JP4467770B2 - Conveying apparatus and vacuum processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a transfer apparatus having simple configuration in which a turning radius can be reduced, further with a higher transfer rate. SOLUTION: The transfer apparatus 1 of the invention has a first and a second arms 21, 22 on which a first and a second drive shafts 11, 12 are concentrically arranged at one ends A, B. At the other ends C, D of the first and the second arms 21, 22, one ends E, F of a third and a fourth arms 23, 24 are pivotably attached about bearing shafts 23a, 24a respectively. The other ends G, H of the third and the fourth arms 23, 24 are composed to concentrically pivot about a connecting shaft 30a. A first power transmission device 4 for transmitting rotation power of the drive shaft 12 in the second arm 22 to the third arm 23 and a second power transmission device 5 for transmitting rotation power in the other end C of the first arm 21 to the connecting shaft 30a are provided.

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a transfer device for transferring, for example, a semiconductor substrate or the like into a vacuum processing tank and transferring it to a predetermined position.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, semiconductor devices have been required to be ultrafine and highly accurate. In the devices for manufacturing such semiconductor devices, it is necessary to improve the throughput and reduce the floor area for installing the devices. It is requested.
[0003]
For this reason, a multi-chamber apparatus and a transfer apparatus capable of consistently performing various substrate processes in a vacuum by arranging a plurality of process chambers around the transfer chamber and connecting them through a gate valve. It has been proposed (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 2733799, Japanese Patent No. 2808826, etc.).
[0004]
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a main part configuration of a conventional transport device (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-279043).
As shown in FIG. 5, in the transport device 100, the rotational power of a drive source (not shown) is transmitted to the drive shaft 101 and the drive gear 102 attached to the drive shaft 101, and further, the drive gear 102 and the drive gear 102 are driven. It is transmitted to the driven shaft 104 via a driven gear 103 that meshes with the gear 102.
[0005]
A first arm 105 is attached to the drive shaft 101, and a third arm 107 that can rotate around the rotary shaft 106 is attached to the tip of the first arm 105.
[0006]
On the other hand, a second arm 108 is attached to the driven shaft 104, and a fourth arm 110 that can rotate around the rotation shaft 109 is attached to the tip of the second arm 108.
[0007]
A moving pulley 111 that is concentrically rotatable with the rotating shaft 106 is attached to the third arm 107, and the moving pulley 111 is connected to a fixed pulley 112 fixed at a position concentric with the driving shaft 101 by a belt 113. ing. The diameter ratio between the moving pulley 111 and the fixed pulley 112 is 1: 2.
[0008]
Restraint gears 114 and 116 are rotatably attached to the distal ends of the third arm 107 and the fourth arm 110, respectively, and these restraint gears 114 and 116 are attached to the substrate platform 115 in a meshed state. Yes.
[0009]
In the conventional transport apparatus 100 having such a link mechanism, a straight line (hereinafter referred to as “transport line”) orthogonal to the straight line connecting the center of the drive shaft 101 and the driven shaft 104 in the horizontal plane by rotating the drive shaft 101. .) The substrate mounting table 115 moves along l and passes through a position where the opening angle of the first arm 105 and the second arm 108 is 180 degrees (hereinafter referred to as “dead point position”).
[0010]
Further, in the transport apparatus 100, the drive shaft 101 and the driven shaft 104 are rotatably attached to a support table (not shown), and the substrate mounting table 115 is rotated by rotating the support table with another drive source (not shown). It is configured to turn around the drive shaft 101.
[0011]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the conventional transfer apparatus 100 is configured to rotate the substrate mounting table 115 around the drive shaft 101, the first to fourth arms 105, 107, 108, 110 are set to the dead point. When the substrate mounting table 115 is swung in the contracted state, the substrate mounting table 115 is located at the center position of the first to fourth arms 105 , 107 , 108 , 110 , that is, a straight line connecting the center axes of the drive shaft 101 and the driven shaft 104. It is the structure which does not turn centering | focusing on the intersection O of m and the said conveyance line l.
