Leveling mechanism and wafer transfer robot

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of wafer technology, and more specifically, to a leveling mechanism and a wafer transfer robot, comprising a base plate, an adjustment plate, and a pressure plate, which are sequentially arranged from bottom to top; the base plate and the adjustment plate are connected by a plurality of first screws, the base plate is provided with a first through hole for inserting the first screw, and the adjustment plate is provided with a second screw hole for connecting the first screw; the pressure plate and the adjustment plate are connected by a plurality of second screws, the pressure plate is provided with a second through hole for inserting the second screw, and the adjustment plate is provided with a first screw hole for connecting the second screw; the pressure plate is also provided with three circumferentially distributed top screw mounting holes, each of which is provided with an adjustment top screw, and the upper surface of the adjustment plate is provided with a tapered centering hole, a long directional groove, and an auxiliary blind hole. The mechanism can ensure the horizontal accuracy of the wafer during the robot transfer process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of wafer technology, and in particular to a leveling mechanism and a wafer transfer robot. Background Art

[0002] During the wafer transfer process, the wafer transfer robot will pick up and place wafers. During the entire transfer process, the robot will dock with the wafer library, pre-alignment table, E-pins, and unloading table respectively. In order to ensure the success of the docking and the accuracy of the wafer during the adjustment process of the pre-alignment table and E-pins, a leveling mechanism needs to be designed to ensure the horizontal accuracy of the wafer during the robot transfer process. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a leveling mechanism which can ensure the horizontal accuracy of wafers during the transmission process of a robot.

[0004] Another object of the present invention is to provide a wafer transfer robot that can ensure the horizontal accuracy of the wafer during the robot transfer process.

[0005] The technical solution of the present invention is achieved as follows:

[0006] A leveling mechanism is used at the junction of the forearm and middle arm of the wafer transfer robot, comprising a base plate, an adjustment plate, and a pressure plate arranged in sequence from bottom to top;

[0007] The bottom plate and the adjustment plate are connected by a plurality of first screws. The bottom plate is provided with first through holes for inserting the first screws, and the adjustment plate is provided with second screw holes for connecting the first screws.

[0008] The pressing plate and the adjusting plate are connected by a plurality of second screws, the pressing plate is provided with second through holes for inserting the second screws, and the adjusting plate is provided with first screw holes for connecting the second screws;

[0009] The pressure plate also has three circumferentially distributed top screw mounting holes, and adjustment top screws are installed in the top screw mounting holes. The upper surface of the adjustment plate is respectively provided with a conical centering hole, a long directional groove and an auxiliary blind hole. The bottoms of the three adjustment top screws are respectively located in the conical centering hole, the long directional groove and the auxiliary blind hole.

[0010] Furthermore, a plurality of elastic members are arranged between the base plate and the adjustment plate, and a plurality of slots for mounting the elastic members are provided on the upper surface of the base plate and / or the lower surface of the adjustment plate.

[0011] Furthermore, a plurality of the slots are provided on the upper surface of the base plate and the lower surface of the adjustment plate, the upper portion of the elastic member is located in the slot on the adjustment plate, and the lower portion of the elastic member is located in the slot on the base plate.

[0012] Furthermore, the elastic member is a spring.

[0013] Furthermore, the first screw hole and the second screw hole correspond to each other one by one and are coaxially arranged.

[0014] Furthermore, a plurality of column holes are vertically provided on the adjustment plate, and connecting columns are installed in the column holes. The upper end of the connecting column is provided with the first screw hole, and the lower end of the connecting column is provided with the second screw hole.

[0015] Furthermore, the first screw hole is connected to the second screw hole.

[0016] Furthermore, a plurality of first connection holes for connecting the middle arm are provided on the bottom plate.

[0017] Furthermore, a plurality of second connection holes for connecting to the forearm are provided on the adjustment plate.

[0018] A wafer transfer robot comprises a forearm, a middle arm and a leveling mechanism, wherein the leveling mechanism is arranged at the junction of the forearm and the middle arm, the base plate is connected to the middle arm, and the adjustment plate is connected to the forearm.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] The leveling mechanism is used at the junction of the forearm and the middle arm of the wafer transfer robot. The bottom plate can be connected to the middle arm of the robot, and the adjustment plate can be connected to the forearm of the robot. When leveling is required, it can be adjusted through three adjustment screws. The adjustment screw located in the tapered centering hole plays a centering role and generally does not need to be adjusted. The main adjustment is the adjustment screw located in the long directional groove. When tightening or loosening the adjustment screw, the bottom of the adjustment screw moves along the long directional groove, thereby lifting or lowering the pressure plate, so as to adjust the pitch of the forearm structure, and then make corresponding auxiliary fine-tuning of the adjustment screw located in the auxiliary blind hole to level the forearm of the robot. Finally, tighten all the first screws and the second screws to achieve fixed connection with each other. In this way, when the robot is running, the horizontal accuracy of the wafer during the robot transmission process can be guaranteed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0022] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the leveling mechanism of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 An exploded view of the leveling mechanism of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the adjustment plate of the present invention.

