JP2010165998A - Grasping device, conveyer, transfer device and conveying method for disk-like object - Google Patents
Grasping device, conveyer, transfer device and conveying method for disk-like object Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- JP2010165998A JP2010165998A JP2009009184A JP2009009184A JP2010165998A JP 2010165998 A JP2010165998 A JP 2010165998A JP 2009009184 A JP2009009184 A JP 2009009184A JP 2009009184 A JP2009009184 A JP 2009009184A JP 2010165998 A JP2010165998 A JP 2010165998A
- Authority
- JP
- Japan
- Prior art keywords
- disk
- shaped object
- container
- end effector
- wafer
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
Landscapes
- Container, Conveyance, Adherence, Positioning, Of Wafer (AREA)
Abstract
Description
本発明は、電子産業分野で用いられる円盤状物の把持装置並びに搬送機、移載装置、及び、円盤状物の搬送方法に関する。更に詳しくは、半導体ウエハ、液晶ディスプレー、有機EL,光ディスク、ハードディスクなどの基板である円盤状物を、把持し搬送するロボットのアーム端部である円盤状物把持装置並びにロボット搬送機、並びに前記ロボットを有する移載装置及び搬送方法に関する。 The present invention relates to a disc-shaped gripping device, a transporter, a transfer device, and a disc-shaped transporting method used in the field of the electronics industry. More specifically, a disk-shaped object gripping device, which is an arm end of a robot that grips and transports a disk-shaped object such as a semiconductor wafer, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL, an optical disk, and a hard disk, a robot transporter, and the robot The present invention relates to a transfer apparatus and a transport method having the above.
集積回路は、一般に半導体材料であるシリコンやガリウム砒素金属間化合物なからなるウエハ(以下ウエハと呼ぶ)という円盤状物から製造される。塵埃を極端に嫌う半導体産業分野では、ウエハは通常25枚を清浄箱であるコンテナに収納して各種処理装置間を搬送される。現在、ウエハは、直径300mmが最も大きく、FOUP(Front Opening Unified Pod、図3の図番18)、或いはFOSB(Front Opening Shipping Box、図2)と呼ばれるコンテナ内に25段の棚段に水平に収納されて利用され、この棚段の間隔は、Semi規格により10mmと定められている。
また、このFOUP18は、例えば図3に示すように、FOUP18の蓋がロードポート27によって開らかれ、水平状態に収納されているウエハは、クリーンブース21内に据え付けられた従来のスカラ型ロボット搬送機26により、処理装置25に送り込まれ、処理終了後、再び元のFOUP18に戻される、等に使用されている。
An integrated circuit is generally manufactured from a disk-shaped material called a wafer (hereinafter referred to as a wafer) made of silicon or gallium arsenide intermetallic compound, which is a semiconductor material. In the semiconductor industry where dust is extremely hated, usually 25 wafers are stored in a container, which is a clean box, and are transferred between various processing apparatuses. Currently, the wafer has the largest diameter of 300 mm, and is horizontally placed on 25 shelves in a container called FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod, FIG. 3 in FIG. 3) or FOSB (Front Opening Shipping Box, FIG. 2). The space between the shelves is set to 10 mm according to the Semi standard.
Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the FOUP 18 has a lid for the FOUP 18 opened by a load port 27, and a wafer stored in a horizontal state is transferred to a conventional SCARA robot mounted in a clean booth 21. It is sent to the processing device 25 by the machine 26 and used for returning to the original FOUP 18 after the processing is completed.
近年、集積回路の生産性を上げるためにウエハ直径を450mmに拡大することが提案されている。しかし、直径が大きくなることで水平にするとウエハに撓みが生じ、コンテナ内に把持装置のエンドエフェクタを挿入する際、上下のウエハに接触しないように注意を要する。そのため直径300mmウエハの場合より棚段間隔を広げなければならなくなり、コンテナは、サイズが大きくなり、さらに強度を上げるために肉厚となったり、補強材を組み込んで、重量も増加して輸送効率が落ちる、など数々の問題点が指摘されている。 In recent years, it has been proposed to increase the wafer diameter to 450 mm in order to increase the productivity of integrated circuits. However, when the wafer is bent horizontally due to the increased diameter, care must be taken not to contact the upper and lower wafers when inserting the end effector of the gripping device into the container. For this reason, it is necessary to increase the space between shelves as compared to the case of a wafer with a diameter of 300 mm, and the container becomes larger in size, becomes thicker to increase the strength, and incorporates a reinforcing material to increase the weight and increase the transportation efficiency. Many problems have been pointed out, such as falling.
そこで、前述の撓みを生じさせないために、円盤状ウエハを縦置きにして収納するコンテナが考えられている。従来、ウエハ縦置き型のカセットが、複数枚のウエハを複数の溝に嵌め込み、まとめて洗浄液など液体に浸漬する工程等に使用されている。このカセットは、クリーンルーム或いはクリーンブース内で使用するため、蓋がないとか、コンテナに収納されていない形状となっている。 Therefore, in order to prevent the above-described bending, a container for storing a disk-shaped wafer in a vertical position is considered. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a wafer vertical type cassette has been used in a process of inserting a plurality of wafers into a plurality of grooves and immersing them in a liquid such as a cleaning solution. Since this cassette is used in a clean room or clean booth, it does not have a lid or is not stored in a container.
塵埃の多い大気中でウエハを搬送する際、必ず清浄なコンテナに収納しなければならないが、前述のウエハ縦置き型コンテナとする際、コンテナの蓋を上面にするか、側面即ち前面とするか、議論されてきた。図4に、ウエハ縦置き型前面開閉式コンテナ10を示す。このコンテナは本体[図4(a)]内部の下部にV字型の溝12を複数前後方向と奥の壁面に縦方向に複数V字型溝11を設け、ここに複数のウエハ8[図4(b)]を収納し、蓋[図4(c)]を閉じると同時に図4(d)の様にウエハ8をコンテナ内に固定するものである。本発明では、落下する塵埃が入りにくい図4の縦置き型前面開閉式コンテナ10に限定し、このコンテナにウエハを搬入、搬出する際のロボットの新規なアーム作用端としてのウエハ把持装置及びこれを有するロボット搬送機、ウエハ移載装置及びウエハ搬送方法を提供する。 When transporting a wafer in a dusty atmosphere, it must be stored in a clean container, but when using the above-mentioned wafer vertical container, whether the container lid should be on the top or side or front Have been discussed. FIG. 4 shows a wafer vertical placement type front opening / closing container 10. This container is provided with a plurality of V-shaped grooves 12 at the lower part inside the main body [FIG. 4 (a)] and a plurality of V-shaped grooves 11 in the longitudinal direction on the back and forth walls and the inner wall, and a plurality of wafers 8 [FIG. 4 (b)] is stored, and the lid [FIG. 4 (c)] is closed, and at the same time, the wafer 8 is fixed in the container as shown in FIG. 4 (d). The present invention is limited to the vertically placed front opening / closing type container 10 shown in FIG. 4 in which falling dust is difficult to enter, and a wafer gripping device as a new arm working end of a robot when a wafer is loaded into and unloaded from this container, and the same A robot transfer machine, a wafer transfer device, and a wafer transfer method are provided.
従来、ロボットアーム端部に取り付けられたウエハ把持装置は、コンテナ内又は処理装置内に水平に置かれたウエハを取り上げ搬送するため、水平状態で使用されている。また、ウエハをウエハ把持装置に固定する方法として、裏面吸着法とエッジグリップ法とがある。後者には下記文献1のような例があり、図1(a)平面図に示す様に水平状のエンドエフェクタ40の先端および基端に設けたパッドの上にウエハの周縁を乗せ、基端側から可動パッドでウエハを押し付け把持するものである。 図1(c)のように、コンテナの任意の棚段にあるウエハを搬出するために、エンドエフェクタを目的ウエハとその下のウエハとの間隙に差し込み、次いで、図1(b)に示すように微小高さ持ち揚げて目的ウエハをウエハ把持装置上に載置し、可動パッドを前進させてウエハを押して先端パッドに押し付けて固定している状態を示している。その後、ウエハ把持装置をコンテナから抜き出し、ウエハを目的場所に搬送する。 Conventionally, a wafer gripping device attached to an end portion of a robot arm is used in a horizontal state in order to pick up and carry a wafer placed horizontally in a container or a processing apparatus. As a method for fixing the wafer to the wafer gripping device, there are a back surface adsorption method and an edge grip method. Examples of the latter include the following document 1, and as shown in the plan view of FIG. 1 (a), the peripheral edge of the wafer is placed on the pads provided at the distal end and the proximal end of the horizontal end effector 40, and the proximal end. The wafer is pressed and held by a movable pad from the side. As shown in FIG. 1C, in order to unload a wafer on an arbitrary shelf of the container, the end effector is inserted into the gap between the target wafer and the wafer below it, and then as shown in FIG. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the target wafer is placed on the wafer gripping apparatus after being lifted by a very small height, the movable pad is advanced, the wafer is pressed and pressed against the tip pad. Thereafter, the wafer gripping device is extracted from the container, and the wafer is transferred to a destination.
ところで、ウエハ縦置き型前面開閉式コンテナにウエハを搬入搬出する際は、例えば下記文献1にみられる図1(a)に示すようなエンドエフェクタ3の面を、90度回転させて垂直にして使用することが考えられる。この際、ウエハをしっかり把持するための各パッドには、V字状溝を設け、可動パッドで押圧する。 By the way, when loading / unloading a wafer into / from a vertically mounted wafer front open / close container, for example, the surface of the end effector 3 as shown in FIG. It is possible to use it. At this time, each pad for firmly holding the wafer is provided with a V-shaped groove and pressed with a movable pad.
また、下記文献2には、プロセスチャンバなどの装置の設置面積の増加を最小限に抑えるために、ウエハを縦に把持して搬送する装置が提案されているが、前面開閉型のコンテナに収納するための把持装置ではない。ここでは、コンテナについては、ウエハを把持したまま把持装置を回転させて水平にしてから横置カセット(FOUP)に収納する方法が例示されている。 Further, the following document 2 proposes an apparatus for vertically holding and transferring a wafer in order to minimize an increase in the installation area of an apparatus such as a process chamber, but it is housed in a front opening / closing type container. It is not a gripping device. Here, as for the container, a method of rotating the gripping device while holding the wafer to make it horizontal and then storing it in a horizontal cassette (FOUP) is illustrated.
しかし、図1のような従来のウエハ把持装置は、ウエハを固定するためにV字状溝を有する固定爪(固定パッド)及び可動爪(可動パッド)をエンドエフェクタのフレーム面に設けている。直径450mmの重いウエハに対しては、従来の直径300mmウエハに比べ、図1(c)に示すようにエンドエフェクタ3の厚みは剛性を高めるために5〜8mm厚くする必要があり、さらにパッドの厚み4〜6mmと厚くなっており、これらを足し合わせると9〜14mmとなる。多少のウエハ撓み、V字溝間隔の精度、ロボット搬送位置決め精度を考慮すると、隣接ウエハに接触しないようにエンドエフェクタを挿入する場合、ウエハピッチは、12mm(コンテナ内ウエハ間隙約11mm)から19mm(コンテナ内ウエハ間隙約18mm)とする必要がある。即ち、文献1や文献2に代表されるエンドエフェクタを縦にして使用する場合には、直径450mmウエハを縦置き型コンテナにしても、従来の直径300mmウエハと同じ25枚を収容するためには、大幅に大型化と高い強度がコンテナに必要となり、重量も増加することになる。
更に、V字型溝を具備したパッドを横型把持装置でウエハを台の上に載置する場合、少し高い位置で把持を開放するとウエハを落下させてしまうし、また、把持したまま少し台を行き過ぎて停止をするとウエハにダメージを与えてしまうので、極めて正確に台に接触するように降ろさなければならない。
However, the conventional wafer gripping apparatus as shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a fixed claw (fixed pad) having a V-shaped groove and a movable claw (movable pad) on the frame surface of the end effector in order to fix the wafer. For a heavy wafer having a diameter of 450 mm, the thickness of the end effector 3 needs to be increased by 5 to 8 mm in order to increase the rigidity as shown in FIG. The thickness is 4 to 6 mm, and when these are added together, the thickness is 9 to 14 mm. Considering some wafer deflection, V-groove spacing accuracy, and robot transfer positioning accuracy, when inserting the end effector so as not to contact the adjacent wafer, the wafer pitch ranges from 12 mm (about 11 mm wafer gap in the container) to 19 mm (container The inner wafer gap needs to be about 18 mm). In other words, when the end effector represented by Document 1 or Document 2 is used in a vertical position, even if a 450 mm diameter wafer is used as a vertical container, the same 25 sheets as a conventional 300 mm diameter wafer can be accommodated. Larger size and higher strength are required for the container, and the weight will increase.
