Dual scara arm

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10903104-B2
Application number	US-201816201899-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2018
Priority date	Jun 9, 2004
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

A substrate transport apparatus having a drive section and a scara arm operably connected to the drive section to move the scara arm. The scara arm has an upper arm and at least one forearm. The forearm is movably mounted to the upper arm and capable of holding a substrate thereon. The upper arm is substantially rigid and is adjustable for changing a predetermined dimension of the upper arm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of transporting a substrate comprising:
providing a drive section of a substrate transport apparatus;
providing a transport arm section connected to the drive section and being configured to transport substrates to a module, the transport arm section including:
a substantially rigid upper arm having a first upper arm section and a second upper arm section coupled to each other at a common axis of rotation by a releasable coupling to form the substantially rigid upper arm having opposite ends,
a first forearm rotatably coupled to a first one of the opposite ends at a first elbow axis,
a second forearm rotatable coupled to a second one of the opposite ends at a second elbow axis, and
at least one end effector connected to each of the first forearm and the second forearm, each end effector being configured to hold at least one substrate;

positioning the first elbow axis and the second elbow axis at a distance from the common axis of rotation; and
changing, with the releasable coupling, a distance component, disposed along an extension and retraction path of a respective end effector, of the distance between the common axis of rotation and at least one of the first elbow axis and the second elbow axis based on a predetermined characteristic of the module.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising effecting, with a controller connected to the drive section, adjustment of each end effector along the extension and retraction path, relative to a substrate holding location of the module, depending on a position of the first upper arm section relative to the second upper arm section.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising rotating the substantially rigid upper arm, with the controller, to effect the adjustment of each end effector along the extension and retraction path.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a position of each end effector relative to the module depends on a distance between the respective elbow axis of the first upper arm section and the second upper arm section.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the releasable coupling defines the common axis of rotation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drive section defines an axis of rotation substantially collinear with the common axis of rotation, the substantially rigid upper arm being mounted to the drive section to rotate relative to the drive section about the common axis of rotation.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first upper arm section and the second upper arm section extend on opposite sides of the common axis of rotation.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying a variance, with a controller, and changing another distance between a respective elbow axis of the first upper arm section and second upper arm section to effect adjustment of each end effector along the extension and retraction path.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extension and retraction path of respective end effectors extends on opposite sides of the common axis of rotation.

10. A method of transporting a substrate comprising:
providing a drive section of a substrate transport apparatus;
providing a transport arm section connected to the drive section and being configured to transport substrates to a module, the transport arm section including:
a substantially rigid upper arm having a first upper arm section and a second upper arm section coupled to each other at a common axis of rotation by a releasable coupling to form the substantially rigid upper arm having opposite ends,
a first forearm rotatably coupled to a first one of the opposite ends at a first elbow axis,
a second forearm rotatable coupled to a second one of the opposite ends at a second elbow axis, and
at least one end effector connected to each of the first forearm and the second forearm, each end effector being configured to hold at least one substrate; and

changing, with the releasable coupling, an orientation of an axis of extension of one of the at least one end effector, to the module, based on a predetermined characteristic of the module.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising effecting, with a controller connected to the drive section, adjustment of the one of the at least one end effector along the axis of extension, relative to a substrate holding location of the module, depending on a position of the first upper arm section relative to the second upper arm section.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising rotating the substantially rigid upper arm, with the controller, to effect the adjustment of the one of the at least one end effector along the axis of extension.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein a position of each end effector relative to the module depends on a distance between the respective elbow axis of the first upper arm section and the second upper arm section.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the drive section defines an axis of rotation substantially collinear with the common axis of rotation, the substantially rigid upper arm being mounted to the drive section to rotate relative to the drive section about the common axis of rotation.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first upper arm section and the second upper arm section extend on opposite sides of the common axis of rotation.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the releasable coupling defines the common axis of rotation.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising identifying a variance, with a controller, and changing another distance component between a respective elbow axis of the first upper arm section and second upper arm section to effect adjustment of each end effector along the extension and retraction path.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the extension and retraction path of respective end effectors extends on opposite sides of the common axis of rotation.

Assignees

• Brooks Automation Inc

Inventors

• Pietrantonio Antonio F
• Chesna Anthony
• Elmali Hakan
• Gilchrist Ulysses

Classifications

• H10P72/7602

  the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance · CPC title

• H10P72/30

  for conveying, e.g. between different workstations · CPC title

• H10P72/3302 Primary

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• B66C23/00 Primary

  Cranes comprising essentially a beam, boom, or triangular structure acting as a cantilever and mounted for translatory of swinging movements in vertical or horizontal planes or a combination of such movements, e.g. jib-cranes, derricks, tower cranes (base supporting structures with legs B65C5/00) · CPC title

• B25J9/042

  comprising an articulated arm · CPC title