[0012]
For this reason, in the prior art, since the minimum turning radius cannot be reduced and the inner diameter of the transfer chamber cannot be reduced, there is a problem that the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus cannot be reduced.
[0013]
In order to improve the throughput of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, it is effective to increase the operation speed of the transfer apparatus. However, in the conventional technique, the drive shaft 101 and the driven shaft 104 are configured using one drive source. Since it is made to operate | move, there exists a subject that the operating torque of a drive source becomes insufficient by the transmission loss of rotational power, etc., and an operating speed does not become high.
[0014]
In order to solve such a problem, it is conceivable to transmit the rotational power of two independent drive sources to the first and second drive shafts arranged concentrically. Since the two restraining gears 114 and 116 constituting the mechanism are arranged in parallel, the rotation angle of the third arm 107 with respect to the first arm 105 and the rotation of the fourth arm 110 with respect to the second arm 108 are described. The angles are not proportional to the rotation angles of the first arm 105 and the second arm 108, respectively. For this reason, the substrate mounting table 115 becomes difficult to move without being synchronized with the rotational motions of the first and second arms 105 and 108 in synchronism with the rotational motions of the third and fourth arms 107 and 110.
[0015]
On the other hand, in order to avoid such a problem, it is necessary to provide a complicated correction mechanism, which increases the number of parts and makes the assembly process complicated.
[0016]
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the conventional technology, and an object of the present invention is to provide a transport apparatus that can reduce the turning radius with a simple configuration and has a high transport speed. .
[0017]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a transfer device having first, second, third and fourth arms, wherein the first arm has one end A. Is fixed to a first drive shaft, and one end B of the second arm is fixed to a second drive shaft disposed concentrically with the first drive shaft, and the third arm One end E of the arm is connected to the other end C of the first arm so as to be rotatable about a support shaft, and one end F of the fourth arm is connected to the second end C. The other end D of the arm is connected to be rotatable about a support shaft, and the other ends G and H of the third and fourth arms are connected to be rotatable about a predetermined connecting shaft, A first power transmission mechanism for transmitting rotational power of the drive shaft of the first or second arm to the third or fourth arm; The first or the rotational power at the other end of the second arm and a second power transmission mechanism for transmitting to the connecting shaft, the second power transmission mechanism, the first or second arm And a driven portion provided on the connecting shaft, and the driven portion and the driven portion are connected by a predetermined power transmission member. It is characterized by.
Pulley invention of claim 2, wherein, in the invention of claim 1 Symbol placement, the second power transmission mechanism, which is the other end station C, a driving unit provided in the D of the first or second arm And a pulley as a driven portion provided on the connecting shaft, and the pulley as the driving portion and the pulley as the driven portion are connected by a transmission belt.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the first, second, third and fourth arms have the same arm length.
The invention described in claim 4 is a vacuum processing apparatus configured to perform transfer in a vacuum processing tank using the transfer apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3. is there.
[0018]
In the case of the present invention, since the drive shafts of the first and second arms are arranged concentrically, the minimum turning radius in the state where the first to fourth arms are arranged at the dead center position is set in the prior art. It becomes possible to make it smaller.
[0019]
Further, according to the present invention, since the other ends G and H of the third and fourth arms are concentrically connected by a predetermined connecting shaft, a complicated correction mechanism for changing the arm length is provided. Rotational power of the drive shaft can be applied to the third and fourth arms without using the above, and as a result, the operating speed of the first to fourth arms can be increased with a simple configuration.
[0020]
Moreover, in the present invention, the second power transmission mechanism is configured to transmit the rotational power at the other end C, D of the first or second arm to the connecting shaft. For example, the carrier attached to the connecting shaft can be moved with good straightness along a predetermined transport line without rotating, and the carrier can be smoothly moved even in the vicinity of the dead center position.
[0021]
Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the power of the drive source is efficiently transmitted to each arm by the first power transmission mechanism, it is possible to operate more smoothly and at high speed.
[0022]
Furthermore, according to the present invention, when the second power transmission mechanism is for example configured by a pulley and belt, it is possible to provide a transport mechanism of lightweight thin.
