KR20080096418A - Industrial robot and set processor - Google Patents

Abstract

The transfer time of a work can be shortened by operating an arm independently and at the same time, controlling the coordinate location of upward and downward of the arm identically. The industrial robot having at least two arms connected to an arm part and a hand part from a waiting part comprises a driving source(4A,4B) for expanding and contracting the arm around the arm extension shaft(2A,2B); a driving source(5A,5B) for rotating the arm around the arm rotation shaft(3A,3B); and a connection unit for correcting approximately a coordination position of upper and down direction.

Description

Industrial robot and assembly processing unit {INDUSTRIAL ROBOT AND SET PROCESSOR}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an industrial robot and an assembly processing apparatus, and more particularly, an industrial robot capable of shortening a conveyance time of a work in an assembly processing apparatus such as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and the like, and an industrial apparatus thereof. It is related with the assembly processing apparatus provided with a robot.

In the manufacturing system of a semiconductor device, the system which assembled the workpiece conveyance robot to the system for manufacturing a semiconductor device is used. This manufacturing system has a plurality of process chambers for processing in a reduced pressure atmosphere. In addition, the work transfer robot provided in the transfer chamber is operable to carry out the semiconductor wafer (hereinafter also referred to as import / export) to a predetermined process chamber in the plurality of process chambers. At this time, if the semiconductor wafer is returned to normal pressure whenever the semiconductor wafer is brought in or taken out from each process chamber, a large amount of time is required before the process is started again by depressurizing the inside of the process chamber. In recent years, manufacturing systems generally transfer a transfer chamber space including a work transfer robot that carries / loads semiconductor wafers into each process chamber into a preliminary decompression chamber (load lock chamber). One manufacturing system is employed. With this manufacturing system, the semiconductor wafer can be loaded and unloaded without returning the inside of the process chamber to normal pressure, thereby improving the throughput and improving the transfer efficiency.

As a work conveyance robot used for such a manufacturing system, the conveyance robot for the purpose of improving conveyance efficiency and shortening an operation time is proposed variously.

For example, when described with reference to the code on the way is also in the Patent Document 1 to 16, both formed of a pair (兩) boss member (50a, 50b) that by rotation in the opposite direction to each other, the robot of the one link mechanism (B ₂ Has been proposed to protrude and a handling robot A _{2 in which the} other robot link mechanism B ₁ is immersed. The handling robot A ₂ enters the process chamber through the gates 6a and 8b through the gate 6 rather than the transfer chamber by the protruding operation of one robot link mechanism B ₂ . 8b) The workpiece placed on the top is passed into the process chamber or the workpiece placed in the process chamber. In addition, the carriers 8a and 8b return to the transfer chamber side from the process chamber by the immersion operation.

However, since the handling robot A ₂ is constituted by a link mechanism, the two carriers 8a and 8b cannot each independently operate. In addition, since the boss members 50a and 50b are positioned up and down, and the two carriers 8a and 8b are also disposed up and down, the other carriers are carried out after the work in the process chamber is taken out from one of the carriers 8a. 8b) in the case that should be brought to the other workpiece, by moving the handling robot (a ₂₎ for the vertical direction coincides with the coordinate position in the vertical direction of the transporting belt (8b) and the coordinate position of the process chamber.

For example, in FIG. 3 of patent document 1, it demonstrates using the code | symbol of the middle, The frog leg type | mold which two arms 7a and 7b of the same length were rotatably provided with respect to a rotation center, respectively. A double arm-type handling robot A ₁ has been proposed. The robot A ₁ has two carriages 8a and 8b of the same shape positioned at both sides with respect to the rotation center, and two links of the same length on the bases of the respective carrier tables 8a and 8b. One end of 9a, 9b is connected. One end of the two links 9a and 9b is connected to the carriers 8a and 8b via a plug leg type carrier posture regulating mechanism, and the two links 9a and 9b are connected to the carriers 8a and 8b. It is designed to rotate in a completely symmetrical direction. And one of the two links connected to each carrier 8a, 8b is connected to one arm 7a, and the other link is connected to the other arm 7b.

Since each of the carriers 8a and 8b of the handling robot A ₁ has the same coordinate position in the up and down direction, after the work in the process chamber is taken out from one carrier 8a, the other carrier 8b is used. If you take a different work, it is not necessary to move the handling robot (a ₁₎ for the vertical direction. However, since the arms 7a and 7b for operating the respective carriers 8a and 8b are connected by the links 9a and 9b, the arms cannot be operated independently.

For example, in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4A of patent document 2, it demonstrates using the code | symbol in the middle, The movable arm assembly 18, the two board | substrate holders 22 and 23, and the coaxial drive shaft assembly ( The substrate transfer apparatus 12 which has 20 is proposed. In this substrate transfer device 12, the movable arm assembly 18 has an approximately X-shaped coaxial drive shaft assembly 20, and the substrate holders 22, 23 are formed of pairs of different X-shaped members 28. It is connected to the arm parts 30, 31, 32, 33, and the coaxial drive shaft assembly 20 of the board | substrate holders 22, 23 by the inversion Japanese movement between a retracted position and a retracted position is carried out. It is comprised so that the arm part 30, 31, 32, 33 may move.

