Robotic arm carrier device and parallel sensing system and sensing method for a carrier

Abstract

A parallel sensing system and method for a robotic arm carrying device and a carrying object, comprising: a carrying device having a carrying surface; wherein the carrying surface has a first position and a second position, and the first position and the second position are spaced apart by a predetermined distance; a first sensing unit and a second sensing unit disposed on the carrying device for sensing vibration of the carrying surface and generating a first signal and a second signal; a processing device for receiving and analyzing the first signal and the second signal; and an alarm device communicatively connected to the processing device; thereby, when the processing device determines that the first signal and the second signal are different, it controls the alarm device to issue an alarm signal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to robotic arms, and in particular to a robotic arm carrying device and a carrying object parallel sensing system and sensing method that can monitor in real time whether the parallel state between the robotic arm and the carrying object is abnormal. Background Technology

[0002] In the semiconductor industry, wafer handling requires precise and error-free operations. Therefore, computer-controlled robotic arms are commonly used to perform wafer handling tasks. Although these robotic arms are computer-controlled, unforeseen circumstances can sometimes cause abnormal movements such as vibration or wobbling. These abnormal movements can affect the accuracy of wafer handling, ranging from affecting the specific wafer being handled to potentially impacting the entire wafer process. Therefore, to ensure the accuracy of robotic arms, manufacturers install sensors that detect vibration or displacement to continuously monitor whether the robotic arm is maintaining a correct position. If abnormal vibration or displacement causes a deviation, the sensor generates a signal that is transmitted to the host computer, alerting engineers or the control software to the problem and reducing uncertainties in the wafer manufacturing process.

[0003] In the past, there has been research and development on the technology of setting sensors on robotic arms. For example, there is a device stability monitoring system, in which a detection device is installed on the surface of a robotic arm to monitor the vibration status of the robotic arm in real time, and then an alarm module issues an alarm message when the vibration exceeds the range. Another sensing device and sensing system includes a sensing device installed on the body, base or surface near the motor of the robotic arm, and uses the vibration signal of the sensing device to determine whether there is any abnormality in the machine or tool. Yet another device that can detect abnormalities in robotic arms and pumps in advance includes multiple sensors set on the surface of the linkage mechanism of the robotic arm. By collecting displacement or vibration information of the robotic arm and comparing it with a database, it can detect any abnormal signals and send them back to the host for advance warning when an abnormal signal is issued.

[0004] The commonly used robotic arm sensing systems mentioned above are primarily used to detect the vibration state of the robotic arm itself. However, one problem is that the robotic arm or wafer may not have maintained a horizontal position in the previous process due to various reasons (such as tilting or rotating in the previous process). Common robotic arm sensing systems can only determine whether the robotic arm is vibrating, but cannot detect if the robotic arm or wafer is not horizontal. This can easily lead to the robotic arm being unable to maintain stability when carrying the wafer in the next process, affecting the process execution. Therefore, how to detect in real time whether the robotic arm and wafer are in a parallel state while the robotic arm is carrying or transporting the wafer is a problem that the relevant industry urgently needs to solve. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide a parallel sensing system and method for a robotic arm carrying device and a carrying object, which can monitor in real time whether there are any abnormalities in the parallel state between the robotic arm carrying device and the carrying object.

[0006] To achieve the aforementioned objective, the present invention provides a parallel sensing system for a robotic arm carrying device and a carrying object, comprising: a carrying device having a carrying surface; wherein the carrying surface has a first position and a second position, and the first position and the second position are spaced apart by a predetermined distance; a first sensing unit disposed at the first position of the carrying device for sensing vibration of the carrying surface and generating a first signal; a second sensing unit disposed at the second position of the carrying device for sensing vibration of the carrying surface and generating a second signal; a processing device communicatively connected to the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit for receiving and analyzing the first signal and the second signal; and an alarm device communicatively connected to the processing device; thereby, when the processing device determines that the first signal and the second signal are different, it controls the alarm device to issue an alarm signal.

[0007] In one embodiment, the processing device analyzes the first signal to generate a first signal generation time, and the processing device analyzes the second signal to generate a second signal generation time; if the time difference between the first signal generation time and the second signal generation time is greater than a predetermined time, the processing device determines that the first signal and the second signal are different.

[0008] In one embodiment, the carrier device has a first sensing accommodating space and a second sensing accommodating space inside; the first sensing accommodating space is located at the first position, the second sensing accommodating space is located at the second position, and the first sensing unit is accommodated in the first sensing accommodating space of the carrier device, and the second sensing unit is accommodated in the second sensing accommodating space of the carrier device.

