JP2007169007A - Robot hand and substrate carrying robot - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a robot hand of a substrate carrying robot capable of enlarging a carriable area of a substrate, without replacing an existing robot body. <P>SOLUTION: A movable area of a wafer 21 required for carrying the wafer 21 can be provided, even when not reaching the movable area required for carrying the wafer 21 in a movable area of a tip part of a robot arm by putting the robot hand 20 in an expandable state. Thus, a changeable range of a carrying source position or a carrying destination position can be expanded without replacing the robot body. The possibility that an arm part constituting the robot arm interferes with the other device, can be reduced by putting the robot hand 20 in a degenerate state, and restriction can be reduced in the movement of the robot. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a robot hand and a substrate transfer robot that support a substrate, and more particularly to a robot hand and a substrate transfer robot that transfer a semiconductor wafer.

  A wafer transfer robot is provided in the semiconductor processing facility to transfer the semiconductor wafer in the semiconductor processing facility. In a conventional wafer transfer robot, a robot hand for supporting a substrate is attached to the tip of a robot arm (see, for example, Patent Document 1). With the robot hand supporting the wafer, the robot arm can move the robot hand to move the wafer at the transfer source position to the transfer destination position.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-116047

  When the design of the transfer position is changed after the completion of the semiconductor processing facility and the transfer distance of the wafer is extended, it may be necessary to replace the existing robot with another robot having a large movable area. In this case, it takes cost and time to replace the robot.

  In addition, the wafer transfer robot is configured so that it can transfer wafers from the transfer source position to the transfer destination position, so that it does not interfere with other devices during arm movement, and the volume occupied in the semiconductor processing equipment can be reduced. desired. The same problem occurs even with substrate transfer robots such as substrates other than semiconductor wafers, such as glass substrates.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a robot hand of a substrate transport robot that can increase the substrate transportable area without replacing an existing robot.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate transport robot that can prevent interference with other apparatuses during movement and can increase the substrate transportable area as a substrate transport robot.

The present invention includes a hand base end portion attached to a tip end portion of a robot arm of an articulated robot;
A substrate support portion formed so as to be capable of supporting the substrate, and provided to be displaceable with respect to the hand base end portion in a state of supporting the substrate;
It is a robot hand characterized by including a hand drive means for driving the substrate support part to be displaced relative to the hand base end part.

The present invention further includes a fixing unit that is driven by the hand driving unit and fixes the substrate supported by the substrate support unit to the substrate support unit,
The fixing means releases the fixation of the substrate supported by the substrate support portion with respect to the substrate support portion in conjunction with the movement of the substrate support portion to the predetermined setting position,
The substrate supported by the substrate support unit is fixed to the substrate support unit in conjunction with the substrate support unit approaching the hand base end from the set position.

  According to the present invention, the hand driving means is realized by a pneumatic actuator.

  According to the present invention, the hand driving means is realized by a servo motor.

The present invention also provides the robot hand,
A horizontal articulated robot, and a robot body in which a robot hand is detachably attached to the tip of a robot arm;
A substrate transfer robot comprising a robot hand and a control means for controlling the robot body.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that the movable turning radius of the robot is minimized by the displacement of the substrate support portion toward the hand base end portion.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the hand drive means moves the substrate support portion away from the hand base end portion, whereby the overall length of the robot hand can be increased. Accordingly, the substrate support portion can be moved further than the movable region of the substrate support portion caused by the robot arm. Further, the hand drive means moves the substrate support portion close to the hand base end portion, whereby the overall length of the robot hand can be shortened. This can prevent the robot hand and the robot to which the robot hand is attached from interfering with other devices. Thus, by making the substrate support portion displaceable with respect to the hand base end portion, it is possible to increase the area in which the substrate can be transported and to prevent interference with other devices.

  According to the present invention, by mounting the robot hand of the present invention on an existing robot, the substrate transferable area of the substrate transfer robot can be increased. For example, even if the design is changed so that the substrate transfer distance becomes longer after the substrate transfer robot is installed in the substrate processing apparatus, the substrate transfer area can be increased by replacing the robot hand according to the present invention. be able to. In this case, the replacement cost and the preparation period can be shortened as compared with the case of replacement with a robot having a wide movable area. Further, by moving the substrate support part relative to the hand base end part, the possibility that the arm part constituting the robot arm interferes with other devices can be reduced.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the hand driving means moves the substrate support portion to the set position, the fixing means is opened in conjunction with the movement of the substrate support portion. When the fixing unit is in the open state, the substrate support unit can support the substrate at the transfer source position. In addition, when the hand driving unit moves the substrate support unit from the setting position toward the base end of the hand while the substrate support unit supports the substrate, the fixing unit is in a fixed state, and the substrate is fixed to the substrate support unit. . Further, when the fixing means is in an open state with the substrate support section supporting the substrate, the substrate is released from being fixed, and the supported substrate can be transferred to the transport destination position.

  Thus, according to the present invention, the fixing means fixes and releases the substrate in conjunction with the movement of the substrate support portion. Therefore, the hand driving means can fix and release the substrate simply by displacing the substrate support, and there is no need for a separate driving means for driving the fixing means. As a result, the robot hand can be reduced in size and weight, and can be realized with a simple configuration.

  Further, the fixing and releasing of the substrate and the movement of the substrate supporting portion can be performed at the same time, and the cycle time can be shortened. In addition, by moving the substrate support portion while the substrate supported by the substrate support portion is fixed by the fixing means, it is possible to prevent the substrate from being displaced from the substrate support portion, and to move the substrate support portion at a high speed. Can do.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the hand driving means is realized by a pneumatic actuator that operates by supplying air, so that the hand driving means can be realized in a smaller size than an electric motor, The entire robot hand can be reduced in size and weight. Further, the substrate support portion can be displaced smoothly, and the impact and vibration generated when the substrate support portion is moved can be suppressed. For example, the pneumatic actuator is realized by an air cylinder that linearly drives the movable part or a rotary actuator that rotationally drives the movable part.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the hand driving means is realized by a servo motor, the amount of movement of the substrate support portion relative to the hand base end portion can be accurately controlled. Accordingly, it is not necessary to separately provide a sensor for grasping the movement amount of the substrate support portion. Further, the substrate support part can be moved to an arbitrary position with respect to the hand base end part, and adjustment of the moving speed is easy. Accordingly, the substrate support portion can be moved in a desired moving state, and convenience can be improved.

