Substrate transfer apparatus and method of operating same

Abstract

The invention relates to a substrate transfer apparatus detecting collision of an end effector and a method of operating the same. The substrate transfer apparatus includes: an end effector for supporting a substrate; the motor is used for providing power for the movable end effector; a collision detection unit for detecting a collision of the end effector; and a control unit for controlling the driving of the motor in accordance with the collision detection by the collision detection unit. The collision detection unit may include: a torque measurement unit for measuring a torque value of the motor; a difference value calculation unit for calculating a torque difference value between the two torque measurement values measured using a time lag between the two torque measurement values; and a collision determination unit for determining a collision of the end effector based on the torque difference.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate transfer apparatus and an operating method of the substrate transfer apparatus, and more particularly to a substrate transfer apparatus for detecting a collision of an end effector and an operating method thereof. Background Art

[0002] In order to implement various unit processes such as deposition, etching and cleaning in semiconductor and display manufacturing processes, a plurality of equipment suitable for each process characteristic is provided, and each of the different types of equipment is provided with a substrate transfer equipment for transferring a substrate such as a wafer.

[0003] Generally speaking, substrate transfer equipment in semiconductor facilities is used to transfer substrates from a load-lock chamber to a substrate holding member (e.g., a front opening unified pod (FOUP), a carrier, etc.) or from a substrate holding member to a load-lock chamber.

[0004] The substrate transfer device uses power provided by an electric motor to perform mechanical movement and operates within a specified range of movement. Due to the substrate deviating from the set position or the end-effector of the substrate transfer device not being in the correct position during movement within the area, or for reasons such as errors in the transfer program, collision with obstacles may occur, causing damage to the substrate transfer device and / or the collision target (or obstacle) or defects in the substrate.

[0005] (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2020-0130058 Summary of the invention

[0006] Technical issues

[0007] The present invention provides a substrate transfer apparatus for detecting a collision of an end effector to protect the end effector, a collision target and / or a substrate, and an operating method of the substrate transfer apparatus.

[0008] Technical Solutions

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a substrate transfer device includes: an end effector, on which a substrate is supported; a motor, configured to provide power for the movement of the end effector; a collision detection unit, configured to detect a collision of the end effector; and a control unit, configured to control the drive of the motor based on the collision detection of the collision detection unit, wherein the collision detection unit includes: a torque measuring unit, configured to measure the torque value of the motor; a difference calculation unit, configured to calculate the torque difference between two torque measurement values ​​measured using a time difference; and a collision determination unit, configured to determine the collision of the end effector based on the torque difference.

[0010] The collision detection unit may also include a reference value setting unit, which is configured to set a collision determination reference value, wherein the collision determination unit may be configured to determine that the end effector has collided when the torque difference is equal to or greater than the collision determination reference value, and the control unit may be configured to stop driving the motor or drive the motor in the opposite direction when the collision determination unit determines that the end effector has collided.

[0011] The collision detection unit may further include a measurement position storage portion configured to record a measurement position of the torque value, wherein the control unit may be configured to stop driving of the motor after driving the motor to a previous measurement position.

[0012] The collision detection unit may also include a measurement value storage unit, which is configured to store the measured torque value of the motor, wherein the torque measurement unit may be configured to measure the torque value of the motor in a predetermined time period, and the difference calculation unit may be configured to calculate the torque difference between a current period torque measurement value and a proximate period torque measurement value for each of the predetermined time periods.

[0013] The drive of the motor may include: an acceleration drive for increasing the torque of the motor; a constant speed drive for maintaining the torque of the motor within a predetermined deviation; and a deceleration drive for reducing the torque of the motor, wherein the substrate transfer device may also include an acceleration time setting unit, which is configured to set the acceleration drive time.

[0014] The reference value setting portion may be configured to set the collision determination reference value in accordance with a rate of change of the torque value of the motor with respect to a set acceleration driving time.

[0015] The collision detection unit may also include a measurement period setting unit, which is configured to set the measurement period of the torque value of the motor according to the set acceleration drive time, wherein the measurement period setting unit may be configured to set the measurement period of the torque value of the motor to be shorter than the set acceleration drive time.

[0016] The torque measuring section may be configured to measure a torque value of the motor at least twice during acceleration driving.

[0017] The torque measuring section may be configured to measure a torque value of the motor at least at a starting point of the acceleration drive.

[0018] According to another embodiment of the present invention, an operating method of a substrate transfer device includes: moving an end effector on which a substrate is supported by power provided by a motor; measuring the torque value of the motor several times using a time difference; calculating a torque difference between two measured torque measurement values; and determining a collision of the end effector based on the calculated torque difference.

[0019] The operating method may also include: setting a collision determination reference value; and when it is determined in determining the collision of the end actuator that the end actuator has collided, stopping the drive of the motor or driving the motor in the opposite direction, wherein, in determining the collision of the end actuator, when the calculated torque difference is equal to or greater than the set collision determination reference value, it can be determined that the end actuator has collided.

[0020] The operating method may further include recording a measured position of the torque value, wherein stopping the driving of the motor or driving the motor in the reverse direction may include stopping the driving of the motor after driving the motor to a previous measured position.

[0021] The operating method may also include storing the measured torque value of the motor, wherein, in measuring the torque value of the motor, the torque value of the motor can be measured in a predetermined time period, and in calculating the torque difference, the torque difference between the torque measurement value of the current period and the torque measurement value of the most recent period can be measured for each of the predetermined time periods.

[0022] Moving the end effector may include: an acceleration process of increasing the torque of the motor; a constant speed process of maintaining the torque of the motor within a predetermined deviation; and a deceleration process of reducing the torque of the motor, wherein the operating method may also include setting a time for the acceleration process.

[0023] In setting the reference value, the collision determination reference value may be set according to a change rate of the torque value of the motor with respect to time of the set acceleration process.

[0024] The operating method may further include setting a measurement period of the torque value of the motor according to the set acceleration process time, wherein in setting the measurement period, the measurement period of the torque value of the motor may be set to be shorter than the set acceleration process time.

[0025] In measuring the torque value of the motor, the torque value of the motor may be measured at least twice during the acceleration process.

[0026] In measuring the torque value of the motor, the torque value of the motor may be measured at least at a starting point in an acceleration process.

[0027] Beneficial effects

[0028] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the substrate transfer device can effectively detect the collision of the end effector by calculating the torque difference between the two torque measurement values ​​measured by the collision detection unit using the time difference and determining the collision of the end effector based on the calculated torque difference, so as to stop the motor or rotate the motor in the opposite direction, thereby minimizing the damage caused by the collision of the end effector.

