JP5474328B2 - Substrate transfer robot - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a robot for transporting a substrate. In particular, the substrate transfer robot according to the present invention is suitable for transferring a heavy substrate such as a large glass substrate for a solar panel.

  Various robots are used to carry a substrate to be processed into a substrate processing apparatus such as a chemical vapor deposition apparatus (CVD apparatus) and to carry out a processed substrate.

  As an example of a substrate to be processed, there is a square glass substrate used for a solar panel, and the size of each side is over 2 m, which is a large heavy object.

  In order to safely and accurately transport a large heavy object such as a glass substrate for a solar panel, a robot that can sufficiently withstand such a weight is required.

In addition, it is desired that the floor area required for installing the substrate transfer system be as small as possible in order to enable installation in a limited space.
JP 2008-137115 A JP 2008-73788 A JP 2007-260862 A JP 2007-54939 A

  However, in the conventional substrate transfer robot, when the substrate is lifted and lowered together with the end effector, not only the end effector holding the substrate but also the arm or the like to which the end effector is mounted is driven up and down together.

  For this reason, a large-capacity motor is required as a drive source in order to safely and accurately move up and down a large heavy glass substrate with a side exceeding 2 m, thereby increasing the size of the device and increasing its manufacturing cost. There was a problem of doing.

  In addition to the problem that the conventional substrate transfer robot itself increases in size as described above, when a substrate processing apparatus or the like is arranged around the robot, it prevents interference with the substrate or arm. There was a problem that it was difficult to adopt a compact layout.

  Further, since the conventional substrate transfer robot has a structure in which the arm is extended in the horizontal direction when the end effector is horizontally moved, there has been a problem of the position shift of the end effector due to the bending of the extended arm due to its own weight.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a substrate transport robot that can safely and accurately transport a heavy object such as a large glass substrate while preventing an increase in size of the structure. And

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate transfer robot that can adopt a compact layout when a substrate processing apparatus or the like is arranged around the substrate transfer robot.

In order to solve the above problems, a substrate transfer robot according to the present invention has an upper surface extending in a horizontal direction, and a plate-like glass substrate, particularly a large glass substrate for a panel, is substantially horizontally disposed on the upper surface. End effector mounted and held, vertical drive means for driving the end effector in the vertical direction, horizontal drive means for driving the vertical drive means in the horizontal direction, and the horizontal drive means for the vertical rotation axis Rotational drive means for rotating around, wherein the end of the end effector is connected to the vertical drive means, and the end of the vertical drive means is connected to the horizontal drive means. To do.

  Preferably, the horizontal drive means is a travel support member that extends in the horizontal direction and includes a front end portion and a rear end portion, and is a travel support member that is rotationally driven around the rotation axis by the rotational drive means; A travel drive mechanism configured to travel the vertical drive unit between the front end portion and the rear end portion of the travel support member;

  Preferably, the travel drive mechanism is stretched between the front end portion and the rear end portion of the travel support member, and a horizontal transport belt to which a lower end portion of the vertical drive means is fixed, and the horizontal transport belt A horizontal transfer motor for driving the motor.

  Preferably, the vertical driving means is an elevating support member that extends in a vertical direction and includes an upper end portion and a lower end portion, the elevating support member having the lower end portion attached to the horizontal driving means, and the end effector. And an elevating drive mechanism for driving elevating between the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the elevating support member.

  Preferably, the elevating drive mechanism includes a vertical conveying belt that is stretched between the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the elevating support member and to which the base end portion of the end effector is fixed, and the vertical conveying belt. And a vertical conveying motor to be driven.

Preferably, the end effector has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein and the base end portion is attached to said vertical drive means, said vertical driving means is located in the rear end portion of the horizontal drive means The front end portion of the end effector is positioned on the rear end side with respect to the front end of the horizontal driving means.

