JP2003136441A - Distribution actuator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a distribution actuator capable of simplifying its structure and reducing cost. SOLUTION: A first electromagnetic clutch is provided between a first clutch plate 16 and a second clutch plate 20 of a driving mechanism 12 for driving a distribution means 11 and a second electromagnetic clutch is provided between the second clutch plate 20 and a third clutch plate 24.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a distribution actuator used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, industrial robots and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a distribution actuator used in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus or the like is composed of, for example, a distributor and a drive mechanism for driving the distributor in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, or the front-back direction.

[0003]

Although such a distribution actuator can transfer a substrate such as a wafer to a desired place, it has the following problems. That is, in the above-mentioned conventional distribution actuator,
Since the number of drive motors corresponding to the driving direction of the distributor is required, there is a problem that the structure is complicated and the cost is increased. The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a distribution actuator that can simplify the structure and reduce the cost.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a distribution actuator comprising a distributor and a drive mechanism for driving the distributor, wherein the drive mechanism is a drive motor. , A drive shaft having a nut that rotates around a vertical axis by the drive force of the drive motor, a drive shaft that has a male screw portion that is screwed into a female screw portion that is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the nut on the outer peripheral surface, and the drive shaft A first clutch plate that is rotationally driven about a vertical axis by a vertical axis, a swing arm that is swingably connected to the first clutch plate about a vertical axis via a first connecting pin, and the swing arm. From the second clutch plate, a second connecting pin that rotatably connects the distributor and the distributor around a vertical axis, a second clutch plate provided with an upper surface facing the lower surface of the first clutch plate, and the second clutch plate. Extended horizontally towards the dispenser An inner rod, a guide member for guiding the distributor in the longitudinal direction of the guide rod, a first electromagnetic clutch provided between the first clutch plate and the second clutch plate, and the second clutch A third clutch plate provided with its upper surface facing the lower surface of the plate, a plurality of guide shafts extending downward from the third clutch plate, and supporting these guide shafts slidably in the vertical direction. And a second electromagnetic clutch provided between the second clutch plate and the third clutch plate.

In the distributing actuator according to the present invention having such a structure, the distributing hand can be moved in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction or the front-back direction by one drive motor, and the number of motors corresponding to the driving direction of the distributing hand can be increased. Since it is not necessary, the structure can be simplified and the cost can be reduced. In this case, it is desirable that the first connecting pin is provided on a straight line connecting the center of the first clutch plate and the center of the second connecting pin, as in the invention according to claim 2. Further, claim 3
As in the invention according to claim 1, an electromagnet can be embedded in the first clutch plate or the second clutch plate to form a first electromagnetic clutch, and further, as in the invention according to claim 4, the second clutch plate Alternatively, a second electromagnetic clutch can be constructed by embedding an electromagnet in the third clutch plate.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 6 show an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a dispensing actuator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plate-shaped dispensing hand 11 and a dispensing hand 11. It is composed of a drive mechanism 12 for driving the distributor 11 in the horizontal and vertical directions.

The drive mechanism 12 includes an ultrasonic motor 13 as a drive motor, a nut 14 which rotates about a vertical axis by the driving force of the ultrasonic motor 13, and a female screw formed on the inner peripheral surface of the nut 14. A drive shaft 15 having an external thread portion on its outer peripheral surface that is screwed into the shaft portion, and a circular first clutch plate 16 that is driven to rotate about a vertical axis by the drive shaft 15.
A swing arm 18 rotatably connected to the first clutch plate 16 via a first connecting pin 17 about a vertical axis;
The swing arm 18 and the distributor 11 are provided with a second connecting pin 19 that connects the swinging arm 18 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis. The first connecting pin 17 has a first connecting pin 17 as shown in FIG. It is provided on a straight line connecting the center of the clutch plate 16 and the center of the second connecting pin 19.

The drive mechanism 12 has a first clutch plate 16
An annular second clutch plate 20 whose upper surface is opposed to the lower surface of the second clutch plate 20, and a guide rod 21 which extends horizontally from the outer peripheral edge portion of the second clutch plate 20 toward the distributor 11. The guide member 21 is provided in the longitudinal direction of the guide rod 21, and the second clutch plate 20 has the first member.
A ring-shaped electromagnet 23 forming a first electromagnetic clutch is embedded between the clutch plate 16 and the clutch plate 16.

Further, the drive mechanism 12 includes the second clutch plate 2
An annular third clutch plate 24 provided with its upper surface facing the lower surface of 0, a plurality of guide shafts 25 extending downward from the third clutch plate 24, and these guide shafts 2
Guide shaft support 2 that supports 5 vertically slidably
6, and a ring-shaped electromagnet 27 forming a second electromagnetic clutch is embedded in the third clutch plate 24 between the third clutch plate 24 and the second clutch plate 23. The guide shaft support 26 is fixed to a frame or the like (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 3, the ultrasonic motor 13 has a cylindrical motor housing 131, an annular stator 132 having an outer peripheral surface fixed to an inner peripheral surface of the motor housing 131, and a motor housing 131. An outer rotor 281 of the double-row ball bearing 28 is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the motor housing 131. Stator 1
Reference numeral 32 denotes a piezoelectric ceramic, which is formed by laminating a ring-shaped body made of metal or the like on the surface of the piezoelectric ceramic, and a large number of grooves (not shown) are formed in a comb tooth shape along the radial direction on the surface in contact with the rotor 133. Has been done.