[0029] That is, the collision of the end effector can be detected by utilizing the two torque measurement values ​​measured by the time difference rather than the absolute amount (or absolute value) of the torque, and the collision of the end effector can be determined using the change in torque over time (or per unit time), regardless of the moving speed and moving distance of the end effector, and the collision of the end effector can be effectively detected both in the case where the end effector moves while accelerating or decelerating and in the case where the end effector moves at a constant speed, so that there is no need to distinguish the collision determination reference divided according to the moving speed and moving distance of the end effector. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a substrate transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2 is a graph showing torque measurement values ​​of each time period and the torque measurement values ​​of the most recent time period of each time period according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 3 is a conceptual diagram for explaining calculation of a torque difference value according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operating method of a substrate transfer apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Hereinafter, specific embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention may be implemented in different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Instead, these embodiments are provided to make this disclosure thorough and complete and to fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. In the description, the same reference numerals are used to represent the same elements. In the drawings, the dimensions of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity of illustration. The same reference numerals always refer to the same elements.

[0035] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a substrate transfer apparatus according to an embodiment, Figure 1 (a) is a plan view of a substrate transfer apparatus, and Figure 1 (b) is a block diagram of the collision detection unit.

[0036] Reference Figure 1 According to an embodiment, a substrate transfer device (100) may include: an end effector (110) on which a substrate (10) is supported; a motor (120) for providing power for movement of the end effector (110); a collision detection unit (130) for detecting a collision of the end effector (110); and a control unit (140) for controlling the driving of the motor (120) according to the collision detection of the collision detection unit (130).

[0037] The end effector (110) can support the substrate (10) and extend in a first direction. For example, the end effector (110) can have a fork shape parallel to the first direction and including a plurality of fingers arranged (or disposed) in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and can support the substrate (10) by contacting the bottom surface of the substrate (10). Here, the second direction can be a direction intersecting the first direction in a horizontal direction, and when the first direction is a front-to-back direction, the second direction can be a left-to-right direction. In addition, the end effector (110) can be made of a ceramic material (e.g., quartz, aluminum oxide (Al2O3), aluminum nitride (AlN), silicon carbide (SiC), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and silicon dioxide (SiO2). Here, the substrate (10) can be a wafer, but is not particularly limited thereto, and can also be a glass substrate, etc.

[0038] A plurality of end effectors (110) may be provided, and the end effectors (110) may be provided (or stacked) in multiple stages (or in a third direction intersecting both the first direction and the second direction), and a substrate (10) may be supported on each stage (i.e., each of the plurality of end effectors) so that two or more substrates (10) corresponding to the number of end effectors (110) are transferred at a time.

[0039] The motor (120) can provide power for the movement of the end effector (110), and the end effector (110) can be moved by the power through the mechanical movement of the arms (111, 112, and 113) connected to the end effector (110). For example, the arms (111, 112, and 113) can be provided with power by the rotation of the rotation shafts (21, 22, and 23) of the motor (120), and the rotation speed of each of the rotation shafts (21, 22, and 23) can be controlled by the control unit (140). Here, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 As shown in (a), the end effector (110) can be moved by connecting the ends between the arms (111, 112 and 113) and performing joint movement due to the rotation of the rotating shafts (21, 22 and 23), or the end effector (110) can be moved by using the rotational force of the motor (120) to move the arm (113) to which the end effector (110) is connected along a guide rail (not shown).

[0040] For example, in the case where the joint is moved by the rotation of the rotation shafts (21, 22 and 23), the substrate transfer device (100) according to the present invention may include three arms (111, 112 and 113) and three rotation shafts (21, 22 and 23). The first arm (111) has one end fixed (or connected) to the first rotation shaft (21) and can rotate axially around the first rotation shaft (21).

[0041] In addition, the second arm (112) may have one end connected to the other end of the first arm (111) through the second rotation axis (22), and may be axially rotatable around the second rotation axis (22).

[0042] In addition, the third arm (113) may have one end connected to the other end of the second arm (112) through the third rotation axis (23) and the other end connected to the end effector (110), and may be axially rotatable around the third rotation axis (23).

[0043] The first arm (111), the second arm (112) and the third arm (113) can rotate around the first rotation axis (21), the second rotation axis (22) and the third rotation axis (23) respectively, so that the position of the end effector (110) changes (or moves).

[0044] The collision detection unit (130) can detect the collision of the end effector (110) to transmit whether the collision has been detected to the control unit (140), thereby controlling the driving of the motor (120). For example, when the collision detection unit (130) detects the collision of the end effector (110), the collision detection unit (130) can generate a collision detection signal to transmit the collision detection signal to the control unit (140).

[0045] The control unit (140) can control the driving of the motor (120) according to the collision detection of the collision detection unit (130) to control the rotation speed of each of the rotation shafts (21, 22 and 23). For example, when a collision detection signal is transmitted from the collision detection unit (130), the control unit (140) can generate a control signal for controlling the rotation speed of each of the rotation shafts (21, 22 and 23) to transmit the control signal to the motor (120).

[0046] Here, the collision detection unit (130) may include: a torque measuring unit (131) measuring a torque value of the motor (120); a difference calculating unit (132) calculating a torque difference (difference value; D) between two torque measurement values ​​measured using a time difference; and a collision determining unit (133) determining a collision of the end effector (110) based on the torque difference (D). The torque measuring unit (131) may measure the torque value of the motor (120) and detect a speed of each of the rotating shafts (21, 22, and 23) of the motor (120) and / or a rotation angle of each of the rotating shafts (21, 22, and 23). For example, the torque measuring unit (131) may include detecting a speed of each of the rotating shafts (21, 22, and 23) of the motor (120), a rotation angle of each of the rotating shafts (21, 22, and 23), or a rotation torque of each of the rotating shafts (21, 22, and 23). Here, when the motor (120) is driven, the current value (or current amount) supplied to the motor (120) can be converted into the torque of the motor (120) to measure (or calculate) the torque value of the motor (120).

[0047] Figure 2 is a graph showing the (current) torque measurement value of each period and the torque measurement value of the most recent period of each period according to an embodiment. Here, the dotted box represents the point (or time point) at which the end effector collides.

[0048] Reference Figure 2, the difference calculation unit (132) can calculate the torque difference (D) between two torque measurement values ​​measured using the time difference, and can also calculate the torque difference (D) between the currently measured torque measurement value (or the current torque measurement value) and the torque measurement value (or the previous torque measurement value) measured before a predetermined period (predetermined time). Here, the difference calculation unit (132) can calculate the torque difference (D) in real time by subtracting (deducting) the torque measurement value (i.e., the previous torque measurement value) measured before a predetermined time from the torque measurement value (i.e., the current torque measurement value), and can also express the torque difference (D) as an absolute value.

[0049] The collision determination unit (133) may determine the collision of the end effector (110) based on the torque difference value (D), and may determine the collision of the end effector (110) when the torque difference value (D) is greater than or equal to a critical torque difference value (or a collision determination reference value). That is, the collision determination unit (133) may determine the collision of the end effector (110) by comparing the torque difference value (D) obtained by subtracting (or deducting) the torque measurement value measured a predetermined time ago from the torque measurement value measured in real time with the critical torque difference value, instead of comparing the torque measurement value measured in real time with the torque critical value.

