Work holding mechanism

• US 7,748,760 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daihen Corporation
• Original Assignee: Daihen Corporation
• Inventors: Kushida, Toshikazu, Oka, Yohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Kramer; Dean J
• Application Number:
  US11/977,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20080099970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 294/1.1, 294/106, 294/110.1, 294/902, 294/907, 414/935, 414/936, 414/941, 901/46, 34/58
• US Class Current: 294/213
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67259 Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection
• 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 294/907 Sensor controlled device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/141 includes means for gripping wafer

Abstract

A work holding mechanism for horizontally holding a flat work is incorporated in work transport equipment. The holding mechanism includes a base member for supporting the work and a plurality of guide members provided at the base member. Each guide member includes a shaft, a contact portion and a limit portion. The shaft is pivotally supported by the base member. The contact portion comes into contact with part of the lower surface of the perimeter of the work and is pushed down, with the shaft as a fulcrum, when the work is placed on the base member. The limit portion is raised, with the shaft as a fulcrum, to face part of the side surface of the perimeter of the work when the contact portion is lowered.

Claims

1. A work holding mechanism to hold a flat work horizontally for work transport equipment, the mechanism comprising:

a base member for supporting the work; and

a plurality of guide members provided at the base member;

wherein each guide member includes a shaft, a contact portion and a limit portion, the shaft being pivotally supported by the base member, the contact portion coming into contact with part of a lower surface of a perimeter of the work and being pushed down about the shaft when the work is placed on the base member, the limit portion being raised about the shaft to face part of a side surface of the perimeter of the work when the contact portion is lowered; and

wherein the base member is provided with a stepped portion including a seating surface and an upright wall corresponding to the perimeter of the work, the contact portion and the limit portion of the guide member constituting part of the stepped portion.

2. The work holding mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the contact portion is higher than the seating surface of the stepped portion when the work is not on the base member.

3. The work holding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the limit portion is closer to part of the side surface of the perimeter in the work than the upright wan of the stepped portion is when the work is on the base member.

4. The work holding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the stepped portion is formed with grooves for supporting the shafts of the guide members, each shaft being provided at an off-center position in the guide member for causing the guide member to tilt in a natural state, with the limit portion lowered.

5. The work holding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the base member and at least one of the guide members are provided with contact terminals for electrical detection of the work in accordance with a posture of said at least one of the guide members.

6. A work holding mechanism to hold a flat work horizontally for work transport equipment, the mechanism comprising:

a base member for supporting the work; and

a plurality of guide members provided at the base member;

wherein each guide member includes a shaft, a contact portion and a limit portion, the shaft being pivotally supported by the base member, the contact portion coming into contact with part of a lower surface of a perimeter of the work and being pushed down about the shaft when the work is placed on the base member, the limit portion being raised about the shaft to face part of a side surface of the perimeter of the work when the contact portion is lowered; and

wherein the base member and at least one of the guide members are provided with contact terminals for electrical detection of the work in accordance with a posture of said at least one of the guide members.

7. The work holding mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the base member is provided with a stepped portion including a seating surface and an upright wall corresponding to the perimeter of the work, the contact portion and the limit portion of the guide member constituting part of the stepped portion.

8. The work holding mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the contact portion is higher than the seating surface of the stepped portion when the work is not on the base member.

9. The work holding mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the limit portion is closer to part of the side surface of the perimeter in the work than the uptight wall of the stepped portion is when the work is on the base member.

10. The work holding mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the stepped portion is formed with grooves for supporting the shafts of the guide members, each shaft being provided at an off-center position in the guide member for causing the guide member to tilt in a natural state, with the limit portion lowered.