However, the substrate transfer apparatus 12 is like the handling robot (A ₂₎ for a form according to Fig. 16 of Patent Document 1, because it is composed of a link mechanism, two substrate holders 22, 23 are each independently One operation cannot be performed. In addition, since the substrate holders 22 and 23 are arranged above and below, for example, when carrying out the workpiece | work in a process chamber from one board | substrate holder 23, and carrying in another workpiece from the other board | substrate holder 22, for example. In addition, the entire coaxial drive shaft assembly 20 must be moved in the vertical direction to match the coordinate position in the vertical direction of the substrate holders 22 and 23 with the coordinate position of the process chamber.

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-207666

[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-514303

Although the robots described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 aim to improve the throughput by driving a double arm, all of the driving is a link mechanism, while one arm is carrying in / out of the work. Since the other arm is in the standby state from the rear, it is insufficient from the viewpoint of shortening the conveyance time.

Moreover, although the coordinate position of the conveyance table (hand member) which mounts a workpiece | shift is shifted in the up-down direction in the said patent document 1, 2, as described above, such a difference is that the workpiece | work in a process chamber is carried on one side of a carrier table. When carrying out another workpiece from the other carrier after carrying out at, the operation of moving the drive shaft etc. of the carrier largely to the up-down direction and adding the operation which matches the coordinate position of the up-down direction of the carrier with the coordinate position of the process chamber should be added. As a result, the operation mechanism becomes complicated and is insufficient from the viewpoint of shortening the conveyance time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an industrial robot capable of operating each arm independently and at the same time the same coordinate position in the vertical direction of each arm, thereby reducing the conveyance time of the work. It is to offer. Another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly processing apparatus provided with such an industrial robot.

Industrial robot of the present invention for solving the above problems is an industrial robot which is connected from the expectation side in the order of the arm portion and the hand portion, and having two or more arms freely stretchable while moving the hand portion in a predetermined direction, wherein the arm Each of the arm stretching drive source for stretching the arm with the arm stretching axis as the center of rotation, the arm pivoting drive source for turning the arm with the arm pivot axis as the center of rotation, and the coordinate position in the vertical direction of the hand part are substantially the same. It is characterized by comprising a connecting member.

According to the present invention, each arm has an arm stretching drive source for stretching the arm with the arm expansion and contraction as the pivot center, and an arm pivoting drive source for pivoting the arm with the arm pivot axis as the pivot center. And turning can be done independently. Moreover, according to this invention, since it comprises the connection member which makes the coordinate position of the up-and-down direction of a hand part substantially the same, each arm does not carry out big up-and-down movement of a drive shaft etc., for example for carrying out and carrying in the workpiece | work in a process chamber. It can be carried out. Therefore, according to this invention, the conveyance time of a workpiece | work, cycle time, etc. can be shortened and workability can be improved.

According to a preferred embodiment of the industrial robot of the present invention, a hollow body is provided such that an arm expansion axis for operating one arm of the arm is a solid axis, and the other axis of the arm pivot axis and the other axis of the arm are concentric with the solid axis. Configure it to be an axis.

According to this invention, since an arm expansion-contraction axis | shaft and an arm pivot axis | shaft are comprised so that it may become concentric, it becomes a compact structure which has one concentric axis, and can improve the sealing property, for example, when it installs in a reduced pressure environment.

A preferred form of the industrial robot of the present invention is configured to include a transmission means for transmitting the driving force of the arm stretching drive source to the arm pivot. As a preferable form, the said transmission means is the A pulley which the said arm stretching drive source has, the B pulley which the arm turning drive source has, the connection belt which caught between this A pulley and the B pulley, and the said B pulley coaxially It consists of a C pulley installed to rotate, a D pulley provided on the arm pivot, and a transmission belt provided between the C pulley and the D pulley.

According to this invention, since the transmission means which transmits the driving force of the arm extension drive source to an arm pivot axis | shaft can be expanded and performed, an arm stretching operation can be performed without operating an arm rotation drive source. As a result, the arm stretching operation can be controlled by controlling the rotation of the arm stretching shaft by the arm stretching drive source.

According to a preferred embodiment of the industrial robot of the present invention, the arm portion and the hand portion are connected in the order of the first arm member, the second arm member, and the hand member from the base side, and the first arm member is located at the base side. A first pulley connected to the arm stretch and contraction, a second pulley connected to the second arm member on the second arm member side, and a first belt caught between the first pulley and the second pulley, The second arm member includes a third pulley provided to be concentric with the second pulley, a fourth pulley connected to the hand member on the side of the hand member, and a second caught between the third pulley and the fourth pulley. It is configured to have a belt.

According to the present invention, by rotating the arm expansion and contraction, the expansion and contraction can be freely operated while the hand portion faces the predetermined direction, and the arm can be rotated in the predetermined direction by rotating the arm pivot axis.

The collective processing apparatus of the present invention for solving the above problems is an industrial robot of the present invention, a transfer chamber in which the industrial robot is installed, and two or more arms disposed around the transfer chamber and provided by the industrial robot. It is characterized by including a plurality of process chambers for carrying in / out of the workpiece. In addition, "aggregation" shows the state which has many process apparatuses and arrange | positioned such a process apparatus as a process chamber around a transfer chamber.

According to the present invention, the two or more arms of the industrial robot are each independently operated with an arm stretching drive source and an arm turning drive source, so that the heights of the workpieces placed on the hand portions of the robots are approximately equal. Since it is comprised, it is possible to shorten the time such as bringing in / out of work to the process chamber arranged around the transfer chamber.

According to the industrial robot of the present invention, since each arm can perform its stretching and turning independently, and for example, carrying out and carrying out of the work in the process chamber can be performed without causing a large vertical movement of the driving shaft. The conveyance time of a workpiece | work, cycle time, etc. can be shortened and workability can be improved. In addition, according to the industrial robot of the present invention, since the swinging and stretching of each arm can be performed by rotating the pivoting arm and the stretching arm, respectively, the number of axes to be controlled is small and the structure is cost merit. have.