In addition, when a pad having a V-shaped groove is placed on a table with a horizontal gripping device, if the grip is released at a slightly high position, the wafer will drop, and the table will be held slightly while being gripped. Stopping too much will damage the wafer, so it must be lowered so that it touches the table very accurately.
本発明では、円盤状物縦置き型前面開閉式コンテナに前記円盤状物を搬入搬出するためのロボット搬送機用円盤状物把持装置において、前記コンテナ内の前記円盤状物の周縁の上側に配置され、先端が厚み方向、且つ、前記円盤状物の奥側の周縁に沿う方向に曲がった細長板状の1つのエンドエフェクタと、前記エンドエフェクタ先端の曲がり側の厚み部に固定され前記円盤状物の周縁部を把持する少なくとも1つの奥側パッドと、前記少なくとも1つの接触点を有する奥側パッドが前記円盤状物周縁に接触する位置と前記円盤状物の中心とを通る直線の下側にあって、前記円盤状物周縁に接触して前記円盤状物の周縁部を把持する少なくとも1つの接触点を有する下部手前側パッドと、前記直線の上側にあって、前記円盤状物周縁に接触して前記円盤状物の周縁部を把持する少なくとも1つの接触点を有する他の上部手前側パッドと、を有し、前記各パッドは、前記円盤状物周縁と接触する部分に凹部を有し、前記各パッドの少なくとも1つが動作して前記円盤状物を周縁部で把持することを特徴とする、円盤状物把持装置を提供する。 In the present invention, in the disk-shaped object gripping device for a robot transporter for loading and unloading the disk-shaped object into and out of the disk-shaped object vertically placed front opening / closing container, the disk-shaped object is disposed above the periphery of the disk-shaped object in the container. A disc-shaped end effector that is fixed to the end portion of the end effector that is bent in the thickness direction and in the direction along the periphery of the back side of the disc-like object, and the thickness portion on the bent side of the end effector tip. A lower side of a straight line passing through at least one back pad for gripping the peripheral edge of the object, a position where the back pad having the at least one contact point contacts the peripheral edge of the disk and the center of the disk A lower near-side pad having at least one contact point that contacts the periphery of the disk-shaped object and grips the periphery of the disk-shaped object; Touch Another upper near side pad having at least one contact point for gripping the peripheral edge of the disk-shaped object, each pad having a recess in a portion contacting the peripheral edge of the disk-shaped object, There is provided a disk-shaped object gripping device characterized in that at least one of the pads operates to grip the disk-shaped object at a peripheral portion.
縦型に把持中、ウエハなどの円盤状物を落下しないようにするためには、奥側パッドと下部手前側パッドの周縁との接触点を結ぶ線が、円盤状物の中心より下にあることが必須条件である。即ち、奥側パッド接触位置と円盤中心とを結ぶ線と、下部手前側パッド接触位置と円盤中心とを結ぶ線とが、180度を超えることが必要であるが240度もあれば充分で、好ましくは200度〜230度である。 In order to prevent a disk-shaped object such as a wafer from falling while being held vertically, the line connecting the contact points between the back pad and the peripheral edge of the lower front pad is below the center of the disk-shaped object. It is a necessary condition. That is, the line connecting the back pad contact position and the disk center and the line connecting the lower front pad contact position and the disk center need to exceed 180 degrees, but 240 degrees is sufficient. Preferably, it is 200 to 230 degrees.
本発明では、コンテナの開閉面に向かって前後方向をY方向、左右方向をX方向、上下方向をZ方向と呼ぶ。本発明の円盤状物把持装置は、把持装置及び/またはエンドエフェクタをY軸中心に回転(以下θ回転)させる機構や、エンドエフェクタや可動パッドのY方向往復運動機構や、エンドエファクタがリスト部に対して上下回転、即ちX軸中心に回転(φ回転)する機構、円盤状物把持装置全体がロボットアームに対してX軸中心回転(φ回転)機構のいずれかまたは2以上の機構を有してもよい。 In the present invention, the front-rear direction toward the opening / closing surface of the container is referred to as the Y direction, the left-right direction as the X direction, and the up-down direction as the Z direction. The disk-shaped object gripping device of the present invention has a mechanism for rotating the gripping device and / or the end effector around the Y axis (hereinafter referred to as θ rotation), a Y-direction reciprocating mechanism of the end effector or movable pad, and an end factor. Rotate up and down with respect to the part, that is, a mechanism that rotates about the X axis (φ rotation), an entire disc-shaped object gripping device has an X axis center rotation (φ rotation) mechanism with respect to the robot arm, or two or more mechanisms You may have.
本発明の円盤状物把持装置に備える1つの奥側パッド、2つの手前側パッドの少なくとも1つは、それらパッドを固定した取り付け具を可動として円盤状物を把持固定する。3つのうち、奥部パッドはエンドエフェクタ先端の円盤状物側に固定して設け、手前側パッド2つを可動とすることが好ましい。 At least one of one back-side pad and two near-side pads provided in the disc-shaped object gripping device of the present invention grips and fixes the disk-shaped object by moving an attachment that fixes the pads. Of the three, it is preferable that the back pad is fixedly provided on the disc-shaped object side of the end effector tip, and the two front pads are movable.
ここで本発明の円盤状物把持装置を備えるロボット搬送機は、前記円盤状物把持装置をX、Y、Zの各方向に移動させることができるものである。また、前記ロボット搬送機には、縦置き型コンテナから、搬出先ではウエハを水平に載置するために、リスト部に回転自在、且つ、制御可能な軸を設けてもよい。 Here, the robot transport machine provided with the disk-shaped object gripping device of the present invention can move the disk-shaped object gripping device in each of the X, Y, and Z directions. The robot transporter may be provided with a rotatable and controllable shaft on the wrist unit in order to place the wafer horizontally from the vertical container at the carry-out destination.
前記エンドエフェクタの厚みは、2〜5mmが好ましく、幅は厚みの2倍以上、即ち、4〜25mm程度が好ましい。エンドエフェクタの幅は、勿論、縦に置かれたウエハの頂点とコンテナ天井との間隙により規定されるが、少なくとも4〜15mmを要する。この際、重い450mmウエハを縦に把持して横揺れを起こさないために、炭素繊維強化プラスチックスやセラミックスなど高弾性率材料が好ましい。セラミックスとしては、アルミナ、窒化ケイ素、炭化ケイ素、ジルコニアなどの焼結体を用いる。 The thickness of the end effector is preferably 2 to 5 mm, and the width is preferably at least twice the thickness, that is, about 4 to 25 mm. The width of the end effector is of course defined by the gap between the apex of the wafer placed vertically and the container ceiling, but requires at least 4 to 15 mm. At this time, a high elastic modulus material such as carbon fiber reinforced plastics or ceramics is preferable in order to hold a heavy 450 mm wafer vertically and not cause rolling. As the ceramic, a sintered body of alumina, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, zirconia or the like is used.
前記パッドの厚み側面には、450mmウエハの周縁を収納把持するために深さ2mm以上のV字状またはU字状の溝を設ける。そためパッドの厚みは3〜7mmが好ましい。パッドの材質としては、高度が高く研磨粗面であるシリコンウエハの周縁と接触するため、シリコンより柔らかく、且つ、摩耗し難い架橋ポリウレタン、耐摩耗性ポリエステルや、ポリエーテルエーテルケトン(PEEK)、ポリオキシメチレン(POM)、ポリエーテルスルホン(PES)、ポリフェニレンオキサイド(PPO)等のエンジニアリングプラスチックスが好ましい。パッドの形状については、ウエハが接触する側面は接触面積が小さくなるように円形状が好ましく、且つ、溝を設けるほかは、他の面は円形、半円形、楕円形、半楕円形などでよい。前記他の面が円形で、その中心に設けた軸がエンドエフェクタや手前パッドの取付け具に固定されている。 A V-shaped or U-shaped groove having a depth of 2 mm or more is provided on the thickness side surface of the pad in order to accommodate and hold the periphery of the 450 mm wafer. Therefore, the thickness of the pad is preferably 3 to 7 mm. As the material of the pad, since it is in contact with the peripheral edge of the silicon wafer, which is high in level and polished, it is softer than silicon and hard to be worn, such as crosslinked polyurethane, abrasion resistant polyester, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), poly Engineering plastics such as oxymethylene (POM), polyethersulfone (PES) and polyphenylene oxide (PPO) are preferred. As for the shape of the pad, the side surface contacting the wafer is preferably circular so that the contact area is small, and other surfaces may be circular, semicircular, elliptical, semielliptical, etc., except for providing grooves. . The other surface is circular, and a shaft provided at the center thereof is fixed to an end effector or a front pad attachment.
本発明では、1つの円盤状物把持装置に複数、例えば5個から25個のエンドエフェクタが備えられている円盤状物把持装置をも含む。その際、下部手前側パッド又はそのパッド取り付け具が、エンドエフェクタ毎に設けられても、或いは連通されて備えられ、上部手前側バッド又はその取り付け具が、エンドエフェクタ毎に或いは連通されて備えられていてもよい。 The present invention also includes a disk-shaped object gripping device in which a plurality of, for example, 5 to 25 end effectors are provided in one disk-shaped object gripping device. At this time, the lower front side pad or its pad attachment is provided for each end effector or is provided in communication, and the upper front side pad or its attachment is provided for each end effector or in communication. It may be.
次に、本発明の円盤状物把持装置を用いて、ウエハを1枚ずつコンテナに搬入搬出する方法について述べる。まず、第1の搬送方法として、前面の扉が開放され複数の円盤状物を縦置き式に収納できるコンテナに、及び/又は、コンテナから、円盤状物を搬入搬出するに際し、搬入に当たっては、請求項1または2に記載の円盤状物把持装置の奥側パッドと、手前側パッドと、他の手前側パッドとでほぼ縦状に把持した前記円盤状物を、前記コンテナ内を奥壁近傍までY移動させ、前記円盤状物の周縁を前記コンテナ底部及びに奥部に予め設けられた溝に嵌合するように下方にZ移動させてこれを載置し、前記各パッドの少なくとも1つを開放して前記円盤状物の把持を解除し、必要ならばさらに前記円盤状物の周縁部が前記奥側パッドの凹部溝から外れる距離だけ奥側に円盤状物把持装置をY移動させ、前記エンドエフェクタを、隣接する円盤状物の間隙、または、設計上の間隙空間までX移動させ、前記エンドエフェクタを前記間隙を通して前記コンテナ外にY移動させて搬入を終了し、また、搬出に当たっては、前記エンドエフェクタの先端を、前記コンテナの外側から前記コンテナ内の隣接する円盤状物の間隙、または、設計上の間隙空間を通して前記円盤状物の奥側周縁と前記コンテナの奥壁との間までY移動させ、ついで前記奥側パッドが搬送対象円盤状物の周縁近傍に来るまでX移動させ、前記奥側パッドと、手前側パッドと、他の手前側パッドとの少なくとも1つを動作させて前記搬送対象円盤状物を周縁で把持し、前記円盤状物把持装置を前記エンドエフェクタが前記コンテナの天井に当たらない範囲でZ移動させ、次いでこれを手前側にY移動させて円盤状物を搬出することを特徴とする、円盤状物の搬送方法である。 Next, a method for loading and unloading wafers one by one into the container using the disk-shaped object gripping apparatus of the present invention will be described. First, as a first transport method, when loading and unloading a disk-shaped object into and out of a container in which a front door is opened and a plurality of disk-shaped objects can be stored vertically, and / or from the container, The disk-like object grasped substantially vertically by the back side pad, the near side pad, and the other near side pad of the disc-like object gripping device according to claim 1 or 2, and the inside of the container in the vicinity of the back wall At least one of each of the pads is moved to the bottom of the container and moved in the Z direction so as to fit in a groove provided in the bottom of the container and in the back of the container. To release the disc-shaped object, and if necessary, further move the disk-shaped object gripping device to the back side by a distance that the peripheral edge of the disc-shaped object is disengaged from the recessed groove of the back-side pad, The end effector is connected to an adjacent disk-like object. The X is moved to a gap or a designed gap space, the end effector is moved Y through the gap to the outside of the container, and the loading is finished. For unloading, the tip of the end effector is moved to the container. The Y-side movement is performed from the outside to the gap between the adjacent disk-like objects in the container or the design-side gap space to the inner peripheral edge of the disk-like object and the inner wall of the container. Move the X until it reaches the vicinity of the periphery of the object to be transported, and operate at least one of the back side pad, the near side pad, and the other near side pad to grip the object to be transported at the periphery. Then, the disk-shaped object gripping device is moved in the Z range in a range where the end effector does not hit the ceiling of the container, and then moved to the near side to move the disk-shaped object. Characterized in that a method for transporting disc-like object.
