JPH06349930A - Finger collision detector of wafer transfer robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To stop a robot quickly detecting if the finger of the robot collides against other members by a method wherein signals detected by a collision detecting means are transmitted by wireless through an antenna and received by a sequence control device. CONSTITUTION:An elastic member 8a such as a spring or the like is mounted on the end of a finger 4 connected with a wafer transfer robot main body, wherein the elastic member 8a is deformed when the finger 4 collides against some other members. A detection circuit 12 which is actuated to transmit detection signals by a limit switch 8b actuated corresponding to the deformation of the elastic member 8a and a wireless transmission circuit, 13 are provided. Detection signals outputted from the wireless transmission circuit 13 are transmitted through an antenna 13a by radio and received by a receiver 11. If the finger collides against the other member, signals of the limit switch 8b are transmitted from the radio transmitter 13 and received by a control device to stop the robot main body. Therefore, an actual collision can be detected without fail.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a chemical vapor deposition method (CVD).
The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus which is used for manufacturing a semiconductor device by a method) and is generally called a CVD apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus which detects a collision of fingers of a transfer robot as a wafer transfer apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is equipped with a wafer.
A transfer robot as a wafer transfer device for transferring from a carrier to a processing part such as a wafer boat is included. In the following description, the transfer robot is simply referred to as a robot, and the robot body is simply referred to as a body in some cases.
The transfer robot is provided with fingers (also called pens) for placing and moving the wafer on it by means such as vacuum suction. For some reason, this is a finger.
It may collide with a wafer, a wafer carrier, a boat, or the like, which may cause damage to the wafer itself or an apparatus, and in some cases, cause an obstacle for an operator or the like.

7 and 8 are a plan view and a side view, respectively, of the transfer robot 1 described above, and the lifting device is omitted for simplification. With reference to these figures, the wafer transfer operation will be described, for example, when the wafer 7 is received from the wafer carrier and transferred to the boat. First, the first shaft 3 of the robot body 2 is rotated to move the fingers 4
Toward the wafer carrier on the right side, the first arm 5 and the second arm 6 are extended and lifted by a lifting device (not shown) to receive the wafer 7, and then the first and second arms are received. A
The arms 5 and 6 are contracted and the first shaft 3 is rotated, the finger 4 is directed toward the left side boat, the first and second arms 5 and 6 are extended and lowered, and the wafer 7 is moved. -Place it on the toe. During this operation, for example, when the arms 5 and 6 are extended, when the finger 4 collides with the carrier or the boat, the spring 8a as the elastic member of the collision detection means 8 (see FIG. 9) is The limit switch 8b is actuated by being pressed by the finger 4 guided by a guide (not shown), and a signal is sent to a separately installed control device to stop the operation of the transfer robot 1.

[0004]

The conductor 9 for transmitting the signal from the limit switch 8b is provided by the collision detecting means 8 to the third rotating shaft 6a, the second arm 6, and the second arm 6, as shown in FIG. The two rotary shafts 5a, the first arm 5, the first rotary shaft 3, and the main body 2 are guided through the curved interior. It is necessary to guide the rotary shafts so as to withstand the rotation of the rotary shafts. Therefore, the conductive wire 9 is required to have bending resistance, and the bending resistance wire may be twisted off in some cases. As an alternative method, there is also a method in which the conductor wire is taken out of the arm or the rotating shaft to be wired, but in this wiring method, minute foreign matter adhered to the wiring relationship or minute particles are generated due to the rubbing of the wiring, etc. It is not preferable in terms of keeping the environment clean.

[0005]

According to the present invention, instead of guiding the problematic lead wire by inserting it through the inside of the arm, rotating shaft, etc. between the detecting means and the robot body, the following 3
The problem was solved by means of seeds. 1) As a first means, a signal detected by the detecting means is wirelessly transmitted from inside the means through an antenna and received by a sequence control device or the like in a control device separately installed. The battery for wireless transmission emits a signal for discharge check at a predetermined time interval, and it is determined that the battery is discharged because the signal is no longer transmitted. 2) As a second means, a vibration sensor or an acceleration sensor is installed inside or outside the robot body, and when the output signal detected by these sensors exceeds a certain set value (threshold or limit signal), it is regarded as a collision. Detect. 3) As a third means, a vacuum switch is provided in the robot body, an air passage is provided in the arm and the rotary shaft between the vacuum switch and the finger holding portion, and the vacuum switch and the finger holding portion are communicated with each other. Then, by closing or opening the air passage opening of the finger holding portion by the movement of the fingers, the vacuum switch is actuated to transmit the detection signal.