Preferably, the rotation axis is located closer to the rear end than the center position in the front-rear direction of the horizontal driving means.
Preferably, a lower end portion of the vertical drive means is connected to the horizontal drive means, the rotation axis is located at a position closer to the rear end than the center position in the front-rear direction of the horizontal drive means, and the end effector is A base end portion and a tip end portion, and the base end portion is attached to the vertical drive means, and when the vertical drive means is located at a rear end portion of the horizontal drive means, the end effector The front end portion of the glass substrate placed on the front end portion and the upper surface of the end effector is located on the rear end side with respect to the front end of the horizontal driving means and at the substantially front end of the horizontal driving means. The rotation axis is located at a substantially central position in the horizontal direction of the end effector and a substantially central position in the horizontal direction of the glass substrate placed on the upper surface of the end effector.

  Hereinafter, a substrate transfer robot and a substrate transfer system including the robot according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate transport system includes a substrate transport robot 1, temporary storage devices 2 and 3, and a conveyor device 4 arranged around the substrate transport robot 1. Further, a substrate processing apparatus 5 for processing a substrate is disposed adjacent to the robot 1.

  The arrangement relationship between the robot 1 and each device 2-5 will be described. The substrate processing device 5 and the conveyor device 4 are arranged to face each other with the robot 1 in between. In addition, a pair of temporary storage devices 2 and 3 are disposed on the line perpendicular to the line connecting the substrate processing apparatus 5 and the conveyor apparatus 4 with the robot 1 interposed therebetween.

  This transfer system is particularly suitable for transferring a large glass substrate 100 for a solar panel, and the robot 1 is appropriately connected between the conveyor device 4, the pair of temporary storage devices 2, 3 and the substrate processing device 5. The glass substrate 100 is conveyed.

  Specifically, the unprocessed glass substrate 100 transported to the vicinity of the robot 1 by the conveyor device 4 is transported to the first provisional storage device 2 by the robot 1. The unprocessed glass substrate 100 temporarily stored in the first temporary storage device 2 is carried into the substrate processing device 5 by the robot 1.

  The substrate processing apparatus 5 performs chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processing or the like on the glass substrate 100, and the processed glass substrate 100 is unloaded from the substrate processing apparatus 5 by the robot 1 and transferred to the second temporary storage apparatus 3. It is conveyed.

  The processed glass substrate 100 temporarily stored in the second temporary storage device 3 is transported to the conveyor device 4 by the robot 1 and is carried out by the conveyor device 4.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the substrate transfer robot 1 has a base 10 fixedly installed on a floor 50, and the base 10 can rotate an elongated traveling support member 11 extending in the horizontal direction. It is supported by.

  Specifically, a rotation support shaft 12 is fixedly provided on the lower surface of the travel support member 11, and the rotation support shaft 12 is pivotally supported by a bearing 13 of the base 10. The rotation support shaft 12 is provided at a position slightly closer to the rear end portion 11B than the center position in the longitudinal direction of the travel support member 11.

  A servo motor 14 having an encoder is provided inside the base 10, and the rotational driving force of the servo motor 14 is transmitted to the rotary support shaft 12 through gear mechanisms 15 and 16. As a result, the travel support member 11 is rotationally driven around the rotation axis 17 in the vertical direction with respect to the base 10. The servo motor 14 and the gear mechanisms 15 and 16 constitute rotation driving means.

  Mounted on the travel support member 11 is an elevating support member 18 extending in the vertical direction so as to be movable between the front end portion 11A and the rear end portion 11B of the travel support member 11 while maintaining its upright state. Has been.

  More specifically, a horizontal transport belt that spans between the front end portion 11A and the rear end portion 11B via a pair of pulleys (horizontal transport pulleys) 19A, 19B in the internal space of the travel support member 11. 20 is provided. The upper surface of the travel support member 11 is open, and the lower end portion 18B of the elevating support member 18 is fixed to the upper surface of the horizontal conveyance belt 20. The upper opening of the travel support member 11 may be sealed with a seal belt or the like.

  One pulley 19A is rotationally driven by a servo motor 21 having an encoder, and the horizontal conveyance belt 20 is driven back and forth. Thereby, the elevating support member 18 is driven to travel between the front end portion 11A and the rear end portion 11B of the travel support member 11. The servo motor 21, the horizontal conveyance belt 20, and the pulleys 19A and 19B constitute a traveling drive mechanism that causes the elevating support member 18 to travel in the horizontal direction. The travel drive mechanism and the travel support member 11 constitute a horizontal drive means.

