Low variability robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10569430-B2
Application number	US-201213618117-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2012
Priority date	Sep 16, 2011
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus including a frame, a first position sensor, a drive and a chamber. The frame has at least three members including at least two links forming a movable arm and an end effector. The end effector and the links are connected by movable joints. The end effector is configured to support a substrate thereon. The first position sensor is on the frame proximate a first one of the joints. The first position sensor is configured to sense a position of two of the members relative to each other. The drive is connected to the frame. The drive is configured to move the movable arm. The frame is located in the chamber, and the drive extends through a wall in the chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a frame comprising at least three members including at least two links forming a movable arm and an end effector, where the end effector and the links are connected by movable joints, where the end effector is configured to support a substrate thereon;
a first position sensor on the frame proximate a first one of the joints, where the first position sensor is configured to sense a position of two of the members relative to each other, where the first position sensor comprises an encoder directly coupled to one of the two members, where an airtight enclosure is provided on the movable arm, and where the first position sensor is sealed, at least partially, in the airtight enclosure;
a drive connected to a first one of the links of the frame by a connection, where the drive is configured to move the movable arm;
a chamber, where the frame is located in the chamber and the drive extends through a wall in the chamber; and
a heat transfer system configured to transfer heat from the first position sensor on the frame to outside of the chamber, where the heat transfer system comprises a portion in a second one of the links at the first joint, where the portion of the heat transfer system is spaced from the connection of the first link with the drive.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the chamber is a vacuum chamber.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the heat transfer system comprises a second portion at the drive, where the heat transfer system is configured to transfer heat from the movable arm to a spaced distance from the movable arm.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a controller connected to the first position sensor.

5. An apparatus as in claim 4 where the first position sensor is spaced from the drive.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the first position sensor comprises a position detection encoder.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a second position sensor on the frame proximate a second one of the joints, where the second position sensor is configured to sense a position of two of the members relative to each other.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising an electrically powered actuator on the frame located, at least partially, in the airtight enclosure or in a second airtight enclosure.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the first position sensor is an optical encoder, and a fiber optic member extends from the first position sensor through the airtight enclosure.

10. An apparatus as in claim 9 further comprising a controller on the frame and connected to the optical encoder, where the controller is located, at least partially, in the airtight enclosure or in a second airtight enclosure.

11. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the airtight enclosure is formed, at least partially, by one of the links of the frame.

12. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising at least one electrical conductor extending through the airtight enclosure.

13. An apparatus comprising:
a frame comprising at least three members including at least two links forming a movable arm and an end effector, where the end effector and the links are connected by movable joints, where the end effector is configured to support a substrate thereon;
a first position sensor on the frame proximate a first one of the joints, where the first position sensor is configured to sense a position of two of the members relative to each other;
a drive connected to a first one of the links of the frame by a connection, where the drive is configured to move the movable arm;
a chamber, where the frame is located in the chamber and the drive extends through a wall in the chamber; and
a heat transfer system configured to transfer heat out of the chamber from the first position sensor on the movable arm to a spaced distance from the movable arm,
where the heat transfer system comprises a first heat transfer member connected to a first member of the drive and a second heat transfer member, where the second heat transfer member is located relative to the first heat transfer member to receive heat therefrom, where the first heat transfer member and/or the second heat transfer member comprises a thermoelectric cooler at the drive, and where the first heat transfer member is moveable relative to the second heat transfer member as the first member of the drive is moved, where the heat transfer system comprises a portion in a second one of the links at the first joint, where the portion of the heat transfer system is spaced from the connection of the first link with the drive.

14. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the heat transfer system comprises:
a first pair of heat transfer members; and
a spaced second pair of heat transfer members,
where the first pair of heat transfer members comprise a first heat transfer member connected to a first member of the drive and a second heat transfer member, where the second heat transfer member is located relative to the first heat transfer member to receive heat therefrom, and where the first heat transfer member is moveable relative to the second heat transfer member as the first member of the drive is moved,
where the second pair of heat transfer members comprise a third heat transfer member connected to a second member of the drive and a fourth heat transfer member, where the fourth heat transfer member is located relative to the third heat transfer member to receive heat therefrom, and where the third heat transfer member is moveable relative to the fourth heat transfer member as the second member of the drive is moved.

15. An apparatus as in claim 14 where the heat transfer system further comprises a third pair of heat transfer members which comprise a fifth heat transfer member connected to a third member of the drive and a sixth heat transfer member, where the sixth heat transfer member is located relative to the fifth heat transfer member to receive heat therefrom, and where the fifth heat transfer member is moveable relative to the sixth heat transfer member as the third member of the drive is moved.

16. An apparatus as in claim 14 where the second and fourth heat, transfer members are supported on the third member of the drive.

17. An apparatus as in claim 1 where the apparatus is a planar substrate movement robot adapted to move a planar substrate in the chamber on the end effector.

18. An apparatus comprising:
an electrical device;
an airtight enclosure, where the electrical device is inside the airtight enclosure;
a frame having the airtight enclosure with the electrical device thereon, where the frame comprises at least three members including at least two links forming a movable arm and an end effector, where the end effector and the links are connected by movable joints, where the end effector is configured to support a substrate thereon;
a chamber, where the frame is located in the chamber;
a drive connected to a first one of the links of the movable arm by a connection, where the drive is configured to move the movable arm; and
a heat transfer system configured to transfer heat out of the chamber from the electrical device on the movable arm to a spaced distance from the movable arm, where the heat transfer system comprises a portion in a second one of the links at a first one of the joints, where the portion of the heat transfer system is spaced from the connection of the first link with the drive,
where the heat transfer system comprises a first heat transfer member connected to a first member of the drive and a second heat transfer membe

Assignees

• Hosek Martin
• Ha Tuan
• Hofmeister Christopher
• Persimmon Tech Corporation

Inventors

• Hosek Martin
• Ha Tuan
• Hofmeister Christopher

Classifications

• H05K7/2039

  characterised by the heat transfer by conduction from the heat generating element to a dissipating body (arrangements for increasing/decreasing heat-transfer, e.g. fins details, F28F13/00) · CPC title

• B25J9/042

  comprising an articulated arm · CPC title

• H10P72/3302 Primary

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• B25J11/0095

  Manipulators transporting wafers · CPC title

• B25J19/0054 Primary

  Cooling means · CPC title