In addition, according to the collective processing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to shorten the time for carrying in / out of the work with respect to the process chamber arranged around the transfer chamber.

Preferred Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the form for implementing this invention is demonstrated based on drawing. In addition, the industrial robot and collective processing apparatus of this invention are not limited to the following description and drawing in the range which has the technical characteristic.

1 is a perspective front view showing an example of the industrial robot of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the industrial robot (henceforth "robot 1") of this invention is connected in order of the arm part 11 and the hand part 12 from the base part 100 side, It is an industrial robot which has two or more arms 10 which extend | stretch freely and operate the said hand part 12 toward a predetermined direction.

In FIG. 1, a robot 1 having two arms 10A and 10B is illustrated, and each of the arms 10A and 10B has the arms 10A and 10B centered on the pivoting arms 2A and 2B. Arm extension drive sources 4A and 4B to expand and contract, arm rotation drive sources 5A and 5B to rotate the arms 10A and 10B around the pivot centers 3A and 3B and the hand portion 12 The coupling member which makes the coordinate position P1, P2 of the up-down direction of () substantially equal is provided. The arm telescopic shaft 2A for operating one arm 10A of the two arms 10A, 10B is a solid axis, and the arms of the arm pivot axes 3A, 3B and the other arms 10B, which are other axes, are the solid axes. The expansion and contraction shaft 2B is configured to be a hollow shaft provided to be concentric with the solid shaft.

In addition, in description of this application and the code | symbol in the middle, the code | symbol of "A" "B" following the numeric code has shown that it is a component corresponding to such two arms 10A and 10B. When describing each component of this invention corresponding to each arm 10A, 10B, although "A" and "B" are attached after a number, it demonstrates without responding to each arm 10A, 10B. In this case, "A" and "B" shall not be attached after the number. Hereinafter, the industrial robot 1 of this invention is demonstrated in detail for every component.

(cancer)

First, the arm 10 (10A, 10B) is demonstrated. FIG. 2 is a perspective plan view A and a BB cross-sectional view B illustrating an internal structure of a first arm member constituting one arm of two arms shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is two arms shown in FIG. 1. Perspective top view (A) and CC sectional drawing (C) which show the internal structure of the 2nd arm member which comprises one arm. The robot 1 according to the present invention has two or more arms 10. Each arm 10 is connected in the order of the arm part 11 and the hand part 12 from the base part 100 side, and an extension and contraction operation | moves freely, moving the hand part 12 toward a predetermined direction. The arm portion 11 and the hand portion 12 are configured to be connected in the order of the first arm member 20, the second arm member 30 and the hand member 40 from the base 100 side.

The 1st arm member 20 which comprises the arm part 11 has the 1st pulley 21 which connects to the arm expansion-and-contraction axis 2 in the base part 100 side, and the 2nd arm member 30 side. It has the 2nd pulley 22 connected to the 2nd arm member 30, and the 1st belt 23 caught between the 1st pulley 21 and the 2nd pulley 22. As shown in FIG. Moreover, the 2nd arm member 30 which comprises the arm part 11 has the 3rd pulley 31 provided so that it may be concentric with the 2nd pulley 22, and the hand member 40 by the hand member 40 side. It has the 4th pulley 32 which connects, and the 2nd belt 33 caught between the 3rd pulley 31 and the 4th pulley 32. As shown in FIG. Moreover, although the hand member 40 which comprises the hand part 12 is shown as a top view in FIG. 1, it is a member which has the mounting part 41 for mounting and conveying a workpiece | work, such as a wafer. By this structure of the arm part 11 and the hand part 12, each of the two arms 10A and 10B has arm extension drive sources 4A and 4B and arm swing drive sources 5A and 5B independently. Since it can operate, it can shorten the time of carrying in / out of a workpiece | work with respect to the process chamber arrange | positioned around a transfer chamber as mentioned later.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, each arm 10A, 10B has the 1st arm member (20A) which the 1st arm member 10A has, and the 1st arm member (the other arm 10B has), for example. 20B) is installed so as to overlap. The arm 10A, 10B is formed by connecting the second arm members 30A, 30B and the hand members 40A, 40B to the respective first arm members 20A, 20B.

FIG. 7 is a perspective front view of the connecting member for making the coordinate positions of the hand portion up and down in the same direction, but the first arm member 20B and the second arm member 30B constituting the arm 10B, as shown in FIG. The connection member 28 is connected. The connecting member 28 extends in the vertical direction so that the coordinate positions P _A and P _{B in} the vertical direction of the hand portions 12A and 12B provided with both arms 10A and 10B are approximately the same. Height h is being adjusted. As shown in FIG. 1 etc. by this connecting member 28, even if the 1st arm member 20B is arrange | positioned under the 1st arm member 20A, the coordinate position P of the up-down direction of the hand part 12A, 12B. _A and P _B ) can be made the same. This can be done, for example, by carrying out and carrying out the work in the process chamber without largely moving the drive shafts of the arms 10A and 10B up and down, thereby reducing the work transfer time, the cycle time, and the like. Can significantly improve.

Although each arm 10A, 10B is demonstrated in detail below, this invention is not limited to the following content.