  An end effector 22 extending in the horizontal direction is mounted on the front surface of the elevating support member 18 so as to be able to elevate between the upper end portion 18A and the lower end portion 18B of the elevating support member 18 while maintaining the horizontal state. Has been.

  More specifically, in the internal space of the elevating support member 18, the vertical conveyance belt 24 is stretched between a pair of pulleys (vertical conveyance pulleys) 23A and 23B between the upper end portion 18A and the lower end portion 18B. Is provided. The front surface of the elevating support member 18 is open, and the base end portion 22 </ b> B of the end effector 22 is fixed to the front surface of the vertical conveyance belt 24. The front opening of the lifting support member 18 may be sealed with a seal belt or the like.

  One pulley 23A is rotationally driven by a servo motor 25 provided with an encoder, and the vertical conveying belt 24 is driven up and down. Thereby, the end effector 22 is driven to travel between the upper end portion 18A and the lower end portion 18B of the lifting support member 18. The servo motor 25, the vertical conveyance belt 24, and the pulleys 23A and 23B constitute an elevating drive mechanism that elevates and lowers the end effector 22 in the vertical direction. The elevating drive mechanism and the elevating support member 18 constitute vertical drive means.

  3 shows a state in which the lifting support member 18 is located at the rear end portion 11B of the traveling support member 11. In this standby state, the distal end portion 22A of the end effector 22 is more than the front end of the traveling support member 11. Is also located on the rear end side.

  In this substrate transport system, as shown in FIG. 4A, open spaces 2A and 3A in which at least the side facing the robot 1 (front side) is opened at the lower part of each of the temporary storage devices 2 and 3. Is formed.

  Also, as shown in FIG. 4B, in the substrate processing apparatus 5, an open space 5 </ b> A in which at least the side facing the robot 1 (front side) is opened is formed in the lower part. Instead of forming the open space 5A below the substrate processing apparatus 5, the substrate processing apparatus 5 may be arranged so as not to interfere with the minimum rotation radius of the robot.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4 (c), in the conveyor device 4, an open space 4A in which at least the side facing the robot 1 (front side) is opened is formed in an area between the upper and lower belts. ing.

  When the traveling support member 11 of the robot 1 is rotated around the rotation axis 17, the front end portion 11 </ b> A of the traveling support member 11 draws a circular locus indicated by reference numeral 26 in FIG. 2.

  A part of the circular trajectory 26 of the front end portion 11 </ b> A of the traveling support member 11 overlaps the installation area of the temporary storage devices 2 and 3, the conveyor device 4, and the substrate processing device 5. The substrate processing apparatus 5 may be arranged so as not to overlap with the circular locus 26.

  However, since the open spaces 2A, 2B, 4A, and 5A shown in FIG. 4 are formed in each device, the traveling support member 11 of the robot 1 has the front end portion 11A in the open spaces 2A, 2B, and 4A when rotating. 5A inside.

  This point will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. The travel support member 11 of the robot 1 corresponds to an open space 5 </ b> A formed below the substrate processing apparatus 5 and an open space 4 </ b> A inside the conveyor apparatus 4. It is arranged at the height position. Further, with respect to the temporary storage devices 2 and 3, the travel support member 11 is disposed at a height position corresponding to each of the open spaces 2 </ b> A and 3 </ b> A.

  Thus, when the travel support member 11 rotates, the front end portion 11A can pass through the open spaces 2A, 3A, 4A, and 5A, and the travel support member 11 and each device 2-5 Interference can be prevented.

  Further, as described above, the rotation support shaft 12 is provided at a position slightly closer to the rear end portion 11B than the center position in the longitudinal direction of the travel support member 11. Thereby, even when the traveling support member 11 is rotated in a state where the lifting support member 18 is positioned at the rear end portion 11B of the traveling support member 11, the lifting support member 18 may interfere with each device 2-5. Absent.

  Further, by providing the rotation support shaft 12 at a position slightly closer to the rear end than the center position in the longitudinal direction of the travel support member 11, the weight balance of the turning shaft at the time of turning the robot is improved, and a smooth rotating operation is achieved. be able to.