[0023]
On the other hand, according to the vacuum processing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to provide a vacuum processing apparatus that is small and has a high conveyance speed of the processing object.
[0024]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a transport device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0025]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of the first embodiment of the transport apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing the configuration of the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the transfer device 1 of the present embodiment is for transferring a processing object in, for example, a vacuum processing tank (not shown), and the first and second concentrically arranged. Each of the drive shafts 11 and 12 has drive shafts 11 and 12 so that rotational power in the clockwise direction or the counterclockwise direction is transmitted from the independent first and second drive sources M1 and M2, respectively. It is configured.
[0026]
One end A of the first arm 21 is fixed to the first drive shaft 11, and one end B of the second arm 22 is fixed to the second drive shaft 12.
[0027]
The other ends C and D of the first and second arms 21 and 22 have one ends E and F of the third and fourth arms 23 and 24 using, for example, bearings (not shown). The shafts 23a and 24a are attached so as to be rotatable.
[0028]
The third and fourth arms 23 and 24 are configured such that the other ends G and H can rotate concentrically about a connecting shaft 30a fixed to a base plate 30 described later.
[0029]
In the present embodiment, the lengths of the first to fourth arms 21 to 24 (the distance between the rotation axes) are all set to the same length. Hereinafter, the entire first to fourth arms 21 to 24 are collectively referred to as an arm 20 as appropriate.
[0030]
In the present embodiment, the first power transmission mechanism 4 is provided between the second arm 22 and the third arm 23.
[0031]
1 and 2, in the first power transmission mechanism 4, the first pulleys 4 1 concentrically with respect to the second drive shaft 12 is a rotation axis of the second arm 22 together but are fixed, the second pulleys 4 2 is fixed concentrically with respect to the support shaft 23a is a rotation axis of the third arm 23, driving the bell on the first and second pulleys 41 and 42 40 is wrapped around.
[0032]
Here, the first and second pulleys 41 and 42 have the same diameter.
[0033]
Then, the first power transmission mechanism 4 having such a configuration transmits the rotational power of the second drive shaft 12 for driving the second arm 22 to the third arm 23 in the same phase. It is like that.
[0034]
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a second power transmission mechanism 5 is provided.
The second power transmission mechanism 5 has a third pulley (drive unit) 53 that is fixed to the other end C of the first arm 21 and is rotatable about a support shaft 23a of the third arm 23. is doing.
[0035]
A fourth pulley (driven portion) 54 is fixed to the connecting shaft 30a of the base plate 30 around the connecting shaft 30a. The diameter of the fourth pulley 54 is set to be twice the diameter of the third pulley 53. Then, a transmission belt (power transmission member) 50 is wound around these third and fourth pulleys 54, whereby the rotation of the third pulley 53 is transmitted to the fourth pulley 54 in the same phase. ing.
[0036]
As shown in FIG. 1, a carrier 31 for mounting the semiconductor wafer 2 is attached to the base plate 30.
[0037]
In the case of the present embodiment, the first carrier 31a is provided on the first and second drive shafts 11 and 12 side with respect to the base plate 30, and the first carrier 31a on the 180 ° rotationally symmetric side with the base plate 30 interposed therebetween. Two carriers 31b are provided so that two semiconductor wafers 2 can be placed simultaneously.
[0038]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.
First, from the state where the opening angle of the first arm 21 and the second arm 22 is 180 degrees, that is, at the dead point position, the opening angle of the first arm 21 and the second arm 22 is reduced. When the first drive shaft 11 and the second drive shaft 12 are rotated in the opposite directions by a predetermined angle θ, the first arm 21 and the second arm 22 are respectively rotated in the opposite directions by the same angle θ. .
[0039]
Here, the first to fourth arms 21 to 24 constitute a link mechanism, and the first to fourth arms 21 to 24 have the same arm length. The connecting shaft 30a fixed to the first and second drive shafts 11 and 12 moves on a straight line (hereinafter referred to as “transport line”) L that connects the centers of the first and second drive shafts 11 and 12 and the center of the connecting shaft 30a (see FIG. 1). ).