In the first arm member 20 and the second arm member 30, the material of the belt is not particularly limited, and the steel belt may also be a chloroprene belt, a nitrile rubber belt, a urethane rubber belt, or the like. It may be a rubber belt or a hybrid belt in which a steel belt and a rubber belt are combined. In the case where the robot 1 of the present invention is used in a reduced pressure atmosphere, a belt that generates little gas or dust is preferably applied. Examples thereof include a fluorine rubber belt and the like. In addition, the belt shape may be a flat belt, a belt with teeth, or a hybrid belt in which a flat belt and a toothed belt are combined. The shape of each pulley is selected according to the type of belt used, in the case of flat belts, flat pulleys are used, and in the case of toothed belts, toothed pulleys are used.

In order to make the 1st belt 23 caught between the 1st pulley 21 and the 2nd pulley 22 into moderate tension, as shown in FIG. 2, the idler pulley which presses the 1st belt 23 from a back surface ( 26) may be provided. The idler pulley 26 is provided with a mechanism which can be fine-adjusted. The idler pulley 26 adjusts the tension of the first belt 23 and at the same time, the first pulley 21 and the first belt 23. ), The contact angle between the can be made larger.

In addition, the 2nd belt 33 shown in FIG. 3 is a hybrid belt which combined the toothed belt 36 (timing belt) and the steel flat belt 37, The both belts are connected by the connection part 43. As shown in FIG. . It is preferable that the connection part 43 has the mechanism which can adjust tension on one or both sides. In addition, in this application, although the detail of a connection part and the detail of a hybrid belt are devoted, the connection part attached to the hybrid belt is rotated only to the position which does not contact the pulleys of both sides.

Moreover, the ribs 25 and 35 as shown to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 may be provided in the inside of the 1st arm member 20 and the 2nd arm member 30. As shown in FIG. Since the ribs 25 and 35 act to increase the rigidity of each arm to suppress deformation, it is advantageous in that the thickness of the arm can be reduced and the weight can be reduced. In addition, it is preferable that the ribs 25 and 35 have subtraction holes 29 and 39 leading to the proximal end of the first arm member 20. These subtraction holes 29 and 39 form a passage for releasing air in the first arm member 20 and air in the second arm member 30 to the outside from the proximal end of the first arm member 20. When 1) is exposed to a reduced pressure atmosphere, air in the second arm member 30 enters into the first arm member 20 from the proximal end of the second arm member 30 through the subtraction hole 39, and also the first arm. It is easily withdrawn from the proximal end of the first arm member 20 to the outside through the subtraction hole 29 in the member 20. In addition, the base end part of the 1st arm member 20 is in the base part 100 side, and is a site | part on the axis of the base part which drives the arm 10 in this application. The proximal end is provided with an opening for letting out the air in the arm 10 to the outside, and the opening 19 is provided with a filter 19 for preventing dust or the like generated in the arm from leaving the reduced pressure atmosphere.

About the diameter ratio of each pulley, the diameter R1 of the 1st pulley 21 and the diameter R2 of the 2nd pulley 22 have the relationship of R1: R2 = 2: 1, the diameter R3 of the 3rd pulley 31, and 4th The diameter R4 of the pulley 32 has a relation of R3: R4 = 1: 1. Therefore, since the rotation angle ratio of the 1st pulley 21, the 2nd pulley 22 (3rd pulley 31), and the 4th pulley 32 becomes 1: 2: 1, the 1st pulley 21 and the 1st The rotation angle ratio between the 2nd pulley 22 (third pulley 31) and the 4th pulley 32 is 1: 2: 1. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8 mentioned later, when the 1st pulley 21 is rotated and it changes from FIG. 8 (A) state to FIG. 8 (B) and FIG. 8 (C) state, the 1st arm member 20 will be carried out. ) And the angle between the second arm member 30, the hand member 40 is the center point P of the first pulley 21 of the first arm member 20 and the fourth pulley of the second arm member 30. On the line (virtual line X) which connects the center point R of (32), it moves so that it may stretch and contract.

In the present invention, the arm stretching shaft 2 is rotated by the arm stretching drive source 4 so that the first arm member 20 and the second arm member (with the hand portion 40 facing the predetermined direction) are rotated. The stretching operation of the arm 10 consisting of 30 and the hand portion 40 is performed. On the other hand, by rotating the arm pivot shaft 3 by the arm turning drive source 5, the 1st arm member 20 is rotated and the pivoting operation of the arm 10 whole is performed. Incidentally, the stretching operation and the swinging operation will be described later.

(Expectation department)

Next, the expectation unit 100 will be described. 4 is an enlarged view of a perspective cross section of the base 100 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the base 100 includes an arm expansion shaft 2A for extending and contracting the arm 10A, an arm pivot shaft 3A for rotating the arm 10A, and an arm ( An arm expansion and contraction shaft 2B for extending and contracting the 10B) and an arm pivoting axis 3B for rotating the arm 10B are provided. And each arm 10A, 10B expands and contracts by making the arm expansion-contraction 2A, 2B the center of rotation by the arm extension drive sources 4A, 4B shown to FIG. 1 and FIG. The drive sources 5A and 5B operate to pivot the arm pivot axes 3A and 3B around the rotation center. In this invention, since it has the axis and the drive source for each expansion and contraction of an arm, there exists an effect that rotation and expansion of each arm can be performed independently.