[0050] In the related art, the torque value of the motor (120) is measured while the end effector (110) is pre-moved in the same manner as during the transfer (process) of the substrate transfer device (100), and the torque critical value is set to be 1.5 to 2 times higher than the highest value (or maximum value) of the measured torque value of the motor (120), and when the torque measurement value measured in real time during the transfer of the substrate transfer device (100) exceeds the torque critical value, it is determined that a collision of the end effector (110) has occurred, and the driving of the motor (120) is stopped. In the related art, since the torque value of the motor (120) generated from the acceleration drive of the motor (120) is (much) greater than the torque value of the motor (120) generated from the constant speed drive of the motor (120), the torque critical value, which is greater than the torque value of the motor (120) generated from the acceleration drive of the motor (120), may become much greater than the torque measurement value usually (or generally) measured from the constant speed drive of the motor (120) (or the torque value of the motor generated from the constant speed drive of the motor), and therefore, the difference between the torque critical value and the torque measurement value usually measured from the constant speed drive of the motor (120) may become very large, and it may be difficult to effectively detect a collision of the end effector (110) occurring from the constant speed drive of the motor (120).

[0051] In order to solve this limitation, the acceleration drive of the motor (120), the constant speed drive of the motor (120), and the deceleration drive of the motor (120) can be distinguished according to the speed of each of the rotation axes (21, 22, and 23) of the motor (120) (or the rotation speed of the rotation axes), and the torque threshold value can be (differently) specified for each drive (or each of the acceleration drive of the motor, the constant speed drive of the motor, and the deceleration drive of the motor). In this case, according to the moving distance and / or the moving speed of the end effector (110), the time of each drive is different, and the maximum value of the torque value of the motor (120) measured during the transfer (process) of each drive (specifically, the maximum value of the torque value of the motor measured during the transfer of the acceleration drive of the motor) is different, and there may be a limitation that the torque threshold value of each drive must be re-specified whenever the moving distance and / or the moving speed of the end effector (110) changes.

[0052] However, since the substrate transfer device (100) according to the present invention compares the torque difference (D) with the critical torque difference to determine the collision of the end effector (110), a critical torque difference can be used to effectively detect the collision of the end effector (110) occurring in all drives (acceleration drive of the motor, constant speed drive of the motor, and deceleration drive of the motor), and since the critical torque difference has no significant correlation with the maximum value of the torque value of the motor (120) measured during the transfer in each drive, there is no restriction (need) to set (or specify) the critical torque difference whenever the moving distance and / or moving speed of the end effector (110) changes.

[0053] In addition, the collision detection unit (130) may further include a reference value setting unit (134) for setting a collision determination reference value. The reference value setting unit (134) may set the collision determination reference value, and the collision determination reference value may be a critical torque difference indicating a sudden change in the torque measurement value (or a current torque measurement value suddenly becoming much larger than a previous torque measurement value), rather than a torque critical value. For example, the reference value setting unit (134) may experimentally (or empirically) measure in advance an average value of the torque value (or multiple values) of the motor (120) caused by the collision of the end effector (110), and also appropriately set (or determine) the collision determination reference value between the pre-measured torque value of the motor (120) caused by the collision of the end effector (110) and the maximum value of the change amount (or torque difference) of the torque value per unit time under normal conditions.

[0054] Therefore, the collision determination unit (133) can determine the collision of the end effector (110) based on the torque difference value (D), and if the torque difference value (D) is greater than or equal to the collision determination reference value, the collision determination unit (133) can determine the collision of the end effector (110), and if it is confirmed that the torque difference value (D) is greater than or equal to the critical torque difference value, the collision determination unit (133) can determine the collision of the end effector (110). When the end effector (110) collides, the currently measured torque measurement value may suddenly become (very) large, and therefore, the torque difference value (D) may also suddenly become large and may be higher than the collision determination reference value (that is, higher than the critical torque difference value). Therefore, when the torque difference value (D) is greater than or equal to the collision determination reference value, the collision determination unit (133) can recognize that the currently measured torque measurement value suddenly (significantly) increases, thereby determining the collision of the end effector (110).

[0055] Here, when the collision determination unit (133) determines that the end effector (110) has collided, the control unit (140) may stop the driving of the motor (120) or drive the motor (120) in the opposite direction. When the collision determination unit (133) determines that the end effector (110) has collided, the control unit (140) may stop the driving of the motor (120) or drive the motor (120) in the opposite direction. The driving of the motor (120) may be stopped to reduce damage caused by the collision of the end effector (110) (for example, damage to the substrate transfer device and / or the collision target, or defects of the substrate), and the motor (120) may be driven in the opposite direction to minimize damage caused by the collision of the end effector (110).

[0056] In addition, the collision detection unit (130) may further include a measurement position storage unit (135) that records the measurement position of the torque value. The measurement position storage unit (135) may record (or store) the measurement position of the torque value, and it may be known at which position the torque value of the motor (120) is measured. For example, the position of the end effector (110) (according to the driving of the motor) may be recorded as the measurement position of the torque value, and the measurement position of the torque value may be recorded as the rotation angle and / or rotation speed of each of the rotation axes (21, 22, and 23).

[0057] Therefore, the control unit (140) may stop the driving of the motor (120) after driving the motor (120) to the previous measurement position (e.g., the most recently measured position). When the collision determination unit (133) determines that the end effector (110) has collided, the control unit (140) may drive the motor (120) in the opposite direction, adjust (or move) the position of the end effector (110) or the rotation angle (or rotation speed) of each of the rotation axes (21, 22, and 23) to the previous measurement position by driving the motor (120) in the opposite direction, and stop the driving of the motor (120) at the previous measurement position. Here, the previous measurement position may be the most recently measured measurement position, and damage caused by the collision of the end effector (110) may be confirmed (or verified), and if the end effector (110) is maintained (maintenance) at the previous measurement position (i.e., the most recently measured position) or damage caused by the collision of the end effector (110) is minimized, the transfer (process) may be continued while the torque value of the motor (120) and the measurement position of the torque value are (periodically) measured (or recorded) relative to the previous measurement position.

[0058] Therefore, the substrate transfer device (100) according to the present invention can drive the motor (120) in the opposite direction to the previous measurement position via the measurement position storage unit (135) through the control unit (140), thereby facilitating maintenance while minimizing damage caused by the collision of the end effector (110), and also confirming damage caused by the collision of the end effector (110) and / or improving the continuity of the transfer (process) after maintenance.

[0059] Figure 3 is a conceptual diagram for explaining calculation of a torque difference value according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 (a) is a partial enlarged curve diagram of the torque measurement value of each time period and the torque measurement value of the most recent time period of each value, and Figure 3 (b) is a graph showing the torque difference between the torque measurement value of each period and the torque measurement value of the most recent period. Here, Figure 3 (a) is to be Figure 2 The dashed box represents a partially enlarged graph, and Figure 3 The dotted box in (b) represents the part with Figure 2 The dotted box represents the portion where the end effector collides in the same manner.

