Diagnostic system of substrate transfer hand

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11476138-B2
Application number	US-201716337856-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2017
Priority date	Sep 28, 2016
Publication date	Oct 18, 2022
Grant date	Oct 18, 2022

Abstract

A diagnostic system of a substrate transfer hand including a base part coupled to a hand tip portion of a robot arm and a substrate holding part coupled to the base part to hold a substrate, includes a camera which is secured to the base part and takes an image of the substrate holding part; and a diagnostic device which obtains image information of the image taken by the camera and diagnoses normality of the substrate holding part based on the image information.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A diagnostic system of a substrate transfer hand including a base part coupled to a hand tip portion of a robot arm and a substrate holding part coupled to the base part to hold a substrate, the diagnostic system comprising:
a camera which is secured to the base part and takes an image containing the substrate holding part and a portion of the base part; and
a diagnostic device which obtains image information of the image taken by the camera and diagnoses normality of the substrate holding part based on the image information,
wherein the diagnostic device extracts an image of the base part which is contained in the image information, compares the extracted image of the base part to a pre-stored image of the base part in a normal state, to extract a change between the extracted image and the pre-stored image, and determines whether or not there is a change in a position of the camera mounted on the hand with respect to the base part of the hand based on the extracted change.

2. The diagnostic system of the substrate transfer hand according to claim 1 ,
wherein the diagnostic device extracts a contour of the substrate holding part which is contained in the image, from the image information, compares an image of the extracted contour to a pre-stored image of the contour of the substrate holding part in a normal state, and determines whether or not the substrate holding part is in the normal state, based on a deviation amount of the extracted contour from the contour of the substrate holding part in the normal state.

3. The diagnostic system of the substrate transfer hand according to claim 2 ,
wherein in a case where the diagnostic device determines that the substrate holding part is not in the normal state, the diagnostic device selects one from pre-stored deformations, based on the deviation amount.

4. The diagnostic system of the substrate transfer hand according to claim 3 ,
wherein the diagnostic device determines whether or not to perform correction by modifying a course of the substrate transfer hand, based on the selected deformation and the deviation amount,
wherein in a case where the diagnostic device determines that the correction can be performed, the diagnostic device calculates a course modification amount and outputs the course modification amount to a control unit of the robot arm, and
wherein in a case where the diagnostic device determines that the correction cannot be performed, the diagnostic device outputs a stop signal to the control unit of the robot arm.

5. The diagnostic system of the substrate transfer hand according to claim 1 ,
wherein the diagnostic device compares an image of the substrate holding part which is contained in the image information to a pre-stored image of the substrate holding part in a normal state, to extract a change between the image of the substrate holding part and the pre-stored image of the substrate holding part, and determines whether or not the substrate holding part is in the normal state, based on the extracted change.

6. A diagnostic system of a substrate transfer hand including a base part coupled to a hand tip portion of a robot arm and a substrate holding part coupled to the base part to hold a substrate, the diagnostic system comprising:
a reference point pre-defined in a region other than the substrate transfer hand;
a camera which is secured to the base part and takes an image within a view range including the reference point and the substrate holding part in a state in which the substrate transfer hand is in a specified location and has a specified posture; and
a diagnostic device which obtains image information of the image taken by the camera and diagnoses normality of the substrate holding part based on the image information,
wherein the diagnostic device compares the image of the reference point and the substrate holding part which is contained in the image information to an image of the reference point and the substrate holding part which are in a normal state, to extract a change between the images, and determines whether or not there is a change in a position of the camera mounted on the hand with respect to the base part of the hand based on the extracted change.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Goto Hirohiko
• Yoshida Tetsuya
• Tan Haruhiko
• Fujimori Kazuo
• Yamashita Katsuhiro
• Sumitomo Masahiko

Classifications

• H10P72/30

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

• H10P72/0616 Primary

  Monitoring of warpages, curvatures, damages, defects or the like · CPC title

• H04N23/57

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• H10P72/53

  using optical controlling means · CPC title