Each axis 2A, 3A, 2B, 3B has an arm elastic axis for operating one arm of the arm as an elastic axis, and the other axis such as the arm pivot axis and the arm elastic axis of the other arm is concentric with the solid axis described above. It is preferable to comprise so that the installed hollow shaft may be provided. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, 2 A of female expansion-and-contraction shafts are made into the solid axis located in the most center side, and three hollow shafts are arrange | positioned one by one so that the shaft center may be the same so that the solid shaft may be provided inside. . Specifically, from the center side, the arm expansion shaft 2A consisting of a solid shaft, the arm pivot shaft 3A consisting of a hollow shaft, the arm expansion shaft 2B consisting of a hollow shaft, and the arm pivot shaft 3B consisting of a hollow shaft It is arranged in order. By such a structure, the structure of the drive part of an arm can be made into the compact structure which makes the axis center the same, and each axis 2A, 3A, 2B, 3B is shown, for example as shown in FIG. Since it is easy to set it as the sealing structure which applied the bearing 6 etc. with the magnetic seal 7, the sealing property at the time of installing in a pressure-reduced environment can be improved.

Moreover, in this embodiment, the some bearing 6 is arrange | positioned at the shaft end side between each axis | shaft 2A, 3A, 2B, and 3B, and it is made to be stably supported by spacing as much as possible. In addition, although the magnetic seal 7 is arrange | positioned between the bearings 6, the position of the magnetic seal 7 is an outer side (lower side between bearings in the example of FIG. 1 and FIG. 4). The reason is that the initial tension is applied to the belt so that two bearings 6 are arranged on the upper part of the magnetic seal 7 in order to press the deformation of the shaft due to the radial force at the magnetic seal 7 position.

Pulleys are provided in each of the shafts 2A, 3A, 2B, and 3B, for example, a pulley 54A is installed in the arm expansion and contraction shaft 2A, and a pulley 64A is installed in the arm pivot shaft 3A. The pulley 54B is provided in the arm expansion and contraction shaft 2B, and the pulley 64B is provided in the arm pivot shaft 3B. Each pulley is preferably the same diameter as shown, but may be any other diameter.

It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the arm expansion drive source and arm turning drive source shown in FIG. The arm expansion and contraction shaft 2A is rotated by the driving force from the arm extension drive source 4A. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the driving force from the arm stretching drive source 4A includes a pulley 52A provided at the arm stretching drive source 4A, a pulley 54A provided at the arm stretching axis 2A, and By the transmission means comprised by the belt 53A which caught between such pulleys 52A and 54A, it transmits to arm expansion-contraction 2A. The transmitted driving force rotates the arm elastic shaft 2A, and rotates the pulley 21A installed at the upper end of the arm elastic shaft 2A. The rotation of the pulley 21A causes the stretching operation of the arm 10 composed of the first arm member 20, the second arm member 30, and the hand portion 40 as described in the arm description section above. . This stretching operation is the same for the other arm 10B except that the arm stretching axis 2B is a hollow shaft.

The arm pivot shaft 3A rotates by the driving force from the arm swing drive source 5A. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the driving force from the arm swing drive source 5A includes a pulley 62A provided on the arm swing drive source 5A, a pulley 64A provided on the arm swing shaft 3A, and By the transmission means comprised by the belt 63A caught between such pulleys 62A and 64A, it transmits to arm pivot shaft 3A. The transmitted driving force rotates the arm pivot 3A, and rotates the first arm member 20A provided on the upper end of the arm pivot 3A. By the rotation of the first arm member 20A, the entire arm 10A pivots.

As described above, the arm 10 expands and contracts by rotating the arm expansion and contraction shaft 2, and the entire arm rotates by rotating the arm pivot shaft 3, but does not rotate the arm pivot shaft 3. Only by rotating the arm expansion and contraction 2, the pulley 21 of the first arm member 20 only rotates, and thus cannot be stretched while making the direction of the hand member 40 shown in FIG. 8 constant. . Therefore, the arm expansion and contraction shaft 2 is rotated so as to perform the operation shown in FIG. 8, and the arm pivot shaft 3 is also controlled to rotate so that the direction of the hand member 40 is made constant. .

The robot 1 of the present invention is also characterized in that such control is mechanically realized as shown in FIG. 5. That is, as shown in FIG. 5 as a preferable aspect of this invention, it is comprised so that the transmission means which transmits the driving force of 4 A of arm extension drive sources to the arm pivot shaft 3A may be provided. More specifically, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the transmission means has a pulley 52A '(also referred to as A pulley) of the arm stretching drive source 4A and the arm turning drive source 5A. Pulley 62A '(also called B pulley), pulley 52A' (A pulley) and pulley 62A '(B pulley) connected between the belt 53A' and pulley 62A ' Pulley 62A (also called C pulley) provided adjacent to (B pulley), pulley 64A (also called D pulley) provided on arm pivot 3A, and pulley 62A (C pulley) And 63 A of transmission belts provided between the pulleys 64A (D pulley).

Since the robot 1 of this invention is provided with the transmission means mentioned above, the driving force of 4 A of arm extension drive sources can be transmitted to 3 A of arm pivot shafts, and the telescopic movement of the arm 10 is used for arm pivots. This can be done without operating the drive source 5A. As a result, the rotation of the arm expansion shaft 2A can be controlled by the arm expansion drive source 4A, and the rotation control of the arm pivot shaft 3 can be performed at the same time. Can be controlled.

In the said transmission means, the pulley 52A and pulley 52A '(A pulley) provided in 4 A of arm extension drive sources are arrange | positioned up and down with the same diameter, as shown in FIG. Moreover, although the pulley 62A and pulley 62A '(B pulley) provided in 5 A of arm turning drive sources are also arrange | positioned up and down with the same diameter, as shown in FIG. 5, compared with said pulley 52A. It is installed to be located above. The up and down coordinate positions of the pulleys 52A and 62A correspond to the up and down coordinate positions of the pulleys 54A and 64A provided on the arm elastic axis 2A and the arm pivot axis 3A.

