KR20220110085A - Industrial robot - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an industrial robot which conveys an object to be conveyed such as a semiconductor wafer, wherein the industrial robot enables a detecting mechanism mounted on a base end part of a hand to detect an object to be conveyed, wherein the object is arranged at a position away from the industrial robot, and further can prevent the detecting mechanism from interfering a predetermined operation of the industrial robot when the industrial robot performs the predetermined operation. The industrial robot is equipped with the hand (3) in which the object (2) to be conveyed is mounted on a tip side thereof, the detecting mechanism (10) for detecting the object (2) to be conveyed, and a turning mechanism (11) which turns the detecting mechanism (10). The detecting mechanism (10) comprises a light emitting part (21) and a light receiving part (22), and is rotatably mounted on the base end part of the hand (3). The turning mechanism (11) turns the detecting mechanism (10) between a detection position (10A) at which the light emitting part (21) and the light receiving part (22) get away from the hand (3) and a retreat position at which the light emitting part (21) and the light receiving part (22) approach the hand (3).

Description

Industrial robot {INDUSTRIAL ROBOT}

The present invention relates to an industrial robot that transports an object to be transported, such as a semiconductor wafer.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART Conventionally, the unmanned conveyance vehicle which automatically conveys a semiconductor wafer is known (for example, refer patent document 1). The unmanned transport vehicle described in Patent Document 1 includes a mobile mounting apparatus for moving and mounting a semiconductor wafer, and a buffer cassette in which the semiconductor wafer is accommodated. The buffer cassette is provided with a plurality of shelves on which ends of semiconductor wafers are mounted, and a plurality of semiconductor wafers can be accommodated at a constant pitch in the vertical direction. The moving mounting device includes a hand (moving mounting hand), a moving arm including a first arm, and a second arm. The shape of the hand when viewed from the vertical direction is an elongated rectangular shape.

In the movable mounting apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a suction hole for sucking and holding a semiconductor wafer is formed at the tip of the hand. The suction hole is formed at one end in the long side direction of the hand, which has an elongated rectangular shape when viewed from the vertical direction. A mapping sensor is provided at the proximal end (ie, the other end in the long side direction of the hand) serving as a portion opposite to the distal end of the hand. The mapping sensor is provided with a photoelectric sensor. The photoelectric sensor protrudes from the base end of the hand toward the other side in the long side direction of the hand. The mobile mounting apparatus described in Patent Document 1 detects the presence or absence of a semiconductor wafer on each shelf of the buffer cassette by means of a photoelectric sensor by lowering the hand in a state in which the mapping sensor is brought close to the buffer cassette.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-313876

In the mobile mounting device described in Patent Document 1, since the mapping sensor is provided at the proximal end of the hand, it becomes possible to reduce the thickness of the tip side of the hand compared to the case where the mapping sensor is provided at the distal end of the hand. Accordingly, in this movable mounting apparatus, even if the vertical pitch of the semiconductor wafers accommodated in the buffer cassette becomes narrow, it is possible to insert the tip side of the hand into the buffer cassette and mount the semiconductor wafer on the tip side of the hand.

On the other hand, in the mobile mounting device described in Patent Document 1, since the photoelectric sensor constituting a part of the mapping sensor protrudes from the base end of the hand toward the other side in the long side direction of the hand, for example, a part of the mobile mounting device If the configuration is arranged around the hand, the photoelectric sensor interferes with the configuration when the mobile device performs a predetermined operation, and there is a fear that the predetermined operation of the mobile device is disturbed. In order to prevent the photoelectric sensor from becoming an obstacle when the mobile mounting device performs a predetermined operation, the amount of protrusion of the photoelectric sensor from the base end of the hand may be reduced. However, if the amount of protrusion of the photoelectric sensor from the base end of the hand is reduced, it becomes difficult to detect the semiconductor wafer disposed at a position further away from the mobile mounting device by the mapping sensor.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is that, in an industrial robot that transports a transport target such as a semiconductor wafer, it is possible to detect a transport target disposed at a position further away from the industrial robot by a detection mechanism provided at the base end of the hand. To provide an industrial robot capable of preventing the detection mechanism from interfering with the operation of the industrial robot when the industrial robot performs a predetermined operation.

