JP2000317875A - Multistage slide arm device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent scattering of dust (particle) into a clean room even if a multistage slide arm device consists of multiple stages by covering the openings of guide grooves with belts which serve also as movable belts. SOLUTION: Arm-like frames 2, 3 stacked one on top of the other are moved by belt moving means 5, 6 along guide grooves 10, 11 formed in individual frames 2, 3, and the belts 58, 65 of the belt moving means 5, 6 always cover approximately the overall lengths of the guide grooves 10, 11 during movement of the frames, whereby scattering of dust can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-stage slide arm device applied to a robot arm or the like.
The present invention relates to a technique effective for preventing dust (particles) from scattering when used in a clean room.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional multi-stage slide arm device of this type, a slide arm drive unit provided in a frame (for example, there is a screw drive system in which a screw is rotated to move an arm) and projects outside the frame. Some are directly connected to an arm, and the slide arm is moved by a slide arm drive unit. In this configuration, since the slide arm slides, the slide groove formed in the frame has a large opening.

[0003]

When this type of device is used in a clean room, the slide arm drive directly connected to the slide arm is exposed at the opening of the slide groove. Dust such as oil and abrasion powder is scattered in the clean room, which lowers the cleanness of the clean room.Since the opening is kept open, the exhaust efficiency of the dust is low, and clean air used for exhaust in the clean room is used. As a result, the cost of maintaining the cleanness of the clean room is increased. Furthermore, recent production apparatuses have been multi-staged, and the number of members movable in the upper part of the clean room has increased, so that the problem of dust scattering has increased.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and it is possible to prevent the scattering of dust into the clean room by covering the entire length of the opening even if a plurality of frames are stacked and the frames are individually moved. It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-stage slide arm device which can easily cope with recent multi-stage manufacturing apparatuses.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, an arm-shaped frame stacked in multiple stages is moved along a guide groove formed in each frame by belt moving means. In the multi-stage slide arm device, the belt of the belt moving means is provided so as to cover substantially the entire length of the guide groove when the frame is movable.

[0006] In this configuration, the belt is moved along the guide groove by the belt moving means, and substantially the entire length of the guide groove is covered with the belt. Therefore, dust generated by the movement of the frame is not exhausted to the outside of the frame. When used in a clean room, the cleanness of the clean room can be maintained.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the multi-stage slide arm device according to the first aspect, each of the frames has a guide groove having a predetermined length and a guide member inserted into each guide groove. Formed, the guide member of one frame is inserted into the guide groove of the other frame, and the frames are stacked in multiple stages, the belt movable means is installed in each of the frames, and the end of the belt of each belt movable means is While being fixed to both ends of the frame, the middle of the belt is hung on a fixed pulley provided on the frame and a movable pulley provided on a guide member of the other frame, and provided on one of the frames. The belt movable means contained in the frame is driven by the driving source, and the belt movable means contained in the other frame is driven. .

In this configuration, the other frame is moved by the belt moving means provided on one frame, and the belts fixed on both sides of the other frame by the movement of the other frame move the belt moving means of the frame. And
The belt moving means drives the arm (or the frame including the further stacked frame). Therefore, even if the frames are stacked in multiple stages, only one drive source is required, and by connecting the guide member of the other frame to the belt movable means of each frame, it is possible to easily realize the multi-stage of the frames. it can.

Further, the invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1.
Alternatively, in the multi-stage slide arm device according to claim 2, the guide member forms a hole communicating the spaces of the frames stacked in multiple stages, and exhausts dust generated when the frame is moved through the hole. It was made.

In this configuration, since the frame is slid by the operation of the belt moving means, even if dust is generated in the frame, the guide groove of the frame is covered with the belt, so that the dust moves out of the frame. Scattering is prevented, exhaust efficiency is improved, and the amount of clean air used is significantly reduced, thereby reducing the cost of maintaining a clean room.

[0011] Further, the invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 1.
4. The multi-stage slide arm device according to claim 3, wherein an arm is attached to the driven belt movable means, and the arm extends along a moving groove formed in a frame in which the belt movable means is mounted. It was made movable. In this configuration, the arm can be moved together with the frame by one drive source.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, a multi-stage slide arm device 1 comprises arm-shaped frames 2 and 3 stacked in multiple stages, and belt movable means 5 and 6 provided in the frames 2 and 3 (FIG. 2). And frame 3 is frame
The arm 4 is moved along the guide groove 10 formed in the frame 2 in the longitudinal direction (double arrow side) and the arm 4 is moved into the moving groove 70 separately provided on the side wall of the frame 3. Along with the frame 3 in the same direction. The multi-stage slide arm device 1 is mainly used as an arm of a robot that transports a semiconductor substrate in a clean room.

In FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a frame 2 is a rectangular member having a rectangular cross section having a space therein, and a guide groove 10 having a predetermined length on an upper wall surface and a surface on which the guide groove 10 is formed. The guide member 9 is formed on the same surface as the
A guide rail 13 is fixed over substantially the entire length of the drum 2, and a slider 14 for sliding the guide rail 13 is provided.
A bracket 15 for fixing the guide member 8 formed in the system 3 by inserting it into the guide groove 10 is mounted. Frame 3
Also, a rectangular member having a rectangular cross section with a space inside,
A guide groove 11 having a predetermined length is formed on the upper wall surface, and a guide member 8 is formed on the same surface as the surface on which the guide groove 11 is formed. A guide rail is formed on the inner wall surface over substantially the entire length of the frame 3. A slider 17 is provided to slide the guide rail 16, and the arm 4 is mounted on the slider 17 via a bracket 18. The arm 4 moves in conjunction with the belt 65. Further, a moving groove 70 for moving the arm 4 is formed on a side wall of the frame 3.

A bracket (not shown) mounted on the bracket 15 and the guide member 9 has a center of the width of the belts 58, 65 and a center of the guide grooves 10, 11, and the upper surface of the belt 58 is And a pair of movable pulleys 56 and 57 and a pair of movable pulleys 63 and 64, respectively, such that the lower surface of the belt 65 is located directly above the guide groove 10.
Is supported.

[0015] First and second frames contained in frames 2 and 3
The belt moving means 5 and 6 have ends of the belts 58 and 65 fixed to both ends 2A and 2B of the frame 2 and both ends 3A and 3B of the frame 3, respectively. 2, a plurality of fixed pulleys 51,
52, 53, 55 and the guide member 8 of the frame 3 on the other side
Movable pulley 5 supported by a bracket (not shown) provided at
6, 57 (movable with respect to the frame 2), and a plurality of fixed pulleys 61 and 62 provided on the frame 3 and a guide member 9 (not shown) provided on the other side of the belt 65 in the middle of the belt 65. Movable pulley 6 supported by bracket
3, 64 (movable with respect to the frame 3). A drive motor (drive source) is provided on one frame 2.
A driving force is transmitted by the frictional force of pressing the belt 58 of the first belt moving means 5 built in the frame 2 by the driving pulley 54 connected to the driving motor 70 to thereby drive the first belt moving means. 5 is driven, and the second belt movable means 6 provided inside the other frame 3 is also driven.

More specifically, one end of the belt 58 of the first belt movable means 5 is attached to the front end of the frame 2 by a belt pulling fitting 59, and the other end is a movable pulley 57 on the front side of the frame 2. To the first fixed pulley 51, and furthermore, the first fixed pulley 51
To the second fixed pulley 52, from the second fixed pulley 52 to the vertical axis direction to the third fixed pulley 53, and further movable via the driving pulley 54 and the fourth fixed pulley 55, respectively. The frame 2 is bent rearward by the pulley 56, fixed to the rear end of the frame 2 by the belt fixing bracket 50, and moved by the drive pulley 54.

One end of the belt 65 of the second belt movable means 6 is attached to the front end of the frame 3 by the belt pulling member 6.
6 and the other end is bent toward the front side of the frame by a movable pulley 63 toward the fifth fixed pulley 61.
The fifth fixed pulley 61 bends backward to the frame toward the sixth fixed pulley 62, and further from the sixth fixed pulley 62 bends forward to the frame toward the movable pulley 64 and bends backward with the movable pulley 64. Then, it is fixed to the rear end of the frame 3 by the belt fixing bracket 60,
The belt 65 is driven by the movement of the guide member 8 relative to the movable pulleys 63 and 64.

The arm 4 has one end 4a fixed to the belt 65 via the bracket 18 (see FIG. 3), and the other end 4b protruding from the moving groove 70 of the frame 3 in the lateral direction.
To the upper part of the room 3. Further, a belt 71 is provided which always covers the movement groove 70 despite the following movement of the arm 4.
A and 3B are fixed to the pulleys 72 and 73 which are supported by the arm 4 in the middle.

The driving pulley 54 receives the rotational driving force from the driving motor 7 by friction to move the belt 58. For example, a sprocket fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor 7 and a sprocket fixed to the rotation shaft of the drive pulley 54 are engaged with the orbit by a toothed belt to transmit the rotational drive force of the drive motor 7.

