KR20020016074A - Clean Room Compatible Structure for Clean Cartesian Robots - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An orthogonal robot is provided to improve the reliability and durability by having a cable in a body, preventing the leakage of particles generated inside the body and discharging particles outside at the same time. CONSTITUTION: An orthogonal robot is composed of: a slider(16) formed with a connection(23) and operated with a linear motion by the built-in power and the electric power through a cable chain(15), a body(11) which has plural exhaust ports(11a) to inhale particles near a guide(13) and in which the cable chain is installed to be wired at the other shaft through the connection(23), a band(29) fixed to the body(11), penetrating the slider(16) and extended to the same direction as the transfer trajectory of the connection(23), and a cover(21) covering the body and having an exhaust port to inhale particles leaked at the clearance between the cover and the band.

Description

Clean Room Compatible Structure for Clean Cartesian Robots

The present invention relates to a clean orthogonal robot, and more particularly, to embed the cable inside the body and block the particles generated inside the body from leaking to the outside, while simultaneously discharging the particles to the outside for high reliability and operation under a high clean working environment. The present invention relates to a clean environment response structure of a clean orthogonal robot for improving durability.

Clean robot means a robot used in a clean environment. Unlike the robots used in the general environment, the robots used in the clean environment minimize the generation of particles by applying a clean technology, and the generated bodies use the sealed structure and the exhaust structure inside the robot body for the generated particles. Various clean processing techniques are adopted, such as preventing particle leakage to the outside.

Most conventional orthogonal robots operate by installing a robot cable outside the robot body due to various difficult problems such as spatial constraints and complexity of mechanisms. However, cleanliness experiments have shown that cables are one of the main sources of particles, and the main cause is cable contact or wear caused by robot movement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the main part configuration of a conventional 2-axis XY stage, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the main part configuration of a conventional single axis clean orthogonal robot.

In FIG. 1, two-axis XY stages are mainly used in equipment of a semiconductor process that requires precise positioning. In general, the body 11 constituting one axis includes a body 12 and a guide 13 constituting another axis. It is mounted so that relative movement is possible. A connecting table 23 is interposed between the bodies 11 and 12. The drive source for generating power is a linear motor method using the guide 13 and the amateur 14. This XY stage is connected by the controller 10 and the main cable 20, and is wired using the cable chain 15 between the bodies 11 and 12.

However, in the XY stage of such a configuration, since the cable chain 15 is exposed to the appearance of the bodies 11 and 12, a particle is generated by interference or friction between cables due to linear motion in an environment requiring clean specifications. have. To solve these shortcomings, some companies are making clean cables separately to minimize the flow caused by the robot's movement. However, since the cables are exposed, particles cannot be blocked.

Fig. 2 is a uniaxial clean orthogonal robot manufactured by NSK of Japan, and a servomotor 18 system for moving the slider 16 via a ball screw 17 is used as a driving source. The upper end of the slider 16, as shown in Figure 1 is composed of a connecting table 23, which is connected to the other part is an open structure so that a path is always formed. Therefore, a band 19 and a pneumatic pipe are installed to block the open portion and prevent the particles from leaking into the clean room.

However, the band 19 is mounted by using pulleys at both ends and joined to the front and rear ends of the connecting table 23, respectively, and has a long time of surface contact with the pulley. At the beginning of the exercise of (16), momentary deformation due to inertial force tends to occur, and there is also a concern that particles may leak out. Pneumatic piping is also connected to only one surface of the body 11 together with the main cable 20, the non-uniform suction force toward the guide 13, the slider 16, the ball screw 17, which is a component that is easy to generate particles generated particles There is a drawback in not completely removing it.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above disadvantages, by embedding the cable inside the body and block the particles generated inside the body from leaking to the outside at the same time to discharge the particles to the outside in a high clean working environment and It provides a clean environment structure of a clean orthogonal robot for improving durability.

