Substrate processing apparatus and substrate conveying apparatus for use in the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9624046-B2
Application number	US-201414482656-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2014
Priority date	Sep 12, 2008
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate processing section that processes a plurality of substrates assuming a vertical posture in a batch manner; a first traversing mechanism that laterally moves a first traverse holding portion along a first traversing path between a substrate transfer position and a substrate delivery position; a second traversing mechanism that laterally moves a second traverse holding portion along a second traversing path disposed below the first traversing path between the substrate transfer position and the substrate delivery position; an elevation mechanism that raises and lowers an elevation holding portion in the substrate transfer position; and a main transfer mechanism that conveys a plurality of substrates assuming a vertical posture in a batch manner between the substrate delivery position and the substrate processing section, the first and second traverse holding portions, and the elevation holding portion each holds a plurality of substrates assuming a vertical posture in a batch manner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A substrate conveying apparatus, comprising:
a substrate processing section which defines a horizontal direction;
a batch hand that holds a plurality of substrates assuming a horizontal posture piled together in a batch manner;
a batch-hand advancing-retreating mechanism that horizontally advances and retreats the batch hand;
a one-by-one hand that holds a single substrate assuming a horizontal posture;
a one-by-one-hand advancing-retreating mechanism that horizontally advances and retreats the one-by-one hand, independently of movement of the batch hand;
a holding base that holds the batch-hand advancing-retreating mechanism and the one-by-one-hand advancing-retreating mechanism;
wherein the batch-hand advancing-retreating mechanism includes a pair of batch-hand linear guides supported on the holding base and extending in parallel with each other, and a batch-hand advancing-retreating bracket coupled to the pair of batch-hand linear guides and configured to advance and retreat while holding the batch hand; and
wherein the one-by-one-hand advancing-retreating mechanism includes a single one-by-one-hand linear guide supported on the holding base between the pair of batch-hand linear guides and extending in parallel with the pair of batch-hand linear guides, and a one-by-one-hand advancing-retreating bracket coupled to the single one-by-one-hand linear guide and configured to advance and retreat while holding the one-by-one-hand;
an elevation mechanism that moves the holding base upwardly and downwardly; and
a rotation mechanism that rotates the holding base around a rotation axis line extending in a vertical direction while at least one of said batch hand and said one-by-one hand is holding a corresponding plurality of substrates or a single substrate, said substrates or substrate assuming a horizontal posture.

2. The substrate conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when the batch hand and the one-by-one hand are in retreat positions, respectively, the batch hand and the one-by-one hand are disposed one above the other in the vertical direction.

3. The substrate conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the one-by-one hand includes two hand elements disposed apart in the horizontal direction, each of the two hand elements having a first substrate supporting portion and a second substrate supporting portion that differ in height from each other,
the substrate conveying apparatus further comprising a hand opening-closing mechanism that opens and closes the two hand elements by driving the two hand elements in the horizontal direction,
wherein the one-by-one hand holds a substrate at a first height by means of the first substrate supporting portion of the two hand elements in a state in which the two hand elements are opened, and holds a substrate at a second height by means of the second substrate supporting portion of the two hand elements in a state in which the two hand elements are closed.

4. The substrate conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the batch-hand and the one-by-one hand are in respective retreated positions, the one-by-one hand bracket is surrounded by the batch-hand bracket, and the batch hand and the one-by-one hand are positioned as stacked in the vertical direction.

5. The substrate conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the batch-hand advancing-retreating mechanism further includes a batch-hand advancing-retreating bracket driving mechanism configured to apply a driving force to the batch-hand advancing-retreating bracket;
the one-by-one-hand advancing-retreating mechanism further includes a one-by-one-hand advancing-retreating bracket driving mechanism configured to apply a driving force to the one-by-one-hand advancing-retreating bracket, and
the batch-hand advancing-retreating mechanism and the one-by-one-hand advancing-retreating mechanism are disposed between one of the pair of batch-hand linear guides and the one-by-one-hand linear guide when viewed in plan.

6. The substrate conveying apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the batch-hand advancing-retreating bracket driving mechanism includes a first motor, and
the one-by-one-hand advancing-retreating bracket driving mechanism includes a second motor separate from the first motor,
whereby the batch-hand advancing-retreating mechanism and the one-by-one-hand advancing-retreating mechanism respectively advance and retreat the batch hand and the one-by-one hand independently of each other.

7. The substrate conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the batch-hand advancing-retreating mechanism is configured to advance and retreat the batch hand along a hand advancing-retreating direction so as to move the batch hand away from the rotation axis line and to move the batch hand toward the rotation axis line.

8. The substrate conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the one-by-one hand advancing-retreating mechanism is configured to advance and retreat the one-by-one hand along a hand advancing-retreating direction so as to move the one-by-one hand away from the rotation axis line and to move the one-by-one hand toward the rotation axis line.

9. The substrate conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the batch-hand advancing-retreating mechanism is configured to advance and retreat the batch hand along a hand advancing-retreating direction so as to move the batch hand away from the rotation axis line and to move the batch hand toward the rotation axis line, and
the one-by-one hand advancing-retreating mechanism is configured to advance and retreat the one-by-one hand along the hand advancing-retreating direction so as to move the one-by-one hand away from the rotation axis line and to move the one-by-one hand toward the rotation axis line.

10. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
a substrate processing section which defines a horizontal direction;
a pod holding portion that holds a pod containing a plurality of substrates piled together;
a substrate holding portion that holds a plurality of substrates; and
a substrate conveying apparatus that conveys substrates between the pod held by the pod holding portion and the substrate holding portion;
the substrate conveying apparatus including:
a batch hand that holds a plurality of substrates assuming a horizontal posture piled together in a batch manner;
a batch-hand advancing-retreating mechanism that horizontally advances and retreats the batch hand;
a one-by-one hand that holds a single substrate assuming a horizontal posture;
a one-by-one-hand advancing-retreating mechanism that horizontally advances and retreats the one-by-one hand, independently of movement of the batch hand;
a holding base that holds the batch-hand advancing-retreating mechanism and the one-by-one-hand advancing-retreating mechanism;
wherein the batch-hand advancing-retreating mechanism includes a pair of batch-hand linear guides supported on the holding base and extending in parallel with each other, and a batch-hand advancing-retreating bracket coupled to the pair of batch-hand linear guides and configured to advance and retreat while holding the batch hand; and
wherein the one-by-one-hand advancing-retreating mechanism includes a single one-by-one-hand linear guide supported on the holding base between the pair of batch-hand linear guides and extending in parallel with the pair of batch-hand linear guides, and a one-by-one-hand advancing-retreating bracket coupled to the single one-by-one-hand linear guide and configured to advance and retreat while holding the one-by-one-hand;
an elevation mechanism that moves the holding base upwardly and downwardly; and
a rotation mechanism that rotat

Assignees

• Dainippon Screen Mfg
• Screen Holdings Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mitsuyoshi Ichiro
• Muramoto Ryo

Classifications

• H10P72/7602

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

• H10P72/3412

  Batch transfer of wafers · CPC title

• H10P72/3402 Primary

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/13

  Horizontal boat type carrier whereby the substrates are vertically supported, e.g. comprising rod-shaped elements · CPC title

• B65G49/067

  Sheet handling, means, e.g. manipulators, devices for turning or tilting sheet glass (suction cups B65G49/061; combined with vertical conveyors C03B33/00 - C03B33/10; stacking and destacking B65G49/068) · CPC title