In order to solve the above problems, the industrial robot of the present invention includes a hand on which a transfer object is mounted on the tip side, a detection mechanism for detecting the transfer object, and a rotation mechanism for rotating the detection mechanism, the detection mechanism comprising: , a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit for receiving light emitted from the light emitting unit, and is rotatably installed at the base end of the hand, and the rotation mechanism includes: It is characterized in that the detection mechanism is rotated between the retracted positions where the light receiving part approaches the hand.

In the industrial robot of the present invention, the rotation mechanism rotates the detection mechanism between a detection position in which the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit move away from the hand and a retracted position in which the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit approach the hand. Therefore, in this invention, it becomes possible to detect the conveyance target arrange|positioned at the position further away from the industrial robot by the light emitting part and the light receiving part of the detection mechanism arrange|positioned at a detection position. Further, in the present invention, when the industrial robot performs a predetermined operation, the detection mechanism is arranged at a retracted position where the light emitting part and the light receiving part are close to the hand, so that when the industrial robot performs a predetermined operation, the detection mechanism is the industrial robot It becomes possible to prevent it from becoming a hindrance to the operation of That is, in the present invention, even if it is possible to detect a conveyed object disposed at a position further away from the industrial robot by the detection mechanism provided at the base end of the hand, when the industrial robot performs a predetermined operation, the detection mechanism is that of the industrial robot. It becomes possible to prevent it becoming a hindrance to an operation|movement.

In the present invention, the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction, the optical axis of the light emitting unit is parallel to the horizontal direction, and the rotation mechanism rotates in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light emitting unit It is preferable to set it as an axial direction and to rotate a detection mechanism between a detection position and a retracted position. With this configuration, it is possible to further reduce the amount of protrusion from the hand of the detection mechanism arranged in the retracted position in the direction from the tip of the hand to the base. Accordingly, it becomes possible to reliably prevent the detection mechanism from interfering with the operation of the industrial robot.

In the present invention, for example, the rotation mechanism rotates the detection mechanism by 90° between the detection position and the retracted position. In this case, it becomes possible to make the rotation range of a detection mechanism into a necessary minimum range. In this case, for example, the detection mechanism includes a plate-shaped holding member for holding the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, and when the detection mechanism is disposed at the detection position, the thickness direction and the vertical direction of the holding member When this coincides and the detection mechanism is arrange|positioned at the retracted position, the thickness direction and the horizontal direction of a holding member correspond.

In the present invention, the detection mechanism includes a holding member for holding the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, and a signal processing unit having a circuit board on which a signal processing circuit for processing an output signal from the light receiving unit is mounted, and the rotation mechanism includes: It is preferable that a rotation shaft fixed to the support member and a drive source which is fixed to the base end of the hand and rotates the rotation shaft are provided, and the signal processing part is provided in the holding member. In general, as a wiring drawn out from the signal processing unit toward the hand, it is possible to use a wiring thicker than the wiring connecting the light receiving unit and the signal processing unit. It becomes possible to arrange along the axis of rotation. Accordingly, even if the wiring arranged along the rotation axis is repeatedly deformed along the rotation of the rotation axis, disconnection of the wiring can be prevented.

As described above, in the present invention, in an industrial robot that transports a transport target such as a semiconductor wafer, the detection mechanism provided at the base end of the hand makes it possible to detect the transport target disposed at a position further away from the industrial robot. , it becomes possible to prevent the detection mechanism from interfering with the operation of the industrial robot when the industrial robot performs a predetermined operation.