[0060] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3, the torque measuring unit (131) can measure the torque value of the motor (120) at a predetermined time period (T), and the difference calculating unit (132) can calculate the torque difference (D) between the torque measurement value of the current time period torque measurement value and the torque measurement value of the most recent time period for each of the predetermined time periods (T). The torque measuring unit (131) can measure the torque value of the motor (120) at a predetermined time period (T) and can determine (or specify) a target (i.e., a torque measurement value measured at a different time) to be compared (or calculated) with the currently measured torque measurement value according to the predetermined time period (T). Here, the currently measured torque measurement value can be compared with the torque measurement value measured in the most recent time period (or the most recent time period torque measurement value), and the torque measurement value measured in the most recent time period can be subtracted (or deducted) from the currently measured torque measurement value.

[0061] Here, the difference calculation unit (132) may calculate the torque difference (D) between the current period torque measurement value (i.e., the currently measured torque measurement value) and the most recent period torque measurement value (i.e., the torque measurement value measured in the most recent period) for each of the predetermined periods (T). Therefore, the torque difference (D) may be calculated in real time by measuring the current period torque measurement value in real time, and the collision of the end effector (110) may be determined by comparing the torque difference (D) calculated in each predetermined period (T) with the collision determination reference value. Therefore, the collision of the end effector (110) may be detected (or determined) throughout the transfer (process) time.

[0062] The collision detection unit (130) may further include a measurement value storage unit (136) for storing the measured torque value of the motor (120). The measurement value storage unit (136) may store the measured torque value of the motor (120), and may measure and record (or store) the torque measurement value of the current period in real time. Here, when the measured torque value of the motor (120) is stored in the measurement value storage unit (136), the measurement position of the torque value may be recorded in the measurement position storage unit (135). This allows the torque measurement value of the most recent period to be retrieved and compared (or calculated) with the torque measurement value of the current period. The measurement value storage unit (136) may repeatedly store (or write) and update (or erase), and in this case, the storage capacity may be reduced and the processing speed may be increased.

[0063] When a stationary object is driven (or moved) and then stops again, the stationary object may be accelerated and then decelerated. To achieve stable driving (or movement), the object may be driven (or moved) at a constant speed between acceleration and deceleration.

[0064] To this end, the driving of the motor (120) may include an acceleration driving in which the torque of the motor (120) is increased, a constant speed driving in which the torque of the motor (120) is maintained within a predetermined deviation, and a deceleration driving in which the torque of the motor (120) is reduced. In the acceleration driving, the rotation speed of the stationary end effector (110) and / or the rotating shaft (21, 22, and 23) may be accelerated (or moved at an accelerated speed), and for this purpose, the torque of the motor (120) may be increased.

[0065] In the constant speed drive, the end effector (110) may move at a constant speed (or rotate the rotary shaft at a constant speed), and to this end, the torque of the motor (120) may be maintained within a predetermined deviation.

[0066] In the deceleration drive, the rotation speed of the end effector (110) and / or the rotating shaft (21, 22 and 23) can be decelerated (or the movement can be decelerated) so that the end effector (110) and / or the rotating shaft (21, 22 and 23) can be stopped, and for this purpose, the torque of the motor (120) can be reduced.

[0067] Here, in the acceleration drive, since the torque of the motor (120) increases (significantly), the torque difference (D) between the current torque measurement value and the previous torque measurement value may increase. As the torque difference (D) increases, the collision determination reference value may also increase, and when the collision determination reference value increases, the sensitivity of the collision detection of the end effector (110) may decrease. In particular, in the constant speed drive, since the average value of the torque difference (D) is close to "0" and very low, even if the torque difference (D) increases due to the collision of the end effector (110), it may not exceed the increased collision determination reference value, and therefore, even if the end effector (110) collides, the collision may not be detected.

[0068] The substrate transfer apparatus (100) according to the present invention may further include an acceleration time setting unit (150) for setting a time for acceleration driving.

[0069] The acceleration time setting unit (150) can set the time for acceleration driving and control the change amount of the torque value per unit time (or per time period (T)) in the acceleration driving. For example, the acceleration time setting unit (150) can reduce the maximum value of the change of the torque value per unit time (or the torque difference) in the acceleration driving by adjusting the time for acceleration driving, thereby reducing the collision determination reference value determined according to the maximum value of the change of the torque value per unit time.

[0070] Here, when the maximum torque value in the acceleration drive is smaller and the time for the acceleration drive is longer, the change amount (maximum value) of the torque value per unit time may be lower, and the time for the acceleration drive may be appropriately determined according to the moving distance of the end effector (110). If the moving distance of the end effector (110) is shortened, the time for the acceleration drive may only be relatively shortened, and the maximum torque value in the acceleration drive may also be reduced. On the other hand, if the moving distance of the end effector (110) is long enough, the maximum torque value in the acceleration drive may be increased to perform a smooth (or fast) transfer (process), and the time for the acceleration drive may be set (long) so that the change amount (maximum value) of the torque value per unit time is reduced according to the increased maximum torque value in the acceleration drive.

[0071] Here, the reference value setting unit (134) may set the collision determination reference value according to the change rate (or change amount) of the torque value of the motor (120) within the set acceleration drive time. If the change rate of the torque value of the motor (120) relative to the set acceleration drive time (change amount of the torque value of the motor / set acceleration drive time) is large, the torque difference (D) in the acceleration drive (or the change amount of the torque value per unit time) may become large, and therefore, the collision determination reference value may be set large. On the contrary, if the change rate of the torque value of the motor (120) set as described above relative to the time for acceleration drive is small, the torque difference (D) in the acceleration drive may become small, and therefore, the collision determination reference value may be set small. That is, the reference value setting unit (134) may set the collision determination reference value in proportion to the change rate of the torque value of the motor (120) relative to the set acceleration drive time.

[0072] Here, since the maximum torque value in the acceleration drive is fixed (or determined) according to the moving distance of the end effector (110) (experimentally or empirically), the collision determination reference value can be set according to the time set for the acceleration drive, and the maximum value of the change in the torque value per unit time (in the acceleration drive) can be determined according to the time set for the acceleration drive. Since the collision determination reference value must be greater than the maximum value of the change in the torque value per unit time to prevent the determination of the collision of the end effector (110) even if the collision of the end effector (110) does not occur, the reference setting unit (134) can set the collision determination reference value to be greater than the maximum value of the change in the torque value per unit time according to the set acceleration drive time.

[0073] In addition, the collision detection unit (130) may further include a measurement period setting unit (137) for setting a measurement period (T) of the torque value of the motor (120) according to the set acceleration drive time. The measurement period setting unit (137) may set the measurement period (T) of the torque value of the motor (120) according to the set acceleration drive time, and thus, the torque value of the motor (120) may be measured in a set period (i.e., a predetermined period), and while measuring the torque value of the motor (120) in each set period (T), the torque value may be compared with the torque measurement value of the most recent period, and the collision of the end effector (110) may be detected (or determined) in real time.