[0025] In the picture:

[0026] 1- bottom plate; 101- first through hole; 102- lower slot hole; 103- first connecting hole;

[0027] 2-adjustment plate; 201-conical centering hole; 202-long directional groove; 203-auxiliary blind hole; 204-second connecting hole; 205-pin hole; 206-column hole;

[0028] 3-pressing plate; 301-second through hole; 302-top screw mounting hole;

[0029] 4-Connecting column; 5-Spring; 6-Adjusting screw; 7-First screw; 8-Second screw. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the drawings herein can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0031] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as claimed, but rather merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments derived by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined or explained in subsequent drawings.

[0033] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer" and the like indicate positions or locations based on the positions shown in the accompanying drawings, or the positions or locations in which the inventive product is typically placed when in use. These terms are intended solely to facilitate the description of the present invention and to simplify the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used solely to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0034] Furthermore, terms such as "horizontal," "vertical," and "overhanging" do not necessarily imply that a component must be absolutely horizontal or overhanging, but rather that it can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical," and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but rather that it can be slightly tilted.

[0035] In the description of the present invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "disposed," "installed," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they may refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they may refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they may refer to internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0036] The following embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments may be combined with each other.

[0037] Example 1

[0038] Reference Figure 1-Figure 3 This embodiment provides a leveling mechanism for the junction of the forearm and the middle arm of the wafer transfer robot, which includes a bottom plate 1, an adjustment plate 2, and a pressure plate 3 arranged in sequence from bottom to top. The shapes of the bottom plate 1, the adjustment plate 2, and the pressure plate 3 are as follows: Figure 1 As shown, they are generally annular, and the hollow part in the middle can pass through the rotating shaft.

[0039] The base plate 1 and the adjustment plate 2 are connected via a plurality of first screws 7. The base plate 1 is provided with first through-holes 101 for inserting the first screws 7, and the adjustment plate 2 is provided with second screw holes for connecting the first screws 7. The first through-holes 101 are countersunk holes or circular through-holes, and are primarily used for passing the first screws 7. When the first through-holes 101 are circular through-holes, when the first screws 7 are installed, their screw portions are threadedly connected to the second screw holes of the adjustment plate 2, and their nut portions are tightly abutted against the lower surface of the base plate 1. When the first through-holes 101 are countersunk holes, when the first screws 7 are installed, their screw portions are threadedly connected to the second screw holes of the adjustment plate 2, and their nut portions are located in the countersunk holes and are blocked and tightly abutted, thereby achieving a secure connection between the base plate 1 and the adjustment plate 2.

[0040] The pressure plate 3 and the adjustment plate 2 are connected via a plurality of second screws 8. The pressure plate 3 is provided with second through-holes 301 for inserting the second screws 8, and the adjustment plate 2 is provided with first screw holes for connecting the second screws 8. The second through-holes 301 are countersunk holes or circular through-holes, primarily for passing the second screws 8. When the second through-holes 301 are circular through-holes, when the second screws 8 are installed, their screw shanks are threadedly connected to the first screw holes of the adjustment plate 2, and their nut caps are tightly abutted against the upper surface of the pressure plate 3. When the second through-holes 301 are countersunk holes, when the second screws 8 are installed, their screw shanks are threadedly connected to the first screw holes of the adjustment plate 2, and their nut caps are located in the countersunk holes and blocked and tightly abutted, thereby achieving a secure connection between the adjustment plate 2 and the pressure plate 3.