また請求項5に記載の複数のエンドエフェクタを、1つの円盤状物把持装置によって、縦置きされた複数の円盤状物を一度に把持し搬送する場合も、上記と同様な方法で搬入搬出することもできる。 In addition, when the plurality of end effectors according to claim 5 are gripped and transported by a single disc-like object gripping device at a time, they are carried in and out in the same manner as described above. You can also.
次に、第2の搬送方法として、前面の扉が開放され複数の円盤状物を縦置き式に収納できるコンテナに、及び/又は、コンテナから、円盤状物を搬入搬出するに際し、搬入に当たっては、請求項3に記載の円盤状物把持装置の奥側パッドと、手前側パッドと、他の手前側パッドとでほぼ縦状態に把持した前記円盤状物を、前記コンテナ内を奥壁近傍までY移動させ、前記円盤状物の周縁を前記コンテナ底部及びに奥部に予め設けられた溝に嵌るように下方にZ移動させて前記円盤状物を載置し、前記各パッドの少なくとも1つを開放して前記円盤状物の把持を解除し、必要ならばさらに前記円盤状物の周縁部が前記奥側パッドの凹部溝から外れる距離だけ奥側にY移動させて円盤状物把持装置を移動させ、エンドエフェクタをθ回転させて水平状態にし、前記エンドエフェクタを、前記載置された円盤状物と前記コンテナの天井の間隙を通して前記コンテナ外にY移動させて搬入を終了し、また、搬出に当たっては、前記コンテナ外でエンドエフェクタをθ回転させて水平状態にした前記エンドエフェクタの先端を、前記円盤状物と前記コンテナの天井の間隙を通して、前記円盤状物の奥側周縁と前記コンテナの奥壁との間までY移動させ、前記エンドエフェクタが搬送対象円盤状物の周縁近傍に沿うように前記エンドエフェクタをθ回転させ、前記奥側パッドと、手前側パッドと、他の手前側パッドとで前記搬送対象円盤状物の周縁を把持し、前記円盤状物把持装置を前記エンドエフェクタが前記コンテナの天井に当たらない範囲でほぼZ移動させ、次いでこれを手前側にY移動させて円盤状物を搬出する、ことを特徴とする円盤状物の搬送方法である。 Next, as a second transport method, when loading and unloading a disk-shaped object into and out of a container in which a front door is opened and a plurality of disk-shaped objects can be stored vertically, and / or from the container, The disc-like object gripped in a substantially vertical state by the back-side pad, the near-side pad, and the other near-side pad of the disc-like object gripping device according to claim 3, the inside of the container to the vicinity of the back wall Y is moved, Z is moved downward so that the peripheral edge of the disk-like object is fitted in a groove provided in the container bottom and in the back, and the disk-like object is placed, and at least one of the pads To release the disc-shaped object, and if necessary, further move the disk-shaped object gripping device to the back side by a distance that the peripheral edge of the disc-shaped object is disengaged from the recessed groove of the back-side pad. Move the end effector by θ The end effector is moved Y out of the container through the gap between the disk-shaped object placed above and the ceiling of the container to finish loading, and when unloading, the end effector is moved outside the container. The tip of the end effector that has been rotated by θ and moved horizontally is moved Y through the gap between the disk-shaped object and the ceiling of the container to the inner periphery of the disk-shaped object and the inner wall of the container, The end effector is rotated by θ so that the end effector is along the vicinity of the periphery of the transport target disk-shaped object, and the periphery of the transport target disk-shaped object is formed by the back side pad, the near side pad, and the other near side pad. And move the disk-like object gripping device approximately Z within a range where the end effector does not hit the ceiling of the container, and then move it to the front side by Y movement. Unloading the disc-like object Te, a method for transporting disc-like object, characterized in that.
次に、第3の搬送方法として、前面の扉が開放され複数の円盤状物を縦置き式に収納できるコンテナに、及び/又は、コンテナから、円盤状物を搬入搬出するに際し、搬入に当たっては、請求項4に記載の円盤状物把持装置の奥側パッドと、手前側パッドと、他の手前側パッドとでほぼ縦状態に把持した前記円盤状物を、前記コンテナ内を奥壁近傍までY移動させ、前記円盤状物の周縁を前記コンテナ底部及びに奥部に予め設けられた溝に嵌合するように下方にZ移動させて前記円盤状物を載置し、前記各パッドの少なくとも1つを開放して前記円盤状物の把持を解除し、必要ならばさらに前記円盤状物の周縁部が前記奥側パッドの凹部溝から外れる距離だけ奥側に円盤状物把持装置をY移動させ、エンドエフェクタを、非接触状態でφ回転させて持ち上げながらリスト部をY方向に後退移動しつつZ方向に下降させて前記円盤状物の上部周縁に沿うよう前記エンドエフェクタ先端の奥側パッドが円盤状物の頂点近傍に来るまで抜き出し、ついでリスト部をY移動させて搬入を終了し、また、搬出に当たっては、前記コンテナ外でエンドエフェクタをφ回転させて持ち上げ、前記エンドエフェクタの曲がり側を搬送対象円盤状物の周縁に沿うように接近させ、前記エンドエフェクタを、非接触状態で下にφ回転させながらリスト部をY方向に前進移動しつつZ方向に上昇させて前記円盤状物の上部周縁に沿うように前記コンテナ奥壁近傍までに挿入し、前記奥側パッドと、手前側パッドと、他の手前側パッドとで前記搬送対象円盤状物の周縁を把持し、前記円盤状物把持装置を前記エンドエフェクタが前記コンテナの天井に当たらない範囲で上方に微小ほぼZ移動させ、次いでこれを手前側にY移動させて円盤状物を搬出する、ことを特徴とする円盤状物の搬送方法である。 Next, as a third transport method, when loading and unloading a disk-shaped object into and out of a container in which a front door is opened and a plurality of disk-shaped objects can be stored vertically, and / or from the container, The disc-like object gripped in a substantially vertical state by the back side pad, the near side pad, and the other near side pad of the disc-like object gripping device according to claim 4, the inside of the container to the vicinity of the back wall Y is moved, Z is moved downward so that the peripheral edge of the disk-shaped object is fitted in a groove provided in the container bottom and in the back, and the disk-shaped object is placed, and at least each of the pads Release one and release the gripping of the disk-shaped object, and if necessary, move the disk-shaped object gripping device to the back side by a distance where the peripheral edge of the disk-shaped object is removed from the recessed groove of the back-side pad. Rotate the end effector in a non-contact state While lifting, let the wrist part move backward in the Y direction, lower in the Z direction, and pull out until the back side pad at the end effector tip is near the top of the disk-like object along the upper peripheral edge of the disk-like object, Then, the wrist part is moved in the Y direction to complete the loading, and when unloading, the end effector is rotated by φ outside the container and lifted so that the bent side of the end effector follows the peripheral edge of the disc-shaped object to be conveyed. The end effector is rotated in the non-contact state and rotated downward φ, while the wrist part is moved forward in the Y direction and raised in the Z direction so as to be along the upper peripheral edge of the disk-like object and in the vicinity of the container rear wall Until the peripheral pad of the transport target disk is gripped by the back pad, the near pad, and another near pad, and the disk gripping device is A disk-shaped object transporting method comprising: moving a disk-shaped object by moving the effector by a slight Z movement upwardly within a range where it does not contact the ceiling of the container, and then moving it Y toward the near side. .
請求項11に使用されるエンドエフェクタの曲がり側は、コンテナの天井と収納されているウエハとの間にウエハの上部周縁に沿って挿入させるため、真の円弧状になっていることが好ましい。 The bent side of the end effector used in the eleventh aspect of the present invention preferably has a true arc shape so as to be inserted along the upper peripheral edge of the wafer between the ceiling of the container and the stored wafer.
請求項11では、エンドエフェクタのみをφ回転させたが、リスト部とロボットアームとの間にX軸方向の関節を設け、本発明の円盤状物把持装置全体をφ回転させることもできる。この際、φ回転するための駆動源はリスト部内、ロボットアーム内に設けても、前記関節の軸に設けてもよい。 In the eleventh aspect, only the end effector is rotated by φ, but a joint in the X-axis direction is provided between the wrist portion and the robot arm, and the entire disc-shaped object gripping device of the present invention can be rotated by φ. At this time, the driving source for rotating φ may be provided in the wrist unit, the robot arm, or the shaft of the joint.
コンテナによっては、搬送時のガタつきを避けるために、前記円盤状物をZ方向(垂直面)に対し若干傾斜(例えば±20度以内ならばほぼZ方向と呼ぶ)に収納されている場合があり、前記エンドエフェクタを前記傾斜に合わせて、傾けて円盤状物を把持し、V字状溝から斜めに移動(ほぼZ移動)させ搬出することもできる。 Depending on the container, there is a case where the disk-like object is stored in a slight inclination with respect to the Z direction (vertical surface) (for example, if it is within ± 20 degrees, it is almost called the Z direction) in order to avoid rattling during transportation. Yes, the end effector can be tilted, the disc-shaped object can be tilted, moved obliquely (substantially Z-moved) from the V-shaped groove, and carried out.
本発明には、前記本発明の円盤状物把持装置を有するロボット搬送機も含む。更に、前述の本発明の縦型把持装置と、従来型の横型把持装置とを1台のロボット搬送機に備えることが好ましい。これは、いわゆるWアーム型ロボット搬送機で、一方のアームに縦型把持装置を、他方のアームに横型把持装置を持つものである。このWアーム型ロボット搬送機では、それぞれの機能を特化させることにより、それぞれの把持装置についてパッドの溝形状、エンドエフェクタの形状と強度など最適の設計をすることができ、故障がなく信頼性の高い円盤状物搬送機を提供することができる。ここでロボット搬送機は、水平多関節型ロボットが好ましいが、垂直多関節型ロボットであってもよい。 The present invention also includes a robot transporter having the disk-shaped object gripping device of the present invention. Furthermore, it is preferable that the above-described vertical gripping device of the present invention and the conventional horizontal gripping device are provided in one robot transporter. This is a so-called W-arm type robot transporter having a vertical gripping device on one arm and a horizontal gripping device on the other arm. In this W-arm type robot transporter, by specializing each function, it is possible to optimally design each gripping device, such as pad groove shape, end effector shape and strength, and there is no failure and reliability A disk-shaped object transporter having a high height can be provided. Here, the robot carrier is preferably a horizontal articulated robot, but may be a vertical articulated robot.