[0009] In one embodiment, the carrier device has a transmission line accommodating space inside, which is connected to the first sensing accommodating space and the second sensing accommodating space respectively; wherein a first transmission line is disposed in the transmission line accommodating space, one end of which is electrically connected to the first sensing unit and the other end of which is electrically connected to the processing device; a second transmission line is disposed in the transmission line accommodating space, one end of which is electrically connected to the second sensing unit and the other end of which is electrically connected to the processing device.

[0010] In one embodiment, the processing device further includes a control unit, one end of which is electrically connected to the first transmission line and the second transmission line, and the other end of which is signal-connected to the processing device; the control unit is used to perform signal conversion and processing on the first signal and the second signal.

[0011] In one embodiment, a cover is further included on the top surface of the first sensing accommodating space and the second sensing accommodating space of the carrier device to prevent foreign objects from entering or leaving the first sensing accommodating space and the second sensing accommodating space.

[0012] In one embodiment, a cover is further included on the top surface of the first sensing accommodating space, the second sensing accommodating space and the transmission line accommodating space of the carrier device to prevent foreign objects from entering or leaving the first sensing accommodating space, the second sensing accommodating space and the transmission line accommodating space.

[0013] In one embodiment, the support device is fork-shaped, having a handle and two prongs; the two prongs extend from one end of the handle to opposite sides; the first position is located on one of the two prongs away from the end of the handle, and the second position is located on the other prong away from the end of the handle.

[0014] In one embodiment, a method for parallel sensing between a robotic arm carrying device and a carrying object includes the following steps: a) driving a carrying device to carry an object, causing the object to contact a carrying surface of the carrying device; wherein the carrying surface has a first position and a second position; and the first position and the second position are separated by a predetermined distance; b) detecting vibration of the first position of the carrying surface of the carrying device, thereby generating a first signal; detecting vibration of the second position of the carrying surface of the carrying device, thereby generating a second signal; and c) analyzing the first signal and the second signal; if the first signal and the second signal are different, issuing a warning signal.

[0015] In one embodiment, in step c), the first signal is analyzed to generate a first signal generation time, and the second signal is analyzed to generate a second signal generation time; if the time difference between the first signal generation time and the second signal generation time is greater than a predetermined time, it is determined that the first signal and the second signal are different.

[0016] The advantage of this invention lies in the fact that the time difference between the multiple signals generated when the carrier device contacts the object determines whether the carrier device and the object are in a parallel state. In this way, when the carrier device or the object is not in a parallel state, the user can detect and handle it in time, preventing the carrier device from carrying or transporting unstable objects in an unstable state, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the overall process. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of a first state of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the sensing situation of the contact object when the support device is tilted to one side.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a second state of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the sensing situation of the contact object when the supporting device is tilted to the other side.

[0021] Figure Labels

[0022] 10: Bearing device; 11: Bearing surface; 13: Handle; 14: Fork; 15: Cover receiving space; 16: First sensing receiving space; 17: Second sensing receiving space; 18: Transmission line receiving space; 19: Perforation; 20: First sensing unit; 22: First transmission line; 30: Second sensing unit; 32: Second transmission line; 40: Processing device; 42: Control unit; 50: Warning device; 60: Cover; 62: Lock hole; 64: Locking fastener; 70: Object; t: Predetermined time; Δt: Time difference. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The following are preferred embodiments based on the objectives, effects and structural configurations disclosed in this invention, and are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the robotic arm carrying device and the parallel sensing system for the carrying object provided in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention mainly include: a carrying device 10, a first sensing unit 20, a second sensing unit 30, a processing device 40, a warning device 50, and a cover 60.

[0025] The carrying device 10 is mounted on a robotic arm and has a carrying surface 11 for carrying and transporting an object. The carrying surface 11 has a first position and a second position, which are spaced apart by a predetermined distance and are the mounting positions of the first sensing unit 20 and the second sensing unit 30, respectively. In this embodiment, the carrying device 10 is a fork of a robotic arm, having an integrally formed handle 13 and two prongs 14. The width of the handle 13 gradually increases from the center to one end, and the two prongs 14 extend from opposite sides of the wider end of the handle 13 in a direction away from the handle 13. The carrying device 10 has a cover accommodating space 15, a first sensing accommodating space 16, a second sensing accommodating space 17, and a transmission line accommodating space 18 inside. The cover accommodating space 15 is generally Y-shaped and extends through the top surface of the carrying device 10. The first sensing receiving space 16, the second sensing receiving space 17, and the transmission line receiving space 18 are connected to the bottom surface of the cover receiving space 15. The first sensing receiving space 16 and the second sensing receiving space 17 are generally circular and are respectively located at one end of the bifurcated portion 14. Specifically, the first position is the location of the first sensing receiving space 16, and the second position is the location of the second sensing receiving space 17. The transmission line receiving space 18 is generally Y-shaped, with both ends connected to the first sensing receiving space 15 and the second sensing receiving space 16, and the other end located at the end of the handle 13 away from the bifurcated portion 14, generally in an open state. The carrying device 10 further has a plurality of through holes 19 penetrating the cover receiving space 15.