1 is a perspective view of a part of an industrial robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a hand or the like shown in FIG. 1 .
3 : is a perspective view of the detection mechanism and rotation mechanism shown in FIG.
4 : is a side view for demonstrating the movement of the detection mechanism shown in FIG.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiment of this invention is described, referring drawings.

(Schematic configuration of industrial robots)

1 is a perspective view of a part of an industrial robot 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the hand 3 or the like shown in FIG. 1 .

The industrial robot 1 (hereinafter, referred to as "robot 1") of this embodiment is a robot for conveying a semiconductor wafer 2 (hereinafter referred to as "wafer 2") as a transfer object. . The wafer 2 is formed in the shape of a thin disk. The robot 1 simultaneously unloads a plurality of wafers 2 from a cassette (not shown) such as a FOUP in which, for example, a plurality of wafers 2 are accommodated at a constant pitch in the vertical direction, the semiconductor manufacturing system A plurality of wafers 2 taken out from the cassette are loaded into a predetermined processing apparatus constituting (not shown). In addition, the robot 1 simultaneously unloads a plurality of wafers 2 from a processing device in which the plurality of wafers 2 are accommodated at a constant pitch in the vertical direction, and removes the unloaded plurality of wafers 2 . put in the cassette.

The robot 1 includes hands 3 and 4 on which the wafer 2 is mounted, an arm 5 to which the hand 3 is rotatably connected to the tip side, and the hand 4 is rotatable to the tip side. an arm 6 connected to each other, an arm support part 7 to which the proximal ends of the arms 5 and 6 are rotatably connected, and an elevating part 8 for rotatably holding the arm support part 7; The column part 9 which holds the raising/lowering part 8 so that raising/lowering is provided is provided. Further, the robot 1 includes a detection mechanism 10 for detecting the wafer 2 and a rotation mechanism 11 for rotating the detection mechanism 10 .

The arms 5 and 6 are composed of a first arm 14 and a second arm 15 . The base end side of the 1st arm part 14 is connected with the arm support part 7 rotatably. The proximal end side of the 2nd arm part 15 is connected with the front-end|tip side of the 1st arm part 14 so that rotation is possible. Hands 3 and 4 are rotatably connected to the tip side of the second arm portion 15 . The first arm part 14 is disposed above the arm support part 7 , and the second arm part 15 is disposed above the first arm part 14 . The hands 3 and 4 are disposed above the second arm portion 15 .

The hand 3 includes a plurality of blades 16 on which the wafer 2 is mounted, and a blade holding unit 17 for holding the plurality of blades 16 . The blade 16 constitutes a tip side portion of the hand 3 , and the wafer 2 is mounted on the tip side of the hand 3 . The blade holder 17 constitutes a proximal end portion of the hand 3 , and the proximal end of the blade 16 is provided in the blade holder 17 . The hand 3 of this form is provided with the blade 16 of 5 sheets. The five blades 16 are arranged at a predetermined pitch in the vertical direction. In addition, the five blades 16 face the same direction. The blade holding portion 17 is rotatably connected to the tip side of the second arm portion 15 . The blade holding part 17 is provided with the pitch change mechanism (not shown) which changes the pitch of the blade 16 of 5 sheets.

The hand 4 includes a single blade (not shown) constituting the tip side portion of the hand 4 while the wafer 2 is mounted, and a base end side of the hand 4 while holding the blade. It is comprised by the blade holding|maintenance part 18 which comprises a part. The blade holding part 18 is rotatably connected to the front-end|tip side of the 2nd arm part 15 .

The robot 1 is equipped with the arm drive mechanism which expands and contracts the arm 5 with respect to the arm support part 7 . This arm drive mechanism expands and contracts the arm 5 with respect to the arm support part 7 so that the hand 3 may move linearly in a state in which it faces in a certain direction. Moreover, the robot 1 is equipped with the arm drive mechanism which expands and contracts the arm 6 with respect to the arm support part 7 . This arm drive mechanism expands and contracts the arm 6 with respect to the arm support part 7 so that the hand 4 may move linearly in a state in which it faces in a certain direction.