  According to the present invention described in claim 5, by mounting the robot hand described above on the robot body, the substrate transferable area of the substrate transfer robot can be widened. This makes it possible to widen the area where the substrate can be transported at low cost by using an existing robot body. For example, in a substrate processing facility, even if the substrate transport distance is changed, it is not necessary to replace the robot with another articulated robot having a large movable area, and the replacement cost and replacement preparation time can be shortened.

  In addition, since the robot body is realized by an articulated robot, the posture of the robot hand can be changed to an arbitrary posture, and the substrate transfer operation by the robot can be performed flexibly. Accordingly, when there are a plurality of transfer source positions and transfer destination positions, the substrate transfer can be performed even when the substrate transfer operation must be performed while avoiding obstacles.

  According to the present invention as set forth in claim 6, when the direction of the robot needs to be changed when the substrate support is moved toward the substrate transfer source position and the transfer destination position, the movable turning radius of the robot is minimized. As described above, the robot hand is degenerated, the arm is displaced, and the robot is angularly displaced to change the direction of the robot. As a result, it is possible to minimize the operation area required when changing the direction of the robot, to prevent interference with other apparatuses, and to arrange the substrate transfer robot in a narrow space.

  FIG. 1 is a front view showing a robot hand 20 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the robot hand 20 as viewed from the arrows A2-A2 in FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the robot hand 20 as viewed from the arrows A3-A3 in FIG. The robot hand 20 according to the present embodiment constitutes a part of a substrate transfer robot for transferring a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer 21. The substrate transfer robot supports the wafer 21 at a preset transfer source position in the clean room, and transfers the supported wafer 21 to the transfer destination position.

  The substrate transfer robot includes a robot body 22 that is an articulated robot, a robot hand 20, and a robot controller that controls the robot body 22 and the robot hand 20. In the present embodiment, the robot body 22 is realized by a horizontal articulated robot, a so-called SCARA robot.

  The robot hand 20 includes a hand base end portion 30, a substrate support portion 31, and hand drive means 32. The hand base end 30 is attached to the tip 23 of the robot arm of the robot body 22. The hand base end portion 30 supports the substrate support portion 31 so as to be angularly displaceable around a reference axis L1 set at the distal end portion 23 of the robot arm. Here, the reference axis L1 is an axis that passes through the tip 23 of the robot arm and extends vertically.

  The substrate support portion 31 is formed to be able to support the wafer 21 and is provided so as to be displaceable with respect to the hand base end portion 30. Specifically, the substrate support portion 31 is formed to be displaceable in the expansion / contraction direction 19 along the movement axis L2 perpendicular to the reference axis L1 while supporting the wafer 21. In the present embodiment, the movement axis L2 is fixedly set on the substrate support portion 31 and extends horizontally. Therefore, as the substrate support 31 is angularly displaced about the reference axis L1, the movement axis L2 is also angularly displaced about the reference axis L1. Hereinafter, in the expansion / contraction direction 19, the direction in which the substrate support 31 approaches the hand base end 30 is referred to as one expansion / contraction direction 19A, and the direction in which the substrate support 31 moves away from the hand substrate 30 is referred to as the other expansion direction 19B.

  The substrate support portion 31 includes a base portion 35 supported by the hand base end portion 30 and a blade 36 connected to the base portion 35 and extending horizontally. The blade 36 is formed in a substantially V-shaped plate that branches into two as it advances from the base portion 35 to the other extension direction 19B, thereby forming two tip portions. The blade 36 is formed symmetrically with respect to the movement axis L2.

  The blade 36 is disposed above the hand base end portion 30 with a predetermined interval. This prevents the wafer 21 supported by the blade 36 from coming into contact with the hand base end 30 even if the substrate support 31 is displaced in the expansion / contraction direction 19. In the present embodiment, the robot hand 20 is formed in an edge clip type. In this case, the blade 36 has a plurality of mounting portions 37 for mounting the wafer 21 thereon. The mounting portion 37 protrudes upward compared to the remaining blade portion. Then, a part of the lower surface of the wafer 21 is mounted on the mounting surface of each mounting unit 37, so that the wafer 21 is supported by the substrate support unit 31.

  The mounting portion 37 supports the wafer 21 from below by coming into contact with three or more different peripheral portions of the wafer 21, or four locations in the present embodiment. In addition, the circumferential direction space | interval of the adjacent mounting part 37 is arrange | positioned at 180 degrees or less with respect to the wafer center when the wafer 21 is supported. Specifically, the first mounting portion 37A and the second mounting portion 37B are formed at the two tip portions of the blade 36, respectively. The base portion 35 of the blade is formed with a third mounting portion 37C and a fourth mounting portion 37D, respectively.

  The mounting surfaces of the first mounting portion 37A and the second mounting portion 37B are inclined downwardly toward the one extending direction 19A. In addition, the mounting surfaces of the third mounting portion 37C and the fourth mounting portion 37D are inclined downwardly toward the other extension direction 19B. In addition, in the first mounting portion 37A and the second mounting portion 37B, an abutting portion 67 that abuts on the peripheral surface of the wafer 21 is formed on the other extending side 19B side of the mounting surface. The contact portion 67 protrudes upward from the mounting surface. The wafer 21 is in a state of being aligned with the blade 36 when the peripheral surface thereof abuts against the abutment portions 67 of the first and second mounting portions 37A and 37B.

  The hand driving means 32 is provided at the hand base end 30 and drives the substrate support 31 to be displaced relative to the hand base end 30. Specifically, the hand drive means 32 includes a movable part 34 provided to be displaceable in the extension / contraction direction 19 with respect to the hand base end part 30, and a drive part 38 for driving the movable part 34 to be displaced in the extension / contraction direction 19. Consists of. The movable portion 34 is fixed to the substrate support portion 31 by a connecting portion 41 formed on the base portion 31. As a result, the drive unit 38 drives the movable unit 34 to be displaced in the expansion / contraction direction 19 </ b> A, whereby the substrate support unit 31 moves in the expansion / contraction direction 19 </ b> A together with the movable unit 34. Further, the drive unit 38 drives the movable unit 34 to be displaced in the other direction 19B, so that the substrate support unit 31 is driven to move in the other direction 19B along with the movable unit.