[0026] The first sensing unit 20 is an extremely thin electronic component, disposed at the first position of the carrier device 10. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first sensing unit 20 is housed within the first sensing accommodating space 16, and its thickness is less than or equal to the depth of the first sensing accommodating space 16. Therefore, when the first sensing unit 20 is housed within the first sensing accommodating space 16, the height of the first sensing unit 20 does not exceed the height of the carrier device 10, allowing the thickness of the carrier device 10 to maintain its original thickness. In this embodiment, the first sensing unit 20 is a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer used to sense when an object contacts the first position of the bearing surface 11 of the carrier device 10, and generates a first signal through vibration upon contact. The first sensing unit 20 transmits the first signal via wired or wireless means. In this embodiment, the first sensing unit 20 transmits via wired means, wherein a first transmission line 22 is housed within the transmission line accommodating space 18, and its thickness does not exceed the depth of the transmission line accommodating space 18. One end of the first transmission line 22 is electrically connected to the first sensing unit 20 to transmit the first signal generated by the first sensing unit 20. In other embodiments, the first sensing unit 20 may also be used with a wireless transmission device such as Bluetooth or far-infrared to transmit the first signal.

[0027] The second sensing unit 30 is also an extremely thin electronic component, housed within the second sensing accommodating space 17. It senses when an object contacts the second position on the bearing surface 11 and generates a second signal through vibration upon contact. In this embodiment, the second sensing unit 20 transmits data via a wired connection. A second transmission line 32 is housed within the transmission line accommodating space 18, with one end electrically connected to the second sensing unit 30 to transmit the second signal generated by the second sensing unit 30. The other structures of the second sensing unit 30 are the same as those of the first sensing unit 20, and their details are not described here.

[0028] The processing device 40 is communicatively connected to the first sensing unit 20 and the second sensing unit 30 to receive the first signal and the second signal, and then compare and analyze them to determine whether the first signal and the second signal are the same. The processing device 40 can be a computer, a tablet, a smartphone, or other equivalent electronic device. In this embodiment, the processing device 40 further includes a control unit 42, one end of which is electrically connected to the first transmission line 22 and the second transmission line 32 of the carrier device 10, and the other end is connected to the processing device 40 via wired or wireless means. The control unit 42 is used to convert the received first signal and the second signal before transmitting them to the processing device 40. In this embodiment, the control unit 42 is a microcontroller (MCU). In other embodiments, the processing device 40 can be directly connected to the first sensing unit 20 and the second sensing unit 30 to receive the first signal and the second signal for comparison and analysis.

[0029] The warning device 50 is communicatively connected to the processing device 40. When the processing device 40 determines that the first signal and the second signal are different, the processing device 40 can control the warning device 50 to emit a warning signal to remind the user that the supporting device 10 or the object is in a non-parallel state. In this embodiment, the warning device 50 is a warning pattern displayed on the processing device 40 (such as...). Figure 3 (as shown); in other embodiments, the warning device may be a warning light, a warning voice, or other device with a warning effect.

[0030] The cover 60 is a thin sheet disposed on the surface of the support device 10 corresponding to the cover receiving space 15. In this embodiment, the cover 60 is made of aluminum sheet. Its shape corresponds to the shape of the cover receiving space 15, so that it is detachably fixed to the cover receiving space 15, thereby completely sealing the first sensing receiving space 16, the second sensing receiving space 17, and the transmission line receiving space 18, and isolating the first sensing unit 20, the second sensing unit 30, the first transmission line 22, and the second transmission line 32 from the outside. Regarding the fixing method of the cover 60 and the support device 10, in this embodiment, the cover 60 has a plurality of locking holes 62 corresponding to the through holes 19 of the support device 10, so that the cover 60 can be locked to the cover receiving space 15 of the support device 10 by a plurality of fasteners 64 passing through the locking holes 62 and the through holes 19. In other embodiments, the cover 60 may be fixed to the support device 10 by welding, snap fasteners or other equivalent fixing methods; or the support device 10 and the cover 60 may be integrally formed.