The lifting part 8 holds the arm support part 7 so that rotation of the arm support part 7 which makes an up-down direction as an axial direction of rotation with respect to the lifting part 8 is possible. The column part 9 is formed in the shape of an elongate column in the up-down direction, and as mentioned above, the raising/lowering part 8 is hold|maintained so that raising/lowering is possible. The robot 1 is equipped with the rotation mechanism which rotates the arm support part 7 with respect to the raising/lowering part 8, and the raising/lowering mechanism which raises and lowers the raising/lowering part 8 with respect to the pillar part 9. FIG.

(Configuration of detection mechanism and rotation mechanism)

3 : is a perspective view of the detection mechanism 10 and the rotation mechanism 11 shown in FIG. 4 : is a side view for demonstrating the movement of the detection mechanism 10 shown in FIG.

In the following description, the X direction in FIG. 3 or the like perpendicular to the vertical direction (vertical direction, the Z direction in FIG. 3, etc.) is referred to as the "front-back direction", and the Y direction in FIG. 3 or the like perpendicular to the vertical direction and the front-back direction It is called “left-right direction”. In the following, for convenience of explanation, the X1 direction side in FIG. 3 or the like that is one side of the front-back direction is referred to as a "front" side, and the X2 direction side in FIG. 3 etc. which is the opposite side is referred to as a "rear" side. In this form, the front side is the tip side of the hand 3 , and the rear side is the proximal end side of the hand 3 . That is, the forward direction is a direction from the base end of the hand 3 toward the front end, and the rear direction is a direction from the front end of the hand 3 toward the base end.

The detection mechanism 10 is a mapping sensor (mapping sensor) for detecting whether the wafer 2 is present in each stage of a cassette or processing apparatus in which a plurality of wafers 2 are accommodated at a constant pitch in the vertical direction. instrument). The detection mechanism 10 is a transmissive optical sensor having a light emitting unit 21 and a light receiving unit 22 that receives the light emitted from the light emitting unit 21 . The light emitting part 21 and the light receiving part 22 are arrange|positioned at intervals in the horizontal direction, and the optical axis L of the light emitting part 21 is parallel to the horizontal direction. Specifically, the light-emitting unit 21 and the light-receiving unit 22 are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction, and the optical axis L of the light-emitting unit 21 is parallel to the left-right direction. Moreover, the light emitting element of the light emitting part 21 and the light receiving element of the light receiving part 22 face each other in the left-right direction.

The detection mechanism 10 is provided at the proximal end (rear end) of the hand 3 . That is, the detection mechanism 10 is provided at the rear end of the blade holder 17 . The detection mechanism 10 protrudes backward from the rear end (base end) of the hand 3 . The detection mechanism 10 includes, in addition to the light emitting unit 21 and the light receiving unit 22 , a flat holding member 23 holding the light emitting unit 21 and the light receiving unit 22 , and a circuit board 24 . and a signal processing unit 25 having A signal processing circuit for processing the output signal of the light receiving unit 22 is mounted on the circuit board 24 .

The detection mechanism 10 is provided at the rear end of the blade holder 17 via the rotation mechanism 11 , and rotation is possible with respect to the hand 3 using the horizontal direction as the axial direction of rotation. . Specifically, the detection mechanism 10 can be rotated with respect to the hand 3 in the left-right direction as an axial direction of the rotation. That is, the detection mechanism 10 is provided rotatably at the base end of the hand 3 .

The detection mechanism 10 includes a detection position 10A at which the light emitting unit 21 and the light receiving unit 22 move away from the hand 3 , and a retraction at which the light emitting unit 21 and the light receiving unit 22 approaches the hand 3 . It is rotatable between the positions 10B (refer FIG.4(B)). More specifically, the detection mechanism 10 includes a detection position 10A at which the light emitting unit 21 and the light receiving unit 22 move away from the hand 3 in the front-rear direction, and the light-emitting unit 21 and the light-emitting unit 22 in the front-rear direction. The light receiving part 22 is rotatable by 90 degrees between the retracted positions 10B where the hand 3 approaches.