[0074] For example, the measurement period setting unit (137) can set a measurement period (T) of the torque value of the motor (120) to measure the torque value of the motor (120) at least once in the acceleration drive according to the set acceleration drive time, and can set the measurement period (T) of the torque value of the motor (120) to measure the torque value of the motor (120) at least twice in the acceleration drive for effective collision detection of the end effector (110). In the acceleration drive, when the torque value of the motor (120) is measured for the first time, the torque value of the motor (120) measured for the first time (or initially) can be compared (or calculated) with "0", and the measured torque value of the motor (120) can be equal to the torque difference (D).

[0075] Here, the measurement period setting unit (137) may set the measurement period (T) of the torque value of the motor (120) to be shorter than the set acceleration drive time. In order to detect the collision of the end effector (110) in the acceleration drive, the torque value of the motor (120) must be measured at least once in the acceleration drive, and for this purpose, the measurement period setting unit (137) may set the measurement period (T) of the torque value of the motor (120) to be shorter than the set time for the acceleration drive. Therefore, the collision of the end effector (110) can be detected even in the acceleration drive, and the collision of the end effector (110) occurring in all drives (acceleration drive of the motor, constant speed drive of the motor, and deceleration drive of the motor) can be effectively detected.

[0076] For example, the measurement period setting unit (137) can set the measurement period (T) of the torque value of the motor (120) to be as short as 4 milliseconds (ms) to 12 milliseconds (ms), and can set the measurement period (T) of the torque value of the motor (120) to a short time (for example, 4 ms to 12 ms), within which the end effector (110) and the substrate (10) are not damaged or the damage is minimized.

[0077] In addition, the torque measuring unit (131) may measure the torque value of the motor (120) at least twice during the acceleration drive (section). If the torque value of the motor (120) is not measured even once during the acceleration drive (section), the collision of the end effector (110) may not be detected during the acceleration drive (section), and if the torque value of the motor (120) is measured only once during the acceleration drive (section), the measured torque value of the motor (120) may be equal to the torque difference (D), and therefore, the maximum value of the torque value of the motor (120) may increase, and the collision determination reference value may necessarily increase. When the collision determination reference value increases, the sensitivity of the collision detection of the end effector (110) can be reduced, and especially in constant speed driving, the sensitivity of the collision detection of the end effector (110) can be reduced, and therefore, in all drives (acceleration drive of the motor, constant speed drive of the motor and deceleration drive of the motor), the torque measuring unit (131) can measure the torque value of the motor (120) at least twice in the acceleration drive (section), so that the sensitivity of the collision detection of the end effector (110) is improved.

[0078] Here, the torque measuring unit (131) may measure the torque value of the motor (120) at least at the starting point (or starting time) of the acceleration drive. The torque measuring unit (131) may measure the torque value of the motor (120) at the origin (or the starting point of the acceleration drive), may measure the torque value of the motor (120) at the origin before starting the acceleration drive, and may also measure the torque value of the motor (120) at the origin in the 0-period (T). The torque value of the motor (120) measured at the starting point (or the origin) of the acceleration drive may be compared (or calculated) with the torque value of the motor (120) initially measured during the acceleration drive, and the torque difference (D) may be calculated by subtracting (or deducting) the torque value of the motor (120) measured at the starting point of the acceleration drive (or the 0-period torque measurement value) from the torque value of the motor (120) measured for the first time (or the 1-period torque measurement value). Therefore, even if only the torque value of the motor (120) in the 1-period (T) is measured in the acceleration drive, the torque difference (D) can be calculated by subtracting (or deducting) the torque measurement value in the 0-period (T) (or the torque value of the motor measured at the starting point of the acceleration drive) from the torque measurement value in the 1-period (T), thereby detecting the collision of the end effector (110) in the acceleration drive.

[0079] The calculation of the torque measurement value in the 1-period (T) and the torque measurement value in the 0-period (T) can be performed in the difference calculation unit (132), and can also be performed in another configuration of the collision detection unit (130). Here, the 0-period (T) torque measurement value may not be "0", may be less than 0, and may be forcibly fixed to "0". In the case of forcibly fixing to "0", the torque value of the motor (120) may not be directly (or actually) measured at the starting point of the acceleration drive, and the torque measurement value of the 1-period (T) may be calculated as the torque difference (D) without being calculated in the difference calculation unit (132).

[0080] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operating method of a substrate transfer apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0081] Reference Figure 4 , the operating method of the substrate transfer device according to another embodiment of the present invention will be examined in more detail. However, any repeated details of the above contents related to the substrate transfer device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be omitted.

[0082] According to another embodiment, an operating method of a substrate transfer device may include: a process of moving an end effector on which a substrate is supported by power provided by a motor (S100); a process of measuring a torque value of the motor several times using a time difference (S200); a process of calculating a torque difference between two measured torque measurement values ​​(S300); and a process of determining a collision of the end effector based on the calculated torque difference (S400).

[0083] First, the end effector on which the substrate is supported is moved by supplying power through a motor (S100). The end effector on which the substrate is supported can be moved by supplying power through a motor, thereby transferring the substrate. Here, the control unit can control the driving of the motor and control (or adjust) the movement of the end effector.

[0084] Next, the torque value of the motor is measured several times using the time difference (S200). During the process of moving the end effector, the torque value of the motor may be measured several times, and the torque measuring unit of the collision detection unit may measure the torque value of the motor several times using the time difference. For example, the torque measuring unit may measure the torque value of the motor in each predetermined period.

[0085] Next, the torque difference between the two torque values ​​measured is calculated (S300). The torque value of the motor may be measured several times to calculate the torque difference value (difference value) between the two torque measurement values ​​measured using the time difference, and the difference calculation unit of the collision detection unit may calculate the torque difference value between the two torque measurement values ​​among the multiple torque measurement values ​​measured several times using the time difference. For example, the torque difference between the currently measured torque measurement value (or the current torque measurement value) and the torque measurement value (or the previous torque measurement value) measured in the previous period (before the predetermined time) may be calculated, and the torque difference value may be calculated in real time by subtracting (or deducting) the torque measurement value (i.e., the previous torque measurement value) measured before the predetermined time from the torque measurement value (i.e., the current torque measurement value), and the torque difference value may also be expressed as an absolute value.

[0086] In addition, a collision of the end effector is determined based on the calculated torque difference value (S400). The collision of the end effector may be determined based on the calculated torque difference value, and the collision determination section of the collision detection unit may determine the collision of the end effector based on the torque difference value, and when the torque difference value is greater than or equal to a critical torque difference value (or a collision determination reference value), it may be determined that a collision of the end effector has occurred. For example, the collision determination section may determine the collision of the end effector by comparing a torque difference value obtained by subtracting (or deducting) a torque measurement value measured before a predetermined time from a torque measurement value measured in real time with the critical torque difference value, instead of comparing the torque measurement value measured in real time with the torque critical value.

