JPH0737960A - Hand for water handling robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To move a hand for a wafer handling robot which removes a wafer from a cassette to a jig or from a jig to a cassette with a high speed both in the air and in a vacuum by a method wherein the outer circumference of the wafer are supported by three points. CONSTITUTION:A left finger 6 which has a clamping claw 8 on its one end and is attached so as to be turnable by a shaft 7, a center finger 14 which has a center clamping claw 16 on its one end and is attached so as to be movable and a right finger 10 which has a right clamping claw 12 on its one end and is attached so as to be turnable are provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wafer handling robot hand for transferring a wafer from a cassette to a jig or from a jig to a cassette.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a conventional hand for a wafer handling robot, and particularly shows a vacuum suction hand 1. The vacuum suction hand 1 suctions and conveys a wafer (not shown) through the vacuum holes 1a and 1b.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing another conventional hand for a wafer handling robot, and particularly shows a vacuum transfer hand 2. This vacuum transfer hand 2 has a holding projection 2
a to 2d are provided, and the holding protrusions 2a to 2d guide the outer peripheral surface of the wafer (not shown) to carry the wafer.

[0004]

However, in the wafer handling robot hand having the above-mentioned configuration, in particular,
The vacuum suction hand cannot be used in (A) vacuum, (B) a transfer trouble occurs due to a change in the degree of vacuum for vacuum suction, and (C) the hand contact part on the back surface of the wafer is removed from the vacuum hole. There is a possibility that the particles may be contaminated by the back flow of particles, and (D) there is no wafer centering function (not shown).

On the other hand, since the vacuum transfer hand (E) only guides the outer peripheral surface of the wafer (not shown), the transfer speed cannot be increased, and at present, the maximum speed is about 160 mm / sec. There was a problem that there was.

The present invention, as described above, cannot be used in a vacuum, a transfer trouble may occur due to a change in the degree of vacuum, the back surface of a wafer may be contaminated, and a wafer centering function is not provided. It is an object of the present invention to provide an excellent hand capable of simultaneously chucking or releasing the outer peripheral surface of a wafer with three clamping claws in order to eliminate the problems such as the inability to increase the transfer speed. .

[0007]

A hand for a wafer handling robot according to the present invention is provided with a left clamp claw at one end thereof, a left finger rotatably attached thereto, and a central clamp claw at one end thereof so as to be movable. With the central finger attached,
A right clamp pawl is provided at one end and is composed of a right finger rotatably mounted. When the central finger is moved by the drive means, the left finger and the right finger rotate together, and the left clamp pawl and the central clamp pawl The outer peripheral surface of the wafer is clamped by the claw and the right clamp claw.

[0008]

According to the present invention, the outer peripheral surface of the wafer is supported at three points, and the hand can be moved at high speed even in the atmosphere or vacuum.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a hand for a wafer handling robot according to the present invention when the hand is opened. FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. In the figure, 3
Is a hand base, and 4 is a drive unit such as an air cylinder or a solenoid actuator. As shown in FIG.
Fixed to. 6 is a left finger, and this left finger 6
Is rotatably supported by a shaft 7 fixed to the hand base 3, a left clamp pawl 8 is attached to one end, and a left cam follower 9 is attached to the other end. Reference numeral 10 denotes a right finger, which is rotatably supported by a shaft 11 fixed to the hand base 3. A right clamp claw 12 is attached to one end and a right cam follower 13 is attached to the other end. ing. Reference numeral 14 is a central finger, and the central finger 14 is fixed to the drive shaft 4 a of the drive unit 4 via a connecting bracket 15. And this central finger 14
A central clamp claw 16 is attached to one end of the, and a left cam follower recess 17 and a right cam follower recess 18 are provided to the other end. Then, the left cam follower 9 is inserted into the left cam follower recess 17, and the right cam follower 13 is inserted into the right cam follower recess 18. 19
Is a stopper projection, and this stopper projection 19 is fixed to the other end of the central finger 14. 20 is a positioning stopper at the time of clamping.
Is fixed to the hand base 3 in an adjustable manner so that the stopper projections 19 come into contact during the clamping operation. Reference numeral 21 is a hand close detection sensor, and this hand close detection sensor 21 is fixed to the hand base 3. A spring hook 22 is fixed to the other end of the center finger 14. 23 is a spring hook, and this spring hook 23
Adheres to the hand base 3. 24 is this spring hook 22
And a spring hook 23.