In the above-described transmission means, the driving force of the arm stretching drive source 4A is the pulley 52A on the upper side, the belt 53A, the pulley 54A on the lower end of the arm stretching shaft 2A, the arm stretching shaft 2A, It is delivered in the order of the pulley 21A of the upper end of the arm expansion and contraction 2A, and the arm part 12 is expanded and contracted. At the same time, the driving force of the arm stretching drive source 4A is the pulley 52A 'at the bottom, the belt 53A', the pulley 62A 'at the lower end of the arm turning drive source 5A, the pulley 62A, and the belt 63A. And the first arm member 20A (arm part) in the order of the pulley 64A of the arm pivot 3A, the arm pivot 3A, and the first arm member 20A of the upper end of the arm pivot 3A. Turn 20A). Therefore, according to such a transmission means, the arm telescopic drive source 4A controls the rotation of the arm telescopic shaft 2A, and the telescopic arm 10A is stretched while maintaining the hand portion 12A in a predetermined direction. Can be done.

On the other hand, when the arm turning drive source 5 is driven, the arm can be turned without causing the arm to stretch, and when the arm stretching drive source 4 and the arm turning drive source 5 are simultaneously driven, the arm stretching is performed. You can make it while turning.

The above drive is similarly applied to the arm extension drive source 4B and the arm swing drive source 5B, and the arm extension shaft 2B and the arm pivot axis 3B are driven in the same manner as above, and the arm 10B is applied. New construction and turning can be done. In addition, a servo motor is used as the arm extension drive source 4 and the arm swing drive source 5, and the joint shaft which consists of a coupling and a bearing is provided as the drive shaft, and the reducer is provided as needed. . The reduction gear may be directly connected to the drive shaft, or may be connected to a gear or a belt.

Moreover, although the pulleys 62 and 62 'provided in the arm turning drive source 5 are arrange | positioned so that it may overlap up and down, arm turning is carried out by the pulley 62 for driving a driving force to the arm turning shaft 3. It is comprised so that the driving force of the dragon drive source 5 may be transmitted as it is. On the other hand, the pulley 62 'for receiving the driving force from the arm expansion and contraction 3 does not rotate depending on the driving force of the arm swing drive source 5, but the pulley 62' is the arm extension drive source 4A. It is comprised so that the pulley 62 may rotate when it rotates by the drive force from the inside. Such a pulley 62 'includes a so-called cross roller bearing. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the pulley 62' has a structure in which a radial thrust load is applied to the cross roller bearing 8 and the bearing 9. It is. In addition, although the pulleys 52 and 52 'which are provided in the drive source 4 for arm expansion and contraction are also arrange | positioned so that it may overlap, the pulleys 52 and 52' are comprised so that it may rotate integrally.

FIG. 6 is a perspective plan view (A) and (B) illustrating an arrangement form of the arm stretching drive source and the arm swing driving source shown in FIG. 1. 6A shows the pulleys 54A, 64A, 54B, and 64B of the shaft portion 14, and the pulleys each of the driving sources 4A, 5A, 4B, and 5B disposed around the shaft portion 14. Perspective plan view showing the positional relationship between 52A, 52A ', 62A, 62A', 52B, 52B ', 62B, 62B' and belts 53A, 53A ', 63A, 53B, 53B', 63B fastened between the respective pulleys. 6 (B) is a perspective plan view showing the positional relationship between the arm stretching drive source 4 and the arm swing driving source 5.

As shown in FIG. 6, the arm stretching drive source 4 and the arm swing driving source 5 are disposed around the shaft portion 14 constituted by the arm stretching axis 2 and the arm pivot axis 3. Specifically, the arm stretching drive source 4A used for stretching and turning the arm 10A and the arm turning drive source 5A are arranged in pairs adjacent to each other, and at the symmetrical position of the arm 10B. The arm extension drive source 4B used for expansion and contraction and the arm swing drive source 5B are adjacently arranged in pairs. The robot 1 of this invention can be made into the compact structure which arrange | positioned four drive sources around one shaft part 14. As shown in FIG.

Here, reference numerals 80 to 85 shown in FIG. 6B will be described with reference to FIG. 4. 4, the mechanism for moving the shaft part 14 in the up-down direction is shown. The shankdong of the shaft portion 14 moves the hand member 40 up and down slightly, for example, when placing a workpiece on a work stand in the process chamber or taking out a work from the work stand. to be. In particular, in the robot 1 of the present invention, the coordinate positions P _A and P _{B in} the vertical direction of the hand members 40A and 40B are arranged at approximately the same position by the connecting member 28 shown in FIG. 7. The shanghai-dong may be a slight movement at the time of loading / unloading of the work.

The shanghai copper mechanism shown in FIG. 4 is a shanghai copper by rotating the ball source 81, the ball screw 81 which rotates by the rotation of the drive source 80, and the ball screw 81 to make the shank 14 move. Ball screw nut 82, a slide member 84 connected to the ball screw nut 82 and connected to the shaft portion 14, and a guide member 83 supporting the slide member 84, have. The drive source 80 has a pulley 88 provided with a speed reducer if necessary, and a belt 89 is interposed between the pulley 88 and the pulley 87 provided coaxially with the ball screw 81. The driving force of the driving source 80 is transmitted to the ball screw 81. In addition, the transmission of the driving force may be performed by gear connection. In addition, it is preferable that the slide member 84 be provided in plural around the ball screw 81 from the viewpoint of the stability of shanghai copper. In the example of FIG. 8, the four slide members 84 are centered around the ball screw 81. In a symmetrical arrangement.

