JP2015091621A - Carrier robot equipped with variable hands of four robot arms - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a carrier robot equipped with variable hands of four robot arms in which the four robot arms are drivable separately and which can load simultaneously or take out to-be-carried objects, e.g. substrates or wafers, loaded vertically by a specified pitch unit.SOLUTION: A carrier robot equipped with variable hands of four robot arms includes first to four robot arms 20a to 20d which are each formed with position variable block 22a to 22d inside them, arranged above, below, left and right and configured so as to move linearly in the front-back direction and first to four robot hands 21a to 21d bound each to the position variable blocks and being variable in the left-right width within a specified range. The carrier robot can take out, carry and load to-be-carried objects simultaneously or separately from specified positions to different specified positions, carry a large number of objects simultaneously, cope with individual pitches of the process equipment or cassettes and improve the process efficiency.

Description

  The technology disclosed in the present application relates to a transfer robot having four robot arms, and in particular, the four robot arms can be individually driven, and the transfer object (substrate or The present invention relates to a transfer robot equipped with four robot arm variable hands capable of simultaneously loading and unloading wafers and the like.

  In the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, a liquid crystal display device and the like, a drawing process and a taking-out process are performed on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device.

  The substrate processing apparatus (transfer robot) has been developed and used as a double arm robot, a transfer robot composed of a large number of arms, and a substrate holding unit that holds a plurality of carriers and a substrate process that processes a substrate. A reversing unit that is vertically stacked between the carrier holding unit and the substrate processing unit, an indexer robot that transports a substrate between each reversing unit and the carrier holding unit, each reversing unit and the substrate processing unit, And a main transfer robot that transfers the substrate between the two.

  Such a transfer robot is basically for more efficiently transferring a wafer, a substrate or a transfer object, and this can reduce the process time and increase the process efficiency. Development will be done in the direction that can be done.

  A transfer robot having a double arm has been developed from a transfer robot having a single arm for transferring a single substrate. For the purpose of improving the structure of the double arm and making the process more efficient, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10- No. 2008-0047205 (substrate transfer robot) (Patent Document 1) and Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2012-0007449 (Substrate Processing Apparatus and Substrate Transfer Method) (Patent Document 2) are disclosed.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a substrate transfer robot that includes a large number of arms capable of independent rotational movement and simultaneous vertical movement and can achieve efficient substrate transfer.

  Although patent document 1 has a gain in the structure which can convey the conveyance thing installed and located in four directions of east, west, south, and north, since it operate | moves independently in four directions of east, west, north, and south, it is an in-line process. However, the process that is advanced in one direction has disadvantages that are not suitable for use.

  Patent Document 2 provides a transfer robot for increasing the throughput of the substrate processing apparatus (throughput, the number of substrates processed per unit time) and reducing the waiting time of the indexer robot and the main transfer robot.

  Patent Document 2 has an advantage of shortening the process time, but has a disadvantage that a plurality of hands are attached to one arm, so that it must be driven simultaneously. It is disadvantageous in that a large number of transported objects can be transported only when they are positioned at.

Korean Published Patent Publication No. 10-2008-0047205 Korean Published Patent Publication No. 10-2012-0007449

  Various embodiments of the present invention provide a transfer robot with a variable hand of four robot arms that can simultaneously or individually transfer a transferred object in the same horizontal linear motion.

  In addition, according to various embodiments of the present invention, in the in-line process and the process continuous in one direction, the flow of the process is induced by simultaneous transfer of 1 to 4 conveyed objects, and the process time It is possible to provide a transfer robot equipped with four robot arm variable hands that can shorten the process time and increase the process efficiency.

  Further, according to various embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a transfer robot including four robot arm variable hands in which four robot arms are arranged in the vertical and horizontal directions and the horizontal position of the robot hand can be varied.