Further, in FIG. 2, 25 is a guide plate, and this guide plate 25 is provided with a guide groove (not shown),
Stick to the hand base 3. Reference numeral 26 denotes a guide rail, which is fixed to the central finger 14 and slides in a groove (not shown) of the guide plate 25 to guide the clamping operation of the central finger 14. Reference numeral 27 denotes an attachment portion for attaching the wafer handling robot hand to the handling robot, and the attachment portion 27 is fixed to the hand base.

Reference numeral 28 is a wafer.

Next, the operation of the wafer handling robot hand having the above-described structure, particularly the wafer clamping operation will be described. First, when the drive unit 4 is driven, the drive shaft 4a moves in the direction of the arrow 29. This drive shaft 4a
By the movement in the direction of the arrow 29 of FIG.
The central finger 14 also moves in the direction of arrow 29 via 5. Therefore, the left cam follower 9 attached to the other end of the left finger 6 is provided with the left cam follower recess 17 of the central finger 14.
Is attached to the other end of the right finger 10, and the right cam follower 13 attached to the other end of the right finger 10 is a recess 1 for the right cam follower of the central finger 14.
8, the left finger 6 rotates counterclockwise about the shaft 7 and the right finger 10 rotates clockwise about the shaft 11 by the movement of the central finger 14 in the direction of the arrow 29. Turn to. As a result, the left clamp pawl 8 mounted on one end of the left finger 6, the central clamp pawl 16 mounted on one end of the central finger 14, and the right finger 10.
The outer peripheral surface of the wafer 28 can be clamped at three points by the right clamp claw 12 attached to one end of the. At this time, the stopper projection 19 hits the positioning stopper 20, the movement of the central finger 14 in the direction of the arrow 29 is stopped, and the central finger 14 can be positioned. Further, the end of the clamping operation can be detected by the hand close detection sensor 21, and furthermore, it is possible to constantly monitor whether or not the hand is opened for some reason during the transfer of the wafer 28.

Regarding the closing operation of the hand, it goes without saying that the wafer 28 can be released by reversing the above opening operation.

When the hand is used in vacuum, a solenoid actuator is used as the drive unit, and when it is used in the atmosphere, an air cylinder is used as the drive unit. Further, when the wafer is clamped, the positioning stopper can be adjusted by each of the clamp claws so as not to damage the chip or stress the wafer.

The hand having the above-mentioned structure is about 800 mm.
The transport speed can be increased to / sec.

[0016]

As described above in detail, according to the wafer handling robot hand according to the present invention, the left clamping claw, the central clamping claw and the right clamping claw are provided when the hand is opened and when the hand is closed. Since they are always in the same position, it is possible to have the function of centering the wafer when the hand is closed. Moreover, the wafer can be positioned by clamping the outer peripheral surface of the wafer at three points,
The hand can be moved at high speed even in the atmosphere or vacuum. Further, the wafer does not move or shift in the hand. Further, since no stress is applied to the wafer when the wafer is clamped, there is an effect that chipping, cracking, and particle adhesion can be eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a hand for a wafer handling robot according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a conventional hand.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing another conventional hand.

[Explanation of symbols]

 6 Left Finger 8 Left Clamping Claw 10 Right Finger 12 Right Clamping Claw 14 Center Finger 16 Center Clamping Claw 19 Stopper Protrusion 20 Positioning Stopper 21 Hand Close Detection Sensor 28 Wafer

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A hand for a wafer handling robot which transfers a wafer from a cassette to a jig or from a jig to a cassette, wherein a left clamp finger is rotatably mounted at one end and a center finger is provided at one end. It is composed of a center finger that is provided with a clamp claw and is movably mounted, and a right finger that is provided with a right clamp claw at one end and is rotatably mounted. A hand for a wafer handling robot, wherein the right finger rotates together and the left clamping claw, the center clamping claw, and the right clamping claw clamp the outer peripheral surface of the wafer.