Substrate processing systems and robot apparatus for transporting substrates in electronic device manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9457464-B2
Application number	US-201414297675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2014
Priority date	Jan 11, 2009
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

Robot apparatus, substrate transport systems, and methods are described. The robot apparatus and systems are adapted to efficiently put or pick substrates at a destination by rotating a boom linkage to a position adjacent to the destination and then actuating robot assemblies to put or pick the substrates at the destination. Numerous other aspects are provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A robot apparatus, comprising:
a boom linkage adapted to be rotated about a rotational axis, the boom linkage includes a first cantilever beam and a second cantilever beam extending in two directions from the rotational axis;
one and only one first robot assembly mounted to the first cantilever beam at a first shoulder axis, the first robot assembly including:
a first upper arm mounted for rotation on the boom linkage about the first shoulder axis, the first upper arm extending inwardly from the first shoulder axis towards the rotational axis of the boom linkage,
a first forearm coupled to an outboard end of the first upper arm,
a first wrist member coupled to an outboard end of the first forearm, and
a first end effector included on the first wrist member; and

one and only one second robot assembly mounted to the second cantilever beam at a second shoulder axis, the second robot assembly including:
a second upper arm mounted for rotation on the boom linkage about the second shoulder axis, the second upper arm extending inwardly from the second shoulder axis towards the rotational axis of the boom linkage,
a second forearm coupled to an outboard end of the second upper arm,
a second wrist member coupled to an outboard end of the second forearm, and
a second end effector included on the second wrist member, wherein a line extending between the first shoulder axis of the first robot assembly and the second shoulder axis of the second robot assembly is offset from the rotational axis of the boom linkage and wherein the line, the substrate support location of the first end effector, and substrate support location of the second end effector are each positioned forward of the rotational axis.

2. The robot apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outboard end of the first upper arm mounted for rotation on the boom linkage about the first shoulder axis, and the outboard end of the second upper arm mounted for rotation on the boom linkage about the second shoulder axis extend towards each but do not contact one another.

3. The robot apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first forearm that is coupled to the outboard end of the first upper arm, and the second forearm that is coupled to the outboard end of the second upper arm extend away from one another.

4. The robot apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a third end effector and a fourth end effector coupled to each of the first forearm and the second forearm, respectively.

5. The robot apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the third end effector and the first end effector remain in a fixed orientation relative to one another, and the fourth end effector and the second end effector remain in a fixed orientation relative to one another.

6. A substrate processing system, comprising:
a transfer chamber including first, second, third, and fourth walls, first, second and third walls including two process chambers each, and the fourth wall includes two load lock chambers; and
a robot apparatus housed within the transfer chamber, comprising:
a boom linkage adapted to be rotated about a rotational axis, the boom linkage includes a first cantilever beam and a second cantilever beam extending in two directions from the rotational axis;
one and only one first robot assembly mounted to the first cantilever beam at a first shoulder axis, the first robot assembly including:
a first upper arm mounted for rotation on the boom linkage about the first shoulder axis, the first upper arm extending inwardly from the first shoulder axis towards the rotational axis of the boom linkage,
a first forearm coupled to an outboard end of the first upper arm,
a first wrist member coupled to an outboard end of the first forearm, and
a first end effector included on the first wrist member; and

one and only one second robot assembly mounted to the second cantilever beam at a second shoulder axis, the second robot assembly including:
a second upper arm mounted for rotation on the boom linkage about the second shoulder axis, the second upper arm extending inwardly from the second shoulder axis towards the rotational axis of the boom linkage,
a second forearm coupled to an outboard end of the second upper arm,
a second wrist member coupled to an outboard end of the second forearm, and
a second end effector included on the second wrist member, wherein a line extending between the first shoulder axis of the first robot assembly and the second shoulder axis of the second robot assembly is offset from the rotational axis of the boom linkage and wherein the line, the substrate support location of the first end effector, and substrate support location of the second end effector are each positioned forward of the rotational axis.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Kremerman Izya
• Hudgens Jeffrey C

Classifications

• H10P72/3302 Primary

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• Y10T74/20305

  Robotic arm · CPC title

• Y10S901/15

  Jointed arm · CPC title

• B25J9/042 Primary

  comprising an articulated arm · CPC title

• B25J9/107

  of the froglegs type · CPC title