  A transfer robot having a variable hand of four robot arms according to one aspect of the present invention for solving the above-described problem has a variable position block formed therein and arranged vertically and horizontally, and linearly moves in the front-rear direction. 1st to 4th robot arms formed so as to be capable of being moved, and 1st to 4th robot hands that are coupled to the position variable blocks and whose left and right widths are variable within a predetermined range. It is realized to take out the goods simultaneously or individually from a predetermined position to another predetermined position and transport or load them, so that a large number of transported objects can be transported at the same time, each pitch of process equipment or cassette Different measures can be taken and the process efficiency can be increased.

  Here, the position variable block has an opening at a front end surface of each of the first to fourth robot arms, and a position variable rail is formed inside each of the first to fourth robot arms. A variable slide coupled to the position variable rail may be formed at the tip of the first to fourth robot hands.

  Here, the first and third robot arms are vertically arranged, the second and fourth robot arms are vertically arranged, and the variable slides of the first and third robot arms are formed at positions facing each other. It is preferable that the variable slides of the second and fourth robot arms are formed at positions facing each other because a vertically symmetric structure can be realized.

  Here, the outer surfaces of the first to fourth robot arms are slidably coupled to the first to fourth horizontal rails, and the inner surfaces of the first and second horizontal rails have upper vertical slides. Each of the third and fourth horizontal rails may be mounted on a lower vertical slide, and the upper and lower vertical slides may be rail-connected to a vertical body having a vertical configuration.

  Here, the outer surfaces of the first to fourth robot arms are slidably coupled to the first to fourth horizontal rails, and the inner surfaces of the first and second horizontal rails have upper vertical slides. Each of the third and fourth horizontal rails has an inner surface mounted on a lower vertical slide, and the upper and lower vertical slides are rail-coupled to a vertical body having a vertical configuration, and the lower stage of the vertical body is It may be connected to a rotating body that moves circularly.

  Here, the outer surface of each of the first to fourth robot arms is coupled to the first to fourth horizontal slides, and each of the first to fourth horizontal slides can slide on the first to fourth horizontal rails. The rails may be formed on the outer surface of the first to fourth horizontal rails.

  According to various embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to simultaneously or individually convey a material with the same horizontal linear motion, and in the in-line process and the process continuous in one direction, In 1 to 4 individual transfers or simultaneous transfers, a rapid process flow can be induced, process time can be shortened, and process efficiency can be increased.

It is a perspective view of the conveyance robot provided with the variable hand of four robot arms by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the conveyance robot provided with the variable hand of four robot arms by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the conveyance robot provided with the variable hand of four robot arms by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of the conveyance robot provided with the variable hand of four robot arms by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a state figure showing horizontal position variable operation of a robot hand of a conveyance robot provided with a variable hand of four robot arms by one embodiment of the present invention. It is a horizontal advance state figure of the 1st robot arm of the conveyance robot provided with the variable hand of four robot arms by one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a horizontal advance state diagram of the first and second robot arms of the transfer robot including the four robot arm variable hands according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a horizontal advance state figure of the 1st-3rd robot arm of the conveyance robot provided with the variable hand of four robot arms by one embodiment of the present invention. It is a horizontal advance state figure of the 1st-the 4th robot arm of the conveyance robot provided with the variable hand of four robot arms by one embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, the structure and operational effects of a transfer robot having variable hands of four robot arms according to various embodiments of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a transfer robot including four robot arm variable hands according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 includes four robot arm variable hands according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view of a transfer robot, FIG. 3 is a front view of the transfer robot having variable hands of four robot arms according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. It is a side view of the conveyance robot provided with the variable hand of a robot arm.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a transfer robot 10 having four robot arm variable hands according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a base frame 11, a slide base 12, a rail box 13, a rail 14, and a rotation. Body 15, vertical body 16, upper and lower slides 17 a and 17 b, first to fourth horizontal rails 18 a to 18 d, first to fourth horizontal slides 19 a to 19 d, first to fourth robot arms 20 a to 20 d, and first -4th robot hand 21a-21d is comprised.