[0087] The operating method of the substrate transfer device according to the present invention may also include a process of setting a collision determination reference value (S50), a process of determining a collision of the end effector (S400), and a process of stopping the driving of the motor or driving the motor in the opposite direction if the collision of the end effector is determined (S500).

[0088] A collision determination reference value may be set (S50). The reference value setting section may set the collision determination reference value, and the collision determination reference value may be a critical torque difference value indicating a sudden change in the torque measurement value (or a current torque measurement value suddenly becoming much larger than a previous torque measurement value), rather than a torque critical value. For example, the reference value setting section may experimentally (or empirically) measure in advance an average value of the torque value (or values) of the motor due to the collision of the end effector, and also appropriately set (or determine) the collision determination reference value between the pre-measured torque value of the motor due to the collision of the end effector and the maximum value of the change amount of the torque value per unit time (or torque difference value) under normal conditions.

[0089] In addition, in the process of determining the collision of the end effector (S400), if the collision of the end effector is determined, the driving of the motor may be stopped or the motor may be driven in the opposite direction (S500). In the process of determining the collision of the end effector (S400), if the collision determination unit determines that the collision of the end effector is determined, the driving of the motor may be stopped or the motor may be driven in the opposite direction. When the collision determination unit determines that the end effector has collided, the control unit may stop the driving of the motor or drive the motor in the opposite direction. The driving of the motor may be stopped to reduce damage caused by the collision of the end effector (for example, damage to the substrate transfer device and / or the collision target, or defects of the substrate), and the motor may be driven in the opposite direction to minimize damage caused by the collision of the end effector.

[0090] In the process of determining the collision of the end effector (S400), if the calculated torque difference value is greater than or equal to the set collision determination reference value, the collision of the end effector may be determined. In the process of determining the collision of the end effector (S400), the collision determination part may determine the collision of the end effector based on the torque difference value, and if the torque difference value is greater than or equal to the set collision determination reference value, the collision of the end effector may be determined, and if it is confirmed that the torque difference value is greater than or equal to the critical torque difference value, the collision of the end effector may be determined. When the collision of the end effector occurs, the currently measured torque measurement value may suddenly become (very) large, and therefore, the torque difference value may also suddenly become large, and may be higher than the collision determination reference value (that is, higher than the critical torque difference value). Therefore, when the torque difference value is greater than or equal to the collision determination reference value, the collision determination part may recognize that the currently measured torque measurement value suddenly (significantly) increases to determine the collision of the end effector.

[0091] The operating method of the substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention may further include a process of recording a measurement position of the torque value (S250).

[0092] The measurement position of the torque value may be recorded (S250). The measurement position storage unit of the above collision detection unit may record (or store) the measurement position of the torque value, and it may be known at which position the torque value of the motor (120) is measured. For example, the position of the end effector (according to the driving of the motor) may be recorded as the measurement position of the torque value, and the measurement position of the torque value may be recorded as the rotation angle and / or rotation speed of each of the rotation axes.

[0093] In addition, the process of stopping the driving of the motor or driving the motor in the reverse direction ( S500 ) may include a process of stopping the driving of the motor after driving the motor to the previous measurement position ( S510 ).

[0094] After the motor is driven to the previous measurement position, the driving of the motor may be stopped (S510). The control unit may stop the driving of the motor after driving the motor to the previous measurement position (e.g., the most recently measured position). When the collision determination unit determines that the end effector has collided, the control unit may drive the motor in the opposite direction, and the position of the end effector or the rotation angle (or rotation speed) of each of the rotation axes may be adjusted (or moved) to the previous measurement position by driving the motor in the opposite direction, and the driving of the motor may be stopped at the previous measurement position. Here, the previous measurement position may be the most recently measured measurement position, and the damage caused by the collision of the end effector may be confirmed (or checked), and if the end effector is maintained (maintenance) at the previous measurement position (i.e., the most recently measured position) or the damage caused by the collision of the end effector is minimized, the transfer (process) may be continued while measuring (or recording) the torque value of the motor and the measurement position of the torque value relative to the previous measurement position (periodically).

[0095] Therefore, in the operating method of the substrate transfer device according to the present invention, the motor can be moved in the opposite direction to the previous measurement position via the measurement position storage unit by the control unit to facilitate maintenance, while minimizing the damage caused by the collision of the end effector, and also confirming the damage caused by the collision of the end effector and / or improving the continuity of the transfer (process) after maintenance.

[0096] The operating method of the substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention may further include a process of storing the measured torque value of the motor ( S240 ).

[0097] The measured torque value of the motor can be stored (S240). The measurement value storage unit of the collision detection unit can store the measured torque value of the motor, and can measure and record (or store) the torque measurement value in the current period in real time. Here, when the measured torque value of the motor is stored in the measurement value storage unit, the measurement position of the torque value can be recorded in the measurement position storage unit. This allows the torque measurement value of the most recent period to be retrieved and compared (or calculated) with the torque measurement value of the current period. The torque value of the motor stored in the measurement value storage unit can be updated (periodically). The measurement value storage unit can repeatedly store (or write) and update (or erase), and in this case, the storage capacity can be reduced and the processing speed can be improved.

[0098] In the process (S200) of measuring the torque value of the motor, the torque value of the motor can be measured at a predetermined time period, and in the process (S300) of calculating the torque difference, the torque difference between the torque measurement value of the current period torque measurement value of the most recent period torque measurement value can be calculated for each of the predetermined time periods. In the process (S200) of measuring the torque value of the motor, the torque measuring unit can measure the torque value of the motor at a predetermined time period, and can determine (or specify) a target (i.e., a torque measurement value measured at a different time) to be compared (or calculated) with the currently measured torque measurement value according to the predetermined time period. Here, the currently measured torque measurement value can be compared with the torque measurement value measured in the most recent period (or the most recent period torque measurement value), and the torque measurement value measured in the most recent period can be subtracted (or deducted) from the currently measured torque measurement value.

[0099] In addition, in the process of calculating the torque difference (S300), the difference calculation section may calculate the torque difference between the current period torque measurement value (i.e., the currently measured torque measurement value) and the most recent period torque measurement value (i.e., the torque measurement value measured in the most recent period) for each of the predetermined periods. Therefore, the torque difference may be calculated in real time by measuring the current period torque measurement value in real time, and the collision of the end effector may be determined by comparing the torque difference calculated in each predetermined period with the collision determination reference value. Therefore, the collision of the end effector may be detected (or determined) throughout the transfer (process) time.

[0100] The process for moving the end effector (S100) may include: an acceleration process (S110) for moving the end effector by increasing the torque of the motor; a constant speed process (S120) for moving the end effector by maintaining the torque of the motor within a predetermined deviation; and a deceleration process (S130) for moving the end effector by reducing the torque of the motor.

[0101] In the acceleration process ( S110 ) of increasing the torque of the motor for movement, the rotation speed of the stopped end effector and / or the rotation axis may be accelerated (or moved at an accelerated speed), and for this purpose, the torque of the motor may be increased.