本発明は、前述の円盤状物把持装置を有するロボット搬送機と、円盤状物縦置き型前面開閉式コンテナ用ロードポートとを有する円盤状物移載装置をも含む。更に、本発明は、前述のロボット搬送機と、円盤状物縦置き型前面開閉式コンテナ用ロードポートと、を有することを特徴とする、円盤状物移載装置をも含む。更に詳しくは、前述のロボット搬送機と、円盤状物縦置き型前面開閉式コンテナ用ロードポートと、円盤状物横置き型前面開閉式コンテナ用ロードポートと、少なくとも1つの円盤状物を垂直と水平とに回転させることのできる反転機と、を有することを特徴とする、円盤状物移載装置をも含む。ここで、前述のロボット搬送機を収納する円盤状物移載装置は清浄空気をダウンフローするクリーンブースとすることができる。 The present invention also includes a disk-shaped object transfer device having a robot transporter having the above-described disk-shaped object gripping device and a disk-shaped object vertical placement type front opening / closing container load port. Furthermore, the present invention also includes a disk-shaped object transfer device characterized by having the above-described robot transporter and a disk-shaped object vertically placed front opening / closing container load port. More specifically, the above-mentioned robot transporter, a disk-like object vertically placed front opening / closing container load port, a disk-like object horizontally placing front opening / closing container load port, and at least one disk-like object vertically It also includes a disk-like object transfer device characterized by having a reversing machine that can be rotated horizontally. Here, the disk-shaped article transfer device that accommodates the above-described robot transporter can be a clean booth that downflows clean air.
上記の円盤状物移載装置では、前述のロボット搬送機によって、円盤状物を把持したまま、本発明の円盤状物把持装置と、円盤状物を少なくともウエハ面を90度回転させることができる反転機との間を、相互に直接把持し替えることを特徴とする、円盤状物の搬送方法をも提供する。 In the above disk-shaped object transfer device, the disk-shaped object gripping device of the present invention and the disk-shaped object can be rotated at least 90 degrees with the disk-shaped object while the disk-shaped object is gripped by the above-described robot transfer device. There is also provided a method of transporting a disk-shaped object, characterized in that the reversing machine is directly gripped with each other.
本発明の円盤状物把持装置では、上述の様に、その形状を円盤状物の奥側の周縁に沿う方向に曲がった細長板状エンドエフェクタとし、その曲がっている側の先端の厚み部分に奥側パッドを取り付けたため、従来法の10〜15mmに比べ、コンテナ内に縦に収納されるウエハピッチを、コンテナ内のウエハ間にエンドエフェクタを挿入する場合で6〜8mmときわめて小さくすることができた。さらに、エンドエフェクタに回転機構を設けることにより、コンテナ内のウエハ上部にエンドエフェクタを挿入するため、ウエハ間隔をさらに狭く最小2mm、即ち、ウエハピッチ最小3mmと小さくすることができた。そのためコンテナの幅を小さくすることができ、コンテナ全体の大きさも小さくでき、コンテナ強度も十分維持できる。本発明では、そのため、450mmウエハを25枚収納したコンテナは、その形状を最適に設計することができ、軽くコンパクトとなり、コンテナの輸送においても多数積載することができる。 In the disc-like object gripping device of the present invention, as described above, the shape is an elongated plate-like end effector bent in the direction along the peripheral edge on the back side of the disc-like object, and on the thickness portion of the tip on the bent side. Since the back pad is attached, the wafer pitch stored vertically in the container can be reduced to 6-8 mm when inserting the end effector between the wafers in the container, compared to 10-15 mm of the conventional method. It was. Further, by providing the end effector with a rotation mechanism, the end effector is inserted into the upper portion of the wafer in the container, so that the wafer interval can be further reduced to a minimum of 2 mm, that is, a minimum of 3 mm of the wafer pitch. Therefore, the width of the container can be reduced, the size of the entire container can be reduced, and the container strength can be sufficiently maintained. Therefore, in the present invention, a container accommodating 25 450 mm wafers can be optimally designed in shape, light and compact, and a large number of containers can be loaded during container transportation.
本発明の縦型搬送装置と従来の横型搬送装置とをそれぞれロボット搬送機1台の左右のアームに持たせることにより、縦置き型コンテテナと横置き型コンテナとの間を反転機を介して移載できるため、ウエハなどの円盤状物移載装置をコンパクトな形で製造することができる。 The vertical transfer device of the present invention and the conventional horizontal transfer device are respectively held by the left and right arms of one robot transfer machine, so that the vertical type container and the horizontal type container are moved via the reversing machine. Since it can be mounted, a disk-shaped object transfer device such as a wafer can be manufactured in a compact form.
更に、本発明の縦型把持装置と従来型の横置き型把持装置とを1台のロボット搬送機に備えることによって、それぞれを縦型把持と横型把持とに特化させることにより信頼性と生産性を上げることができたのである。即ち、図1(c)に示すようなV字型溝を施したパッドを有する横型把持装置では、前述のようにウエハを水平な台の上に載置する場合、非常に困難であった。この点、横置き専用の把持装置のパッドの溝を、垂直カットと水平カット(ウエハ載置面は、通常10〜20度ウエハ中心に向けて下がるよう傾斜させる)部分とから形成させれば、台に接触するか微小下に行き過ぎるように載置制御すればよいため、安価、且つ、歩留まりよく、高生産性のもとに載置動作をさせることが出来たのである。 Furthermore, by providing the vertical gripping device of the present invention and the conventional horizontal gripping device in one robot transporter, each of them is specialized in vertical gripping and horizontal gripping, thereby improving reliability and production. I was able to improve the sex. That is, in the horizontal gripping apparatus having the pad with the V-shaped groove as shown in FIG. 1C, it is very difficult to place the wafer on the horizontal base as described above. In this respect, if the groove of the pad of the holding device dedicated for horizontal placement is formed from a vertical cut and a horizontal cut (the wafer mounting surface is inclined so as to be lowered toward the wafer center usually 10 to 20 degrees), Since it is only necessary to control the mounting so that it touches the table or goes too far down, the mounting operation can be performed with high productivity and low cost.
図5に、縦置き型前面開閉式コンテナ10内で、本発明の円盤状物把持装置1がウエハ8を把持している状態を示す。ウエハ8は、このコンテナ10内に設けられた下側ウエハ受け12の前後に切られた複数のV溝に嵌って乗っており、同じくV溝が切られた奥側ウエハ立て11の溝に嵌って垂直に保たれている。 FIG. 5 shows a state in which the disc-shaped object gripping apparatus 1 of the present invention grips the wafer 8 in the vertically placed front opening / closing container 10. The wafer 8 is fitted in a plurality of V grooves cut before and after the lower wafer receiver 12 provided in the container 10, and is fitted in the groove of the back wafer stand 11 which is also cut in the V groove. And kept vertical.
リスト部2に取り付けられた板状のエンドエフェクタ3はウエハの周縁に沿って接触しないように湾曲し、その先端の板状エンドエフェクタの厚み側に固定された奥側パッド4がA点でウエハ周縁に接触している。リスト部2には前後可動式の上部手前側パッド5と前後可動式の下部手前側パッド6が備えられ、それぞれC点、B点でウエハ周縁と接触し、ウエハを把持している。ここで、直線ACはウエハ中心Oの上側にあり、直線ABはウエハ中心Oの下側にある。リスト部2には、ウエハ8を縦型コンテナ10から抜き出した後、水平にするための回転軸9を設けている。 The plate-like end effector 3 attached to the wrist portion 2 is curved so as not to contact along the peripheral edge of the wafer, and the back side pad 4 fixed to the thickness side of the plate-like end effector at the tip thereof is a point A wafer. It is in contact with the periphery. The wrist part 2 is provided with a front / rear movable upper front pad 5 and a front / rear movable lower front pad 6 which are in contact with the periphery of the wafer at points C and B, respectively, and hold the wafer. Here, the straight line AC is on the upper side of the wafer center O, and the straight line AB is on the lower side of the wafer center O. The list unit 2 is provided with a rotating shaft 9 for horizontalizing after the wafer 8 is extracted from the vertical container 10.
図6(a)は、本発明の円盤状物把持装置1aの第1の実施例で、曲がっている先端内側の厚み側に奥側パッド4を備えたエンドエフェクタ3がリスト部2に固定され、前後可動式の上部手前側パッド5を備えた取り付け具7と、同じく前後可動式の下部手前側パッド6を備えた取り付け具7とを有するリスト部2とを示している。ここで、2つの取り付け具7は、エアシリンダやスクリュー軸付きモータ、バネなど駆動部を備えており、上部手前側パッド5と下部手前側パッド6を直進運動させてウエハ周縁を押圧してウエハ8を把持する。 FIG. 6A shows a first embodiment of the disc-like object gripping device 1a according to the present invention, in which an end effector 3 having a back side pad 4 on the thickness side inside the bent tip is fixed to the wrist portion 2. The wrist part 2 which has the attachment tool 7 provided with the front and rear movable upper pad 5 and the attachment tool 7 provided with the front and rear movable lower pad 6 is shown. Here, the two attachments 7 are provided with driving units such as an air cylinder, a motor with a screw shaft, and a spring, and the upper front side pad 5 and the lower front side pad 6 are moved linearly to press the wafer periphery to move the wafer. Hold 8
図6(b)は、図6(a)の2つの可動式手前側パッドを1つに纏めた円弧状パッド37と、1つの取り付け部7とをリスト部2に設けた把持装置1bである。図6(c)は、2つの手前側パッドを1つの逆J字状の取り付け具7により支持した把持装置1cであり、2つの手前側パッドは、双方とも或いはそれらの一方に、バネを介してウエハ周縁を押しつけ把持させるとウエハに把持応力や衝撃によるダメージを緩和させることができる。図6の(a)(b)(c)に示す手前側パッドと取り付け具7は、後述のエンドエフェクタ3のリスト部2への取り付け方が異なる把持装置1aから把持装置1hのいずれとも組み合わせてもよい。 FIG. 6B shows a gripping device 1b in which the arc-shaped pad 37 in which the two movable front pads shown in FIG. . FIG. 6 (c) shows a gripping device 1c in which two near side pads are supported by one inverted J-shaped fixture 7, and the two near side pads are both or one of them via a spring. When the wafer periphery is pressed and gripped, damage to the wafer due to gripping stress or impact can be reduced. The front side pad and the attachment 7 shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C are combined with any of the holding devices 1a to 1h which are different in how to attach the end effector 3 which will be described later to the wrist unit 2. Also good.
図7(a)は、実施例図6のエンドエフェクタ3にその先端厚み部に奥側パッド4が固定され、縦置きされた複数のウエハの間隙に、エンドエフェクタ3がウエハと干渉することなく挿入されることを示している。本実施例では、図7(b)に示すように、エンドエフェクタ3と奥側パッド4がともに3mmの厚みで重なっていないため、また、1mm厚さのウエハ間に左右各1mmの余裕(搬送精度)で、ウエハ間に挿入することができる。すなわちウエハピッチを最小6mmとすることができたのである。工業的量産においては、コンテナ10のウエハ受け12のV溝間隔の精度、ロボット搬送精度などの余裕をみて、ウエハ間隙は7〜8mmピッチとすることが好ましい。 FIG. 7 (a) shows the end effector 3 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 with the back side pad 4 fixed to the thick part at the tip, and the end effector 3 does not interfere with the wafer in the gaps between the plurality of vertically placed wafers. Indicates that it will be inserted. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7B, the end effector 3 and the back pad 4 do not overlap each other with a thickness of 3 mm. Can be inserted between wafers with high accuracy. That is, the wafer pitch can be set to a minimum of 6 mm. In industrial mass production, it is preferable that the wafer gap is set to a pitch of 7 to 8 mm in view of margins such as accuracy of the V-groove interval of the wafer receiver 12 of the container 10 and robot transfer accuracy.
