Multi-axis robot apparatus with unequal length forearms, electronic device manufacturing systems, and methods for transporting substrates in electronic device manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9325228-B2
Application number	US-201314090899-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2013
Priority date	Nov 30, 2012
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments include multi-arm robots for substrate transport systems that include a boom, first and second forearms rotationally coupled to the boom, the second forearm being shorter than the first forearm, a first wrist member rotationally coupled to the first forearm, and a second wrist member rotationally coupled to the second forearm. Each of the boom, first and second forearms, and the first and second wrist members are configured to be independently rotated to carry out substrate motion profiles. Electronic device processing systems and methods of transporting substrates are described, as are numerous other aspects.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A multi-axis robot, comprising:
a boom adapted to rotate about a first rotational axis, the boom including a web portion;
a boom drive apparatus including:
a first forearm drive member rotationally mounted to the boom above the web portion,
a first wrist drive member rotationally mounted to the boom above the web portion,
a second forearm drive member rotationally mounted to the boom below the web portion,
a second wrist drive member rotationally mounted to the boom below the web portion;

a first forearm rotationally coupled to the boom at an outboard end of the boom and the first forearm is configured to be independently rotated about a second rotational axis;
a second forearm rotationally coupled to the boom at the outboard end of the boom and configured to be independently rotated about the second rotational axis, the second forearm being shorter than the first forearm;
a first wrist member rotationally coupled to the first forearm at a first outer location of the first forearm and configured to be independently rotated relative to the first forearm about a third axis; and
a second wrist member rotationally coupled to the second forearm at the second outer location and configured to be independently rotated relative to the second forearm about a fourth axis.

2. The multi-axis robot of claim 1 , comprising:
a first drive motor coupled to the boom;
a second drive motor coupled to the first forearm;
a third drive motor coupled to the first wrist member;
a fourth drive motor coupled to the second forearm; and
a fifth drive motor coupled to the second wrist member.

3. The multi-axis robot of claim 1 , comprising:
a first stator of a first drive motor;
a second stator of a second drive motor;
a third stator of a third drive motor;
a fourth stator of a fourth drive motor;
a fifth stator of a fifth drive motor;
an upper bulkhead supporting the first and fifth stators;
a lower bulkhead supporting the second and third stators; and
the fourth stator being received between an upper bulkhead and a lower bulkhead.

4. The multi-axis robot of claim 1 , wherein the second forearm has a length shorter than the first forearm and configured such that the second forearm does not interfere with a wrist joint of the first forearm.

5. The multi-axis robot of claim 1 , wherein the first forearm has a first center-to-center length, and the second forearm has a second center-to-center length, and the second center-to center length is between 50% and 90% of the first center-to center length.

6. The multi-axis robot of claim 1 , wherein a center-to-center length of the boom is shorter than a center-to-center length of the first forearm.

7. The multi-axis robot of claim 1 , wherein a center-to-center length of the boom is shorter than a center-to-center length of the second forearm.

8. The multi-axis robot of claim 1 , wherein the second forearm being shorter is positioned at a higher level than the first forearm.

9. The multi-axis robot of claim 1 ,
a first forearm driven member rotationally mounted to the boom at an outboard end above the web portion,
a first wrist driven member rotationally mounted to the boom at an outboard end above the web portion,
a first forearm transmission member coupling the first forearm drive member to the first forearm driven member above the web portion, and
a first wrist transmission member coupling the first wrist drive member to the first wrist driven member above the web portion.

10. The multi-axis robot of claim 9 , comprising a first intermediate transmission member coupled between the first wrist drive member and the first wrist member.

11. The multi-axis robot of claim 9 , wherein the boom drive apparatus comprises:
second forearm driven member rotationally mounted to the boom at an outboard end below the web portion,
a second wrist driven member rotationally mounted to the boom at an outboard end below the web portion,
a second forearm transmission member coupling the second forearm drive member to the second forearm driven member below the web portion, and
a second wrist transmission member coupling the second wrist drive member to the second wrist driven member below the web portion.

12. The multi-axis robot of claim 11 , comprising a second intermediate transmission member coupled between the second wrist drive member and the second wrist member.

13. An electronic device processing system, comprising:
a transfer chamber;
a multi-link robot apparatus at least partially received in the transfer chamber, the multi-link robot apparatus having
a boom adapted to rotate about a first rotational axis, the boom including a web portion;

a boom drive apparatus including:
a first forearm drive member rotationally mounted to the boom above the web portion,
a first wrist drive member rotationally mounted to the boom above the web portion,
a second forearm drive member rotationally mounted to the boom below the web portion,
a second wrist drive member rotationally mounted to the boom below the web portion;

a first forearm rotationally coupled to the boom at an outboard end of the boom and configured to be independently rotated;
a second forearm rotationally coupled to the boom at the outboard end of the boom and configured to be independently rotated, the second forearm being shorter than the first forearm;
a first wrist member rotationally coupled to the first forearm and configured to be independently rotated relative to the first forearm; and
a second wrist member rotationally coupled to the second forearm and configured to be independently rotated relative to the second forearm.

14. The electronic device processing system of claim 13 , comprising:
a first center-to-center length of the first forearm, a second center-to-center length of the second forearm, and the second center-to center length is between 50% and 90% of the first center-to center length.

15. A method of transporting substrates within an electronic device processing system, comprising:
providing a boom adapted to rotate about a first rotational axis, the boom including a web portion;
providing a boom drive apparatus including:
a first forearm drive member rotationally mounted to the boom above the web portion,
a first wrist drive member rotationally mounted to the boom above the web portion,
a second forearm drive member rotationally mounted to the boom below the web portion,
a second wrist drive member rotationally mounted to the boom below the web portion;

providing a first forearm rotationally coupled to the boom at an outboard end of the boom;
providing a second forearm rotationally coupled to the boom at the outboard end of the boom, the second forearm being shorter than the first forearm;
providing a first wrist member rotationally coupled to the first forearm at an outer location of the first forearm;
providing a second wrist member rotationally coupled to the second forearm at an outer location of the second forearm; and
independently rotating the first forearm via rotation of the first forearm drive member, independently rotating the second forearm via rotation of the second forearm drive member, independently rotating the first wrist member via rotation of the first wrist drive member, and independently rotating the second wrist member via rotation of the second wrist drive member to transport substrates from chamber to chamber and moving the second forearm overtop the first forearm at least some time during the transport.

16. The method of claim 15 including rotating the first forearm and first wr

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Hudgens Jeffrey C
• Kremerman Izya
• Brodine Jeffrey A
• Cox Damon Keith

Classifications

• H10P72/3302

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/32

  between different workstations · CPC title

• H02K2213/12

  Machines characterised by the modularity of some components · CPC title

• B25J9/042 Primary

  comprising an articulated arm · CPC title

• Y10S901/23

  Electric motor · CPC title