JP2000006064A - Substrate carrier robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent positional deviation with a hand of a substrate according to high speed moving of the hand by controlling a substrate supporting surface of the hand so as to be inclinable upward or downward for an advancing direction of the substrate that the hand supports. SOLUTION: A robot moves at high speed, sucking wafer W on a hand 33 when wafer W is carried. The wafer W is easy to generate deviation for the hand 33 by inertia generated at this time. To eliminate deviation, a horizontal revolving arm body is revolved and controlled by a prescribed angle for a second arm 22 so that the hand 33 may be inclined to the horizontal direction. An inclined angle of the hand 33 is controlled so that a substrate supporting surface 33a of the hand 33 may he inclined downward toward the front when the hand 33 accelerates. When the hand 33 decelerates, the substrate supporting surface 33a is controlled so as to be inclined downward toward the rear side. Further, when speed is constant, the hand 33 is kept horizontal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a robot for transferring a substrate such as a wafer or a glass substrate, and more particularly to a substrate transfer robot for preventing a substrate from shifting during transfer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A robot for transporting a thin substrate such as a wafer or a glass substrate usually has a hand for sucking and supporting the substrate and an arm rotatably connected to the hand. It is configured so as to be rotatable and connected to the robot body. On the other hand, the substrates are stored in a plurality of stages vertically in a cassette arranged facing the robot, and are conveyed to a post-processing device supported by a robot hand for processing. However, with the increase in demand for substrates, improvements have been made in recent years to reduce the stop time of processing steps and the transport time of substrates in order to increase the production amount of substrates. In particular, the speed of movement of the hand is increasing so that the transfer time of the substrate can be shortened as much as possible.

Conventionally, a substrate transfer robot has a hand unit for supporting a substrate and a drive unit for rotating or raising and lowering the hand unit, and the drive unit is arranged in a machine base. Was. The transfer robot 50 shown in FIG. 6 is generally well known, and includes a machine base 51 and an arm body 52 that can rotate or move up and down with respect to the machine base 51 and bendable and extendable. And a hand 53 that is rotatable with respect to. The arm body 52 includes two arms, a first arm 54 that is rotated with respect to the machine base 51 by a motor (not shown) arranged in the machine base 51, and another arm adjacent to the first arm 54. The second arm 55 is driven and transmitted by a pulley / belt (not shown), and the second arm 55 is rotated with respect to the first arm 54 by being transmitted. The robot 50 having the arm 52 and the hand 53 can take out or take in a substrate without contacting both ends of the cassette by adsorbing and moving the substrate accommodated in a cassette (not shown) linearly. It becomes possible.

[0004]

However, the conventional transfer robot 50 can rotate horizontally between the first arm 54 and the hand 53, but is not configured to rotate vertically. Therefore, when the hand 53 is moved at high speed, the substrate supported by the hand 53 may be shifted due to inertia. In particular, since the processed substrate is transported to the next process in a positioned state, if a positional deviation from the hand 53 occurs, the substrate must be repositioned, which lowers productivity.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate transport robot that prevents a displacement of a substrate from a hand due to a high-speed movement of the hand.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A substrate transport robot according to the present invention has the following configuration to solve the above-mentioned problems. That is, a substrate transport robot for transporting the substrate having hand means for supporting the substrate and arm means connected to the hand means, wherein the hand means is for moving the substrate supported by the hand. The substrate support surface of the hand means is controlled so as to be inclined upward or downward with respect to the traveling direction.

Further, the substrate transfer robot is a substrate transfer robot for transferring the substrate having hand means for supporting the substrate and arm means connected to the hand means, wherein the robot is supported by the hand means. When transferring the substrate, the hand means is moved to a predetermined position through an acceleration step, a constant speed step, and a deceleration step, and while the hand means moves in the acceleration step, the hand means moves in the traveling direction. The substrate support surface of the hand means is controlled to be tiltable downward toward the front, and while the hand means moves in the deceleration step, the hand means faces the substrate support surface of the hand means backward with respect to the traveling direction. It is controlled so that it can be tilted downward.

Preferably, the hand means is configured to be rotatable in a vertical direction with respect to the arm means.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The robot used to achieve the present invention is preferably configured so that the hand can rotate in the vertical direction with respect to the arm. In the following description of the present embodiment, the robot is shown in FIGS. This will be described using an articulated robot (hereinafter, referred to as a robot).

The robot 3 has a primary swing arm body and a secondary swing arm body, and is configured to reduce the swing radius. A vertical swing arm body 11 as a primary swing arm body extends vertically to the machine base 12. A horizontally revolving arm 14 as a secondary revolving arm is rotatably supported by a mobile base 15 via a rotating base 16 so as to be revolvably movable in a horizontal direction.