図8(a)〜(e)は、実施例図6の把持装置1aで、縦置きされたウエハ8を取りに行く運動を示す動作図である。図8(a)は把持装置1aの動作開始前、図8(b)は複数のウエハ8間隙をエンドエフェクタ3がY方向に進行中を示す。図8(c)は、エンドエフェクタ3の先端を、コンテナ10奥壁(図示せず)とウエハ8の間に停止させ、目的ウエハ8の後ろにX移動(◎印)した後、ロボット搬送機19のアームを微小Y方向(→印)に引き、図8(d)で、ウエハ8に奥側パッド4を接触させ、2つの手前側パッド5,6を押しだすところ、図8(e)は、奥側パッド4と上部手前側パッド5と下部手前側パッド6とでウエハ8を把持したところを示す。その後、把持装置1aを微小Z方向に上げY方向に引いてウエハ8を取り出す(図示せず)。 FIG. 8A to FIG. 8E are operation diagrams showing the movement of picking up the vertically placed wafer 8 by the holding apparatus 1a of FIG. 8A shows a state before the operation of the gripping apparatus 1a is started, and FIG. 8B shows that the end effector 3 is moving in the Y direction through the gaps of the plurality of wafers 8. FIG. 8C shows a state in which the tip of the end effector 3 is stopped between the rear wall (not shown) of the container 10 and the wafer 8, moved to the back of the target wafer 8, and moved to the robot transfer machine. When the arm 19 is pulled in the minute Y direction (→), the back pad 4 is brought into contact with the wafer 8 and the two front pads 5 and 6 are pushed out in FIG. 8D. Shows the wafer 8 held by the back side pad 4, the upper front side pad 5, and the lower front side pad 6. Thereafter, the gripping device 1a is raised in the minute Z direction and pulled in the Y direction to take out the wafer 8 (not shown).
図9は本発明の他の実施例の一部省略図で、リスト部2内に、エンドエフェクタ3の根元のθ回転機構16を設けた把持装置1dである。図10(a)には、エンドエフェクタ3の曲がり方向が垂直の場合と、図10(b)には、90度回転させて水平にした場合とを、垂直においたウエハ8とともに図示している。図9では、θ回転機構16の駆動源としてモータとギヤを図示したが、エアシリンダ、バネ、或いは、これらの組み合わせ部品を用いてもよい。また、図9の上部手前側パッド5を備えた取り付け具7と下部手前側パッド6を備えた取り付け具7とを有するリスト部2とを示しているが、これら2つの取り付け具7は、エアシリンダやスクリュー軸付きモータ、バネなどのいずれかの駆動部を備えており、上部手前側パッド5と下部手前側パッド6を直進運動させてウエハ周縁を押圧してウエハを把持するものである。 FIG. 9 is a partially omitted view of another embodiment of the present invention, and shows a gripping device 1d in which a root θ rotation mechanism 16 of the end effector 3 is provided in the wrist unit 2. 10A shows the case where the bending direction of the end effector 3 is vertical, and FIG. 10B shows the case where the end effector 3 is rotated 90 degrees and made horizontal, together with the wafer 8 placed vertically. . In FIG. 9, the motor and the gear are illustrated as the driving source of the θ rotation mechanism 16, but an air cylinder, a spring, or a combination of these may be used. Moreover, although the wrist part 2 which has the attachment 7 provided with the upper near side pad 5 of FIG. 9 and the attachment 7 provided with the lower near side pad 6 is shown, these two attachments 7 are air. A drive unit such as a cylinder, a motor with a screw shaft, or a spring is provided, and the upper front side pad 5 and the lower front side pad 6 are moved linearly to press the peripheral edge of the wafer to hold the wafer.
図11(a)〜(f)は、図9のθ回転機構16を有する把持装置1dが、縦置きされたウエハ8を取りに行く運動を示す動作図である。図11(a)は把持装置1dの動作開始直後でエンドエフェクタ3は水平に寝かせてある。図11(b)はウエハ8の上部をエンドエフェクタ3がY方向に進行中であるところ、図11(c)はコンテナ10の奥壁(図示せず)とウエハ8の間にエンドエフェクタ3の先端を停止させ、目的ウエハ8の上部でこれをθ回転させ、図11(d)は垂直にした把持装置1dをZ方向に下げてウエハの少し上で停止し、Y方向に微小引いてウエハ8に奥側パッド4を接触させ、図11(e)上部手前側パッド5と下部手前側パッド6をY方向に押し出し、図11(f)ウエハ8を把持する。その後、微小Z方向に把持装置1dを上げてY方向に引いてウエハ8を取り出す(図示せず)。エンドエフェクタ3をウエハ8の隙間を通さないことでウエハ間距離をさらに狭めても挿入でき、次いでθ回転してウエハ把持後はウエハ厚み部とエンドエフェクタ3厚み部とを重ねるため、最小ウエハ間隔を取ることが可能となる。ここでは、3mm厚のエンドエフェクタに3mm厚の奥側パッド4を固定し、これに設けた3mm深さのV字溝にウエハ8を把持すると奥側パッド3の両側に最少1mmの間隙を設けたところ、ウエハ8の振動、ロボットアームの位置決め精度を十分クリアして、ウエハ8をどちらの隣のウエハに接触することもなく搬出することができた。即ち、ウエハ厚みは1mmであるのでウエハ間隔は2mm、ウエハピッチは3mmとなる。 FIGS. 11A to 11F are operation diagrams showing the movement of the gripping apparatus 1d having the θ rotation mechanism 16 of FIG. 9 to take the vertically placed wafer 8. FIG. FIG. 11A shows that the end effector 3 is laid horizontally immediately after the operation of the gripping device 1d is started. 11B, the end effector 3 is moving in the Y direction on the upper part of the wafer 8, and FIG. 11C is a view of the end effector 3 between the back wall (not shown) of the container 10 and the wafer 8. FIG. The front end is stopped, this is rotated by θ on the upper portion of the target wafer 8, and FIG. 11D shows that the vertical gripping device 1 d is lowered in the Z direction and stopped slightly above the wafer, and is slightly pulled in the Y direction to pull the wafer. The back pad 4 is brought into contact with 8, and the upper front pad 5 and the lower front pad 6 in FIG. 11 (e) are pushed out in the Y direction, and the wafer 8 is gripped in FIG. 11 (f). Thereafter, the gripping device 1d is raised in the minute Z direction and pulled in the Y direction to take out the wafer 8 (not shown). The end effector 3 can be inserted even if the distance between the wafers is further narrowed by not passing through the gap between the wafers 8, and then rotated by θ to overlap the wafer thick part and the end effector 3 thick part after gripping the wafer. It becomes possible to take. Here, a 3 mm-thick back side pad 4 is fixed to a 3 mm-thick end effector, and when the wafer 8 is held in a V-shaped groove having a depth of 3 mm, a gap of at least 1 mm is provided on both sides of the back side pad 3. As a result, the vibration of the wafer 8 and the positioning accuracy of the robot arm were sufficiently cleared, and the wafer 8 could be carried out without contacting any adjacent wafer. That is, since the wafer thickness is 1 mm, the wafer interval is 2 mm and the wafer pitch is 3 mm.
図12は、図5のエンドエフェクタ3に進退機構15をその根元のリスト部2内に取り付け、これと上部手前側パッド5、下部手前側パッド6とを合わせて3つの可動パッドでウエハ8を把持する他の実施例で把持装置1eの一部省略図である。進退機構15の駆動源は、モータとギヤの組み合わせ、エアシリンダ、スクリュー軸付きモータ、バネなど公知の部品を用いる。ここでは2つの手前側パッド5,6はそれらの取り付け部7をともに可動として、3点とも可動パッドしたものである。尚、上部手前側パッド5と下部手前側パッド6とを、パッド取り付け具7を介してリスト部2に固定(図示せず)し、エンドエフェクタ3の進退機構15のみでウエハ把持動作をさせてもよい。進退機構15の駆動源は、モータとギヤの組み合わせ、エアシリンダ、スクリュー軸付きモータ、バネなど公知の部品を用いる。 12, the advancing / retracting mechanism 15 is attached to the end effector 3 of FIG. 5 in the wrist part 2 at the base, and the upper front pad 5 and the lower front pad 6 are combined to hold the wafer 8 with three movable pads. It is a partial omission figure of grasping device 1e in other examples to grasp. As the drive source of the advance / retreat mechanism 15, known parts such as a combination of a motor and a gear, an air cylinder, a motor with a screw shaft, and a spring are used. Here, the two front pads 5 and 6 are such that their attachment portions 7 are both movable, and all three points are movable pads. The upper front side pad 5 and the lower front side pad 6 are fixed to the wrist unit 2 (not shown) via the pad attachment 7 and the wafer gripping operation is performed only by the advance / retreat mechanism 15 of the end effector 3. Also good. As the drive source of the advance / retreat mechanism 15, known parts such as a combination of a motor and a gear, an air cylinder, a motor with a screw shaft, and a spring are used.
図13は、本発明の請求項4の円盤状物把持装置の一実施例の把持装置1fである。リスト部2は、その下部でロボットアームと接続され、上から先端下側に奥側パッド4を固定したエンドエフェクタ3を、φ回転機構41を介して備え、次に上部手前側パッド5を固定したパッド取り付け具7と、下部手前側パッド6を固定したパッド取り付け具7を有している。ここでエンドエフェクタ3の根元外縁には歯形を形成又は歯車が固定され、この歯に噛み合いリスト部2に固定された歯車付きモータ42が設けられ、φ回転機構41を形成している。エンドエフェクタ3の曲がり内側はウエハ周縁より若干大きい曲率半径の円弧状をしている。 FIG. 13 shows a gripping device 1f of an embodiment of the disk-shaped object gripping device according to claim 4 of the present invention. The wrist part 2 is connected to the robot arm at the lower part thereof, and includes an end effector 3 having a back pad 4 fixed from the top to the bottom of the tip through a φ rotation mechanism 41, and then the upper front pad 5 is fixed. And the pad attachment 7 to which the lower front side pad 6 is fixed. Here, a tooth shape is formed or a gear is fixed to the base outer edge of the end effector 3, and a geared motor 42 meshed with the teeth and fixed to the wrist part 2 is provided to form a φ rotation mechanism 41. The inside of the end effector 3 is curved in a circular arc with a slightly larger radius of curvature than the wafer periphery.
図14に、コンテナ10内に収納されているウエハ8を、図13の把持装置1fでウエハ8を把持し搬出する状態を示す。図14(a)は、コンテナ外でφ回転機構41を駆動させて奥側パッド4が目的のウエハの頂部より微小高くなる様にエンドエフェクタ3を持ち上げ、把持装置1fをリスト部2の下部で取り付けたロボット搬送機19のアームをY方向に伸ばして目的ウエハの周縁に接近させ、奥側パッド4がウエハ頂点の微小上に行くよう、且つ、エンドエフェクタ3がウエハ8の近傍に行くようにコンテナ内に挿入する。次いで図14(b)の様に、リスト部2をZ方向に上昇させながらY方向に前進する様にロボットアームを動作させながら、前記エンドエフェクタ3の円弧がウエハ周縁に非接触状態で沿うようにφ回転機構41を下方に駆動してエンドエフェクタ3をコンテナ10内に挿入し、図14(c)の様にエンドエフェクタ3の付け根がほぼ水平状態になったらロボットアームとφ回転機構41を一旦停止し、エンドエフェクタ3を微小Y方向に引いて奥側パッド4をウエハ周縁に接触させる。そして図14(d)の様に2つの手前側パッド5,6を押しだしてウエハを把持し、リスト部2を微小Z方向に持ち上げた後、手前側Y方向に引いて(図示せず)、ウエハ8をコンテナから搬出する。 FIG. 14 shows a state in which the wafer 8 stored in the container 10 is gripped and carried out by the gripping device 1f of FIG. FIG. 14A shows that the φ rotation mechanism 41 is driven outside the container to lift the end effector 3 so that the back pad 4 is slightly higher than the top of the target wafer, and the gripping device 1 f is moved below the wrist unit 2. The arm of the attached robot transporter 19 is extended in the Y direction so as to approach the periphery of the target wafer, so that the back pad 4 goes to a minute top of the wafer apex, and the end effector 3 goes to the vicinity of the wafer 8. Insert into container. Next, as shown in FIG. 14B, the arc of the end effector 3 follows the peripheral edge of the wafer in a non-contact state while operating the robot arm so as to advance in the Y direction while raising the wrist portion 2 in the Z direction. Then, the φ rotation mechanism 41 is driven downward to insert the end effector 3 into the container 10. When the root of the end effector 3 becomes almost horizontal as shown in FIG. 14C, the robot arm and the φ rotation mechanism 41 are moved. Once stopped, the end effector 3 is pulled in the minute Y direction to bring the back pad 4 into contact with the wafer periphery. Then, as shown in FIG. 14 (d), the two near side pads 5 and 6 are pushed out to hold the wafer, the wrist part 2 is lifted in the minute Z direction, and then pulled in the near side Y direction (not shown). The wafer 8 is unloaded from the container.