The operation of the multi-stage slide arm device having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIG. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the multi-stage slide arm device 1 is stopped before driving is started
(A)), when the drive pulley 54 is rotated by the drive motor 7 (in the direction of the arrow A), the belt 58 is moved, and the interval between the belt puller 59 and the movable pulley 57 is narrow.
In addition, the guide member 8, that is, the movable pulleys 56 and 57 move in the direction in which the distance between the movable pulley 56 and the fixing bracket 50 increases (the direction of arrow C). That is, the frame 3 is movable. With the movement of the frame 3, the belt 58 is moved to the guide groove 10.
Drive with the vehicle always covered. Further, with the movement of the frame 3, that is, the guide member 8, the second belt movable means 6 causes the fixed pulleys 61, 62 to move relatively to the movable pulleys 63, 64 arranged on the guide member 9, and therefore, The distance between the belt pulling member 66, which is the fixing point of the belt 65 to the frame 3, and the movable pulley 63 is increased, and the distance between the movable pulley 64 and the belt fixing member 60 is reduced.
The belt 65 is movable. Due to the movement of the belt 65, the arm 4 moves and the belt 65 runs while always covering the guide groove 11, and the movement of the frame 3 stops at the position where the guide member 8 contacts the guide member 9, and the arm 4 Is also stopped (FIG. 4B).

As described above, by driving one drive motor 7, the frame 3 is moved via the belt moving means 5, whereby the arm 4 is moved via the belt moving means 6, and the arm 4 at that time is moved. The moving speed is twice the moving speed of the frame 3, and the moving amount M of the arm 4 is relatively large, approximately twice that of the frame 3, as shown in FIG.

Exhaust holes 80 and 90 are formed in the guide members 8 and 9 to communicate the spaces of the frames 2 and 3 stacked in multiple stages. An exhaust hole 12 is formed on the lower surface of the frame 2. An exhaust fan (not shown) is provided at the end of the exhaust hole 12 to exhaust dust (particles) generated in the frames 2 and 3 to the outside of the clean room. Since the air in the frames 2 and 3 is exhausted through the holes 80 and 90 while the belts 58, 65, and 71 always cover the guide grooves 10, 11 and the moving groove 70, the belt moving means 5,
Even if dust is generated from the sliding portion 6, they do not scatter in the clean room outside the frames 2 and 3, and
The exhaust efficiency is improved. In addition, a configuration in which the frames are stacked in multiple stages can be adopted, and it is possible to easily cope with multi-stages.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the present embodiment, the frames 2 and 3 are shown as being stacked in two stages.
The same can be applied to a stack of three or more stages.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, the arm-shaped frames stacked in multiple stages move and follow each other along the guide groove by the belt of the belt moving means. Because the guide groove is always covered by the belt, the dust generated by the movement of the belt moving means in the frame is prevented from scattering outside the frame, and when used in a clean room, the cleanness of the clean room Can be maintained.

Further, the other frame is moved by the belt moving means provided on one frame, and the arm (or the frame which is further stacked) is driven by the movement of the other frame via the belt moving means of the frame. By doing so, even if the frames are stacked in multiple stages, only one drive source is required, and multi-stage can be easily realized.

Further, dust is exhausted to the outside of the frame through holes communicating the spaces of the frames stacked in multiple stages, thereby preventing scattering of the dust. As a result, the exhaust efficiency is improved, the amount of clean air used is significantly reduced, and the cost of maintaining a clean room is reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a multi-stage slide arm device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the device.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views illustrating an operation state of the apparatus, in which FIG. 4A illustrates an initial state and FIG. 4B illustrates a movable state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multi-stage slide arm device 2 Frame 3 Frame 4 Arm 5 First belt movable means 6 Second belt movable means 7 Drive motor (drive source) 8 Guide member 9 Guide member 10 Guide groove 11 Guide groove 58 Belt 65 Belt 71 Belt 70 Move Groove (guide groove)

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A multi-stage slide arm device in which arm-shaped frames stacked in multiple stages are moved along guide grooves formed in individual frames by belt movable means, wherein a belt of the belt movable means is capable of moving the frames. A multi-stage slide arm device, which is sometimes provided so as to cover substantially the entire length of the guide groove. 2. A guide groove having a predetermined length and guide members inserted into the respective guide grooves are formed in each of the frames, and the guide members of one frame are inserted into the guide grooves of the other frame. The belt movable means is installed in each of the frames, the ends of the belts of the respective belt movable means are fixed to both ends of the frame, and the belt is provided on the frame in the middle. The movable pulley provided on the guide member of the frame on the other side and the fixed pulley provided on the other side, the belt movable means built in the frame is driven by a driving source provided on one of the frames, and the other 2. The multi-stage slide arm device according to claim 1, wherein the belt movable means provided in the frame is driven. 3. The guide member according to claim 1, wherein a hole is formed to communicate spaces between the frames stacked in multiple stages, and dust generated when the frame is moved is exhausted through the hole. The multi-stage slide arm device according to claim 1 or 2. 4. An arm is attached to said driven belt movable means, and said arm is movable along a moving groove formed in a frame in which said belt movable means is installed. The multi-stage slide arm device according to claim 3.