  In the present embodiment, the drive unit 38 of the hand drive means 32 is realized including a double-acting rodless air cylinder, and is movable in one of the expansion / contraction directions 19A and 19B by supplying air from an air supply source. The part 34 is driven to be displaced. Further, the hand base end portion 30 is provided with two rails 33 for guiding the base portion 35 of the substrate support portion 31 in the expansion / contraction direction 19, and the rail 33 extends in parallel with the expansion / contraction direction 19. Since the base portion 35 of the substrate support portion 31 has the fitting portion 40 that fits to the rail 33, it is possible to prevent the base portion 35 from being displaced in directions other than the expansion / contraction direction 19.

  FIG. 4 is a front view showing a state in which the substrate support portion 31 has moved in one of the expansion / contraction directions 19A, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the robot hand 20 as viewed from the arrows A5-A5 in FIG. When the substrate driving unit 31 is moved in the expansion / contraction direction one side 19A by the hand driving means 32, the total length B2 of the robot hand in the expansion / contraction direction 19 including the hand base end 30 and the substrate support unit 31 is This is smaller than the overall length B1 of the robot hand.

  In other words, if the state in which the substrate support 31 is moved in the other expansion / contraction direction 19B is the expansion state, and the state in which the substrate support 31 is moved in the expansion / contraction direction 19A is the contraction state, the overall length B2 in the contraction state is larger. The full length dimension B1 in the extended state can be increased. For example, in the present embodiment, the full length dimension in the extended state can be increased by about 100 mm compared to the full length dimension B1 in the contracted state.

  In this way, by moving the substrate support portion 31 in the expansion / contraction direction 19 by the hand driving means 32, the overall length of the robot hand can be changed. By increasing the overall length of the robot hand 20, the substrate support 31 can be moved further away from the tip 23 of the robot arm. Further, by shortening the overall length of the robot hand 20, the robot hand can be reduced in size, and interference between other devices and the robot hand 20 can be prevented. In the present invention, the substrate support portion 30 may be configured to be displaceable in the expansion / contraction direction 19 with respect to the hand base end portion 30, and is not limited to the configuration described above.

  FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the robot hand 20 for explaining the fixing means 27. In the present embodiment, the robot hand 20 further includes a fixing unit 27 that fixes the wafer 21 supported by the substrate support unit 31 to the substrate support unit 31. 6A shows a part of the robot hand 20 in the extended state, and FIG. 6B shows a part of the robot hand 20 in the degenerated state.

  When the substrate support unit 31 moves from the predetermined set position in the expansion / contraction direction 19A, the fixing unit 27 enters a fixed state that prevents the displacement of the wafer 21 supported by the substrate support unit 31 in conjunction with the movement operation. . Further, when the substrate support portion 31 moves from the set position to the other direction 19B, the fixing means 27 is opened in conjunction with the moving operation. In the open state, the substrate 21 can be supported by the substrate support 31 while the substrate support 31 does not support the wafer 21. In the open state, the supported wafer 21 can be transferred while the substrate support 31 supports the wafer 21. In the present embodiment, the setting position is set in the vicinity of the maximum extension position where the substrate support 31 has moved most in the other direction 19B, for example, a position several millimeters before the maximum extension position.

  In the present embodiment, the fixing means 27 is in contact with the peripheral surface of the wafer 21 mounted on each mounting portion 37 and displaces the wafer 21 in the other expansion / contraction direction 19B, and the contact portion 60. A support portion 61 that supports the support portion 61, a guide portion 62 that is fixed to the base portion 35 of the substrate support portion 31 and guides the support portion 61, a protrusion 63 that is fixed to the hand base end portion 30, and a spring force generation portion. And a compression coil spring 64.

  The support portion 61 is provided so as to be displaceable in the expansion / contraction direction 19 with respect to the substrate support portion 31 and is guided by the guide portion 62. Specifically, the support portion 61 is guided by the guide portion 62 so as to be displaceable in the expansion / contraction direction 19 by forming a fitting portion 69 that fits the rail 65 formed in the guide portion 62. The support portion 61 and the guide portion 62 are connected by a compression coil spring 64. The axis of the compression coil spring 64 extends in the expansion / contraction direction 19. As a result, the compression coil spring 64 is contracted as compared with the natural state when a force is applied in the expansion / contraction direction 19. In addition, when the force in the expansion / contraction direction 19 is released, the contracted state returns to the natural state. When the guide portion 62 moves in the expansion / contraction direction 19 together with the substrate support portion 31, the support portion 61 moves together with the guide portion 62 because it is connected to the guide portion 62 by the compression coil spring 64.

  The support portion 61 is formed with a contact portion 66 for coming into contact with the protruding portion 63. As shown in FIG. 6 (1), when the support unit 61 moves in the other direction 19B of the extension / contraction direction by the guide unit 62 that moves together with the substrate support unit 31, the substrate support unit 31 reaches the set position. The contact portion 66 of the support portion 61 abuts on the protruding portion 63. And the further movement to the other expansion-contraction direction 19B of the support part 61 is blocked | prevented.

  When the substrate support portion 31 moves beyond the set position in the other expansion / contraction direction 19B, the support portion 61 is prevented from moving in the expansion / contraction direction 19, and the compression coil spring 64 is compressed and deformed. At this time, the support portion 61 moves relative to the substrate support portion 31 in one of the extending and contracting directions 19A, and between the contact portion 60 supported by the support portion 61 and the contact portion 67 of the mounting portion 37. Spread.

  Since the distance between the contact portion 60 supported by the support portion 61 and the contact portion 67 of the mounting portion 37 is larger than the diameter of the wafer 21, the substrate support portion 31 supports the wafer 21. In the state where it is not, the wafer 21 can be mounted on the mounting unit 37 from the transfer source position. Further, in a state where the substrate support unit 31 supports the wafer 21, the wafer 21 is allowed to be displaced, and the wafer 21 can be transferred to the transfer destination position.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6B, when the substrate support 31 is moved in the expansion / contraction direction 19A from the set position while the wafer 21 is mounted on the mounting portion 37, the support 61 The contact state between the contact portion 66 and the protruding portion 63 is released, and the compression coil spring 64 is deformed in the restoring direction, so that the support portion 61 moves relative to the substrate support portion 31 in the other extension direction 19B. As a result, due to the restoring force of the compression coil spring 64, the abutment portion 60 abuts on the outer peripheral portion of the wafer 21 and applies a force toward the abutment portion 67 of the mounting portion 37 to the wafer 21. As a result, the wafer 21 can be clamped in cooperation with the contact portion 60 of the fixing means 27 and the contact portion 67 of the mounting portion 37. As a result, the wafer 21 is mounted on the mounting portion 37 and the wafer 21 is sandwiched between the contact portions 60 and 67, whereby the wafer 21 can be reliably prevented from being displaced from the substrate support portion 31.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the fixing unit 27 fixes and releases the wafer 21 in conjunction with the movement of the substrate support unit 31. As a result, the hand drive means 32 can fix and release the wafer 21 only by displacing the substrate support portion 31, and no drive means for driving the fixing means 32 is required. As a result, the robot hand 20 can be reduced in size and weight, and can be realized with a simple configuration.