図13の把持装置1fでウエハ8をコンテナ10内に搬入する際は、図14の逆をたどればよい。即ち、ウエハ8の上部を縦に把持した把持装置1fをコンテナ10の天井近傍で当たらないように挿入しコンテナ10の奥側ウエハ立て11の任意のV字状溝に嵌め合わせ、微小Z方向に下降させて下側ウエハ立て12にウエハ8を置き、手前側パッド5,6を解除してウエハ8を開放する。次いで、エンドエフェクタ3がウエハ周縁に非接触で沿うように、φ回転機構41と、ロボットアームを動作させてリスト部2をZ方向に下げながらY方向に引いてエンドエフェクタ3の先端に固定された奥側パッド4がウエハ8の頂部まで後退した後、Y方向に引いて搬入を終了する。図13の把持装置1fを用いると、図10の把持装置1dの場合と同様、コンテナ内のウエハピッチを最小3mmにまで狭めることができる。 When the wafer 8 is carried into the container 10 by the gripping device 1f of FIG. 13, the reverse of FIG. That is, the gripping device 1f that vertically grips the upper portion of the wafer 8 is inserted so as not to hit the vicinity of the ceiling of the container 10, and is fitted into an arbitrary V-shaped groove of the back wafer stand 11 of the container 10, and in the minute Z direction. The wafer 8 is lowered and placed on the lower wafer stand 12, the front pads 5 and 6 are released, and the wafer 8 is released. Then, the φ rotation mechanism 41 and the robot arm are operated so that the end effector 3 follows the wafer periphery in a non-contact manner, and the wrist unit 2 is pulled in the Y direction while being lowered in the Z direction and fixed to the tip of the end effector 3. After the back side pad 4 has moved back to the top of the wafer 8, it is pulled in the Y direction to complete the loading. When the gripping device 1f shown in FIG. 13 is used, the wafer pitch in the container can be reduced to a minimum of 3 mm as in the case of the gripping device 1d shown in FIG.
図15(a)は、1つのリスト部2に複数のエンドエフェクタ3を設けた実施例である。通常コンテナに収容するウエハ25枚を一度に把持することが好ましいが、必要に応じ、例えば5枚ずつ、或いは10枚ずつ把持するようにエンドエフェクタの数を定めてよい。本図では、上部及び下部手前側パッド5,6は、ウエハ1枚搬送用の図6と同じであり、エンドエフェクタと同数設けている。図15(b)は、手前側パッド38、39を上部と下部の2本とも棒状にしたもので、それぞれは把持するすべてのウエハに接触する。この棒状パッドには、ウエハを固定するために複数のV字溝など凹部切り込みを持たせてもよい。また、棒状パッド(38)(39)を可動とするために、駆動系を有するパッド取付部7は、ここでは棒状パッド1本につき2か所を記載しているが、設計上必要な任意の位置に任意の数設ける。 FIG. 15A shows an embodiment in which a plurality of end effectors 3 are provided in one list unit 2. Usually, it is preferable to hold 25 wafers accommodated in a container at a time, but the number of end effectors may be determined so as to hold, for example, 5 wafers or 10 wafers as needed. In this figure, the upper and lower front pads 5 and 6 are the same as in FIG. 6 for transferring one wafer, and are provided in the same number as the end effector. In FIG. 15B, both the upper and lower pads 38 and 39 are formed in a bar shape, and each of them touches all the wafers to be gripped. This bar-shaped pad may be provided with recess cuts such as a plurality of V-shaped grooves in order to fix the wafer. Further, in order to make the rod-shaped pads (38) and (39) movable, the pad mounting portion 7 having a drive system is described here at two locations for each rod-shaped pad. Arbitrary number is provided in the position.
次に、図18(a)から(d)に、本発明の把持装置1aを有するWアーム型のロボット搬送機19で縦状に把持するウエハ8を、反転機23を用いて水平に置き換える実施例を示す。その前に、まず反転機23には、図16に示すように、反転機フィンガ28の先端部に2本のフィンガ28がなす平面(フィンガ面)から直角方向に突出するように反転機パッドベース板34が固定され、突出部に反転機パッド33が2個取り付けられ、その反転機パッド33にウエハ8が嵌るようになっている。尚、図16の反転機パッド33は、V字状溝が切りこまれているが、上方の土手は切り取って垂直面(紙面と同方向)としてもよい。 Next, in FIGS. 18A to 18D, the wafer 8 held vertically by the W-arm type robot transfer machine 19 having the holding apparatus 1a of the present invention is horizontally replaced by using the reversing machine 23. An example is shown. Before that, first, as shown in FIG. 16, the reversing machine 23 has a reversing machine pad base that protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the plane (finger surface) formed by the two fingers 28 at the tip of the reversing machine finger 28. The plate 34 is fixed, and two reversing machine pads 33 are attached to the protrusions, and the wafer 8 is fitted to the reversing machine pads 33. The reversing machine pad 33 in FIG. 16 has a V-shaped groove cut out, but the upper bank may be cut out to be a vertical surface (in the same direction as the paper surface).
図17に示すように、本発明の把持装置1aに縦状に把持されているウエハ8を反転機23で把持するために、水平軸29を中心に上下回転部36を45度持ち上げた後、反転機リスト部35を回転マーク30の様に90度回転させて2つのフィンガ28がなす面(フィンガ面)を垂直にして、2つの反転機フィンガ28をウエハ8の直径より微小大きく開いておく。次いで、本発明のロボット搬送機19がそのアームを動作させて、一方の反転機パッドベース板34を、その突出側からエンドエフェクタ3とウエハ8との間隙に挿入させその反転機パッド33のV溝と、他方の反転機フィンガ28の反転機パッド33のV溝がウエハ8周縁の位置に来ていることを確認して、2つの反転機フィンガ28を閉じウエハ8を把持する。 As shown in FIG. 17, in order to hold the wafer 8 held vertically in the holding apparatus 1a of the present invention by the reversing machine 23, the vertical rotating unit 36 is lifted 45 degrees around the horizontal axis 29, The reversing machine list unit 35 is rotated 90 degrees like the rotation mark 30 so that the surface (finger surface) formed by the two fingers 28 is vertical and the two reversing machine fingers 28 are opened slightly larger than the diameter of the wafer 8. . Next, the robot carrier 19 of the present invention operates the arm, and inserts one reversing machine pad base plate 34 into the gap between the end effector 3 and the wafer 8 from the protruding side, and V of the reversing machine pad 33. After confirming that the groove and the V-groove of the reversing machine pad 33 of the other reversing machine finger 28 are at the peripheral edge of the wafer 8, the two reversing machine fingers 28 are closed and the wafer 8 is gripped.
そして把持装置1aは、図17及び図18(a)に示すように、上部及び下部手前側パッド5,6を引いて完全に反転機23にウエハ8の荷重を写した後、本発明の把持装置1aをY方向に微小前進させてからX方向に微小移動させ、図18(b)のようにY方向に引く。次いで、反転機23上のウエハ8を90度回転させ、図18(c)に示すように、水平軸29を中心に45度下に回転させて、図18(d)のように把持式アライナ24のアライナフィンガ31の上に置く。ここで図示した把持式アライナ24に変えて単なるウエハ置き台(図示せず)においてもよい。また、上記の手順を逆にたどれば、水平に置かれたウエハ8を縦状に本発明の把持装置1aに把持させることができる。 Then, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18A, the gripping device 1a pulls the upper and lower front pads 5 and 6 to completely copy the load of the wafer 8 on the reversing machine 23, and then grips the gripper according to the present invention. The device 1a is slightly moved forward in the Y direction, then moved slightly in the X direction, and pulled in the Y direction as shown in FIG. Next, the wafer 8 on the reversing machine 23 is rotated by 90 degrees, and as shown in FIG. 18C, the wafer 8 is rotated downward by 45 degrees around the horizontal axis 29, and a gripping aligner as shown in FIG. Place on 24 aligner fingers 31. Instead of the gripping aligner 24 shown here, a simple wafer stage (not shown) may be used. If the above procedure is followed in reverse, the horizontally placed wafer 8 can be held vertically by the holding apparatus 1a of the present invention.
図19に、本発明の円盤状物移載装置17を示し、本図A−A´面での切断図を図20に示す。これらの図に示す実施例では、ファンフィルタユニット20からクリーンブース21内にクリーンエアを吹き込み、内部に据え付けられX軸スライダ22上を移動できるロボット搬送機19が動作しても塵埃は下部から床面に沿って、又はパンチングプレート床の下に排出する。また、ロボット搬送機19を挟んで、クリーンブース21の片側にウエハ縦置き型コンテナ10を載置したロードポート27と、他の片側に横置き型FOUP18を載置したロードポート27が取り付けられ、更にクリーンブース21内の隅に、把持式アライナ24と反転機23とが組み込まれている。縦置き型前面開閉式コンテナ10に収納されているウエハ8は、本発明のロボット搬送機19の把持装置1によって把持されてコンテナ10から引き出され、ロボット搬送機19は90度左に旋回してX軸上を移動して反転機23前で停止する。反転機23は、水平状に置かれている反転機フィンガ28を水平回転軸29を中心に45度起こし、さらに反転機フィンガ28面を90度回転させ、ウエハ8の受取体制を整える。次に、図16で説明した手順によって、把持式アライナ24のアライナフィンガ31上にウエハ8を載置し、前記把持式アライナ24のファンが31を回転させてノッチ位置を検出して位置決めして停止する。このウエハをアライナフィンガ31から、本発明のロボット搬送機19のもう一方のアームに設けられた水平型把持装置40が把持して、定められたFOUP18に収納する。 FIG. 19 shows the disk-shaped article transfer device 17 of the present invention, and FIG. 20 shows a cutaway view along the plane AA ′. In the embodiments shown in these figures, clean air is blown into the clean booth 21 from the fan filter unit 20, and even if the robot transporter 19 that is installed inside and moves on the X-axis slider 22 operates, Drain along the surface or under the punching plate floor. In addition, a load port 27 in which the wafer vertical container 10 is placed on one side of the clean booth 21 and a load port 27 in which a horizontal FOUP 18 is placed on the other side are attached with the robot transporter 19 in between. Furthermore, a grip type aligner 24 and a reversing machine 23 are incorporated in the corner of the clean booth 21. The wafer 8 accommodated in the vertically placed front opening / closing container 10 is gripped by the gripping device 1 of the robot transporter 19 of the present invention and pulled out from the container 10, and the robot transporter 19 turns 90 degrees to the left. It moves on the X axis and stops in front of the reversing machine 23. The reversing machine 23 raises the horizontal reversing machine fingers 28 by 45 degrees around the horizontal rotation shaft 29 and further rotates the surface of the reversing machine fingers 28 by 90 degrees to prepare the wafer 8 receiving system. Next, according to the procedure described in FIG. 16, the wafer 8 is placed on the aligner finger 31 of the gripping aligner 24, and the fan of the gripping aligner 24 rotates the 31 to detect and position the notch. Stop. The wafer is gripped from the aligner finger 31 by the horizontal gripping device 40 provided on the other arm of the robot transfer machine 19 of the present invention, and stored in a predetermined FOUP 18.
