension and retraction of the another one of the end effectors.

19. The substrate transport apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the at least one motor drive mechanism is mounted on the scara arm.