  In addition, the wafer 21 can be fixed and released and the substrate support 31 can be moved simultaneously, and the cycle time can be shortened. Further, when the distal end portion 23 of the robot arm moves in a state where the substrate support portion 31 is moved closer to the hand base end portion 31 than the set position, the wafer 21 supported by the substrate support portion 31 is fixed by the fixing means 32. The wafer 21 can be prevented from being displaced from a predetermined position of the substrate support 31 even if it is moved at a high speed. Further, by holding the wafer 21 using the restoring force of the compression coil spring 64, it is possible to easily maintain the holding state in which the wafer 21 is held with a predetermined force. Further, the impact force when the abutting portion 60 of the fixing means 37 abuts on the wafer 21 can be suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, the setting position is set in the vicinity of the maximum extension position, so that the fixing means 27 can be always opened when the substrate support portion 31 is located at the maximum extension position. As a result, even if an air cylinder is used as the hand drive means 32, the wafer 21 can be reliably released from fixation. In addition, the area of the substrate support 31 where the fixing means 27 is open can be reduced, and the amount of movement of the wafer 21 can be reduced while the displacement of the wafer 21 is allowed.

  In the present embodiment, the hand drive means 32 is realized by an air cylinder. As a result, the hand drive means 32 can be realized in a smaller size than the electric motor, and the entire robot hand can be reduced in size and weight. Moreover, the substrate support part 31 can be displaced smoothly and the impact and vibration generated when the substrate support part 31 is moved can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the hand drive means 32 is realized by a rodless cylinder, the cylinder rod does not protrude. Further, by providing the hand driving means 32 at the hand base end portion 30, it is only necessary to replace the existing robot hand with the robot hand 20 of the present embodiment. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the configuration of the robot arm, and the robot hand 20 of the present embodiment can be easily changed to the existing robot body 22.

  FIG. 7 is a front view showing the substrate transfer robot 18 to which the robot hand 20 is mounted, and FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the substrate transfer robot 18. The robot body 22 of the substrate transfer robot 18 includes a base 50, a body 51, and a robot arm. The robot arm includes a first arm 52 and a second arm 53. The base 50 is fixed to a floor surface or the like. The body portion 51 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and one end portion thereof is immersed in the base 50 and the other end portion protrudes from the base 51. The base 50 is set with a base angular displacement axis L3 extending vertically. The body 51 is supported so as to be angularly displaceable about the base angular displacement axis L3 and linearly displaceable along the base angular displacement axis L3.

  The base end of the first arm 52 is fixed to the other end of the body 51. The proximal end portion of the second arm 53 is connected to the distal end portion of the first arm 52. The first arm 52 has a first arm angular displacement axis L4 extending vertically. The first arm 52 supports the second arm 53 so as to be angularly displaceable about the first arm angular displacement axis L4. The hand base end portion 30 of the robot hand 20 is connected to the distal end portion of the second arm 53. The second arm 53 is set with a reference axis L1 extending vertically. The second arm 53 supports the robot hand 20 so as to be angularly displaceable about the reference axis L1. The arms 52 and 53 and the robot hand extend in the horizontal direction.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the robot body 22 includes first arm angular displacement driving means 70 that angularly drives the body 51 around the base angular displacement axis L3, and the body 51 along the base angular displacement axis L3. The first arm rectilinear drive means 71 that drives the displacement of the second arm, the second arm angular displacement drive means 72 that angularly drives the second arm 53 around the first arm angular displacement axis L4, and the robot hand 20 to be mounted as a reference. And robot hand angular displacement driving means 73 for angular displacement driving around the axis L1.

  These driving units 70 to 73 can individually move the robot hand 20 to an arbitrary position and posture. Each driving means 70 to 73 is controlled by the robot controller 17. The robot controller 17 can move the robot hand 20 with a target movement path and movement speed by applying power to the driving units 70 to 73. The robot controller 17 also controls hand drive means 32 of the robot hand 20. This makes it possible to synchronize the movement of the robot hand 20, the expansion / contraction change of the robot hand, and the fixing and releasing of the wafer 21.

  Such a substrate transfer robot 18 is installed in a narrow space such as a clean room. The substrate transfer robot 18 sequentially takes out the plurality of wafers 21 accommodated in the pod and transfers the wafers 21 to the substrate processing position. Further, the wafer 21 is transferred from one substrate processing position to the other substrate processing position. Further, the wafer 21 processed at the substrate processing position is accommodated in the pod again.

  FIG. 9 is a front view for explaining the maximum transfer position of the wafer 21 of the substrate transfer robot 18. 9 (1) shows the substrate transfer robot 16 of the first comparative example, FIG. 9 (2) shows the substrate transfer robot 18 of the present embodiment, and FIG. 9 (3) shows the second comparative example. The substrate transfer robot 15 is shown. The substrate transfer robots 16 and 15 of the first and second comparative examples differ in the configuration of the robot hand to be mounted. The robot hands 14 and 13 of the first and second comparative examples are not configured to be extendable and contractible. In the horizontal articulated robot, the wafer 21 can be transferred farthest from the base angular displacement axis L3 in a state where the arms 52 and 53 and the robot hand 20 are angularly displaced so as to be aligned.

  Of the robot hand 14 of the first comparative example, the dimension C1 from the reference axis L1 to the tip is smaller than the dimension C2 when the robot hand 20 of the present embodiment is most extended. The dimension C3 of the robot hand 13 of the second comparative example is equal to the dimension C2 in the state in which the robot hand 20 of the present embodiment is most extended.

  In such a case, since the movable area C4 of the robot arm is the same, the distance that the substrate 21 can be transferred by the substrate transfer robot 16 of the first comparative example having a short robot hand dimension is shortened. On the other hand, the substrate transfer robot 18 of the present embodiment and the substrate transfer robot 15 of the second comparative example transfer the wafer 21 because the size of the robot hand is larger than that of the substrate transfer robot 16 of the first comparative example. Even when the possible distance is long, the wafer 21 can be transferred.