Since the rotation of the ball screw 81 causes the ball screw nut 82 to swing, when the ball screw nut 82 and the slide member 84 are integrated with the connecting arm 85, the ball screw 81 is moved. It becomes the shanghai-dong of the slide member 84, and moves the shaft part 14 connected to the upper part of the slide member 84 to the shank-dong. Reference numeral 86 is a support member for supporting the lower end of the guide member 83. According to the shank moving mechanism which consists of such a structure, the hand member 40 can be moved up and down slightly, for example, when mounting a workpiece | work on a workpiece mounting stand in a process chamber, or taking out a workpiece from a workpiece mounting stand.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the hand member 40A (40B) provided at the tip of the arm in the robot 1 may cause bending by gravity due to its length, but the shaft portion 14 is corrected to correct this bending. Is moved to Shanghai to adjust the height.

(Movement of cancer)

Next, the operation of the arm 10 will be described below. 8 is an explanatory view of the stretching operation of the arm portion. As for the arm 10, the 1st arm member 20 and the 2nd arm member 30 are the same length, Therefore, as shown to FIG. 8 (A), in the initial state, the 1st arm member 20 is shown. And the second arm member 30 are folded down to be in a reduced state. Here, "the same length" means that the length (interval of P and Q, space | interval of Q and R in FIG. 8) between the centers of the pulleys located in the both ends of an arm is the same. In addition, in an initial state, the hand member 40 is provided so that it may become substantially orthogonal to the 2nd arm member 30, and the imaginary line Y of the substantially long direction of the 1st arm member 20 and the 2nd arm member 30 is long. And the perpendicular virtual line X of the hand member 40 are orthogonal to each other.

Next, when the arm expansion and contraction axis 2 is rotated with respect to the imaginary line Y until the angle θ1, the first arm member 20 also moves about the imaginary line Y about the center point P of the first pulley 21. Rotate until the angle θ1. In the present invention, since the diameter ratio between the first pulley 21 and the second pulley 22 is 2: 1, the second arm member 30 has the first arm member 20 as shown in FIG. 8 (B). It rotates in the reverse direction of the rotation direction of the 1st arm member 20 by the speed of 2 times. Therefore, the angle θ2 between the first arm member 20 and the second arm member 30 is twice the rotation angle θ1 of the first arm member 20.

Moreover, in this invention, since the diameter ratio of the 3rd pulley 31 and the 4th pulley 32 is 1: 2, as shown to FIG. 8 (C), the hand member 40 is the 2nd arm member 30. FIG. It rotates in the reverse direction of the rotation direction of the 2nd arm member 30 at the speed | rate of 1/2 times. Therefore, the angle θ3 between the second arm member 30 and the hand member 40 is 1/2 times the angle θ2 between the first arm member 20 and the second arm member 30.

In addition, when the arm expansion and contraction shaft 2 is reversely rotated, the arm 10 returns to the state of FIG. 8 (A) through the state of FIG. 8 (B) from the extended state of FIG. 8 (C).

As described above, changes in the rotation angle θ1 of the first arm member 20 and the rotation angle θ3 of the hand member 40 become equal, and the lengths of the first arm member 20 and the second arm member 30 are equal. Is the same, the center point R of the fourth pulley 32 to which the second arm member 30 and the hand member 40 connect is changed to stretch over the imaginary line X, and the hand member 40 is the imaginary line. Change over X without changing the long direction. Therefore, by the rotation of the arm stretching drive source 4, the hand member 40 is displaced to stretch in a predetermined direction.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the expansion-contraction form and the turning form of two arms. In Fig. 9, (A) is a shape in which the arm 10A is stretched to the position S, and the arm 10B is stretched to the position U, and (B) the arm 10A is stretched to the position S, the arm ( 10B) stretches to position V, (C) the arm 10A stretches to position T, arm 10B stretches to position V, and (D) arms 10A stretches to position T. It expands and contracts and arm 10B expands and contracts to position U. FIG. As shown in FIG. 9, the robot 1 of the present invention can expand and rotate two arms 10A and 10B independently of each other.

In addition, the turning of each arm 10A, 10B can control a turning position by controlling the rotation speed from an initial position, for example, when a step motor is used for an arm turning drive source. On the other hand, when a servo motor is used for an arm turning drive source, you may make it detect and control a turning position using the sensor which detects rotation positions of each arm, etc. or a rotary encoder.

(Application Example to Semiconductor Manufacturing Process)

FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view showing an example in which the industrial robot 1 of the present invention is used in a semiconductor manufacturing process, and FIG. 11 is a schematic side view of FIG. The apparatus shown in FIG. 10 is the processing assembly apparatus 150 in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor, The transfer chamber 209 in which the robot 1 of this invention, this robot 1 is installed, and the transfer chamber 209 are provided. It is an example provided with the some process chamber 210, 220, 230, 240 which carries out the carrying out of a workpiece by the 2 or more arms 10A, 10B which are arrange | positioned around the robot 1, and are equipped with the robot 1. In addition, the transfer chamber 209 provided in the center of the apparatus is capable of reducing the pressure.