  The base frame 11 may be formed in a square frame shape to support the transfer robot 10, and a caster may be attached so as to be easily movable as necessary, so as to prevent fluidity during operation of the robot. Multiple fixing devices may be attached.

  In addition, a stopper may be attached to the base frame 11 in order to confirm the left and right movement distance of the transfer robot 10.

  A slide base 12 is positioned inside the base frame 11, and rails 14 for horizontally moving the slide base 12 are formed on both sides of the base frame 11.

  The rail 14 may be covered by a rail box 13, and a cable (not shown) for sending power and control signals may be seated in the rail box 13.

  The slide base 12 is configured to be connected to the rails 14 on both sides so as to be horizontally movable. A rotating body 15 is formed at the upper end of the center, and a vertical body 16 is formed at the tip of the rotating body 15. Good.

  A rotation center axis is formed at the center of the rotator 15, and the rotator 15 rotates with respect to the rotation center axis.

  The rotating body 15 rotates the first to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d by 360 degrees with respect to the rotation center axis, and the vertical body 16 enables the reciprocating linear motion of the first to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d. To do.

  A rail is formed on one side surface of the vertical body 15, and an upper vertical slide 17a and a lower vertical slide 17b are vertically coupled to the rail, and the upper and lower vertical slides 17a and 17b simultaneously perform a vertical reciprocating linear motion.

  First and second horizontal rails 18a and 18b are mounted on one outer surface of the upper and lower vertical slides 17a and 17b, and third and fourth horizontal rails 18c and 18d are mounted on the other outer surface.

  The first to fourth horizontal rails 18a to 18d are formed with rails on the outside and have a long bar shape so that the robot arm can be moved horizontally.

  The first and third horizontal rails 18a and 18c are arranged vertically, and the second and fourth horizontal rails 18b and 18d are also arranged vertically.

  The first to fourth horizontal rails 18a to 18d are connected to the rails so that the first to fourth horizontal slides 19a to 19d can slide back and forth.

  First to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d are mounted on the inner sides of the first to fourth horizontal slides 19a to 19d, respectively, so that the robot arm slides back and forth in conjunction with the front and rear sliding motion of the horizontal slide. Embodied.

  The first to fourth horizontal slides 19a to 19d and the first to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d may be embodied by being physically separated, or may be integrally coupled, or may be integrally coupled. The first to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d may be mounted on the first to fourth horizontal rails 18a to 18d in combination with a slide.

  The first to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d are arranged in a lattice arrangement, that is, the first and fourth robot arms 20a and 20d and the second and third robot arms 20b and 20c are arranged diagonally to each other. The second robot arms 20a, 20b are arranged in an upper horizontal arrangement, and the third and fourth robot arms 20c, 20d are arranged in a lower horizontal arrangement.

  The first to fourth robot hands 21a to 21d are attached to the tips of the first to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d, and an object to be transported is placed on the first to fourth robot hands 21a to 21d. Become.

  First to fourth position variable blocks 22a to 22d to which the first to fourth robot hands 21a to 21d can be attached are formed at the distal ends of the first to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d.

  The first to fourth robot hands 21a to 21d are coupled to the first to fourth position variable blocks 22a to 22d, and the first to fourth robots according to the variable areas of the first to fourth position variable blocks 22a to 22d. Each of the hands 21a to 21d is configured such that its position can be varied from side to side.

  The first to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d may be driven independently, may be driven two or three at a time, and can be simultaneously driven.

  The first to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d perform horizontal linear motion x in the x-axis direction, vertical linear motion y in the y-axis direction, horizontal linear motion z in the z-axis direction, and rotational motion θ simultaneously or individually. It may be driven.