  FIG. 10 is a front view for explaining the minimum rotation radius of the substrate transfer robot. 10 (1) shows the substrate transfer robot 16 of the first comparative example described above, FIG. 10 (2) shows the substrate transfer robot 18 of the present embodiment, and FIG. 10 (3) shows the first transfer robot described above. 2 shows a substrate transfer robot 15 of a comparative example. The minimum rotation radius of the substrate transfer robot means the minimum movable region of the substrate transfer robot when the body 51 is rotated around the base angular displacement axis L3, from the outer edge of the minimum movable region to the base angular displacement axis L3. Is the distance. The dimension C5 in the state where the robot hand 20 of the present embodiment is most degenerated is equal to the dimension C1 of the robot hand 14 of the first example.

  In the present embodiment, the minimum turning radius of the substrate transfer robot depends on the overall length of the robot hand. Therefore, by retracting the robot hand 20, the overall length can be reduced, and the minimum turning radius can be reduced as compared with the second comparative example. Thereby, even when the robot is arranged in a narrow space, the direction of the robot can be changed.

  Here, when the minimum turning radius of the robot depends on the dimensions of the robot hand, the dimension C6 from the tip of the first arm 52 to the base angular displacement axis L3 is more than half of the dimension C5 of the robot hand 20. This is a case where the dimension C7 from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion of the second arm 53 is smaller than the overall length C5 of the robot hand. In the case where two or more arms are provided, the dimension C7 from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion of the second to nth arms is smaller than the dimension C5 of the robot hand.

  As described above, the robot hand 20 described above is attached to the substrate transfer robot 18 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, the distance that the wafer 21 can be transferred can be increased by extending the robot hand 20. Also, as shown in FIG. 10, the robot hand 20 is retracted and the arms 52 and 53 are angularly displaced, whereby the minimum turning radius can be reduced and interference with other devices can be prevented. Further, even if the arms 52 and 53 are not angularly displaced so as to have the minimum turning radius, the robot hand 20 is contracted by reducing the size of the robot hand 20 so that the second comparison shown in FIG. Compared to the robot 15 of the example, the possibility of interference can be reduced.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the robot controller 17 when the wafer 21 is moved from the transfer source position to the transfer destination position. When the wafer 21 is placed at the transfer source position and the wafer processing instruction at the transfer destination position is completed and a wafer transfer command is given from an operator or another apparatus, the process proceeds to step s1, and the controller 17 performs control. Start operation.

  In step s1, the driving means 70 to 73 of the robot main body 22 such as the first arm angular displacement driving means 70, the first arm rectilinear driving means 71, the second arm angular displacement driving means 72, and the robot hand angular displacement driving means 73 are operated. Then, the robot hand 19 is arranged in the vicinity of the transfer source position, and the process proceeds to step s2.

  In step s2, the hand driving means 32 is operated to bring the robot hand 20 into the extended state and open the wafer 21 so that it can be supported. Then, the process proceeds to step s3. In step s3, the driving means 70 to 73 of the robot main body 22 are operated to bring the blade 36 closer from below the wafer 21, and the wafer 21 is transferred from the wafer accommodating device to the mounting portion 37 of the blade 36, and the wafer is moved. 21 is supported, and the process proceeds to step s4.

  In step s4, the hand driving means 32 is operated to bring the robot hand 20 into a retracted state and prevent the supported wafer 21 from being displaced, and the process proceeds to step s5. In step s5, the driving means 70 to 73 are operated to angularly displace the arms 52 and 53 and the robot hand 20 so that the substrate transport robot 18 can rotate with the minimum rotation radius shown in FIG. . When the robot can rotate with the minimum turning radius, the process proceeds to step s6. In step s6, the body 51 is rotated around the body rotation axis L3 so that the robot faces the transfer destination position, and the process proceeds to step s7.

  In step s7, the driving means 70 to 73 of the robot main body 22 are operated to place the robot hand 20 near the transfer destination position, and the process proceeds to step s8. In step s8, the hand driving means 32 is operated to bring the robot hand 20 into an extended state and open the wafer 21 so that the support can be released, and the process proceeds to step s9. In step s9, the driving means 70 to 73 of the robot body 22 are operated to bring the blade 36 closer to the transfer destination position of the wafer 21 from above, and the wafer 21 is moved from the mounting portion 37 of the blade 36 to the transfer destination position. Then, the transfer operation of the wafer 21 is completed.

  In this way, the substrate transfer robot 18 supports and releases the support of the wafer 21 with the robot hand 20 extended by the robot controller 17, and moves the arms 52 and 53 and the robot hand 20 to the minimum rotation radius. With the angular displacement, the direction of the robot is changed from the transfer source position to the transfer destination position. As a result, the substrate support 31 can be moved farther than the robot of the comparative example 1 shown in FIG. 9 (1), and the interference with other devices can be reduced compared to the robot of the comparative example 2 shown in FIG. 10 (2). Fear can be prevented. Thus, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent interference with other devices and to obtain a large movable region. The control procedure shown in FIG. 11 is an example of the robot operation, and when there is a low possibility of interference, the arms 52 and 53 and the robot hand 20 are not angularly displaced in a state where the minimum rotation radius is reached. The orientation of the robot may be changed. Further, details of supporting and releasing the support of the wafer 21 can be changed as appropriate.

  Since the substrate transport robot 18 of the present embodiment can use an existing robot body as the robot body 22, the substrate transportable area can be widened at low cost simply by changing the robot hand. For example, in the substrate processing facility, even if the transfer distance of the wafer 21 is changed, it is not necessary to replace it with another articulated robot having a large movable region, and the replacement cost and replacement preparation time can be shortened. Even if the robot hand is changed to the present embodiment, the possibility of interference does not increase.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the robot body 22 in the substrate transfer robot is realized by an articulated robot, whereby the posture of the robot hand 20 can be set to an arbitrary posture, and the substrate transfer operation can be performed flexibly. it can. Accordingly, when there are a plurality of transfer source positions and transfer destination positions, the substrate transfer can be performed even when the substrate transfer operation must be performed while avoiding obstacles.

  FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the robot hand 320 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a part of the robot hand 320 by cutting. The robot hand 220 of the second embodiment has a configuration similar to that of the robot hand 20 of the first embodiment, and for the corresponding configuration, the reference symbol of 300 added to the reference symbol of the robot hand 20 of the first embodiment. Attached.

  The robot hand 320 according to the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except that the configuration of the hand driving means 332 is different from that of the first embodiment. Therefore, the configuration of the hand driving unit 332 will be described, and the description of the remaining configuration will be omitted.

  The hand driving means 332 includes a movable part 334 that is displaceable in the expansion / contraction direction 19 with respect to the hand base end part 330, and a drive part 338 that drives the movable part 334 to move in the expansion / contraction direction 19. . The movable part 338 is fixed to the base part 335 of the substrate support part 331 by the connecting part 341. As a result, the drive unit 338 drives the movable unit 334 to move in the expansion / contraction direction 19, so that the substrate support unit 331 moves in the expansion / contraction direction 19 together with the movable unit 334.

  The drive unit 338 is realized by including a pneumatically driven rotary actuator 400, an endless belt 402, and a plurality of pulleys 401a to 401c around which the belt 402 is wound. The rotary actuator 400 rotates the output shaft 403 when air is supplied from an air supply source. The plurality of pulleys 401 a to 401 c are rotatably supported by the hand base end portion 330. One of the plurality of pulleys 401 a to 401 c is a drive pulley 401 a that is connected to the output shaft 403 of the rotary actuator 400. The drive pulley 401 a rotates when power is applied via the output shaft 403 of the rotary actuator 400.

  Each pulley 401a-401c contacts the inner peripheral surface of the belt 402, and is tensioned by each pulley 401a-401c. As a result, when the driving pulley 401a rotates, the belt moves in the rotational direction of the driving pulley 401a due to friction between the pulley 401 and the belt 402. Two driven pulleys 401 b and 401 c among the plurality of pulleys 401 a to 401 c are arranged side by side in the expansion / contraction direction 19. As a result, in the belt 402, the belt portion 404 stretched by the two driven pulleys 401 b and 401 c extends in the expansion / contraction direction 19. A movable portion 334 is connected to the belt portion 404.

  When the driving pulley 401a is rotated by the rotary actuator 400, the belt 402 moves together with the driving pulley 401a. In this case, since the belt between the driven pulleys 401b and 401c moves in the expansion / contraction direction 19 from one pulley to the other pulley, the movable portion 334 fixed to the belt also moves in the expansion / contraction direction 19. The hand base end portion 330 is provided with two rails 333 for guiding the base portion 335 of the substrate support portion 331 in the expansion / contraction direction 19, and the rail 333 extends in parallel with the expansion / contraction direction 19. Since the base portion 35 of the substrate support portion 31 has the fitting portion 40 that fits to the rail 333, the base portion 35 can be prevented from being displaced in directions other than the expansion / contraction direction 19.

  Thus, even when the air-driven rotary actuator 400 is used, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be achieved. Further, by using the rotary actuator 400, the configuration of the hand base end portion 330 can be reduced in size without the need for a cylinder and a cylinder rod as compared with the first embodiment. In addition, by disposing the drive pulley 401a between the two driven pulleys 401b and 401c, even if the drive pulley 401a and the rotary actuator are somewhat increased in size, the increase in size of the hand base end portion 330 can be suppressed. Further, by adjusting the amount of rotation of the rotary actuator 400, the amount of movement of the substrate support portion 331 in the expansion / contraction direction 19 can be adjusted, so that the degree of freedom in design can be increased.

  FIG. 14 is a front view showing a robot hand 120 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 15 is a side view showing the robot hand 120 of FIG. 16 is a front view showing the robot hand 120 in a retracted state, and FIG. 17 is a side view showing the robot hand 120 in FIG.

  The robot hand 120 according to the third embodiment has a configuration similar to that of the robot hand 20 according to the first embodiment, and for the corresponding configuration, the reference symbol with 100 added to the reference symbol of the robot hand 20 according to the first embodiment. Attached.

  The robot hand 120 includes a hand base end portion 130, a substrate support portion 131, and hand driving means 132. The hand proximal end portion 130 is attached to the distal end portion of the robot arm of the robot body 22. The hand base end portion 130 supports the substrate support portion 131 and is formed so as to be angularly displaceable around a reference axis L1 set at the distal end portion of the robot arm.

  The substrate support part 131 is formed to be able to support the wafer 21 and is provided so as to be displaceable with respect to the hand base end part 130. Specifically, the substrate support portion 131 is formed to be displaceable in the expansion / contraction direction 19 while supporting the wafer 21.

  The substrate support part 131 includes a first support part 100, a second support part 101, and a connection part 102. The first support portion 100 is provided on one side portion of the hand base end portion 130, and the second support portion 101 is provided on the other side portion of the hand base end portion 130. The first support portion 100 and the second support portion 101 are connected by a connecting portion 102. Each support portion 100, 101 extends along the expansion / contraction direction 19 and is connected to the hand base end portion 130 so as to be movable in the expansion / contraction direction 19. Each support portion 100 is formed with a fitting portion 120 that fits into a rail 121 provided on the hand base end portion 130. The fitting portion 120 is guided so as to be movable in the expansion / contraction direction 19 while being fitted to the rail 121.

  The first support portion 100 is formed with a first mounting portion 37A and a third mounting portion 37C. The second support portion 101 is formed with a second mounting portion 37B and a fourth mounting portion 37D. The first and second mounting portions 37A and 37B support the wafer 21 on the other extending side 19B side, and the third and fourth mounting portions 37C and 37D support the wafer 21 on the other extending side 19A side.

  The hand driving unit 132 includes a servo motor 110 and a power transmission unit 111 that converts the rotational force of the output shaft 113 of the servo motor 110 into a moving force in the expansion / contraction direction 19 and transmits the converted force. In the present embodiment, the servo motor 110 is provided at the hand base end portion 130. The power transmission unit 111 includes a driven shaft 114 disposed in the other extension direction 19 </ b> B with respect to the output shaft 113 of the servomotor 110, and a belt 115 wound around the driven shaft 114 and the output shaft 113. As a result, the output shaft 113 is rotated by the servo motor 110, so that one circumferential portion of the belt 115 moves in the expansion / contraction direction 19.

  One of the first support portion 101, the second support portion, and the connection portion 102 is connected to one circumferential portion of the belt 115. In the present embodiment, the second support portion 102 is fixed to one circumferential portion of the belt 115. Accordingly, by rotating the output shaft 113 by the servo motor 110, the substrate support part 131 can be moved in the expansion / contraction direction 19 with respect to the hand base end part 130.