1 is a perspective view showing a main part structure of a conventional two-axis XY stage;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the main structure of a conventional single axis clean orthogonal robot,

3 is a perspective view showing the main configuration of an orthogonal robot according to the present invention;

4 is a side view illustrating a state in which a band is mounted in FIG. 3;

5 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a cover is mounted in FIG. 3;

6 is a schematic view showing a cut portion A-A of FIG.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a portion B of FIG. 6.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

11, 12: body 13: guide

14: amateur 15: cable chain

16: slider 17: ball screw

18: Servo motor 19, 29: band

20: main cable 21: cover

22: exhaust pipe 23: connecting rod

26: clamp 28: idler

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a slider 16 linearly moved by a power source and a built-in power source through the cable chain 15, and through the connecting rod 23 formed on the slider 16. In an orthogonal coordinate robot that implements a motion: the cable chain 15 is embedded to be wired through a connecting rod 23 to another axis, and connected to the guide 13 to suck a plurality of particles. A body 11 having an exhaust port 11a; A band 29 fixed to the body 11 while penetrating the slider 16 so as to extend in the same direction as the movement trajectory of the connecting table 23; And a cover 21 mounted on one surface of the body 11 to be closed and having an exhaust port 21a to suck particles leaking through a gap with the band 29.

As another feature of the invention, the band 29 is tensioned by the spring 27 at least at one end, and is in close contact with the cover 21 via the idler 28 at both ends of the slider 16.

As another feature of the present invention, the cable 15a embedded in the cable chain 15 is fixed and wired by the clamp 26 in a state in which it is recessed and received on the connecting table 23.

As another feature of the present invention, the cover 21 is further provided with a magnet 31 to improve the airtightness by increasing the adhesion of the band 29 at the bottom.

Therefore, the present invention allows the oscillation inside the robot body by embedding the cable to block the source of contamination generated by mounting the cable to the outside of the body in conventional industrial orthogonal robots. In order to process these oscillation particles more actively, the sealed structure inside the robot is used to force exhaust without leaking to the outside of the body to implement a clean class 1 orthogonal robot.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the main configuration of the orthogonal robot according to the present invention, Figure 4 is a side view showing a state in which the band is mounted in Figure 3, Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover is mounted in Figure 3, 6 is a schematic view showing the AA portion of FIG. 5 in a cutaway view, and FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing an enlarged portion B of FIG. 6.

3 and 5, the present invention includes a slider 16 linearly moved by a power source and a built-in power source through the cable chain 15, and through a connecting table 23 formed on the slider 16. Related to Cartesian Robot Implementing Multi-Axis Motion. The rectangular coordinate robot has a complicated structure for sealing as compared to the polar coordinate robot that rotates. Furthermore, the servo motor 18 using the ball screw 17 is easier to generate particles than the linear motor type described above. Therefore, the present invention will be described by taking an example of a rectangular coordinate robot of the servomotor 18 driving method having a more unfavorable condition in terms of dust protection.

The cable chain 15 is embedded in the body 11 according to the present invention so as to be wired to the other shaft through the connecting table 23. As described above in FIG. 1, the connecting table 23 connects the body 11 constituting one axis with the body 12 constituting the other axis. The cable chain 15 is installed inside these bodies 11 and 12 and is wired through the connecting table 23 as described below. The cable chain 15 allows the built-in cable 15a to be flexibly deformed according to the relative movement of the bodies 11 and 12. Outside the body 11 is wired with the controller 10 using the main cable 20 as shown in FIG.

In addition, the body 11 is provided with a plurality of exhaust ports (11a) for sucking the particles in contact with the guide (13). The exhaust port 11a is formed at equal intervals in the portion where the sliding motion such as the guide 13 and the slider 16 occurs. All the exhaust ports (11a) are in communication with each other and connected to the main cable 20 or a separate pipe so that the particles sucked in the body 11 is sent to the outside of the clean room. In addition to the configuration of such an exhaust port (11a) it is preferable to attach the Gore-Tex (Gore Tex) to the bottom of the slider 16 to minimize the generation of particles.

In addition, according to the present invention, the band 29 is fixed on the body 11 while penetrating the slider 16 so as to extend in the same direction as the movement trajectory of the connecting table 23. Since the band 29 needs to be flexible and wear-resistant, it is used by thinning a stainless material. While the conventional band 19 described above in FIG. 2 is rotated using a pulley, the band 29 of the present invention adopts a fixed structure.

5 and 6, according to the present invention, the cover 21 mounted on one surface of the body 11 to be closed is provided with an exhaust port 21a to suck particles leaking through a gap with the band 29. do. The cover 21 is formed with a slot for enabling linear movement of the connecting table 23 on the slider 16. This slot is closed by the band 29 to keep it airtight, but if the airtight is broken at any moment, the particles are sucked in the exhaust port 21a so as not to leak into the clean room. The exhaust port 21a of the cover 21 communicates with the exhaust port 11a on the body 11 and is connected out of the clean room as described above.