  The horizontal linear motion x in the x-axis direction can be realized by reciprocating in the x-axis direction of the slide base 12 by coupling the slide base 12 and the rail 14, and the vertical linear motion y in the y-axis direction is vertical. The upper and lower vertical slides 17a and 17b can move vertically in the y-axis direction with respect to the body 16, and the horizontal linear movement in the z-axis direction includes the first to fourth horizontal rails 18a to 18d and the first to fourth horizontal lines. The first to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d are horizontally driven in the z-axis direction with respect to the slides 19a to 19d, and the rotational motion θ is generated by the vertical body 16 with respect to the rotation center axis of the rotating body 15. It comes to rotate 360 degrees.

  The arrangement of the first to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d is arranged in a lattice arrangement, that is, in a “B” shape, and is configured to be able to simultaneously convey and load a conveyed object.

  Depending on the arrangement of the first to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d, four transferred objects can be transferred simultaneously or individually, and loaded, but depending on the process, 3 or 3 robots can be driven without driving one or two robot arms. By driving one robot arm or two robot arms, it is possible to simultaneously transport or individually load three transport objects or two transport objects.

  In addition, three robot arms may be configured without configuring any one of the first to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d.

  FIG. 5 is a state diagram illustrating the horizontal position variable operation of the robot hand of the transfer robot including the variable hands of the four robot arms according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 5 shows when the first to fourth robot hands 21a to 21d are varied with the maximum width and when they are varied with the minimum width in a state where the four robot arms 20a to 20d have advanced in the forward direction. Yes.

  In the case of (A), it is a state diagram when the first to fourth robot hands 21a to 21d are advanced in the forward direction and spread to both sides with the maximum width, and in the case of (B), the first to first robot hands The state diagram when the four robot hands 21a to 21d are narrowed to the minimum width in a state where they are advanced forward is shown.

  The variable range of the four robot hands 21a to 21d can be within the variable range of the first to fourth position variable blocks 22a to 22d, and each of the robot hands 21a to 21d can slide within the position variable blocks 22a to 22d. In this way, the rails may be coupled.

  The first to fourth position variable blocks 22a to 22d are formed inside the first to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d, and have openings on the front end surfaces of the first to fourth robot arms 20a to 20d.

  The opening side is a portion where the first to fourth robot hands 21a to 21d are inserted for coupling.

  Since the position variable blocks 22a to 22d and the robot hands 21a to 21d are rail-coupled, the position variable blocks 22a and 22c are formed with first and third position variable rails 24a and 24c, respectively. First and third variable slides 23a and 23c that are rail-coupled to the position variable rails 24a and 24c, respectively, are attached to the tips of the robot hands 21a and 21c.

  The second and fourth position variable rails and the second and fourth variable slides are formed in the same manner as the first and third variable rails 24a and 24c and the first and third variable slides 23a and 23c.

  Preferably, the first and third variable slides 23a and 23c are formed in a direction facing each other, and the second and fourth variable slides are also formed in a direction facing each other so as to form a vertically symmetrical structure.

  As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, the transfer robot 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention has four robot arms that linearly move in the horizontal direction and a transferred object (a display panel can be said to be representative) 4. Process equipment that can be transferred at the same time and can be transferred at the same time, or can be transferred at the same time. Simultaneous transfer of four conveyed items inside the cassette becomes possible.

  It is possible to transfer a large amount of conveyed products in an in-line process, and it is possible to cope with each pitch of the process equipment or cassette, and the process efficiency can be maximized by shortening the setting time of the robot. .

  FIG. 6 is a horizontal advancing diagram of a first robot arm of a transfer robot having a variable hand of four robot arms according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a diagram of four robots according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a horizontal advancing state diagram of the first and second robot arms of the transfer robot having a variable arm hand, and FIG. 8 is a diagram of a transfer robot having a variable hand of four robot arms according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a horizontal advance state of the first to third robot arms, and FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a horizontal advance state of the first to fourth robot arms of the transfer robot including the variable hands of the four robot arms according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is.