The vertical swivel arm body 11 has two hollow vertical swivel arms (a first arm 21 and a second arm 22), one end of which is rotatably connected, and the other end, The other end of the first arm 21 is pivotally supported by the machine base 12,
The other end of the second arm 22 is rotatably connected to the mobile base 15. The first arm 21 is driven to rotate vertically by a motor 23 supported by the machine base 12, and the second arm 22 is driven by a motor 24 supported by the first arm 21. The machine base 12 includes one horizontal plate 12a and two vertical plates 12b in order to vertically rotate the first arm 21. The first arm 21 is pivotally supported between the two vertical plates 12b. And drivingly connected to the motor 23.

As shown in FIG. 3, the horizontal swing arm body 14 includes a first link 31, a second link 32, and a hand 33, and a driving mechanism for linearly moving the tip of the hand 33. It is comprised including. The drive mechanism has a well-known configuration (for example, the drive mechanism shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-285981 by the present applicant), that is, the motor 34 supported in the rotary base 16 and the first drive mechanism. Two pulleys 35 and 36 and 37 and 38 respectively disposed in the link 31 and the second link 32 and each pulley 35.3
6 and 37 and 38 wound around 37 and 38, the second link 32 is rotated with respect to the first link 31 at the end of the first link 31, and the hand 33 is The tip is configured to rotate with respect to the second link 32.

The mobile unit base 15 is attached to a vertical swing arm body 11 by a mounting portion 15a formed to project downward.
The second arm 22 is pivotally supported at the distal end of the second arm 22.
The motor 18 (see FIG. 1) supported by the motor is configured to be rotatable in the vertical direction with respect to the extension direction surface of the vertical swing arm body 11, and the rotation motor supported in the mobile unit base 15. 19 supports the rotation base 16 so as to be rotatable (θ rotation).

A plurality of suction holes (not shown) for sucking a wafer are formed in the hand 33, and are connected to a vacuum device (not shown) from the suction holes via a piping member (not shown).

In this embodiment, the horizontal revolving arm 14 uses a single-row arm. However, a two-row arm may be used to efficiently process a wafer with a processing apparatus.

In the robot 3 configured as described above, the mobile unit base 15 is disposed in front of a cassette (not shown), and the hand 33 moves to take out the wafer stored in the cassette (X-axis movement). Is transported to a processing device (not shown) for processing (Y-axis movement). The X-axis movement is performed by the horizontal swing arm body 14 of the robot 3, and the Y-axis movement is performed by the vertical swing arm body 11.

During the Y-axis movement, the wafer is driven at a high speed while being attracted to the hand 33. At this time, the wafer is likely to be displaced from the hand 33 due to inertia generated. In order to solve the problem, as shown in FIG. The body 14 is controlled to rotate by a predetermined angle with respect to the second arm 22 of the vertical swing arm body 11. The tilting of the hand 33 is performed by the operation of the motor 18 shown in FIG. 1, and the hand 33 is moved in the traveling direction by rotating the moving machine base 15 with respect to the first arm 22 together with the Y-axis movement by the vertical swing arm body 11. Up and down.

The inclination angle of the hand 33 is set in accordance with the change in the moving speed of the horizontal swing arm body 14. When the hand 33 is accelerated, the hand 33 moves in the traveling direction.
3 is controlled so that the substrate support surface 33a can be inclined downward forward (the state of P2 or P3 in FIG. 4).
Is decelerated, the hand 33 is controlled so that the substrate support surface 33a of the hand 33 can be tilted downward toward the rear (the state of P5 or P6 in FIG. 4). Further, when the speed is constant, the hand 33 keeps a horizontal state.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the relationship between the change in the speed of the horizontal swing arm 14 and the inclination of the hand. In FIG. 5A, time is plotted on the horizontal axis and speed is plotted on the vertical axis, and the speed change with respect to the time when the hand 33 holding the wafer W moves from the position in front of the cassette to the processing apparatus. In FIG. 5B, the horizontal axis represents time, the vertical axis represents the tilt angle of the hand 33, and the state of the tilt of the hand 33 with respect to a change in speed. According to this, the acceleration is increased and decreased within a time t2 from when the hand 33 that has picked up the wafer W starts moving in the Y-axis to reach a certain speed, and the time is switched at the time t1. By t1, the hand 33 is inclined so as to rotate forward and downward in the traveling direction from P1 to P2 shown in FIG.
Then, while having the maximum inclination angle at the time t1, and thereafter reaching the time t2, the hand 33 gradually reduces the inclination angle, passes through the state of P3 shown in FIG. 4, and then maintains the horizontal state as at P4. .