[0102] In the constant speed process ( S120 ) of moving while maintaining the torque of the motor within a predetermined deviation, the end effector may move at a constant speed (or rotate the rotation axis at a constant speed), and for this, the torque of the motor may be maintained within a predetermined deviation.

[0103] In the deceleration process ( S130 ) of moving by reducing the torque of the motor, the end effector and / or the rotating shaft may be decelerated (or moved at a reduced speed) to stop the end effector and / or the rotating shaft, and to this end, the torque of the motor may be reduced.

[0104] Here, in the acceleration process (S110), since the torque of the motor increases (significantly), the torque difference between the current torque measurement value and the previous torque measurement value may increase. As the torque difference increases, the collision determination reference value may also increase, and when the collision determination reference value increases, the sensitivity of the collision detection of the end effector may decrease. In particular, in constant speed driving, since the average value of the torque difference is close to "0" and is very low, even if the torque difference increases due to the collision of the end effector, it may not exceed the increased collision determination reference value, and therefore, even if the collision of the end effector occurs, the collision may not be detected.

[0105] The operating method of the substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention may further include a process ( S40 ) of setting a time for the acceleration process ( S110 ).

[0106] The time (S40) for the acceleration process (S110) may be set. The acceleration time setting unit may set the time for the acceleration process (S110), and may control the amount of change in the torque value per unit time (or per time period T) in the acceleration process (S110). For example, the acceleration time setting unit may reduce the maximum value of the change in the torque value (or torque difference) per unit time in the acceleration process (S110) by adjusting the time for the acceleration process (S110), thereby reducing the collision determination reference value determined based on the maximum value of the change in the torque value per unit time.

[0107] Here, as the maximum torque value in the acceleration process (S110) is smaller and the time of the acceleration process (S110) is longer, the amount of change (maximum value) of the torque value per unit time can be reduced, and the time of the acceleration process (S110) can be appropriately determined according to the moving distance of the end effector. If the moving distance of the end effector (110) is shortened, the time for the acceleration process (S110) may only be relatively shortened, and the maximum torque value in the acceleration process (S110) may also be reduced. On the other hand, if the moving distance of the end effector is long enough, the maximum torque value in the acceleration process (S110) may be increased to perform a smooth (or fast) transfer (process), and the time for the acceleration process (S110) may be set (long) so that the amount of change (maximum value) of the torque value per unit time is reduced according to the increased maximum torque value in the acceleration process (S110).

[0108] Here, in the process of setting the reference value (S50), the collision determination reference value may be set according to the change rate (or change amount) of the torque value of the motor relative to the set time for the acceleration process (S110). If the change rate of the torque value of the motor relative to the set time for the acceleration process (S110) (the change amount of the torque value of the motor / the set time for the acceleration process) is large, the torque difference value in the acceleration process (S110) (or the change amount of the torque value per unit time) may become large, and therefore, the collision determination reference value may be set large. On the contrary, if the change rate of the torque value of the motor relative to the set time for the acceleration process (S110) is small, the torque difference value in the acceleration process (S110) may become small, and therefore, the collision determination reference value may be set small. That is, the reference value setting unit may set the collision determination reference value in proportion to the change rate of the torque value of the motor relative to the set time for the acceleration process (S110) (according to the change rate).

[0109] Here, since the maximum torque value in the acceleration process (S110) is fixed (or determined) according to the moving distance of the end effector (experimentally or empirically), the collision determination reference value may be set according to the set time of the acceleration process (S110), and the maximum value of the change in the torque value per unit time (in the acceleration drive) may be determined according to the set time for the acceleration process (S110). Since the collision determination reference value must be greater than the maximum value of the change in the torque value per unit time to prevent the determination of the collision of the end effector even if the collision of the end effector does not occur, in the process of setting the reference value (S50), the reference setting unit may set the collision determination reference value to be greater than the maximum value of the change in the torque value per unit time according to the set time of the acceleration process (S110).

[0110] The operating method of the substrate transfer apparatus according to the present invention may further include a process (S45) of setting a measurement period of the torque value of the motor according to the time set for the acceleration process (S110).

[0111] The measurement period (S45) of the torque value of the motor can be set according to the time used to set the acceleration process (S110). The measurement period setting part (137) of the collision detection unit can set the measurement period of the torque value of the motor according to the set time of the acceleration process (S110), and therefore, the torque value of the motor can be measured at a set period (i.e., a predetermined period), and while measuring the torque value of the motor at each set period, the torque value can be compared with the torque measurement value of the most recent period, and the collision of the end effector can be detected (or determined) in real time.

[0112] For example, the measurement period setting unit may set the measurement period of the torque value of the motor according to the set time of the acceleration process (S110) to measure the torque value of the motor at least once during the acceleration process (S110), and may set the measurement period of the torque value of the motor to measure the torque value of the motor at least twice during the acceleration process (S110) for effective collision detection of the end effector. In the acceleration process (S110), when the torque value of the motor is measured for the first time, the torque value of the motor measured for the first time (or initially) may be compared (or calculated) with "0", and the measured torque value of the motor may be equal to the torque difference value.

[0113] In the process of setting the measurement period (S45), the measurement period of the torque value of the motor may be set shorter than the time set for the acceleration process (S110). In the process of setting the measurement period (S45), the measurement period setting unit may set the measurement period of the torque value of the motor shorter than the time set for the acceleration process (S110). In order to detect the collision of the end effector in the acceleration process (S110), the torque value of the motor must be measured at least once in the acceleration process (S110), and for this purpose, the measurement period setting unit may set the measurement period of the torque value of the motor shorter than the time set for the acceleration process (S110). Therefore, the collision of the end effector can be detected even in the acceleration process (S110), and the collision of the end effector occurring in the process of moving the end effector (S100) (or the entire movement process of the end effector including the acceleration process, the constant speed process, and the deceleration process) can be effectively detected.

[0114] For example, the measurement period setting unit can set the measurement period of the torque value of the motor to be as short as 4 milliseconds (ms) to 12 milliseconds (ms), and can set the measurement period of the torque value of the motor to a short time (for example, 4ms to 12ms), within which damage to the end effector and the substrate will not occur or damage to the end effector and the substrate will be minimized.

[0115] In the process (S200) of measuring the torque value of the motor, the torque value of the motor may be measured at least twice during the acceleration process (S110). In the process (S200) of measuring the torque value of the motor, the torque measuring part may measure the torque value of the motor at least twice during the acceleration process (S110). If the torque value of the motor is not measured even once during the acceleration process (S110), the collision of the end effector may not be detected during the acceleration process (S110), and if the torque value of the motor is measured only once during the acceleration process (S110), the measured torque value of the motor may be equal to the torque difference value, and therefore, the maximum value of the torque value of the motor may increase, and the collision determination reference value may necessarily increase. When the collision determination reference value increases, the sensitivity of the collision detection of the end effector may decrease, and in particular, the sensitivity of the collision detection of the end effector may decrease during the constant speed process (S120). Therefore, in order to improve the sensitivity of collision detection of the end effector during the entire movement process of the end effector (all of the acceleration process, the constant speed process and the deceleration process), the torque measuring part may measure the torque value of the motor at least twice during the acceleration process (S110).