  Referring to FIG. 6, the first robot arm 20a may be moved horizontally in the forward direction with respect to the first horizontal rail 18a (z-axis direction), and the first robot hand 21a is attached to the first robot arm 20a. At the same time, it moves in the z-axis direction, and the left and right positions can be varied within the range of the first position variable block 22a formed at the tip of the first robot arm 20a.

  Referring to FIG. 7, the second robot arm 20b together with the first robot arm 20a may be moved horizontally in the forward direction with respect to the second horizontal rail 18b (z-axis direction), and the second robot hand 21b 2 It is attached to the robot arm 20b and moves in the z-axis direction at the same time, and the left and right positions can be varied within the range of the second position variable block 22b formed at the tip of the second robot arm 20b. Become.

  Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, as with the first and second robot arms 20a and 20b, the third and fourth robot arms 20c and 20d are also moved forward with respect to the third and fourth horizontal rails 18c and 18d. The third and fourth robot hands 21c and 21d may be mounted on the third and fourth robot arms 20c and 20d and simultaneously move in the z-axis direction. In addition, the left and right positions can be varied within the range of the fourth position variable blocks 22c and 22d.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the technical configuration of the present invention described above is not limited to those skilled in the art belonging to the present invention. It will be understood that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without changing essential characteristics. Therefore, it should be understood that the above-described embodiment is illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive, and the scope of the present invention will be described later than the above detailed description. All modifications or variations that are indicated by the claims and that are derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and equivalents thereof should be construed as being included within the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Transfer robot 11 Base frame 12 Slide base 13 Rail box 14 Rail 15 Rotating body 16 Vertical body 17a, 17b Vertical slide 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d Horizontal rail 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d Horizontal slide 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d Robot arm 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d Robot hand 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d Position variable block

Claims (6)

First to fourth robot arms formed with a position variable block formed therein, arranged vertically and horizontally, and capable of linear movement in the front-rear direction;
A first to a fourth robot hand each coupled to the position variable block and having a lateral width variable within a predetermined range;
A transfer robot provided with variable hands of four robot arms, which is embodied such that a transferred object is taken out from a predetermined position to another predetermined position simultaneously or individually, and transferred or loaded. The position variable block has an opening at a tip surface of each of the first to fourth robot arms, and a position variable rail is formed inside each of the first to fourth robot arms,
The transfer robot including the variable hands of the four robot arms according to claim 1, wherein variable slides that are coupled to the position variable rails are formed at tips of the first to fourth robot hands, respectively. The first and third robot arms are vertically arranged, and the second and fourth robot arms are vertically arranged,
The variable slide of each of the first and third robot arms is formed at a position facing each other, and the variable slide of each of the second and fourth robot arms is formed at a position facing each other. A transfer robot with a variable hand of two robot arms. The outer surfaces of the first to fourth robot arms are slidably coupled to the first to fourth horizontal rails,
Each of the first and second horizontal rails has an inner surface mounted on an upper vertical slide, and each of the third and fourth horizontal rails has an inner surface mounted on a lower vertical slide,
The transport robot having variable hands of four robot arms according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower vertical slides are rail-coupled to a vertical body having a vertical shape vertically. The outer surfaces of the first to fourth robot arms are slidably coupled to the first to fourth horizontal rails,
Each of the first and second horizontal rails has an inner surface mounted on an upper vertical slide, and each of the third and fourth horizontal rails has an inner surface mounted on a lower vertical slide,
The upper and lower vertical slide is rail-coupled to a vertical body in a vertical form up and down,
The transfer robot having variable hands of four robot arms according to claim 1, wherein the lower stage of the vertical body is connected to a rotating body that moves circularly. The outer surface of each of the first to fourth robot arms is coupled to the first to fourth horizontal slides,
Each of the first to fourth horizontal slides is slidably coupled to the first to fourth horizontal rails,
The transfer robot having variable hands of four robot arms according to claim 1, wherein rails are formed on outer surfaces of the first to fourth horizontal rails.

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