The rotor 133 of the ultrasonic motor 13 is joined to one end of a rotor connecting body 134 formed in a cylindrical shape. The other end of the rotor coupling body 134 has a double row ball bearing 28.
The inner ring 282 of the double-row ball bearing 28 rotates integrally with the rotor 133. The nut 14 is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the inner ring 282. In the distribution actuator 10 configured as above, when the exciting current is supplied to the electromagnet 23 to magnetize the electromagnet 23, the first clutch plate 16 and the second clutch plate 16
When the clutch plate 20 is attracted and the exciting current is supplied to the electromagnet 27 to magnetize the electromagnet 27, the second clutch plate 2
0 and the third clutch plate 24 are attracted to each other. Then, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the ultrasonic motor 13 is driven while the clutch plates 16, 20, 24 are attracted by the electromagnetic force of the electromagnets 23, 27, the clutch shaft 16 is driven by the drive shaft 15. , 20 and 24 are vertically moved up and down, and the distributor 11 is moved up and down accordingly.

On the other hand, only the electromagnet 27 is magnetized so that the second clutch plate 20 and the third clutch plate 24 are attracted and the first clutch plate 16 is attracted as shown in FIG. 4 (c).
When the ultrasonic motor 13 is driven in a state in which is separated from the second clutch plate 20, the drive shaft 15 drives only the first clutch plate 16. At this time, the swing arm 18 connected to the first clutch plate 16 via the connecting pin 17 moves as shown in FIG. 5, whereby the distributor 11 moves in the front-back direction.

Contrary to the above, only the electromagnet 22 is magnetized, and as shown in FIG.
When the ultrasonic motor 13 is driven in a state in which the second clutch plate 20 and the second clutch plate 20 are attracted to each other and the second clutch plate 20 is separated from the third clutch plate 24, the drive shaft 15 makes the first
Only the clutch plate 16 and the second clutch plate 20 are driven. At this time, the swing arm 18 and the guide rod 21 rotate in the horizontal plane together with the first clutch plate 16 and the second clutch plate 20, whereby the distributor 11 rotates in the horizontal plane as shown in FIG.

As is apparent from the above description, in the above-described embodiment, the first clutch plate 16, the second clutch plate 20, the second clutch plate 20, and the third clutch plate 2 are used.
4 and the first and second electromagnetic clutch (electromagnet 23,
By providing 27), the distributor 11 can be moved in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, or the front-back direction by one drive motor, and the number of motors corresponding to the driving direction of the distributor 11 is not required. Can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, the drive mechanism 12 is used.
Although an ultrasonic motor is used as a drive motor for driving the, the present invention is not limited to this. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the electromagnet 23 forming the first electromagnetic clutch is provided between the first clutch plate 16 and the second clutch plate 20 as the second electromagnet 23.
Although it is embedded in the clutch plate 20, the electromagnet 23 forming the first electromagnetic clutch may be embedded in the first clutch plate 16. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the second clutch plate 20
The electromagnet 27 forming the second electromagnetic clutch is embedded between the third clutch plate 24 and the third clutch plate 24.
The electromagnet 27 forming the second electromagnetic clutch may be embedded in the second clutch plate 20.

[0016]

As described above, according to the dispensing actuator of the present invention, the dispensing hand can be moved in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, or the front-back direction by one drive motor, and the dispensing hand can be operated in the driving direction. Since the required number of motors is not required, the structure can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a distribution actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the distribution actuator shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a structure of the ultrasonic motor shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the operation of the distribution actuator shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the movement of the dispensing hand shown in FIG.

6 is a diagram showing another movement of the dispensing hand shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols] 10 Distributor actuator 11 Distributor 12 Drive mechanism 13 Ultrasonic motor (drive motor) 14 nuts 15 drive shaft 16 First clutch plate 17 connecting pin 18 Swing arm 19 Connecting pin 20 Second clutch plate 21 guide rod 22 Guide member 23 Electromagnet 24 Third clutch plate 25 guide shaft 26 Guide axis support 27 electromagnet

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Ikuki Sakatani             1-5-50 Kumei, Kugenuma, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa             Within NSK Ltd. F-term (reference) 3C007 AS01 AS24 BS15 BT11 BT14                       CT04 CV07 CW07 CX07 HS04                       HS24 HS30 HT20 HT39                 5F031 CA02 FA01 GA43 GA49 LA07                       LA11 PA30

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A distribution actuator comprising a distributor and a drive mechanism for driving the distributor, wherein the drive mechanism includes a drive motor and a nut that rotates about a vertical axis by the drive force of the drive motor. A drive shaft having on its outer peripheral surface a male threaded portion that is screwed into a female threaded portion formed on the inner peripheral surface of this nut; and a first clutch plate that is driven to rotate about a vertical axis by this drive shaft, A swing arm that is swingably connected to the first clutch plate via a first connecting pin about a vertical axis, and the swing arm and the distributor are rotatably connected about a vertical axis. A second connecting pin,
A second clutch plate provided with its upper surface facing the lower surface of the first clutch plate, a guide rod extending horizontally from the second clutch plate toward the distributor, and a longitudinal direction of the guide rod. A guide member for guiding the distributor hand, and a first member provided between the first clutch plate and the second clutch plate.
Electromagnetic clutch, a third clutch plate provided with the upper surface facing the lower surface of the second clutch plate, a plurality of guide shafts extending downward from the third clutch plate, and these guide shafts. Is configured to include a guide shaft support that slidably supports in the up and down direction, and a second electromagnetic clutch provided between the second clutch plate and the third clutch plate. Distributing actuator. 2. The distribution actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first connecting pin is provided on a straight line connecting a center of the first clutch plate and a center of the second connecting pin. 3. The distribution actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic clutch is composed of an electromagnet embedded in the first clutch plate or the second clutch plate. 4. The distribution actuator according to claim 1, wherein the second electromagnetic clutch is composed of an electromagnet embedded in the second clutch plate or the third clutch plate.