[0116] In the process (S200) of measuring the torque value of the motor, the torque value of the motor may be measured at least at the starting point (or starting time) in the acceleration process (S110). In the process (S200) of measuring the torque value of the motor, the torque measuring unit may measure the torque value of the motor at least at the starting point (or origin) in the acceleration process (S110). The torque measuring unit may measure the torque value of the motor at the origin (or the starting point in the acceleration process), may measure the torque value of the motor at the origin before starting the acceleration process (S110), and may also measure the torque value of the motor at the origin in the 0-period (or the starting point in the acceleration process). The torque value of the motor measured at the starting point (or origin) in the acceleration process (S110) may be compared (or calculated) with the torque value of the motor initially measured when the end effector starts to move in the acceleration process (S110), and the torque difference may be calculated by subtracting (or deducting) the torque value of the motor measured at the starting point in the acceleration process (S110) (or the 0-period torque measurement value) from the first measured torque value of the motor (or the 1-period torque measurement value). Therefore, even if only the torque value of the motor in the 1-period is measured in the acceleration process (S110), the torque difference may be calculated by subtracting (or deducting) the 0-period torque measurement value (or the torque value of the motor measured at the starting point in the acceleration process) from the 1-period torque measurement value, thereby detecting a collision of the end effector in the acceleration process (S110).

[0117] As described above, in the present invention, the torque difference between the two torque measurement values ​​measured using the time difference can be calculated by the collision detection unit, and the collision of the end effector can be determined based on the torque difference to effectively detect the collision of the end effector, thereby minimizing the damage caused by the collision of the end effector by stopping the motor or rotating the motor in the opposite direction. That is, the collision of the end effector can be detected by detecting the two torque measurement values ​​measured using the time difference instead of the absolute amount of torque, the collision of the end effector can be determined using the change in torque over time regardless of the moving speed and moving distance of the end effector, and the collision of the end effector can be effectively detected in both the case where the end effector moves while accelerating or decelerating and the case where the end effector moves at a constant speed, so that there is no need to distinguish the collision determination reference divided according to the moving speed and moving distance of the end effector.

[0118] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to a number of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the aforementioned embodiments, and therefore, it should be understood that many other modifications and embodiments can be designed by those skilled in the art, which will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of the present disclosure. Therefore, the true protection scope of the present invention will be determined by the technical scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A substrate transfer device, comprising: an end effector on which a substrate is supported; an electric motor configured to power movement of the end effector; a collision detection unit configured to detect a collision of the end effector; as well as a control unit configured to control the driving of the motor according to the collision detection of the collision detection unit, The collision detection unit comprises: a torque measuring unit configured to measure a torque value of the motor; a difference calculation unit configured to calculate a torque difference between two torque measurement values ​​measured using a time difference; and The collision determination section is configured to determine the collision of the end effector based on the torque difference value.

2. The substrate transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the collision detection unit further comprises a reference value setting section configured to set a collision determination reference value, wherein the collision determination section is configured to determine that the end effector has collided when the torque difference is equal to or greater than the collision determination reference value, and The control unit is configured to stop the driving of the motor or drive the motor in a reverse direction when the collision determination section determines that the end effector has collided.

3. The substrate transfer device according to claim 2, wherein the collision detection unit further comprises a measurement position storage section configured to record a measurement position of the torque value, wherein the control unit is configured to stop the driving of the motor after driving the motor to a previous measurement position.

4. The substrate transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the collision detection unit further comprises a measurement value storage section configured to store the measured torque value of the motor, wherein the torque measuring section is configured to measure the torque value of the motor at a predetermined period of time, and The difference calculation section is configured to calculate a torque difference between a current period torque measurement value and a latest period torque measurement value for each of the predetermined periods.

5. The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the driving of the motor comprises: An acceleration drive for increasing the torque of the electric motor; a constant speed drive for maintaining the torque of the motor within a predetermined deviation; as well as a reduction drive for reducing the torque of the electric motor, The substrate transfer device further includes an acceleration time setting unit configured to set an acceleration driving time. 6 . The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the reference value setting section is configured to set the collision determination reference value in accordance with a rate of change of the torque value of the motor with respect to the set acceleration drive time.

7. The substrate transfer device according to claim 5, wherein the collision detection unit further comprises a measurement period setting section configured to set a measurement period of the torque value of the motor according to the set acceleration drive time, wherein the measurement period setting section is configured to set the measurement period of the torque value of the motor to be shorter than the set acceleration drive time. 8 . The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the torque measuring section is configured to measure the torque value of the motor at least twice during the acceleration driving. 9 . The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the torque measuring section is configured to measure the torque value of the motor at least at a starting point of the acceleration drive.

10. An operating method of a substrate transfer device, the operating method comprising: moving an end effector having a substrate supported thereon by providing power through a motor; Measuring the torque value of the motor several times using the time difference; calculating a torque difference between the two torque measurements measured; and A collision of the end effector is determined based on the calculated torque difference.

11. The operating method according to claim 10, further comprising: Set collision determination reference value; as well as when it is determined in the determining of the collision of the end effector that the end effector has collided, stopping the driving of the motor or driving the motor in a reverse direction, Wherein, in the determining of the collision of the end effector, when the calculated torque difference value is equal to or greater than the set collision determination reference value, it is determined that the end effector has collided.

12. The operating method according to claim 11, further comprising recording the measurement position of the torque value, wherein the stopping the driving of the motor or the driving of the motor in the reverse direction includes stopping the driving of the motor after driving the motor to a previous measurement position.

13. The operating method according to claim 10, further comprising storing the measured torque value of the motor, in, In the measuring the torque value of the motor, the torque value of the motor is measured at a predetermined time period, and In the calculating the torque difference, a torque difference between a current period torque measurement value and a latest period torque measurement value is measured for each of the predetermined periods.

14. The operating method according to claim 11, wherein the moving the end effector comprises: An acceleration process to increase the torque of the motor; A process of maintaining the torque of the motor at a constant speed within a predetermined deviation; as well as a deceleration process to reduce the torque of the motor, The operating method further includes setting a time for the acceleration process.

15. The operating method according to claim 14, wherein: In the setting of the reference value, the collision determination reference value is set according to a change rate of the torque value of the motor with respect to the time of the set acceleration process.

16. The operating method according to claim 14, further comprising setting a measurement period of the torque value of the motor according to the set time of the acceleration process, in, In the setting of the measurement period, the measurement period of the torque value of the motor is set to be shorter than the set time of the acceleration process.

17. The operating method according to claim 14, wherein: In the measuring the torque value of the motor, the torque value of the motor is measured at least twice during the acceleration process.

18. The operating method according to claim 14, wherein: In the measuring the torque value of the motor, the torque value of the motor is measured at least at a starting point in the acceleration process.

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