When the detection mechanism 10 is arrange|positioned at 10 A of detection positions, the thickness direction and the up-down direction of the holding member 23 formed in flat plate shape correspond. When the detection mechanism 10 is disposed at the retracted position 10B, the thickness direction and the horizontal direction of the holding member 23 coincide. When the detection mechanism 10 is specifically, arrange|positioned at the retracted position 10B, the thickness direction of the holding member 23 and the front-back direction correspond.

In addition, the detection mechanism 10 is rotatable about the rotation shaft 28 mentioned later which comprises a part of rotation mechanism 11 as a rotation center. The rotation shaft 28 is connected to the front end of the holding member 23 when the detection mechanism 10 is disposed at the detection position 10A, and the detection mechanism 10 is disposed at the retracted position 10B. It is connected to the lower end of the holding member 23 at the time of becoming. The light emitting unit 21 and the light receiving unit 22 protrude rearward from the rear end of the holding member 23 when the detection mechanism 10 is disposed at the detection position 10A, and are detected at the retracted position 10B. When the mechanism 10 is disposed, it protrudes upward from the upper end of the holding member 23 . The detection mechanism 10 is in a folded state with respect to the hand 3 when the detection mechanism 10 is disposed in the retracted position 10B.

The signal processing circuit mounted on the circuit board 24 amplifies the output signal of the light receiving unit 22 which is an analog signal, etc., and converts the output signal of the light receiving unit 22 into an electronic signal and outputs this electronic signal. do. The signal processing unit 25 is provided in the holding member 23 . The signal processing unit 25 is disposed above the holding member 23 when the detection mechanism 10 is disposed at the detection position 10A, and the detection mechanism 10 is disposed at the retracted position 10B, When there is, it is arrange|positioned on the front side of the holding member 23.

The rotation mechanism 11 is provided with the rotation shaft 28 fixed to the holding member 23, and the air cylinder 29 as a drive source which rotates the rotation shaft 28. As shown in FIG. The rotation shaft 28 is arrange|positioned so that the axial direction of the rotation shaft 28 and the left-right direction may correspond. One end of the rotation shaft 28 is being fixed to the holding member 23 . The other end of the rotation shaft 28 is provided in the air cylinder 29 . The air cylinder 29 is a swing type air cylinder. The air cylinder 29 is fixed to the bracket 30 . The bracket 30 is fixed to the rear end of the blade holder 17 . That is, the air cylinder 29 is being fixed to the base end of the hand 3 via the bracket 30 .

The rotation mechanism 11 rotates the detection mechanism 10 between the detection position 10A and the retracted position 10B. Specifically, the rotation mechanism 11 is a detection mechanism between the detection position 10A and the retracted position 10B with the rotation shaft 28 as the rotation center (that is, the left-right direction is the rotation axis direction). (10) is rotated. That is, the rotation mechanism 11 sets the direction parallel to the optical axis L of the light emitting part 21 as the axis direction of rotation, and moves the detection mechanism 10 between the detection position 10A and the retracted position 10B. rotate Moreover, the rotation mechanism 11 rotates the detection mechanism 10 90 degrees between the detection position 10A and the retracted position 10B. The detection mechanism 10 is disposed at the detection position 10A when detecting whether the wafer 2 is present at each stage of the cassette or processing apparatus, and is disposed at the retracted position 10B at other times. has been

When the detection mechanism 10 detects, for example, whether or not the wafer 2 is present at each stage of the cassette, the robot 1 moves the light emitting unit 21 and the light receiving unit 22 to the cassette side. The position where the arm support part 7 is rotated with respect to the lifting part 8 so that the light from the light emitting part 21 to the light receiving part 22 is blocked by the wafer 2 accommodated in the cassette. The arm 5 is extended with respect to the arm support part 7 until the light emitting part 21 and the light receiving part 22 are brought close to the cassette. In this state, the lifting unit 8 is raised and lowered with respect to the pillar portion 9 , and the presence or absence of the wafer 2 is detected by the detection mechanism 10 .