3 and 4, the band 29 of the present invention is at least one end of the tension is adjusted by the spring 27, the both ends of the slider 16 to the cover 21 via the idler 28. Close contact. Although the band 29 blocks the slot of the body 11 at all times, it is inevitably curved at the front and rear portions of the slider 16. The idler 28 pushes up the curved portion of the band 29 to be in close contact with the cover 21 as much as possible. When the mechanical strength of the band 29 is weakened according to long-term use, the elastic force of the spring 27 is varied to adjust the tension of the band 29. The idler 28 uses a synthetic resin (eg, MC nylon) material to prevent the band 29 from wearing out.

3 and 6, the cable 15a embedded in the cable chain 15 is fixed and wired by the clamp 26 in a state in which the cable 15a is recessed and received on the connecting table 23. Since the connecting rod 23 protrudes in the slot of the cover 21 and moves linearly, even if the cable 15a is fixed by the clamp 26, the linear motion should not be restrained. Therefore, the cable 15a and the clamp 26 are mounted in a structure not exposed from the surface of the connecting table 23.

6 and 7, the cover 21 of the present invention further includes a magnet 31 to increase the tightness of the band 29 at the bottom to improve airtightness. Magnetic material is used when the band 29 is formed of a stainless material, and in the case of a non-magnetic material, it is necessary to attach a separate magnetic material band to both sides. If the magnetic force of the magnet 31 becomes too large, it is preferable to select the magnetic force within an appropriate range because the driving torque of the slider 16 is increased rapidly rather than the airtightness of the band 29.

3 to 7, the operation according to the present invention will be described.

Orthogonal robot is a two-axis mechanism is implemented when another body 12 (Fig. 1) is coupled to the connecting member 23 of the body 11 and the three axis of the other body (not shown) is coupled to the body 12 again The mechanism is implemented. The cable 15a fixed by the clamp 26 in the process of linear movement in such a multiaxial structure is flexibly deformed by the cable chain 15 inside the bodies 11 and 12, respectively, and does not restrain the linear movement. do. The band 29 is in close contact with the slot formed in the cover 21 and the deformation occurs in the portion where the slider 16 moves, but the idler 28 minimizes the gap. The band 29 is flexibly deformed so as not to increase the drive torque of the slider 16.

Particles generated in the guide 13 and the slider 16 are collected through the exhaust port 11a. Particles generated in the cable 15a are collected through the exhaust port 21a formed in the cover 21. Some of the particles generated inside the body 11 may leak into the gap of the band 29 but are collected at the exhaust port 21a of the cover 21. Particles collected at the exhaust ports 11a and 21a are collected again to the outside of the clean room and then discarded.

As such, one of the main technologies for achieving the cleanliness of clean orthogonal robots is the technology that employs a cable built-in processing method, and the technology related to the cabling processing method has various forms such as a clean orthogonal robot or an XY stage using a linear motor. It can be applied to a clean robot designed by applying linear modules.

According to the above configuration and operation, the present invention provides a built-in cable inside the body and blocks the particles generated inside the body from leaking to the outside and at the same time discharges the particles to the outside to improve the reliability of the operation and durability of the device under a high clean working environment. There is an effect to improve.

It is apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, and that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, such modifications or variations will have to belong to the claims of the present invention.

Claims (4)

An orthogonal coordinate robot having a slider 16 linearly moved by a power source through a cable chain 15 and a built-in power source, and implementing a multi-axis motion via a connecting table 23 formed on the slider 16. In: The body 11 is provided so that the cable chain 15 is wired to the other axis through the connecting table 23 and has a plurality of exhaust ports 11a connected to the guide 13 to suck particles. ; A band 29 fixed to the body 11 while penetrating the slider 16 so as to extend in the same direction as the movement trajectory of the connecting table 23; And Clean body, characterized in that it comprises a cover 21 is mounted on one surface open to seal the body 11, the cover 21 having an exhaust port 21a to suck the particles leaking through the gap with the band 29 Clean environment response structure of orthogonal robot. The method of claim 1, The band 29 is at least one end of the tension is adjusted by the spring 27, the both ends of the slider 16 is in close contact with the cover 21 via the idler 28 of the clean orthogonal robot of the Clean environment response structure. The method of claim 1, The cable (15a) built in the cable chain (15) is a clean environment corresponding structure of a clean orthogonal robot, characterized in that the wire is fixed to the clamp 26 in a recessed state accommodated on the connecting table (23). The method of claim 1, The cover 21 is a clean environment corresponding structure of a clean orthogonal robot, characterized in that it further comprises a magnet (31) to increase the tightness of the band 29 at the bottom to improve the airtightness.