Wafer jig, robot system, communication method, and robot teaching method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11845179-B2
Application number	US-202017131082-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2020
Priority date	Dec 22, 2020
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

A wafer jig according to one or more embodiments may be used for a robot having a hand and a state detector. The hand can transport a wafer. The state detector detects a state of a member holding the wafer at the hand or a state of a negative pressure adsorbing the wafer at the hand. The wafer jig includes an information output part. The information output part outputs information to a hand side via the state detector by changing a detection result of the state detector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wafer jig comprising:
an information output part comprising an actuator for outputting information to a robot having a hand capable of transporting a wafer and a state detector detecting a state of a member capable of holding the wafer at the hand, wherein
the information output part outputs information to the state detector by changing a detection result of the state detector;
the hand includes a pressing member that presses the wafer,
the state detector is a position sensor that detects a position of the pressing member, and
the actuator contacts and changes a position of the pressing member.

2. The wafer jig according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an object detection sensor detecting an object, wherein
the information output part outputs whether the object detection sensor detected the object or not as the information.

3. The wafer jig according to claim 2 , wherein
the object detection sensor is provided at a center of the wafer jig.

4. The wafer jig according to claim 3 , wherein
in a state where the wafer jig is held by the hand, the object detection sensor is located at a center of the hand.

5. A wafer jig comprising:
an information output part comprising an actuator for outputting information to a robot having a hand capable of transporting a wafer and a state detector detecting a state of a negative pressure adsorbing the wafer at the hand, wherein
the information output part outputs information to the state detector by changing a detection result of the state detector
a suction port capable of sucking the wafer is formed on the hand,
the state detector is a negative pressure sensor that detects a negative pressure in a path connecting the suction port and a negative pressure source,
the wafer jig includes a connecting cavity which is connected with the suction port when the wafer jig is sucked by the hand, and
the actuator changes a volume of the connecting cavity.

6. The wafer jig according to claim 1 , wherein
the actuator of the information output part comprises an electric actuator that outputs the information by movements thereof.

7. A robot system comprising:
the wafer jig according to claim 1 ;
a robot capable of holding the wafer jig by the hand; and
a controller controlling the robot by giving commands to the robot, wherein
the controller receives information from the wafer jig side via the state detector.

8. A communication method for transmitting information from a wafer jig to a robot, the robot having a state detector detecting a state of a member capable of holding a wafer at a hand capable of transporting the wafer, the wafer jig being capable of being held by the hand, the communication method comprising:
holding the wafer jig by the hand; and
actuating an information output part comprising an actuator included in the wafer jig to change a detection result of the state detector depending on the information, wherein
the hand includes a pressing member that presses the wafer jig,
the state detector comprises a position sensor that detects a position of the pressing member, and
changing a detection result of the state detector comprises contacting, by the actuator, the pressing member to change a position thereof.

9. A robot teaching method by using the communication method according to claim 8 , wherein
a command position of the robot is corrected based on the information obtained from the wafer jig.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd
• Kawasaki Robotics Usa Inc

Inventors

• Tan Haruhiko
• Nakahara Hajime

Classifications

• H10P72/7604

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

• H10P72/78

  using vacuum or suction, e.g. Bernoulli chucks · CPC title

• H10P72/7602

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

• H10P72/0606 Primary

  Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection · CPC title

• H10P72/3302 Primary

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title