[0040]
Here, when the first arm 21 rotates by an angle θ, the third arm 23 rotates by an angle 2θ in the opposite direction with respect to the first arm 21. The third pulley 53 fixed to the first arm 21 is rotated by 2θ relative to the third arm 23. The rotational power of the third pulley 53 is transmitted to the fourth pulley 54 via the transmission belt 50. Since the diameter ratio of the third pulley 53 and the fourth pulley 54 is 1: 2, The fourth pulley 54 rotates with respect to the third arm 23 by an angle θ.
[0041]
As a result, the base plate 30 and the carrier 31 fixed to the fourth pulley 54 via the connecting shaft 30a move on the transport line L with good straightness without rotating about the connecting shaft 30a. Become.
[0042]
On the other hand, when returning the carrier 31 to the original position, the first drive shaft 11 and the second drive shaft 12 are rotated by a predetermined angle θ in the opposite direction to the above direction. Thereby, the operation opposite to the above-described operation is performed, and the first arm 21 and the second arm 22 are returned to the dead center position.
[0043]
Note that when the first drive shaft 11 and the second drive shaft 12 are rotated in the same direction, the carrier 31 rotates in the same direction around the first drive shaft 11 and the second drive shaft 12. To do.
[0044]
Next, the operation when the carrier 31 passes through the dead center position in the present embodiment will be described.
Here, a state in which the opening angle of the first arm 21 and the second arm 22 is slightly reduced from 180 degrees at the dead center position is considered.
[0045]
In this state, the first drive shaft 11 is rotated by an angle θ in a predetermined direction so that the opening angle of the first arm 21 and the second arm 22 is increased, and the second drive shaft 12 is Rotate in the opposite direction by an angle θ.
[0046]
In the present embodiment, the rotational power of the second drive shaft 12 is transmitted to the third arm 23 in the same phase by the power transmission mechanism 8, and thus the first and second arms 21. , 22 is rotated, the third arm 23 is rotationally moved with respect to the first arm 21. As a result, the carrier 31 smoothly passes through the dead center position.
[0047]
3 (a) to 3 (d) and FIGS. 4 (e) to 4 (g) illustrate the operation of replacing a processed semiconductor wafer with an unprocessed semiconductor wafer in the vacuum processing tank using the present embodiment. FIG.
[0048]
Here, as shown in FIG. 3A, consider a state in which there is an unprocessed semiconductor wafer 2a on the first carrier 31a and no semiconductor wafer 2 on the second carrier 31b.
[0049]
First, the second carrier 31b was placed at a predetermined position in a vacuum processing tank (not shown) by turning the first to fourth arms 21 to 24 in a state of being placed at the dead center position. Directed toward the processed semiconductor wafer 2.
[0050]
Next, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the arm 20 is extended to move the second carrier 31b to the wafer delivery position 50. Further, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), the processed semiconductor wafer 2 is removed. The arm 20 is returned to the initial position by placing it on the second carrier 31b. In this state, the semiconductor wafer 2 is placed on the first and second carriers 31a and 31b.
[0051]
Then, as shown in FIGS. 3D and 4E, the arm 20 is turned 180 degrees, the first carrier 31a is directed to the wafer transfer position 50, the arm 20 is extended, and the first carrier 31a is moved. Move to wafer transfer position 50.
[0052]
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4 (f), the unprocessed semiconductor wafer 2a on the first carrier 31a is delivered, and as shown in FIG. 4 (g), the first carrier 31a is set to the initial position. return.
[0053]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the drive shafts 11 and 12 of the first and second arms 21 and 22 are arranged concentrically, the first to fourth arms 21 to 21 are arranged. It becomes possible to make the minimum turning radius in a state where 24 is arranged at the dead center position smaller than in the prior art.
[0054]
Further, according to the present embodiment, the third and fourth arms 23 and 24 are configured to rotate concentrically around the connecting shaft 30a at the other ends G and H, respectively. The rotational power of the drive shafts 11 and 12 can be applied to the third and fourth arms 23 and 24 without using a complicated correction mechanism for changing the arm length. As a result, the first configuration can be achieved with a simple configuration. The operating speed of the fourth arms 21 to 24 can be increased.