  That is, when the robot turns, the lifting support member 18 is positioned on the rear end portion 11B side of the travel support member 11, but the front portion of the travel support member 11 is made longer than the rear portion, so that the weight of the front portion is increased. Increases weight balance.

  In the travel drive mechanism and the lift drive mechanism in this embodiment, a belt & pulley is used as the linear motion mechanism. For example, a linear motion mechanism such as a rack and pinion, a ball screw, a linear motor, a cylinder, telescopic, and a pantograph is used. May be used.

  Further, in the rotational drive means in the present embodiment, the power of the servo motor 14 is transmitted to the travel support member 11 via the gear mechanisms 15 and 16, but for example, the travel support member 11 is connected to a high output motor. You may connect directly.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the robot 1 when the glass substrate 100 on the conveyor device 4 is transferred to the substrate processing device 5 will be described.

  In the initial state, the end effector 22 faces the direction of the conveyor device 4 as shown in FIG. 1, and at this time, the lifting support member 18 is the rear end portion 11B of the travel support member 11 as shown in FIG. Located on the side.

  In this state, the vertical effector servo motor 25 is driven to lower the end effector 22 and move downward by a predetermined distance from the lower surface of the glass substrate 100 on the conveyor device 4.

  Next, the servo motor 21 for horizontal conveyance is driven to move the lifting support member 18 to the front end portion 11 </ b> A side of the traveling support member 11, and the end effector 22 is positioned below the glass substrate 100.

  Subsequently, the vertical transfer servomotor 25 is driven to move the end effector 22 upward by a predetermined distance, and the glass substrate 100 is held by the end effector 22.

  And the servo motor 21 for horizontal conveyance is driven, and the raising / lowering support member 18 is moved to the rear end part 11 </ b> B side of the travel support member 11.

  Next, the servo motor 14 for rotational driving is driven to rotate the travel support member 11 so that the end effector 22 faces the substrate processing apparatus 5.

  Subsequently, the servo motor 25 for vertical conveyance is driven to move the end effector 22 upward by a predetermined distance from the height of the substrate mounting portion of the substrate processing apparatus 5.

  Then, the horizontal conveyance servomotor 21 is driven to move the lifting support member 18 to the front end portion 11 </ b> A side of the travel support member 11, and the end effector 22 is positioned above the substrate placement portion of the substrate processing apparatus 5.

  From this state, the vertical transfer servomotor 25 is driven to move the end effector 22 downward by a predetermined distance, and the glass substrate 100 is placed on the substrate placement portion of the substrate processing apparatus 5.

  Finally, the horizontal conveyance motor 21 is driven to move the elevating support member 18 to the rear end portion 11B of the travel support member 11.

  In the present embodiment, the glass substrate 100 is carried in and out using the conveyor device 4. However, for example, a placing table for placing the glass substrate 100 is installed, and a glass or the like is installed by a robot or the like. The substrate 100 may be carried in and out of the mounting table, or the glass substrate 100 may be carried in and out in a state where a plurality of substrates are accommodated in the substrate container.

  In the substrate transfer robot 1 of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration, when the glass substrate 100 is held up and down by the end effector 22, it is sufficient to drive only the end effector 22 out of the entire robot 1. For this reason, the capacity | capacitance of the servomotor which comprises a drive means can be restrained small compared with the case where another arm is moved with an end effector like the prior art. Thereby, enlargement of the robot 1 can be prevented and an increase in manufacturing cost can be suppressed.

  In the substrate transfer robot 1 according to the present embodiment, the end effector 22 is moved in the horizontal direction by moving the vertical driving means in the horizontal direction, so that the arm is moved in the horizontal direction as in the conventional substrate transfer robot. There is no need to stretch. For this reason, there is no problem of bending due to the extension of the arm, and the end effector 22 can be accurately positioned at a desired position.

  Further, according to the transfer system including the substrate transfer robot 1 according to the present embodiment, each device 2-5 is connected to the robot 1 while preventing the traveling support member 11 of the robot 1 from interfering with each device 2-5. Therefore, the layout of the entire system including the substrate processing apparatus 5 can be made more compact than before.