Therefore, when the acceleration increases, the wafer W receives a horizontal inertial force. Although the wafer W is attracted to the hand 33, the wafer W tends to move backward with respect to the hand 33 when the inertial force exceeds the attracting force. Therefore, the generated inertial force is applied to the support surface 3 of the hand 33.
By receiving the light at 3a, the inertial force applied to the wafer W is absorbed and the displacement of the wafer W from the hand 33 can be prevented.

Next, just before the Y-axis movement is completed,
The movement of the hand 33 is decelerated. During the time t5 from the deceleration start time t3 to the stop, the hand 33 moves to P5 in FIG.
As shown in (2), it is inclined so as to rotate backward and backward in the traveling direction, and after a lapse of time t4, the inclination angle is reduced as shown in P6, and at the same time as stopping, the horizontal state (P7) is maintained. become.

Accordingly, when the hand 33 is decelerated, the wafer 33 receives an inertial force opposite to that at the time of acceleration. Can absorb the inertial force.

The robot of this embodiment sucks the wafer W and
When moving in the axial direction, all controls are performed as described above.
The control of the inclination angle of the hand 33 is set in a control device (not shown) in consideration of the moving speed of the hand 33, the mass of the wafer W, the attraction force to the wafer W, and the like.

The robot of the present embodiment has been described as an example for controlling the tilt of the hand, and the configuration is not limited to the above, and may be another configuration. The configuration for inclining the hand is a necessary condition, but in the configuration having the vertical rotation arm body and the horizontal rotation arm body as described above, the horizontal rotation arm body can also be configured to be tiltable, or It is also possible to configure the hand of the conventional robot so that the hand can be inclined with respect to the arm body.

Further, the substrate is not limited to a wafer, but may be a glass substrate, or may be another thin plate.

[0027]

According to the present invention, the substrate transfer robot is
Hand means for supporting the substrate, and arm means connected to the hand means, for transporting the substrate, wherein the hand means, with respect to the traveling direction of the substrate supported by the hand The substrate support surface of the hand means is controlled to be tiltable upward or downward. Therefore,
The hand, which has absorbed the substrate, can absorb the inertial force applied to the substrate even at a high speed on the substrate support surface, especially at the time of the Y-axis movement in which the substrate is moved to transport the substrate in the next step,
The substrate can be transported efficiently without displacing the substrate from the hand.

This substrate transport robot transports the substrate by having hand means for supporting the substrate and arm means connected to the hand means, and is supported by the hand means. When transporting the substrate, the hand means is moved to a predetermined position through an acceleration step, a constant speed step, and a deceleration step, and while the hand means moves in the acceleration step, the hand means moves the hand in the traveling direction. The substrate support surface of the means is controlled so as to be tiltable downward toward the front,
While the hand means is moving in the deceleration step, the hand means is controlled so that the substrate support surface of the hand means can be inclined downward rearward with respect to the traveling direction. Therefore, the hand that has absorbed the substrate can absorb the inertial force applied to the substrate even at a high speed, particularly at the time of the Y-axis movement in which the substrate is moved to transport the substrate to the next step, The substrate can be transported efficiently without displacing the substrate from the hand.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial front sectional view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a horizontal swing arm body of the robot of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an action diagram showing a tilted state of a hand in the robot of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a graph showing a change in the moving speed of the hand and a tilt angle of the hand with respect to the change in the speed.

FIG. 6 shows a conventional robot.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 ... Substrate transfer robot 11 ... Vertical swivel arm 12 ... Machine 14 ... Horizontal swivel arm 15 ... Moving machine stand 18 ... Motor 22 ... Second arm 33 ... Hand W ... Wafer

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A substrate transfer robot for transferring a substrate, comprising: a hand unit for supporting a substrate; and an arm unit connected to the hand unit, wherein the hand unit is supported by the hand. A substrate support surface of the hand means is controlled to be tiltable upward or downward with respect to a moving direction of the substrate. 2. A substrate transport robot for transporting a substrate, comprising: a hand for supporting a substrate; and an arm connected to the hand, for transporting the substrate supported by the hand. In doing so, the hand means is moved to a predetermined position through an acceleration step, a constant speed step, and a deceleration step, and while the hand means moves in the acceleration step, the hand means moves the substrate of the hand means in the traveling direction. The support surface is controlled so as to be tiltable downward toward the front, and while the hand means is moving in the deceleration process, the hand means is capable of tilting the substrate support surface of the hand means backward toward the traveling direction. A substrate transfer robot, which is controlled. 3. The substrate transfer robot according to claim 1, wherein said hand means is configured to be rotatable in a vertical direction with respect to said arm means.