In the circumference | surroundings of this transfer chamber 209, the process chamber divided | segmented into six in the circumferential direction is arrange | positioned, for example in the example of FIG. Among these, four chambers 210, 220, 230, and 240 are process chambers, and two chambers 203, 203 are storage chambers for passing wafers from outside the collective processing apparatus 150. Reference numeral 201 denotes a robot that passes the wafer 304 out of the assembly processing apparatus. In the collective processing apparatus 150, gate bens 202, 204, and 205 are provided at the entrance of each chamber, and the gate bens 202, 204, and 205 are opened and closed to enter and exit the processing chamber.

In addition, the structure other than the robot 1 of this invention is not limited to the example of illustration, A various structure can be employ | adopted. In addition, the transfer robot 201 installed in the transfer robot chamber 200 includes wafer mounting racks 301, 302, 303 (hereinafter denoted by reference numeral 300) in which the wafer 304 is accommodated and the storage chamber 203. Although operating between the two, the transfer robot 201 is not limited to the illustrated example, and various configurations can be adopted.

Although the robot 1 of this invention is arrange | positioned in this assembly processing apparatus 150, each of the 2 or more arms with which the robot 1 of this invention is equipped is provided with the arm extension drive source and the arm turning drive source independently. Operation, and the work carried in the hand part provided in each is substantially the same, so that the work is carried in to the process chambers 210, 220, 230, and 240 arranged around the transfer chamber 209. · Time for carrying out can be shortened.

As mentioned above, although the industrial robot of this invention was described, this embodiment mentioned above is an example of the preferable embodiment of this invention, It is not limited to this, A various deformation | transformation is possible in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention. Do.

1 is a perspective front view showing an example of the industrial robot of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective plan view A and a B-B cross-sectional view B illustrating an internal structure of a first arm member constituting one arm of two arms shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective plan view A and a C-C cross-sectional view C showing the internal structure of the second arm member constituting one of the two arms shown in FIG. 1.

It is an enlarged view of the perspective cross section of the base part shown in FIG.

It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the arm expansion drive source and arm turning drive source shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective plan view (A) and (B) illustrating an arrangement form of the arm stretching drive source and the arm swing driving source shown in FIG. 1.

Fig. 7 is a perspective front view of the connecting member for making the coordinate positions in the vertical direction of the hand part the same.

8 is an explanatory view of the stretching operation of the arm portion.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the expansion-contraction form and the turning form of two arms.

10 is a schematic plan view showing an example in which the industrial robot 1 of the present invention is used in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor.

11 is a schematic side view of FIG. 10.

<Description of the code>

1 robot

2, 2A, 2B telescopic arm

3, 3A, 3B arm pivot

4, 4A, 4B arm drive

5, 5A, 5B arm swing drive source

6 bearings

7 magnetic seal

10, 10A, 10B female

11, 11A, 11B female

12, 12A, 12B Hand Section

14 shaft

20, 20A, 20B first arm member

30, 30A, 30B second arm member

40, 40A, 40B hand member

4l, 41A, 41B Mount

42 screws

43 connections

52A, 52A ', 52B, 52B', 62A, 62A ', 62B, 62B' Pulley

53A ', 53B', 63A ', 63B' Connecting Belt

54A, 54B, 64A, 64B Pulley

80 Shanghai East's driving source

81 ball screw

82 ball screw nut

83 Guide member

84 slide members

85 connecting arm

86 support member

87 pulleys

88 pulley

89 belt

100 expectations

150 treatment assembly device

200 transfer robot room

201 carrier robot

202, 204, 205 Gate Ben

203 Storage Room

209 transfer chamber

210, 220, 230, 240 process chamber

300, 301, 302, 303 wafer mounted racks

304 wafer

P _A , P _B coordinate position in the up and down direction

Claims (6)

An industrial robot having at least two arms connected from an expectation part side to an arm part and a hand part in order and moving freely in a stretched direction while moving the hand part in a predetermined direction, Each of the arms, An arm extension drive source which expands and contracts the arm with the arm expansion and contraction as the center of rotation; An arm turning drive source for turning the arm with the arm pivot as the pivot center; An industrial robot, comprising: a connecting member for making the coordinate positions in the vertical direction of the hand part substantially the same. The method according to claim 1, The arm stretching axis for operating one arm of the arms is a solid shaft, and the other axis of the arm pivot shaft and the other arm is a hollow shaft installed so as to be concentric with the solid shaft. robot. The method according to claim 1, And a transmission means for transmitting the driving force of the arm stretching drive source to the arm pivot shaft. The method according to claim 3, The transmission means includes an A pulley of the arm stretching drive source, a B pulley of the arm turning drive source, a connection belt between the A pulley and the B pulley, and a coaxial rotation with the B pulley. An industrial robot comprising a C pulley installed so that it is installed, a D pulley installed on the arm pivot, and an electric belt provided between the C pulley and the D pulley. The method according to claim 1, The arm portion and the hand portion are connected in the order of the first arm member, the second arm member and the hand member from the base side, The first arm member includes: a first pulley connected to the arm stretch and contraction on the base side; a second pulley connected to the second arm member on the second arm member side; and the first pulley; With the first belt caught between the second pulley, The second arm member includes a third pulley provided to be concentric with the second pulley, a fourth pulley connected to the hand member on the side of the hand member, and a second caught between the third pulley and the fourth pulley. Industrial robot with a belt. The industrial robot according to any one of claims 1 to 5, a transfer chamber in which the industrial robot is installed, and two or more arms disposed around the transfer chamber and provided by the industrial robot. And a plurality of process chambers for carrying in and out of the workpieces.

Images