(Main effect of this form)

As described above, in this embodiment, the rotation mechanism 11 includes a detection position 10A at which the light emitting unit 21 and the light receiving unit 22 move away from the hand 3 , and the light emitting unit 21 and the light receiving unit 22 . The detection mechanism 10 is rotated between the retracted positions 10B approaching the false hand 3 . Therefore, in this embodiment, the wafer 2 disposed at a position further away from the robot 1 by the light emitting unit 21 and the light receiving unit 22 of the detection mechanism 10 disposed at the detection position 10A is selected. It becomes possible to detect

In addition, in this embodiment, the detection mechanism 10 is disposed at the detection position 10A when detecting whether the wafer 2 is present at each stage of the cassette or processing apparatus, but at other times it is retracted. It is arranged at position 10B. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the robot 1 performs a predetermined operation other than the detection operation of the wafer 2 by the detection mechanism 10 , for example, the detection mechanism 10 and the column part 9 are It becomes possible to prevent interference. That is, in this embodiment, when the robot 1 performs a predetermined operation other than the detection operation of the wafer 2 by the detection mechanism 10 , the detection mechanism 10 interferes with the operation of the robot 1 . It becomes possible to prevent

As described above, in this embodiment, the detection mechanism 10 provided at the proximal end of the hand 3 can detect the wafer 2 disposed at a position further away from the robot 1 , but the robot 1 is It becomes possible to prevent the detection mechanism 10 from interfering with the operation of the robot 1 when performing the operation. In addition, in this embodiment, when the robot 1 performs a predetermined operation other than the detection operation of the wafer 2 by the detection mechanism 10 , the detection mechanism 10 is disposed at the retracted position 10B. , it becomes possible to make small the maximum rotational radius when the arm support part 7 rotates with respect to the lifting part 8 in the state in which the arm 5 is slanted.

In this aspect, the rotation mechanism 11 makes the direction parallel to the optical axis L of the light emitting part 21 the axial direction of rotation, and the detection mechanism 10 is between the detection position 10A and the retracted position 10B. ) is being rotated. Therefore, in this form, it becomes possible to further reduce the amount of protrusion from the rear end of the hand 3 of the detection mechanism 10 arrange|positioned at the retracted position 10B to a rear side. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the robot 1 performs a predetermined operation other than the detection operation of the wafer 2 by the detection mechanism 10 , the detection mechanism 10 interferes with the operation of the robot 1 . It is possible to reliably prevent

In this form, the rotation mechanism 11 is rotating the detection mechanism 10 90 degrees between the detection position 10A and the retracted position 10B. Therefore, in this form, the detection mechanism 10 provided at the base end of the hand 3 makes it possible to detect the wafer 2 disposed at a position further away from the robot 1, and the detection mechanism ( Even if it is possible to prevent the detection mechanism 10 from interfering with the operation of the robot 1 when the robot 1 performs a predetermined operation other than the detection operation of the wafer 2 by 10), the detection mechanism ( It becomes possible to make the rotation range of 10) into the minimum required range.

In this embodiment, the signal processing unit 25 is provided in the holding member 23 . In general, as the wiring drawn out from the signal processing unit 25 toward the hand 3, a wiring thicker than the wiring connecting the light receiving unit 22 and the signal processing unit 25 can be used. It becomes possible to arrange|position the wiring which is thicker than the wiring which connects 22 and the signal processing part 25 along the rotation axis 28. As shown in FIG. Therefore, in this form, even if the wiring arrange|positioned along the rotation shaft 28 is repeatedly deformed along the rotation of the rotation shaft 28, it becomes possible to prevent disconnection of this wiring.

