Transfer chamber for flat display device manufacturing apparatus

• US 7,665,947 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Display Process Engineering Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Display Process Engineering Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Cheol Won, Lee, Sang Baek, Hur, Gwang Ho, Choi, Jun Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Fox; Charles A
• Application Number:
  US12/129,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20080292431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 414/217, 414/217.1, 414/935, 414/225.01, 414/941
• US Class Current: 414/217
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68707 the wafers being placed on a robot blade, or gripped by a gripper for conveyance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/139 including wafer charging or discharging means for vacuum chamber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/141 includes means for gripping wafer

Abstract

A transfer chamber for a flat display device manufacturing apparatus is provided. The transfer chamber may provide a combination of the functions of a transfer and a load-lock chamber. A robot may be provided aside from a center of the transfer chamber, a buffer may be provided and be driven without interference with the robot, and an aligner may be provided to adjust a position of a substrate mounted on the buffer. A sealing member may be provided to seal a hole formed at a predetermined portion of the transfer chamber.

Claims

1. A transfer chamber for a flat display device manufacturing apparatus, the transfer chamber comprising:

a pair of first substrate-position adjusting members respectively provided at first and second sides of the transfer chamber, wherein each of the pair of first substrate-position adjusting members comprises;

a first substrate contacting member that extends along a respective side of the transfer chamber;

a first supporting member connected to a first end portion of the first substrate contacting member; and

a first driving unit connected to a second end portion of the first substrate contacting member opposite the first end portion;

a pair of second substrate position-adjusting members respectively provided at third and fourth sides of the transfer chamber, the first and second sides of the transfer chamber being opposite each other and the third and fourth sides of the transfer chamber being opposite each other, wherein the pair of first substrate-position adjusting members and the pair of second substrate-position adjusting members are configured to receive a substrate thereon so as to adjust an x-directional and a y-directional movement of the substrate, respectively; and

a plurality of first contacting pieces provided at predetermined intervals on the first substrate contacting member.

2. The transfer chamber of claim 1, wherein the first supporting member extends through a corresponding wall of the transfer chamber, and wherein the first supporting member is configured to slide the first substrate contacting member.

3. The transfer chamber of claim 1, wherein the first driving unit extends through the wall of the transfer chamber, and wherein the first driving unit is configured to move the first substrate contacting member.

4. The transfer chamber of claim 1, wherein the first driving unit further comprises a first driving member that drives the first substrate contacting member.

5. The transfer chamber of claim 3, further comprising a first bellows module that connects the first driving member to the first substrate contacting member.

6. The transfer chamber of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of first contacting pieces pivotally rotates about its own axis.

7. The transfer chamber of claim 5, wherein the plurality of first contacting pieces are made of an engineered plastic material.

8. The transfer chamber of claim 1, wherein the first driving member further comprises a first-substrate-contacting-member control member.

9. The transfer chamber of claim 8, wherein the pair of second supporting members extend into a corresponding wall of the transfer chamber, and wherein the second supporting members are configured to horizontally slide the second substrate contacting member in a y direction.

10. The transfer chamber of claim 8, wherein the second driving unit extends through a corresponding wall of the transfer chamber, and wherein the second driving unit is configured to move the second substrate contacting member.

11. The transfer chamber of claim 10, further comprising a second bellows module that connects the second driving member to the second substrate contacting member.

12. The transfer chamber of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of second contacting pieces pivotally rotates about its own axis.

13. The transfer chamber of claim 11, wherein the plurality of second contacting pieces are made of an engineered plastic material.

14. The transfer chamber of claim 8, wherein the second driving unit further comprises a second driving member that drives the second substrate contacting member.

15. The transfer chamber of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of second contacting pieces provided at predetermined intervals on the second substrate contacting member.

16. The transfer chamber of claim 8, wherein the second driving member further comprises a second-substrate-contacting-member control member.

17. The transfer chamber of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of second substrate-position adjusting members comprises:

a second substrate contacting member;

a pair of second supporting members respectively connected to opposite end portions of the second substrate contacting member; and

a second driving unit connected to a central portion of the second substrate contacting member.