[0006]

In the case of the first means, when the fingers collide with each other, the signal from the limit switch is received by the control device from the radio transmitter to stop the operation of the robot main body. Since there is no concern about damage due to insertion into the shaft or inside the rotary shaft, there is no risk of failure due to damage to the conductor. Further, since the presence or absence of discharge of the battery is regularly checked, the collision actually caused by the discharge of the battery will not be missed. In the case of using the vibration sensor in the second means, if the signal output is within the range of the set value (threshold value or threshold value) as shown in FIG. 6, the robot operation is continued as it is as a normal state, Not only when the fingers collide, but also when the other portions collide, the output exceeds the limit signal as shown in the figure and the robot stop signal is given to the control device. Although not shown, when the acceleration sensor is used, the vertical axis in FIG. 6 is acceleration and a similar acceleration curve is obtained, and when the limit acceleration value is exceeded, a robot stop signal is given to the control device.
In the case of the third means, it is selected whether the air passage opening of the finger holding portion is closed or opened when the fingers collide, and it is turned on when the vacuum switch is closed or opened. If the setting is made as described above, a signal is sent to the control device according to those settings to stop the robot.

[0007]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a finger collision detection apparatus for a wafer transfer robot according to the present invention, and the same members or parts as those shown in FIG. Explain. The apparatus of this embodiment comprises a collision detection means 10 and a receiver 11 provided in a separately installed control device. The collision detection means 10 includes a detection circuit 12 in addition to the components shown in FIG. The wireless transmission circuit 13, the antenna 13a, the battery 14, and the battery 1 (not shown)
A circuit is included which emits a signal to check the discharge of the battery at predetermined intervals from 4. To explain the operation of this device,
When the finger 4 collides with a carrier, a boat, a wafer, or the like, the spring 8a, which is an elastic member, is pushed and the limit switch 8b is actuated.
A signal is sent from the antenna 13a of No. 3 and is received by the receiver 11 of the control device installed separately, and the robot is stopped by the control device.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the second embodiment, and the vibration transmitter 15 is illustrated as being attached to the outside of the robot body 2, but may be attached to the inside of the robot body 2. This vibration transmitter 15 may be a simple rectangular block because it is connected to a separately installed control device by a conductive wire 17 and the finger holding portion 16 has no detection means.
Is a conducting wire for a transfer robot motor or the like. In the case of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, an output signal exceeding the limit value determines that a collision has occurred, and the controller stops the robot. Explaining with reference to FIG. 6, the portion of the waveform having a small difference in height is a portion showing the vibration output by normal operation, and the peak P protruding from the portion of the waveform having a small difference in height has an abnormal value. It is an example shown. The dashed-dotted line in the figure is a limit signal called a threshold value or a threshold value, this signal value is N, and the vibration output detected beyond this N is due to a collision. The ratio increases as the vibration transmitter 15 is closer to the finger 4, but is separated from the finger 4 in order to eliminate the need to guide the lead wire.
This has the advantage that collisions other than fingers can be detected. In the third embodiment, an acceleration transmitter 18 is used instead of the vibration transmitter 15 of the second embodiment, and the mounting and operation are the same as those in the second embodiment, so the illustration thereof is omitted.

FIG. 3 shows a side view as an embodiment in the case of using a vacuum switch. A holding portion 20 is provided at the end of the finger 4 on the side connected to the main body of the wafer transfer robot. A mounting member 21 in the portion 20 is directly mounted on the finger 4, a lower surface of the mounting member 21 is slidable along an upper surface of the opening / closing member 22, and the mounting member 21 has an elastic member on a surface opposite to the finger 4. Is always pressed against the finger 4 by the spring 23 as
Is moved against the spring 23 in case of a collision. on the other hand,
A vacuum switch 24 is attached to the inside of the main body 2, the vacuum switch 24 and the opening / closing member 22 are communicated with each other by an air passage 25 penetrating each arm and a rotary shaft, and an opening 26 is formed in a slide surface 22 a of the opening / closing member 22. An air passage 27 connects the outlet side of the vacuum switch 24 to the vacuum pump and a lead wire 28 to the controller. The vacuum pump is constantly operated, and air is sucked in through the opening 26 in the opening / closing member 22, but when the finger 4 moves to the left in the figure due to a collision, the opening 26 is blocked by the mounting member 21 and the degree of vacuum rises and the vacuum switch When 24 is turned on, a signal for stopping the transfer robot is sent to the control device.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a fifth embodiment as another embodiment using a vacuum switch similar to the fourth embodiment. The difference from the fourth embodiment is the opening of the finger holding portion 20a. Since 26 is normally closed, when the finger 4 moves to the left in the drawing due to a collision, the opening 26 is opened, the degree of vacuum is lowered, and the vacuum switch 24a is turned on. FIG. 5 shows a finger holding portion 20 of a sixth embodiment as yet another embodiment.
It is a side view of b, and is the same as that of FIG. 3 except this. One finger 4 is provided on one side of the attachment member 21a, and five fingers 4 are provided on the opposite side.
This is a two-way type in which sheets are attached, springs 23a as elastic members are also provided on both sides, and the opening 26a in the opening / closing member 22b is normally closed. In this structure, even if fingers on either side collide. It can operate as in the fifth embodiment.