1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate transfer system including a substrate transfer robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, together with a substrate processing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the substrate transfer system and the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate transfer robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the open space in the temporary storage apparatus shown in FIG. 1, a substrate processing apparatus, and a conveyor apparatus, (a) is a temporary storage apparatus, (b) is a substrate processing apparatus, (c) is a conveyor apparatus. Indicates. It is a figure for demonstrating the layout of the substrate conveyance system and substrate processing apparatus which were shown in FIG. 1, (a) is a partial top view, (b) is a partial side view. The side view for demonstrating the layout of the substrate conveyance system and substrate processing apparatus which were shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Board | substrate conveyance robot 11 Traveling support member 18 Lifting support member 14,15,16 Rotation drive means 19A, 19B Horizontal conveyance pulley 20 Horizontal conveyance belt 21 Horizontal conveyance servo motor 22 End effector 23A, 23B Vertical conveyance pulley 24 Vertical conveyance Belt 25 Servo motor for vertical conveyance 100 Glass substrate

Claims (9)

An end effector having an upper surface extending in a horizontal direction, and a plate-like glass substrate placed and held substantially horizontally on the upper surface;
Vertical drive means for driving the end effector in a vertical direction;
Horizontal driving means for driving the vertical driving means in a horizontal direction;
Rotational drive means for rotationally driving the horizontal drive means around a vertical rotation axis, and an end of the end effector is connected to the vertical drive means,
A substrate transfer robot, wherein an end of the vertical drive means is connected to the horizontal drive means. 2. The substrate transfer robot according to claim 1, wherein the end effector is configured such that a large glass substrate for a panel is placed and held substantially horizontally on the upper surface of the end effector. . The horizontal driving means is a traveling support member that extends in a horizontal direction and includes a front end portion and a rear end portion, the traveling support member that is rotationally driven around the rotation axis by the rotational drive means, and the vertical drive. substrate transfer robot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it has means and the front end of the travel support member, and a travel driving mechanism for driving and moving between the rear end portion. The travel drive mechanism is spanned between the front end portion and the rear end portion of the travel support member, and drives the horizontal transport belt, and a horizontal transport belt to which a lower end portion of the vertical drive means is fixed. The substrate transfer robot according to claim 3 , further comprising a horizontal transfer motor. The vertical driving means is an elevating support member that extends in the vertical direction and includes an upper end portion and a lower end portion, and the elevating support member having the lower end portion attached to the horizontal driving means, and the elevating and lowering the end effector. the upper portion and the substrate transfer robot according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it has a, a lifting drive mechanism for vertically driving between the lower end of the support member. The elevating drive mechanism is stretched between the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the elevating support member, and a vertical conveying belt to which a base end portion of the end effector is fixed, and a vertical driving the vertical conveying belt. 6. The substrate transfer robot according to claim 5 , further comprising a transfer motor. The end effector has a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and the proximal end portion is attached to the vertical driving means,
When the vertical drive means is located at the rear end of the travel support member of the horizontal drive means , the tip of the end effector is closer to the rear end than the front end of the travel support member of the horizontal drive means. The substrate transfer robot according to claim 3 , wherein the substrate transfer robot is configured to be positioned. The axis of rotation, the front-rear direction of the substrate transfer robot according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that in the position of the rear end than the center position of the horizontal driving unit. A lower end of the vertical driving means is connected to the horizontal driving means;
The rotation axis is at a position closer to the rear end than the center position in the front-rear direction of the travel support member of the horizontal drive means,
The end effector has a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and the proximal end portion is attached to the vertical driving means,
When the vertical drive means is located at the rear end of the travel support member of the horizontal drive means , the tip of the end effector and the tip of the glass substrate placed on the upper surface of the end effector Is located on the rear end side of the front end of the travel support member of the horizontal drive means and is located substantially at the front end of the travel support member of the horizontal drive means , and the rotation axis is horizontal to the end effector. The substrate transfer robot according to claim 3, wherein the substrate transfer robot is positioned at a substantially central position in a direction and a substantially central position in a horizontal direction of the glass substrate placed on the upper surface of the end effector.

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