図21は、縦置き型コンテナ10から処理装置25に本発明のロボット搬送機19によりウエハ8を移載するシステムの実施例である。図17と同様なファンフィルタユニット20を有するクリーンブース21内に、ここには図示していないが、反転機23、水平置き台又は把持式アライナ24を備えており、縦のウエハ8を一方の縦型把持装置1で取り出した後、水平に置き、他方の水平把持型装置40で処理装置25に挿入載置する。処理後は、ウエハ8を水平把持型装置40で水平置き台又は把持式アライナ24、反転機23を経て本発明の縦型把持装置1により、同じ又は別の縦置き型コンテナ10に収納する。 FIG. 21 shows an embodiment of a system in which the wafer 8 is transferred from the vertically placed container 10 to the processing device 25 by the robot transfer machine 19 of the present invention. Although not shown here, a clean booth 21 having a fan filter unit 20 similar to that shown in FIG. 17 is provided with a reversing machine 23, a horizontal placing table or a gripping aligner 24. After being taken out by the vertical gripping device 1, it is placed horizontally and inserted and placed in the processing device 25 by the other horizontal gripping device 40. After the processing, the wafer 8 is stored in the same or different vertical container 10 by the vertical gripping apparatus 1 of the present invention through the horizontal placing table or gripping aligner 24 and the reversing device 23 by the horizontal gripping apparatus 40.
1 縦置き円盤状物把持装置
2 リスト部
3 エンドエフェクタ
4 奥側パッド
5 上部手前側パッド
6 下部手前側パッド
7 パッド取り付け具
8 ウエハ
9 リスト部回転軸
10 縦置き型前面開閉式コンテナ
11 奥側ウエハ立て
12 下側ウエハ受け
13 蓋
14 ウエハ抑え
15 進退機構
16 θ回転機構
17 円盤状物移載装置
18 前面開閉型横置き型コンテナ(FOUP)
19 ロボット搬送機
20 ファンフィルタユニット
21 クリーンブース
22 X軸スライダ
23 反転機
24 把持式アライナ
25 処理装置
26 従来のロボット搬送機
27 ロードポート
28 反転機フィンガ
29 水平軸
30 ウエハ反転軸
31 アライナフィンガ
32 アライナ回転軸
33 反転機パッド
34 反転機パッドベース板
35 反転機リスト部
36 上下回転部
37 円弧状パッド
38 上部棒状パッド
39 下部棒状パッド
40 横置きウエハ把持装置
41 φ回転機構
42 歯車付きモータ
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vertical disk-shaped object holding apparatus 2 List part 3 End effector 4 Back side pad 5 Upper near side pad 6 Lower near side pad 7 Pad attachment 8 Wafer 9 Wrist part rotating shaft 10 Vertical type front opening / closing type container 11 Back side Wafer stand 12 Lower wafer receiver 13 Lid 14 Wafer holder 15 Advance / retract mechanism 16 θ rotation mechanism 17 Disk-shaped object transfer device 18 Front open / close type horizontal container (FOUP)
19 robot transfer machine 20 fan filter unit 21 clean booth 22 X-axis slider 23 reversing machine 24 gripping aligner 25 processing device 26 conventional robot transfer machine 27 load port 28 reversing machine finger 29 horizontal shaft 30 wafer reversing shaft 31 aligner finger 32 aligner Rotating shaft 33 Reversing machine pad 34 Reversing machine pad base plate 35 Reversing machine list unit 36 Vertical rotating unit 37 Arc-shaped pad 38 Upper bar-shaped pad 39 Lower bar-shaped pad 40 Horizontal wafer gripping device 41 φ rotating mechanism 42 Motor with gear
Claims (13)
前記コンテナ内の前記円盤状物の周縁の上側に配置され、先端が厚み方向、且つ、前記円盤状物の奥側の周縁に沿う方向に曲がった細長板状の1つのエンドエフェクタと、
前記エンドエフェクタ先端の曲がり側の厚み部に固定され前記円盤状物の周縁部を把持する少なくとも1つの奥側パッドと、
前記少なくとも1つの接触点を有する奥側パッドが前記円盤状物周縁に接触する位置と前記円盤状物の中心とを通る直線の下側にあって、前記円盤状物周縁に接触して前記円盤状物の周縁部を把持する少なくとも1つの接触点を有する下部手前側パッドと、
前記直線の上側にあって、前記円盤状物周縁に接触して前記円盤状物の周縁部を把持する少なくとも1つの接触点を有する他の上部手前側パッドと、を有し、
前記各パッドは、前記円盤状物周縁と接触する部分に凹部を有し、
前記各パッドの少なくとも1つが動作して前記円盤状物を周縁部で把持することを特徴とする、円盤状物把持装置。 In the disk-shaped object gripping device for a robot transporter for loading and unloading the disk-shaped object into and out of the disk-shaped object vertically placed front opening / closing container,
One end effector in the form of an elongated plate that is disposed on the upper side of the peripheral edge of the disk-shaped object in the container, and whose tip is bent in the thickness direction and along the peripheral edge on the back side of the disk-shaped object;
At least one back-side pad that is fixed to a bending-side thickness portion of the end effector tip and grips a peripheral portion of the disc-like object;
The back pad having the at least one contact point is on the lower side of a straight line passing through the position where the peripheral edge of the disk-shaped object contacts the center of the disk-shaped object, and contacts the peripheral edge of the disk-shaped object. A lower near side pad having at least one contact point for gripping the peripheral edge of the object,
Another upper near side pad having at least one contact point that is above the straight line and contacts the periphery of the disk-shaped object and grips the periphery of the disk-shaped object;
Each of the pads has a recess in a portion that comes into contact with the periphery of the disk-shaped object,
A disk-shaped object gripping device, wherein at least one of the pads operates to grip the disk-shaped object at a peripheral edge.
2つの前記手前側パッドのいずれか、又は双方が動作して前記円盤状物を周縁部で把持することを特徴とする、請求項1に記載の円盤状物把持装置。 The end effector is fixed to the wrist part,
The disk-shaped object gripping device according to claim 1, wherein either one or both of the two near-side pads operate to grip the disk-shaped object at a peripheral edge.
2つの前記手前側パッドのいずれか、又は双方が動作して前記円盤状物を周縁部で把持することを特徴とする、請求項1記載の円盤状物把持装置。 A mechanism capable of rotating the end effector by θ with respect to the wrist;
2. The disk-shaped object gripping device according to claim 1, wherein either one or both of the two near-side pads operate to grip the disk-shaped object at a peripheral portion.
2つの前記手前側パッドのいずれか、又は双方が動作して前記円盤状物を周縁部で把持することを特徴とする、請求項1記載の円盤状物把持装置。 A mechanism that allows the end effector to rotate φ relative to the wrist;
2. The disk-shaped object gripping device according to claim 1, wherein either one or both of the two near-side pads operate to grip the disk-shaped object at a peripheral portion.
1つの円盤状物把持装置に1つのエンドエフェクタに替えて、
1つの円盤状物把持装置に複数のエンドエフェクタが備えられ、
下部手前側パッド及び/又はその取り付け具が、エンドエフェクタ毎に複数、或いは、連通されて備えられ、
上部手前側バッド及び/又はその取り付け具が、エンドエフェクタ毎に複数、或いは、連通されて備えられていることを特徴とする、円盤状物把持装置。 In the disk-shaped object gripping device according to claim 1 or 2,
Instead of one end effector per disc-shaped object gripping device,
A plurality of end effectors are provided in one disc-like object gripping device,
A plurality of lower front pads and / or attachments thereof are provided for each end effector or in communication with each other.
A disk-shaped object gripping device, wherein a plurality of upper front side pads and / or attachments thereof are provided or connected to each end effector.
円盤状物縦置き型前面開閉式コンテナ用ロードポートと、
を有することを特徴とする、円盤状物移載装置。 A robot transporter according to claim 6 or 7,
Load port for a disk-like vertical installation type front openable container,
A disk-shaped object transfer device comprising:
少なくとも1つの円盤状物を垂直と水平とに回転させることのできる反転機と、
を有することを特徴とする、請求項8記載の円盤状物移載装置。 In addition, a disk-shaped horizontal loading type front opening / closing container load port,
A reversing machine capable of rotating at least one disk-like object vertically and horizontally;
The disk-shaped object transfer device according to claim 8, wherein
搬入に当たっては、
請求項1、2、5のいずれかに記載の円盤状物把持装置の奥側パッドと、1つの手前側パッドと、他の手前側パッドとでほぼ縦状に把持した前記円盤状物を、前記コンテナ内を奥壁近傍までY移動させ、
前記円盤状物の周縁を前記コンテナ底部及びに奥部に予め設けられた溝に嵌合するように下方にZ移動させてこれを載置し、
前記各パッドの少なくとも1つを開放して前記円盤状物の把持を解除し、
必要ならばさらに前記円盤状物の周縁部が前記奥側パッドの凹部溝から外れる距離だけ奥側に円盤状物把持装置をY移動させ、
前記エンドエフェクタを、隣接する円盤状物の間隙の前方、又は、設計上の間隙空間の前方までX移動させ、
前記エンドエフェクタを前記間隙を通して前記コンテナ外にY移動させて搬入を終了し、
また、搬出に当たっては、
前記エンドエフェクタの先端を、前記コンテナの外側から前記コンテナ内の隣接する円盤状物の間隙、または、設計上の間隙空間を通して前記円盤状物の奥側周縁と前記コンテナの奥壁との間までY移動させ、
ついで前記奥側パッドが搬送対象円盤状物の周縁後方に来るまでX移動させ、
前記奥側パッドと、手前側パッドと、他の手前側パッドとの少なくとも1つを動作させて前記搬送対象円盤状物を周縁で把持し、
前記円盤状物把持装置を前記エンドエフェクタが前記コンテナの天井に当たらない範囲でZ移動させ、次いでこれを手前側にY移動させて円盤状物を搬出することを特徴とする、円盤状物の搬送方法。 When a front door is opened and a plurality of disk-shaped objects can be stored vertically, and / or when the disk-shaped objects are loaded and unloaded from the container,
In carrying in,
The disk-shaped object gripped substantially vertically by the back side pad, one near side pad, and the other near side pad of the disk shaped object gripping device according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 5, Move Y in the container to the vicinity of the back wall,
Move the Z-shaped downward so that the peripheral edge of the disk-like object is fitted in a groove provided in advance in the bottom and back of the container.
Release at least one of the pads to release the disc-shaped object,
If necessary, further move the disk-shaped object gripping device to the back side by a distance that the peripheral edge of the disk-shaped object is removed from the recessed groove of the back-side pad,
The end effector is moved X in front of the gap between adjacent disk-like objects or in front of the designed gap space,
Moving the end effector Y through the gap and out of the container,
In addition, when carrying out
The tip of the end effector extends from the outside of the container to a gap between adjacent disk-like objects in the container or through a designed gap space between the inner peripheral edge of the disk-like object and the inner wall of the container. Move Y,
Next, move the X-side pad until the back side pad comes to the rear of the periphery of the object to be conveyed
Operating at least one of the back-side pad, the near-side pad, and the other near-side pad to grip the transport target disk-like object at the periphery,
The disk-shaped object gripping device is configured to move the disk within a range in which the end effector does not hit the ceiling of the container, and then move the disk to the front side to carry out the disk-shaped object. Transport method.
搬入に当たっては、
請求項3に記載の円盤状物把持装置の奥側パッドと、手前側パッドと、他の手前側パッドとでほぼ縦状態に把持した前記円盤状物を、前記コンテナ内を奥壁近傍までY移動させ、
前記円盤状物の周縁を前記コンテナ底部及びに奥部に予め設けられた溝に嵌合するように下方にZ移動させて前記円盤状物を載置し、
前記各パッドの少なくとも1つを開放して前記円盤状物の把持を解除し、
必要ならばさらに前記円盤状物の周縁部が前記奥側パッドの凹部溝から外れる距離だけ奥側に円盤状物把持装置をY移動させ、
エンドエフェクタをθ回転させて水平状態にし、
前記エンドエフェクタを、前記載置された円盤状物と前記コンテナの天井との間隙を通して前記コンテナ外にY移動させて搬入を終了し、
また、搬出に当たっては、
前記コンテナ外でエンドエフェクタをθ回転させて水平状態にした前記エンドエフェクタの先端を、前記円盤状物と前記コンテナの天井の間隙を通して、前記円盤状物の奥側周縁と前記コンテナの奥壁との間までY移動させ、
前記エンドエフェクタが搬送対象円盤状物の周縁近傍に沿うように前記リスト部をθ回転させ、
前記奥側パッドと、手前側パッドと、他の手前側パッドとで前記搬送対象円盤状物の周縁を把持し、
前記円盤状物把持装置を前記エンドエフェクタが前記コンテナの天井に当たらない範囲で上方にほぼZ移動させ、
次いでこれを手前側にY移動させて円盤状物を搬出する、
ことを特徴とする円盤状物の搬送方法。 When the front door is opened and a disc-shaped object can be stored vertically, and / or when a disc-shaped object is carried in and out of the container,
In carrying in,
The disk-like object grasped in a substantially vertical state by the back side pad, the near side pad, and the other near side pad of the disc-like object gripping device according to claim 3, and the inside of the container to the vicinity of the back wall Y Move
Place the disk-shaped object by Z-moving downward so that the peripheral edge of the disk-shaped object is fitted in a groove provided in the container bottom and in the back in advance,
Release at least one of the pads to release the disc-shaped object,
If necessary, further move the disk-shaped object gripping device to the back side by a distance that the peripheral edge of the disk-shaped object is removed from the recessed groove of the back-side pad,
Rotate the end effector by θ to make it horizontal,
The end effector is moved Y out of the container through the gap between the disk-shaped object placed above and the ceiling of the container, and the loading is finished.