(Other embodiment)

Although the above-mentioned aspect is an example of the suitable aspect of this invention, it is not limited to this, In the range which does not change the summary of this invention, various deformation|transformation implementation is possible.

In the aspect described above, when the detection mechanism 10 is disposed at the retracted position 10B, the thickness direction of the holding member 23 may incline with respect to the front-back direction. That is, in the above-described aspect, the rotation mechanism 11 may rotate the detection mechanism 10 at an angle exceeding 90 degrees between the detection position 10A and the retracted position 10B, and the detection position 10A. and the retracted position 10B, the detection mechanism 10 may be rotated at an angle of less than 90 degrees. In addition, in the aspect mentioned above, the rotation mechanism 11 may rotate the detection mechanism 10 by making an up-down direction an axial direction of rotation, It is a direction orthogonal to a front-back direction, and the direction inclined with respect to an up-down direction and a left-right direction. You may rotate the detection mechanism 10 by making it into the axial direction of rotation.

In the aspect described above, the detection mechanism 10 may be a reflective optical sensor. In addition, in the aspect mentioned above, the drive source which rotates the rotation shaft 28 may be a motor. In addition, in the form mentioned above, the signal processing part 25 may be provided in the blade holding part 17. As shown in FIG. In addition, in the form mentioned above, although the detection mechanism 10 is provided rotatably at the base end of the hand 3 via the rotation mechanism 11, the detection mechanism 10 is directly installed at the base end of the hand 3 . , may be provided rotatably.

In the above-mentioned form, the number of blades 16 which the hand 3 has may be less than 4 sheets, and may be 6 or more sheets. In addition, in the aspect mentioned above, the robot 1 may be equipped with the movement mechanism which moves the hands 3 and 4 linearly instead of the arms 5 and 6 . In addition, in the aspect mentioned above, the robot 1 does not need to be equipped with the hand 4 and the arm 6 . In addition, in the above-described aspect, the robot 1 may convey a conveyance object other than the wafer 2 .

1: Robot (industrial robot)
2: Wafer (semiconductor wafer, transfer object)
3: hand
10: detection mechanism
10A: index position
10B: Evacuation position
11: Rotating mechanism
21: light emitting part
22: light receiving unit
23: holding member
24: circuit board
25: signal processing unit
28: axis of rotation
29: air cylinder (drive source)
L: optical axis of the light emitting part

Claims (5)

a hand on which the object to be transported is mounted on the tip side, a detection mechanism for detecting the object to be transported, and a rotation mechanism for rotating the detection mechanism;
The detection mechanism includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit for receiving light emitted from the light emitting unit, and is rotatably installed at the base end of the hand;
wherein the rotation mechanism rotates the detection mechanism between a detection position in which the light emitting part and the light receiving part move away from the hand and a retracted position in which the light emitting part and the light receiving part approach the hand. The method according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit are arranged at intervals in a horizontal direction,
The optical axis of the light emitting unit is parallel to the horizontal direction,
The industrial robot, wherein the rotation mechanism rotates the detection mechanism between the detection position and the retracted position with a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light emitting part as an axial direction of rotation. The industrial robot according to claim 2, wherein the rotation mechanism rotates the detection mechanism by 90 degrees between the detection position and the retracted position. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the detection mechanism includes a plate-shaped holding member for holding the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit,
When the detection mechanism is disposed at the detection position, the thickness direction and the vertical direction of the holding member coincide,
When the detection mechanism is disposed at the retracted position, the thickness direction and the horizontal direction of the holding member coincide with each other. The signal processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the detection mechanism includes a holding member for holding the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, and a signal processing unit having a circuit board on which a signal processing circuit for processing an output signal of the light receiving unit is mounted,
The rotation mechanism includes a rotation shaft fixed to the holding member, and a drive source fixed to the base end of the hand and rotating the rotation shaft;
The said signal processing part is provided in the said holding member, The industrial robot characterized by the above-mentioned.

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