[0055]
In addition, in the present embodiment, the second power transmission mechanism 5 is configured to transmit the rotational power at the other end C of the first arm 21 to the connecting shaft 30a. The carrier 31 attached to the connecting shaft 30a can be moved with good straightness along the transport line L without rotating, and the carrier 31 can be moved smoothly even in the vicinity of the dead center position.
[0056]
Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the power of the drive sources M1 and M2 is efficiently transmitted to the arms 21 to 24 by the first power transmission mechanism 4, so that it can be operated more smoothly and at high speed. Become.
[0057]
Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the first and second power transmission mechanisms 4 and 5 are constituted by the first to fourth pulleys 41, 42 and 53, 54 and the transmission belts 40 and 50. A thin and lightweight power transmission mechanism can be provided.
[0058]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes can be made.
For example, it is also possible to use a sprocket and a chain instead of the pulleys and belts of the first and second power transmission mechanisms.
[0059]
When a sprocket and a chain are used, it is possible to provide a power transmission mechanism that does not slip and has low thermal elongation.
[0060]
In the above-described embodiment, the first power transmission mechanism is provided between the second arm and the third arm, and the second power transmission mechanism is provided between the first arm and the connecting shaft. However, the first power transmission mechanism may be provided between the first arm and the fourth arm, and the second power transmission mechanism may be provided between the second arm and the connecting shaft.
[0061]
Furthermore, the transfer apparatus of the present invention can be used in various apparatuses including, for example, a vacuum processing apparatus, and can be changed as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0062]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a transport apparatus that can reduce the turning radius with a simple configuration and that has a high transport speed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of an embodiment of a transport apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing the configuration of the embodiment. FIG. 3 (a) to (d) Explanatory drawing which shows the operation | movement which replaces the semiconductor wafer processed in the vacuum processing tank with the unprocessed semiconductor wafer using a form (the 1)
FIGS. 4E to 4G are explanatory views showing an operation of replacing a processed semiconductor wafer with an unprocessed semiconductor wafer in the vacuum processing tank (part 2) using the embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a main configuration of a conventional transport apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Conveying apparatus 2 ... Semiconductor wafer 4 ... 1st power transmission mechanism 5 ... 2nd power transmission mechanism 11 ... 1st drive shaft 12 ... 2nd drive shaft 20 ... Arm 21 ... 1st arm 22 ... 1st 2 arms 23 ... 3rd arm 24 ... 4th arm 30 ... base plate 30a ... connecting shaft 40 ... transmission belt 41 ... 1st pulley 42 ... 2nd pulley 50 ... transmission belt (power transmission member) 53 ... Third pulley (drive unit) 54 ... Fourth pulley (driven unit)

Claims (4)

A transport device having first, second, third and fourth arms,
The first arm has one end A fixed to the first drive shaft,
The second arm has one end B fixed to a second drive shaft disposed concentrically with the first drive shaft,
The third arm is connected such that one end E is rotatable about the support shaft at the other end C of the first arm,
The fourth arm is connected such that one end F is rotatable about the support shaft at the other end D of the second arm,
The other ends G and H of the third and fourth arms are coupled to be rotatable about a predetermined coupling axis,
A first power transmission mechanism for transmitting rotational power of the drive shaft of the first or second arm to the third or fourth arm;
A second power transmission mechanism for transmitting rotational power at the other end of the first or second arm to the connecting shaft ;
The second power transmission mechanism includes a driving unit provided at the other end C or D of the first or second arm, and a driven unit provided at the connecting shaft, and the driving unit And the follower are connected by a predetermined power transmission member . The second power transmission mechanism includes a pulley serving as a driving unit provided at the other end C, D of the first or second arm and a pulley serving as a driven unit provided at the connecting shaft. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein a pulley serving as the driving unit and a pulley serving as the driven unit are coupled by a transmission belt. It said first, second, third and conveying apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 according to any one, characterized in that the arm length of the fourth arm are the same. A vacuum processing apparatus configured to perform transfer in a vacuum processing tank using the transfer apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 .

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