In addition, when carrying out
The tip of the end effector that has been turned into a horizontal state by rotating the end effector by θ rotation outside the container passes through the gap between the disk-like object and the ceiling of the container, and the inner peripheral edge of the disk-like object and the inner wall of the container Move Y between
Rotate the wrist part by θ so that the end effector is along the vicinity of the periphery of the disc-shaped object to be transported,
Grasping the periphery of the discoid object to be transported with the back side pad, the near side pad, and the other near side pad,
Move the disk-shaped object gripping device approximately Z upward in a range where the end effector does not hit the ceiling of the container,
Next, move this to the near side and carry out the disk-shaped object.
A method for conveying a disk-like object.
搬入に当たっては、
請求項4に記載の円盤状物把持装置の奥側パッドと、手前側パッドと、他の手前側パッドとでほぼ縦状態に把持した前記円盤状物を、前記コンテナ内を奥壁近傍までY移動させ、
前記円盤状物の周縁を前記コンテナ底部及びに奥部に予め設けられた溝に嵌合するように下方にZ移動させて前記円盤状物を載置し、
前記各パッドの少なくとも1つを開放して前記円盤状物の把持を解除し、
必要ならばさらに前記円盤状物の周縁部が前記奥側パッドの凹部溝から外れる距離だけ奥側に円盤状物把持装置をY移動させ、
エンドエフェクタを、前記円盤状物及び前記コンテナの天井に接触しない範囲で、φ回転させて持ち上げながらリスト部をY方向に後退移動しつつZ方向に下降させて前記円盤状物の上部周縁に沿うよう前記エンドエフェクタ先端の奥側パッドが円盤状物の頂点近傍に来るまで抜き出し、
ついでリスト部をY移動させて搬入を終了し、
また、搬出に当たっては、
前記コンテナ外でエンドエフェクタをφ回転させて持ち上げ、
前記エンドエフェクタの曲がり側を搬送対象円盤状物の周縁に沿うように接近させ、
前記エンドエフェクタを、前記円盤状物及び前記コンテナの天井に接触しない範囲で、下方にφ回転させながらリスト部をY方向に前進移動しつつZ方向に上昇させて前記円盤状物の上部周縁に沿うように前記コンテナ奥壁近傍までに挿入し、
前記奥側パッドと、手前側パッドと、他の手前側パッドとで前記搬送対象円盤状物の周縁を把持し、
前記円盤状物把持装置を前記エンドエフェクタが前記コンテナの天井に当たらない範囲で上方に微小ほぼZ移動させ、
次いでこれを手前側にY移動させて円盤状物を搬出する、
ことを特徴とする円盤状物の搬送方法。 When the front door is opened and a disc-shaped object can be stored vertically, and / or when a disc-shaped object is carried in and out of the container,
In carrying in,
5. The disk-like object gripped in a substantially vertical state by the back side pad, the near side pad, and the other near side pad of the disc-like object gripping device according to claim 4, wherein the inside of the container is near the back wall. Move
Place the disk-shaped object by Z-moving downward so that the peripheral edge of the disk-shaped object is fitted in a groove provided in the container bottom and in the back in advance,
Release at least one of the pads to release the disc-shaped object,
If necessary, further move the disk-shaped object gripping device to the back side by a distance that the peripheral edge of the disk-shaped object is removed from the recessed groove of the back-side pad,
The end effector is lowered in the Z direction while retreating in the Y direction while lifting and rotating the end effector within a range that does not contact the disk and the ceiling of the container, and along the upper peripheral edge of the disk. Pull out until the back pad at the tip of the end effector comes near the top of the disk-shaped object,
Next, move the list part Y to finish loading,
In addition, when carrying out
The end effector is rotated by φ outside the container and lifted,
Approach the bent side of the end effector so as to follow the peripheral edge of the disc-shaped object to be conveyed,
As long as the end effector is not rotated in contact with the disk and the ceiling of the container, the wrist effector is moved forward in the Y direction while being rotated by φ downward, and moved upward in the Z direction to reach the upper peripheral edge of the disk. And insert it up to the vicinity of the back wall of the container,
Grasping the periphery of the discoid object to be transported with the back side pad, the near side pad, and the other near side pad,
Move the disk-like object gripping device by a slight Z in the upward direction within a range where the end effector does not hit the ceiling of the container,
Next, move this to the near side and carry out the disk-shaped object.
A method for conveying a disk-like object.
請求項1から4に記載のいずれかの円盤状物把持装置と、
少なくともウエハ面を90度回転させることができる反転機との間を、
相互に直接把持し替えることを特徴とする、円盤状物の搬送方法。 While holding the disk-shaped object,
A disk-shaped object gripping device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
At least between the reversing machine that can rotate the wafer surface by 90 degrees,
A method for transporting a disk-shaped object, characterized in that it is directly gripped with each other.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2009009184A JP2010165998A (en) | 2009-01-19 | 2009-01-19 | Grasping device, conveyer, transfer device and conveying method for disk-like object |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2009009184A JP2010165998A (en) | 2009-01-19 | 2009-01-19 | Grasping device, conveyer, transfer device and conveying method for disk-like object |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
JP2010165998A true JP2010165998A (en) | 2010-07-29 |
Family
ID=42581914
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
JP2009009184A Pending JP2010165998A (en) | 2009-01-19 | 2009-01-19 | Grasping device, conveyer, transfer device and conveying method for disk-like object |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
JP (1) | JP2010165998A (en) |
Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JP2014138034A (en) * | 2013-01-15 | 2014-07-28 | Fuji Mach Mfg Co Ltd | Vertical type wafer supply device |
WO2016056041A1 (en) * | 2014-10-10 | 2016-04-14 | 川崎重工業株式会社 | Wafer transport method and device |
JP2017152639A (en) * | 2016-02-26 | 2017-08-31 | 川崎重工業株式会社 | Substrate holding hand and substrate transport apparatus |
CN107887311A (en) * | 2016-09-29 | 2018-04-06 | 株式会社斯库林集团 | Substrate transfer apparatus and board carrying method |
CN107887297A (en) * | 2016-09-29 | 2018-04-06 | 株式会社斯库林集团 | Substrate alignment means and method, substrate board treatment and method, substrate arrangement device and method |
CN112368819A (en) * | 2018-06-29 | 2021-02-12 | 川崎重工业株式会社 | Substrate transfer apparatus and method of operating the same |
-
2009
- 2009-01-19 JP JP2009009184A patent/JP2010165998A/en active Pending
Cited By (18)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JP2014138034A (en) * | 2013-01-15 | 2014-07-28 | Fuji Mach Mfg Co Ltd | Vertical type wafer supply device |
US10354899B2 (en) | 2014-10-10 | 2019-07-16 | Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Wafer transfer method and wafer transfer device |
WO2016056041A1 (en) * | 2014-10-10 | 2016-04-14 | 川崎重工業株式会社 | Wafer transport method and device |
TWI566323B (en) * | 2014-10-10 | 2017-01-11 | Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd | Wafer conveying method and device |
KR20170053705A (en) | 2014-10-10 | 2017-05-16 | 카와사키 주코교 카부시키 카이샤 | Wafer transport method and device |
CN106796906A (en) * | 2014-10-10 | 2017-05-31 | 川崎重工业株式会社 | Wafer method for carrying and device |
JPWO2016056041A1 (en) * | 2014-10-10 | 2017-07-27 | 川崎重工業株式会社 | Wafer transfer method and apparatus |
CN106796906B (en) * | 2014-10-10 | 2020-05-05 | 川崎重工业株式会社 | Wafer conveying method and device |
JP2017152639A (en) * | 2016-02-26 | 2017-08-31 | 川崎重工業株式会社 | Substrate holding hand and substrate transport apparatus |
CN107887297A (en) * | 2016-09-29 | 2018-04-06 | 株式会社斯库林集团 | Substrate alignment means and method, substrate board treatment and method, substrate arrangement device and method |
CN107887311A (en) * | 2016-09-29 | 2018-04-06 | 株式会社斯库林集团 | Substrate transfer apparatus and board carrying method |
CN107887311B (en) * | 2016-09-29 | 2021-07-13 | 株式会社斯库林集团 | Substrate conveying device and substrate conveying method |
CN107887297B (en) * | 2016-09-29 | 2021-08-10 | 株式会社斯库林集团 | Substrate alignment apparatus and method, substrate processing apparatus and method, substrate arrangement apparatus and method |
US11276595B2 (en) | 2016-09-29 | 2022-03-15 | SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd. | Substrate transporter and substrate transport method |
CN112368819A (en) * | 2018-06-29 | 2021-02-12 | 川崎重工业株式会社 | Substrate transfer apparatus and method of operating the same |
KR20210022094A (en) | 2018-06-29 | 2021-03-02 | 카와사키 주코교 카부시키 카이샤 | Substrate transfer device and its operation method |
US11839968B2 (en) | 2018-06-29 | 2023-12-12 | Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Substrate transfer device and method of operating the same |
CN112368819B (en) * | 2018-06-29 | 2024-04-05 | 川崎重工业株式会社 | Substrate conveying device and operation method thereof |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US20200388523A1 (en) | Wafer aligner | |
JP5976709B2 (en) | Robot equipped with end effector and operation method thereof | |
TWI398335B (en) | Workpiece conveying system | |
JP5102717B2 (en) | Substrate transport apparatus and substrate processing apparatus provided with the same | |
JP2010165998A (en) | Grasping device, conveyer, transfer device and conveying method for disk-like object | |
WO2007037397A1 (en) | Method and apparatus for transferring and receiving article by overhead hoist transport carrier | |
TW200908195A (en) | Inertial wafer centering end effector and transport apparatus | |
TW201718202A (en) | Substrate conveyance robot and substrate processing system | |
CN106796906B (en) | Wafer conveying method and device | |
TW201700239A (en) | Substrate conveying robot and substrate processing system | |
US20070018469A1 (en) | Contamination-free edge gripping mechanism with withdrawable pads and method for loading/unloading and transferring flat objects | |
KR101409752B1 (en) | Multi Chamber Substrate Processing Apparatus using Robot for Transferring Substrate | |
TW201532762A (en) | Substrate transfer system and method | |
JP5157460B2 (en) | End effector and transport device including the same | |
JP5524304B2 (en) | Substrate transport method in substrate processing apparatus | |
US7011484B2 (en) | End effector with tapered fingertips | |
JP5279554B2 (en) | Substrate processing equipment | |
JP4705765B2 (en) | Disc work loader hand | |
JP4526316B2 (en) | Workpiece transfer device | |
JP5283770B2 (en) | Substrate transport apparatus and substrate processing apparatus provided with the same | |
WO2016132651A1 (en) | Carrier transport device and carrier transport method | |
JP2013151034A (en) | Robot system | |
JP2002076089A (en) | System for processing object to be processed | |
JP2008100802A (en) | Substrate storage warehouse | |
JP6466160B2 (en) | Cassette stage |