Gantry-type positioning device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11466809-B2
Application number	US-201916720013-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2019
Priority date	Dec 20, 2018
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

A gantry-type positioning device includes a planar base parallel to first and second directions. Two first linear axes are arranged in the first direction, each having a first linear drive. A frame held by the first linear axes is movable in the first direction, and comprises two transverse and two longitudinal beams. The transverse beams carry second linear axes with second linear drives parallel to the second direction, so that a movable element arranged between the transverse beams is movably held by the second linear actuators. The frame is flexibly constructed such that the movable element is rotatable about a third direction which is perpendicular to the first and second directions. With respect to the third direction, the movable element is guidable by a guide surface of only one of the transverse beams serving as a guide beam for the movable element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A positioning device of a gantry-type design, the positioning device comprising:
a planar base parallel to a first direction and to a second direction;
two first linear axes arranged in the first direction, each of the first linear axes having a first linear drive;
a frame held by the first linear axes, the frame being movable in the first direction, the frame comprising two transverse beams running in the second direction and two longitudinal beams running in the first direction that are attached to the transverse beams, wherein one of the longitudinal beams is in each case connected to one of the first linear drives, and wherein the transverse beams carry second linear axes in each case with a second linear drive parallel to the second direction, so that a movable element arranged between the transverse beams is movably held by the second linear drives in the second direction, whereby the movable element is movable in the first and second directions, and wherein the frame is flexibly constructed such that the movable element is rotatable about a third direction which is perpendicular to the first and second directions,
wherein the movable element is guidable by the planar base with respect to the third direction and rotations about the first and second directions,
wherein, with respect to the third direction, the movable element is guidable by a guide surface of only one of the transverse beams which thereby serves as a guide beam for the movable element, and
wherein the guide beam is connected via joints to the longitudinal beams, each of the joints allowing for rotation about the third direction.

2. The positioning device according to claim 1 , wherein one of the joints on the guide beam additionally allows for translation in the first direction.

3. The positioning device according to claim 2 , wherein one of the transverse beams and one of the longitudinal beams are rigidly connected to each other in one corner of the frame.

4. The positioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the joints between the longitudinal beams and the transverse beams of the frame connect the transverse beams and the longitudinal beams to one another such that a total of four in-plane degrees of freedom impart flexibility to the frame.

5. The positioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the joints are flexure joints.

6. The positioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the guide beam is made of a material which differs from a material of the longitudinal beams and a second one of the transverse beams which does not serve as the guide beam.

7. The positioning device according to claim 6 , wherein the guide beam is made of silicon carbide or aluminum oxide.

8. The positioning device according to claim 6 , wherein the longitudinal beams and the second transverse beam are made of aluminum.

9. The positioning device according to claim 6 , wherein the guide beam has a hollow profile.

10. The positioning device according to claim 6 , wherein the frame is guidable on the planar base by four horizontal air bearings, of which two of the horizontal air bearings lie below the longitudinal beams at ends near the guide beam, and another two of the horizontal air bearings lie below the second transverse beam parallel to the guide beam at ends of the second transverse beam.

11. The positioning device according to claim 6 , wherein the frame is guidable on the planar base by five horizontal air bearings, of which two of the horizontal air bearings lie below the longitudinal beams at ends close to the transverse beams, and wherein a further one of the horizontal air bearings lies below the second transverse beam lying parallel to the guide beam in a center of the second transverse beam.

12. The positioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the movable element is guidable on the guide surface of the guide beam by a preloaded lateral air bearing.

13. The positioning device according to claim 1 , wherein a joint is arranged between the guide surface of the guide beam and the movable element and has a virtual axis of rotation for rotating the movable element about the third direction.

14. The positioning device according to claim 13 , wherein the virtual rotation axis passes through a center of mass of the movable element.

15. The positioning device according to claim 13 , wherein the rotation of the movable element about the third direction which is perpendicular to the first and second directions is adjustable by the second linear drives.

16. A positioning device of a gantry-type design, the positioning device comprising:
a planar base parallel to a first direction and to a second direction;
two first linear axes arranged in the first direction, each of the first linear axes having a first linear drive;
a frame held by the first linear axes, the frame being movable in the first direction, the frame comprising two transverse beams running in the second direction and two longitudinal beams running in the first direction that are attached to the transverse beams, wherein one of the longitudinal beams is in each case connected to one of the first linear drives, and wherein the transverse beams carry second linear axes in each case with a second linear drive parallel to the second direction, so that a movable element arranged between the transverse beams is movably held by the second linear drives in the second direction, whereby the movable element is movable in the first and second directions, and wherein the frame is flexibly constructed such that the movable element is rotatable about a third direction which is perpendicular to the first and second directions,
wherein the movable element is guidable by the planar base with respect to the third direction and rotations about the first and second directions,
wherein, with respect to the third direction, the movable element is guidable by a guide surface of only one of the transverse beams which thereby serves as a guide beam for the movable element, and
wherein the guide beam is made of a material which differs from a material of the longitudinal beams and a second one of the transverse beams which does not serve as the guide beam.

17. The positioning device according to claim 16 , wherein the guide beam is made of silicon carbide or aluminum oxide.

18. The positioning device according to claim 16 , wherein the longitudinal beams and the second transverse beam are made of aluminum.

19. The positioning device according to claim 16 , wherein the guide beam has a hollow profile.

20. A positioning device of a gantry-type design, the positioning device comprising:
a planar base parallel to a first direction and to a second direction;
two first linear axes arranged in the first direction, each of the first linear axes having a first linear drive;
a frame held by the first linear axes, the frame being movable in the first direction, the frame comprising two transverse beams running in the second direction and two longitudinal beams running in the first direction that are attached to the transverse beams, wherein one of the longitudinal beams is in each case connected to one of the first linear drives, and wherein the transverse beams carry second linear axes in each case with a second linear drive parallel to the second direction, so that a movable element arranged between the transverse beams is movably held by the second linear drives in the second direction, whereby the movable element is movable in the first and second directions, and wherein the frame is flexibly construc

Assignees

• Etel Sa

Inventors

• Kobel Philipp

Classifications

• H10P72/50 Primary

  for positioning, orientation or alignment · CPC title

• H10P72/7618

  characterised by a movable susceptor, stage or support, others than those only rotating on their own vertical axis, e.g. susceptors on a rotating carrousel · CPC title

• H10P72/7604 Primary

  the wafers being placed on a susceptor, stage or support · CPC title

• F16C32/0603

  supported by a gas cushion, e.g. an air cushion · CPC title

• F16M11/22

  with approximately constant height, e.g. with constant length of column or of legs (F16M11/42 takes precedence) · CPC title