[0031] Based on the above structural configuration, this embodiment provides a method for detecting whether a robotic arm's load-bearing device and the load-bearing object generate parallel vibrations, comprising the following steps:

[0032] a) Drive the support device 10 to carry an object 70, so that the object 70 contacts the support surface 11 of the support device 10. At this time, the first position or the second position of the support device 10 will contact the object 70 successively, or simultaneously.

[0033] b) When the object 70 touches the first position, the first sensing unit 20 can detect a vibration and generate a first signal accordingly; when the object 70 touches the second position, the second sensing unit 30 can detect a vibration and generate a second signal accordingly.

[0034] c) Next, the first signal and the second signal are transmitted to the control unit 42 via the first transmission line 22 and the second transmission line 32 for signal processing, and then transmitted to the processing device 40. In this embodiment, the first signal and the second signal are displayed on the processing device 40 as waveforms, with the X-axis representing time and the Y-axis representing amplitude, or the change in acceleration. The processing device 40 analyzes the first signal to obtain a first signal generation time, and analyzes the second signal to obtain a second signal generation time. The first signal generation time is the point in time when the amplitude of the first signal changes significantly, which represents the instant when the object 70 contacts the first position; the second signal generation time is the point in time when the amplitude of the second signal changes significantly, which represents the instant when the object 70 contacts the second position. The difference between the first signal generation time and the second signal generation time is called a time difference Δt. The processing device 40 analyzes whether the time difference Δt is greater than the predetermined time t. If the time difference Δt is less than or equal to the predetermined time t, it determines that the first signal and the second signal are the same, indicating that the supporting device 10 and the object 70 are in a parallel state. However, if the time difference Δt is greater than the predetermined time t, it determines that the first signal and the second signal are different, indicating that the supporting device 10 and the object 70 are in a non-parallel state. In this embodiment, the predetermined time t is set to 0.1 seconds.

[0035] Next, if the first signal is determined to be different from the second signal, the processing device 40 controls the warning device 50 to issue the warning signal to remind the user that the carrier 10 and the object 70 are not in a parallel state. In this embodiment, the warning device 50 is a warning pattern displayed in the processing device 40. This allows the user to immediately notice that the carrier 10 and the object 70 are not in a parallel state and take immediate action, preventing the carrier 70 from being in a non-parallel state during subsequent carrying or transportation, thus avoiding any impact on the manufacturing process.

[0036] Figure 3 The display shows that the support device 10 is tilted to one side. Therefore, when the support device 10 contacts the object 70, the object 70 will first contact the first position of the support surface 11, and then contact the second position. Consequently, the occurrence time of the first signal detected by the first sensing unit 20 will differ from the occurrence time of the second signal detected by the second sensing unit. If the time difference Δt0.2 seconds between the occurrence time of the first signal and the occurrence time of the second signal is greater than the predetermined time t0.1 seconds, the processing device 40 determines that the first signal is different from the second signal and controls the warning device 50 to issue a warning signal. Similarly, Figure 4 The display shows that the supporting device 10 is tilted to the other side. Therefore, when the supporting device 10 contacts the object 70, the object 70 will first contact the second position of the supporting surface 11, and then contact the first position. The remaining judgment process is the same as... Figure 3 The same applies, so I will not go into details here.

[0037] As can be seen from the foregoing examples, regardless of whether the supporting device 10 tilts to the left or right, the comparison between the time difference Δt and the predetermined time t can determine whether the supporting device 10 and the object 70 are in a parallel state. Conversely, if the supporting device 10 is in a horizontal state and the object 70 is in a tilted state, since the time at which the first position and the second position of the supporting device 10 contact the object 70 is different, the present invention can still determine whether the supporting device 10 and the object 70 are in a non-parallel state by comparing the time difference Δt and the predetermined time t.

[0038] It should be added that when the position of the sensing unit changes, tilt in different directions can be detected. Alternatively, the number of sensing units can be increased to detect tilt in multiple directions.

[0039] In another preferred embodiment, the predetermined time is the average contact time derived from the signal time difference data generated by the contact of multiple carrier devices with the object. Therefore, the predetermined time will fluctuate depending on the amount of data and the accumulated time of the user, thereby allowing the user to monitor over a long period of time whether the signal time difference generated by the contact of the carrier device with the object remains within the predetermined time, in order to determine whether maintenance of the robotic arm carrier device is required.