  The substrate support 131 moves relative to the hand base end portion 130 in the extended state 19B as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 and in the extended direction 19A as shown in FIGS. It is possible to switch to the degenerated state. The robot hand full length B1 in the extended state is larger than the robot hand full length B2 in the retracted state.

  FIG. 18 is a view showing the fixing means 127, and FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view showing the fixing means 127. The robot hand 120 further includes a fixing unit 127 that fixes the wafer 21 supported by the substrate support unit 131 to the substrate support unit 131. The fixing unit 127 fixes the wafer 21 supported by the substrate support 131 to the substrate support 131 in conjunction with the movement of the substrate support 131 to a position close to the hand base end 30. The fixing means 127 releases the fixing of the wafer 21 supported by the substrate support 131 to the substrate support 131 in conjunction with the movement of the substrate support 131 to the setting position that is separated from the hand base end portion 130.

  In the present embodiment, the fixing means 127 contacts the peripheral surface of the wafer 21 and displaces the wafer 21 in the other expansion / contraction direction 19B, a support portion 161 that supports the contact portion 160, and a substrate support A guide portion 162 that is fixed to the base portion 135 of the portion 131 and rotatably guides the support portion 161; a protrusion portion 163 that is fixed to the hand base end portion 130; and a torsion spring 164 that is a spring force generating means. Composed.

  The support portion 161 is provided so as to be angularly displaceable about an angular displacement axis L <b> 6 that is perpendicular to the stretching direction 19 and horizontal with respect to the substrate support portion 131, and is guided by the guide portion 62. For example, the guide part 62 is realized by a bearing in which an outer ring is fixed to the substrate support part 131 and an inner ring is fixed to the support part 161. Further, the torsion spring 164 fixed to the substrate support 131 is engaged with the support 161. The torsion spring 164 gives a restoring force against the force that causes the angular displacement about the angular displacement axis L6 to the support portion 161.

  The support portion 161 is formed with a contact portion 166 for coming into contact with the protruding portion 163. When the support part 161 moves to the other expansion / contraction direction 19B together with the substrate support part 131, and the substrate support part 131 reaches the set position, the contact portion 166 abuts on the projection part 163 and further moves to the other extension direction 19B. Stop movement. As a result, the contact portion 160 supported by the support portion 161 is angularly displaced about the angular displacement axis L <b> 6, and retracts in the one extension direction 19 </ b> A from the contact portion 67 of the mounting portion 37.

  Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 19A, when the substrate 21 is supported by the substrate support 131, the substrate support 131 is moved in the other direction 19B from the set position with respect to the hand base end 130. As a result, the abutting portion 160 of the fixing means 127 can be retracted in the one extending and contracting direction 19 </ b> A, and the wafer 21 can be mounted on and supported by each mounting portion 37.

  In this state, as shown in FIG. 19 (2), by moving the substrate support portion 131 in one of the expansion / contraction directions 19A, the contact portion 160 of the fixing means 127 is moved with respect to the substrate support portion 31 in the other expansion / contraction direction 19B. The peripheral edge portion of the wafer 21 can be held between the contact portion 160 of the fixing means 127 and the contact portion 67 of the mounting portion 37.

  In the state where the wafer 21 is fixed to the substrate support 131, the substrate support 131 is moved from the set position to the other extension direction 19B with respect to the hand base end 130 as shown in FIG. As a result, the abutting portion 160 of the fixing means 127 can be retracted in the one extension direction 19 </ b> A with respect to the substrate support portion 131, and the holding of the wafer 21 by the abutting portion 160 can be released. The wafer 21 can be placed at a predetermined position.

  Even in the third embodiment as described above, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. That is, interference with other devices can be prevented and a large substrate transfer area can be obtained. In the third embodiment, since the hand driving unit 132 is realized by a servo motor, the amount of movement of the substrate support part 131 relative to the hand base end part 130 can be accurately controlled. Accordingly, it is not necessary to separately provide a sensor for grasping the movement amount of the substrate support part 131.

  In addition, it is easy to adjust the speed and amount of movement of the substrate support part 131 relative to the hand base end part 130. For example, the substrate support part 131 can be transported in a state of being aligned with an arbitrary position in the expansion / contraction direction 19, and convenience can be improved. Further, the movement speed of the substrate support 131 may be increased when the fixing means 127 is fixed, and the movement speed of the substrate support 131 may be decreased when the fixing means 127 is open. Thus, the wafer 21 can be prevented from shifting when the fixing means 127 is in the open state. Further, by using the fixing means 127 of the present embodiment, the size can be reduced as compared with the fixing means 127 of the first embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, the substrate support portion 131 is configured to include the first support portion 100 and the second support portion 101. However, as in the first embodiment, the substrate support portion 131 is formed in a substantially V shape. The wafer 21 may be supported by the blade 36. In the present embodiment, the fixing means 127 is provided on each of the support portions 100 and 101. However, the number of the fixing means 127 may be one.

  In addition, although the servo motor 110 is mounted on the hand base end portion 130, power for moving the substrate support portion 131 in the expansion / contraction direction 19 may be applied from the robot body 22. In this case, for example, the servo motor 110 may be disposed in the base 50 and the power for rotating the belt 111 may be transmitted by gear transmission. By arranging the servo motor 110 on the base 50 in this way, the robot hand 120 can be further miniaturized.

  20 is a simplified front view showing a robot hand 220 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 20 (1) shows the robot hand 220 in the extended state, and FIG. The robot hand 220 in the state is shown, and FIG. 20 (3) shows the robot hand 220 in the mapping operation state. In the present embodiment, a configuration similar to that of the above-described third embodiment is shown, and the description of the corresponding configuration is omitted and the same reference numerals are given.

  The robot hand 220 is formed such that the distal end portions of the first support portion 100 and the second support portion 101 are movable with respect to the hand base end portion 130. In a state where the support portions 100 and 101 are displaced, the distal end portion 200 that is the end portion on the other side 19B side of the hand base end portion 130 is exposed. A mapping sensor 201 for detecting the presence / absence of the wafer 21 is provided at the distal end portion 200 of the hand proximal end portion 130. The mapping sensor 201 is disposed below the first support portion 100 and the second support portion 101 when the robot hand 220 is in the extended state as shown in FIG. Also, as shown in FIG. 20 (2), each substrate support portion 100, 101 is displaced in one of the expansion / contraction directions 19A, and is arranged below the support portions 100, 101 even in a contracted state where the rotation radius of the robot is minimized. Is done. Then, as shown in FIG. 20 (3), when the support portions 100 and 101 are further displaced in the expansion / contraction direction 19A from the contracted state, the mapping sensor 201 is exposed to the outside and can be mapped.

  FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing the mapping sensor 201. In the present embodiment, the mapping sensor 201 includes a mapping sensor 201 </ b> A that detects the presence / absence of the wafer 21 in the expansion / contraction direction 19.

  The mapping sensor 201A includes a light projecting unit 210 that projects parallel light, a light projecting unit support unit 211 that supports the light projecting unit 210, a light receiving unit 212 that receives the light projected from the light projecting unit 210, and And a light receiving portion support portion 213 that supports the light receiving portion 212. The light projecting unit 210 projects parallel light in the first intersecting direction 10 which is perpendicular to the expansion / contraction direction 19 and horizontal. In addition, the light receiving unit 212 is disposed to face the light projecting unit 210 with respect to the intersecting direction 10. The light projecting portion support portion 211 and the light receiving portion support portion 213 protrude from the side surface of the hand base end portion 130 in the expansion / contraction direction 19 and are disposed below the support portions 100 and 101 in the expansion / contraction state. When the wafer 21 is disposed between the light projecting unit 210 and the light receiving unit 212, the light projected from the light projecting unit 210 is blocked by the wafer 21. Thus, the light receiving unit 212 does not receive the light projected from the light projecting unit 210.

  The light receiving unit 212 gives information indicating the amount of received light to the controller. Thus, the controller can grasp the presence / absence of the wafer 21 and the like. In the fourth embodiment, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained. Further, since the mapping sensor 201 is provided in the robot hand 220, it is not necessary to provide a driving means for driving the mapping sensor separately. In addition, since the mapping sensor 201 provided in the robot hand 220 is normally covered with the support portions 100 and 101, it can be prevented from being corroded or contaminated, and durability can be improved. Further, when changing the direction of the robot, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained by adopting the degenerated state shown in FIG.

  In the degenerated state, the mapping sensor 201 may be exposed to the outside. In this case, the minimum turning radius of the robot is increased by the amount of projection of the mapping sensor 201. However, since the amount of projection of the mapping sensor 201 is originally small, there is little problem of interference with the robot device.

  The above-described embodiment is merely an example of the present invention, and the configuration can be changed within the scope of the invention. For example, in this embodiment, an air cylinder or a servo motor is used as the hand drive means, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the substrate support portion 31 may be displaced and moved using another drive source. Further, although the substrate supported by the robot hand is a disc-shaped semiconductor wafer, the same effect can be obtained even if it is a substrate other than the semiconductor wafer 21 such as a glass substrate. Further, the substrate support portions 31 and 131 may be other than the edge clip type. For example, the same effect can be obtained even in an edge hold hand type that supports a substrate by contacting only a plurality of peripheral surface portions of the substrate or a vacuum hand type that supports a substrate by vacuum suction. That is, the robot hand only needs to be extendable and retractable, and the shape and support form of the substrate support 31 are not limited. In the present embodiment, the angular displacement axes L1, L3, and L4 extend vertically and the movement axis L2 extends horizontally. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the wafer 21 can be supported by a robot hand. Each angular displacement axis L1, L3, L4 and movement axis L2 may extend in other directions.

It is a front view which shows the robot hand 20 which is 1st Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the robot hand 20 as viewed from the arrows A2-A2 in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the robot hand 20 as viewed from arrows A3-A3 in FIG. 2. It is a front view which shows the state which the board | substrate support part 31 moved to the expansion-contraction direction one side 19A. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the robot hand 20 as viewed from the arrows A5-A5 in FIG. 4. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the robot hand 20 for explaining the fixing means 27. FIG. It is a front view which shows the board | substrate conveyance robot 18 with which the robot hand 20 is mounted | worn. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a substrate transfer robot 18. FIG. 6 is a front view for explaining a maximum transfer position of a wafer 21 of the substrate transfer robot 18. FIG. It is a front view for demonstrating the minimum rotation radius of a board | substrate conveyance robot. 4 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the robot controller 17 when moving a wafer 21 from a transfer source position to a transfer destination position. It is sectional drawing which shows a part of robot hand 320 which is 2nd Embodiment of this invention. 3 is a plan view showing a part of a robot hand 320 by cutting. It is a front view which shows the robot hand 120 which is 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the robot hand 120 of FIG. It is a front view which shows the robot hand 120 of a degenerated state. It is a side view which shows the robot hand 120 of FIG. It is a figure which shows the fixing means 127. FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the fixing means 127. FIG. It is a front view which simplifies and shows the robot hand 220 which is 4th Embodiment of this invention.

It is a perspective view which shows the mapping sensor 201. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 Robot hand 21 Semiconductor wafer 22 Robot main body 27 Fixing means 30 Hand base end part 31 Substrate support part 32 Hand drive means

Claims (6)

A hand base end mounted on the tip of the robot arm of the articulated robot;
A substrate support portion formed so as to be capable of supporting the substrate, and provided to be displaceable with respect to the hand base end portion in a state of supporting the substrate;
A robot hand comprising: a hand driving means for driving the substrate support portion to move relative to the hand base end portion. A fixing unit that is driven by the hand driving unit and fixes the substrate supported by the substrate supporting unit to the substrate supporting unit;
The fixing means releases the fixation of the substrate supported by the substrate support portion with respect to the substrate support portion in conjunction with the movement of the substrate support portion to the predetermined setting position,
2. The robot hand according to claim 1, wherein the substrate supported by the substrate support portion is fixed to the substrate support portion in conjunction with the substrate support portion approaching the hand base end portion from the set position.   The robot hand according to claim 1, wherein the hand driving means is realized by a pneumatic actuator.   The robot hand according to claim 1, wherein the hand driving means is realized by a servo motor. The robot hand according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A horizontal articulated robot, and a robot body in which a robot hand is detachably attached to the tip of a robot arm;
A substrate transfer robot comprising a robot hand and a control means for controlling the robot body.   6. The substrate transfer robot according to claim 5, wherein the movable rotation radius of the robot is minimized by the displacement of the substrate support portion toward the hand base end portion.

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