[0011]

As described above, according to the finger collision detection device for a wafer transfer robot according to the present invention, it is possible to eliminate the difficult work of pulling an electric wire through the arm and the rotary shaft of the robot and to bend it. It is possible to prevent an accident in which the lead wire is inserted through the passage and is twisted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a first embodiment of a finger collision detection device for a wafer transfer robot according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a robot to which the second embodiment and the third embodiment are attached.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a robot equipped with a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a robot to which the fifth embodiment is attached.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a finger holding portion according to a sixth embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a graph of an output curve of the vibration sensor according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a robot equipped with a conventional finger collision detection device.

FIG. 8 is a side view of FIG. 7.

9 is a detailed plan view of the finger holder shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wafer transfer robot 2 Main body 4 Fingers 8a, 23, 23a Elastic member 8b Limit switch 10 Collision detection device 11 Receiver 12 Detection circuit 13 Wireless transmission circuit 13a Antenna 14 Battery 15 Vibration transmitter 17, 17a Conductor 18 Acceleration transmission Container 20 Holding part 21 Mounting member 22 Opening / closing member 24, 24a Vacuum switch 25 Air passage 26 Opening 28 Conductor wire

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A main body of a wafer transfer robot for transferring and transferring a wafer between a wafer carrier and a wafer boat of an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device by a chemical vapor deposition method. Wafer transfer having a collision detection means for detecting the collision of the finger with another member, and a control device for stopping further movement of the wafer transfer robot in response to a signal from the collision detection means. In a collision detection device for a robot, the collision detection device is attached to the connection end side of the finger with the main body of the wafer transfer robot, and an elastic member such as a spring that is deformed by the collision of the finger, and this elastic member. A detection / transmission circuit including a detection circuit and a wireless transmission circuit that operate by a limit switch that operates according to the deformation of the wireless communication circuit and that emits a detection signal, and an alarm signal that wirelessly transmits the detection signal from the wireless transmission circuit. And Tena, weather consisting of a receiver for receiving the originating on a detection signal - finger shock sensor Ha transfer robot. 2. The detection circuit and the wireless transmission circuit are operated by using a battery as a power source that emits a signal at a predetermined time interval to issue a collision detection signal and stop the signal transmitted at the predetermined time interval. The finger collision detection device for a wafer transfer robot according to claim 1, wherein the inspection is continuously performed as the discharge of the battery. 3. A finger of a wafer transfer device for transferring and transferring a wafer between a wafer carrier and a wafer boat of a device for manufacturing a semiconductor device by a chemical vapor deposition method. A wafer transfer robot having a collision detection means for detecting a collision with another member and a controller for stopping further movement of the wafer transfer robot in response to a signal from the collision detection means. The collision detection means is a vibration transmitter or an acceleration transmitter mounted on the outside or inside of the main body of the wafer transfer robot, and the transmitter and the control device are connected by a conductor. Characteristic finger collision detection device for wafer transfer robot. 4. A finger of a wafer transfer robot for transferring and transferring a wafer between a wafer carrier and a wafer boat of an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device by a chemical vapor deposition method. A collision detection means for detecting a collision with another member and a wafer in response to a signal from the collision detection means.
In a wafer transfer robot having a controller for stopping further movement of the transfer robot, the collision detection means is mounted on the side of the finger connected to the main body of the transfer robot. , A holding portion including a finger mounting member that moves due to the collision of the fingers and an opening / closing member that closes or opens the air inlet by relative movement of the mounting member, and is mounted inside the wafer transfer robot body. A vacuum switch that is constantly depressurized by a vacuum pump and is turned on when the degree of depressurization is increased or decreased by a predetermined value or more, and an air passage that connects the vacuum switch and the opening / closing member to each other. The ON operation of the vacuum switch due to the increase or decrease in the degree of pressure reduction in the air passage system due to the opening or closing of the valve is sent to the control device by a conductor as a detection signal. Finger collision detection device for wafer transfer robot. 5. The finger collision detection device according to claim 4, wherein the finger mounting member is provided with a single finger on one side thereof and a plurality of fingers on the other side thereof, and one side and the other side thereof are made of elastic members. A finger collision detection device for a wafer transfer robot, wherein the finger collision detection device is maintained in an equilibrium state with the air inlets closed or opened by being pressed in opposite directions.