[0040] In summary, the parallel sensing system and method for the robotic arm carrying device and the object provided by this invention generates multiple sensing signals when the carrying device contacts the object by using multiple sensing units installed on the carrying device. The difference between the generation times of each signal is compared with a predetermined time to determine whether the carrying device and the object are in a parallel state. In this way, when the carrying device and the object are not in a parallel state, the user can detect and handle the situation immediately, preventing the carrying device from carrying or transporting unstable objects in an unstable state, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the overall process.

[0041] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the technology and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make modifications and variations to the above embodiments without departing from the technical principles and spirit of the present invention; therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be as described in the patent application scope below.

Claims

1. A parallel sensing system for a robotic arm's carrying device and its load, characterized in that, Includes: A bearing device has a bearing surface; wherein the bearing surface has a first position and a second position, and the first position and the second position are spaced apart by a predetermined distance; A first sensing unit is disposed at the first position of the bearing device to sense the vibration of the bearing surface and generate a first signal accordingly; A second sensing unit is disposed at the second position of the bearing device to sense the vibration of the bearing surface and generate a second signal accordingly; A processing device is communicatively connected to the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit to receive and analyze the first signal and the second signal; And a warning device, which is connected to the processing device via communication; Therefore, when the processing device determines that the first signal is different from the second signal, it controls the warning device to issue a warning signal. The processing device analyzes the first signal to generate a first signal generation time, and analyzes the second signal to generate a second signal generation time; if the time difference between the first signal generation time and the second signal generation time is greater than a predetermined time, the processing device determines that the first signal and the second signal are different.

2. The robotic arm carrying device and the parallel sensing system for the carrying object as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The carrier device has a first sensing accommodating space and a second sensing accommodating space inside; The first sensing accommodating space is located at the first position, the second sensing accommodating space is located at the second position, and the first sensing unit is accommodated in the first sensing accommodating space of the carrier device, and the second sensing unit is accommodated in the second sensing accommodating space of the carrier device.

3. The robotic arm load bearing device and load bearing object parallel sensing system of claim 2, wherein, The carrier device has a transmission line accommodating space inside, which is connected to the first sensing accommodating space and the second sensing accommodating space respectively; wherein a first transmission line is disposed in the transmission line accommodating space, one end of which is electrically connected to the first sensing unit and the other end of which is electrically connected to the processing device; a second transmission line is disposed in the transmission line accommodating space, one end of which is electrically connected to the second sensing unit and the other end of which is electrically connected to the processing device.

4. The robotic arm load bearing device and load bearing object parallel sensing system of claim 3, wherein, The processing device further includes a control unit, one end of which is electrically connected to the first transmission line and the second transmission line, and the other end of which is signal connected to the processing device; the control unit is used to perform signal conversion and processing on the first signal and the second signal.

5. The parallel sensing system for the robotic arm carrying device and the carrying object as described in claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a cover located on the top surface of the first sensing accommodating space and the second sensing accommodating space of the carrier device to prevent foreign objects from entering or leaving the first sensing accommodating space and the second sensing accommodating space.

6. The robotic arm load bearing device and load bearing object parallel sensing system of claim 3, wherein, It also includes a cover disposed on the top surface of the first sensing accommodating space, the second sensing accommodating space and the transmission line accommodating space of the carrier device, to prevent foreign objects from entering or leaving the first sensing accommodating space, the second sensing accommodating space and the transmission line accommodating space.

7. The robotic arm load bearing device and load bearing object parallel sensing system of claim 1, wherein, The support device is fork-shaped, having a handle and two prongs; the two prongs extend from one end of the handle to opposite sides; the first position is located on one of the two prongs away from the end of the handle, and the second position is located on the other prong away from the end of the handle.

8. A method for parallel sensing between a robotic arm's carrying device and a carrying object, characterized in that, It includes the following steps: a) Drive a carrier device to carry an object, causing the object to contact a carrier surface of the carrier device; wherein the carrier surface has a first position and a second position; and the first position and the second position are separated by a predetermined distance. b) Detect vibration at the first position of the bearing surface of the bearing device, and generate a first signal accordingly; detect vibration at the second position of the bearing surface of the bearing device, and generate a second signal accordingly; as well as c) Analyze the first signal to generate a first signal generation time, analyze the second signal to generate a second signal generation time; if the time difference between the first signal generation time and the second signal generation time is greater than a predetermined time, it is determined that the first signal and the second signal are different; if the first signal and the second signal are different, an alarm signal is issued.

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