End effector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9455171-B2
Application number	US-201314758362-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 25, 2013
Priority date	Dec 28, 2012
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

An end effector includes: a hand; a substrate holder provided on the hand; a mapping detector provided at distal end portions and of the hand; a light emitter, which the hand is provided with and which is configured to generate detection light; a light receiver, which the hand is provided with and which is configured to receive the detection light and convert the detection light into an electrical output; and an optical path formed such that the detection light emitted from the light emitter passes through the optical path to be incident on the light receiver; the optical path is formed such that detection light is blocked by a substrate detected in a cassette by the mapping detector, and such that detection light is blocked by a substrate held by the substrate holder.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An end effector comprising:
a hand;
a holder provided on the hand and configured to hold a first substrate;
a mapping detector provided at a distal end portion of the hand, the mapping detector being configured to face a second substrate stored in a cassette and detect presence or absence of the second substrate;
a light emitter, which the hand is provided with and which is configured to convert an electrical input to generate detection light;
a light receiver, which the hand is provided with and which is configured to receive the detection light and convert the detection light into an electrical output; and
an optical path formed in the hand, through which the detection light emitted from the light emitter passes to be incident on the light receiver, wherein
the optical path is formed such that a first section of the optical path, in which the second substrate detected by the mapping detector blocks the detection light, and a second section of the optical path, in which the detection light is blocked by the first substrate held by the holder, do not overlap each other, and
the first section and the second section are provided in series such that the first and second sections form one continuous optical path.

2. The end effector according to claim 1 , wherein
the first section is formed such that if there is the second substrate stored in the cassette, the detection is blocked by an outer peripheral portion of the second substrate, and otherwise, the detection light is not blocked in the first section, and
the second section is formed such that if the first substrate is in a normal condition and is set on the holder properly, the detection light is blocked by the first substrate, and otherwise, the detection light is not blocked in the second section.

3. The end effector according to claim 2 , wherein
the light emitter and the light receiver include a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, respectively, and
the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element form a transmissive optical sensor.

4. The end effector according to claim 1 , wherein
the light emitter and the light receiver include a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, respectively, and
the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element form a transmissive optical sensor.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Yoshida Tetsuya
• Shibata Takeshi

Classifications

• H10P72/7602

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

• H10P72/0608 Primary

  of substrates stored in a container, a magazine, a carrier, a boat or the like · CPC title

• H10P72/0606

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

• H10P72/53 Primary

  using optical controlling means · CPC title

• B25J15/0014

  having fork, comb or plate shaped means for engaging the lower surface on a object to be transported · CPC title