[0041] The pressure plate 3 also has three circumferentially distributed top screw mounting holes 302, and each of the top screw mounting holes 302 is installed with an adjustment top screw 6. The adjustment top screw 6 is connected to its corresponding top screw mounting hole 302 through a threaded connection, and the position of the adjustment top screw 6 in the top screw mounting hole 302 can be adjusted by screwing the adjustment top screw 6. The upper surface of the adjustment plate 2 is provided with a conical centering hole 201, a long directional groove 202, and an auxiliary blind hole 203. The three adjustment screws 6 are respectively named as the centering screw, the directional screw, and the auxiliary screw according to their functions. The bottoms of the three adjustment screws 6 are located in the conical centering hole 201, the long directional groove 202, and the auxiliary blind hole 203, respectively. The bottom of the centering screw is located in the conical centering hole 201 and is mainly used for centering to prevent the entire mechanism from deviating. Generally, it does not need to be adjusted. The directional screw mainly plays a vertical orientation role and is mainly adjusted when leveling the manipulator, playing a major role in orientation. The auxiliary screw is mainly used to fine-tune the auxiliary screw according to the adjustment range of the directional screw after the directional screw is adjusted and the direction is initially determined, so that the bottom of the auxiliary screw abuts the inner bottom surface of the auxiliary blind hole 203. After the three points of the three adjustment screws 6 are adjusted, centering and orientation are achieved.

[0042] Specifically, the leveling mechanism is used at the junction of the forearm and middle arm of the wafer transfer robot. The base plate 1 can be connected to the middle arm of the robot, and the adjustment plate 2 can be connected to the forearm of the robot. When leveling is required, it can be adjusted using the three adjustment screws 6. The centering screws serve a centering function and generally do not need to be adjusted. Instead, the directional screws are mainly adjusted. When the directional screws are tightened or loosened, the bottom of the adjustment screw 6 moves along the long directional groove 202, thereby raising or lowering the pressure plate 3, thereby adjusting the pitch of the forearm structure. The adjustment screws 6 located in the auxiliary blind holes 203 are then fine-tuned accordingly to level the robot forearm. Finally, all the first screws 7 and the second screws 8 are tightened to achieve a fixed connection. This ensures the horizontal accuracy of the wafer during the robot transfer process when the robot is in operation. It should be noted that since the three adjustment screws 6 are generally fine-tuned during the leveling process, they will not affect the assembly of the first screw 7 and the second screw 8.

[0043] Preferably, six first screws 7 and six second screws 8 are respectively provided, and accordingly, six first screw holes and six second screw holes are respectively provided, and six first through holes 101 and six second through holes 301 are respectively provided; the six first screw holes are distributed circumferentially on the upper surface of the adjustment plate 2, and the six second screw holes are distributed circumferentially on the lower surface of the adjustment plate 2, and the six first screw holes and the six second screw holes are arranged one by one and coaxially.

[0044] More preferably, six column holes 206 are vertically opened on the adjustment plate 2, and the connecting column 4 is installed in the column hole 206. The first screw hole is opened at the upper end of the connecting column 4, that is, the first screw hole is opened from the top surface of the connecting column 4; the second screw hole is opened at the lower end of the connecting column 4, that is, the second screw hole is opened from the bottom end of the connecting column 4.

[0045] When assembling the first screw 7 and the second screw 8 after leveling:

[0046] Install the first screw 7 from under the base plate 1, and the screw portion of the first screw 7 passes upward through the first through hole 101 and is threadedly connected to the second screw hole of the corresponding connecting column 4. When the six first screws 7 are assembled in sequence, the connection and fixation between the base plate 1 and the adjustment plate 2 are achieved; install the second screw 8 from above the pressure plate 3, and the screw portion of the second screw 8 passes downward through the second through hole 301 and is threadedly connected to the first screw hole of the corresponding connecting column 4. When the six second screws 8 are assembled in sequence, the connection and fixation between the adjustment plate 2 and the pressure plate 3 are achieved.

[0047] In this embodiment, in order to provide a buffer between the forearm and the middle arm during the leveling process, a plurality of elastic members are arranged between the base plate 1 and the adjustment plate 2, and a plurality of slots for installing the elastic members are provided on the upper surface of the base plate 1 and / or the lower surface of the adjustment plate 2.

[0048] Preferably, a plurality of slots for installing the elastic member are respectively provided on the upper surface of the base plate 1 and the lower surface of the adjustment plate 2. The slots provided on the upper surface of the base plate 1 are lower slots 102, and the slots provided on the lower surface of the adjustment plate 2 are lower slots 102. The upper slots and the lower slots 102 can be square holes or round holes. Preferably, the upper slots and the lower slots 102 are both set as round holes, but their depths can be different. The elastic member is preferably a spring 5, the upper part of the spring 5 is installed in the upper slot, and the lower part of the spring 5 is installed in the lower slot 102. During the leveling process, the spring 5 plays a buffering role when adjusting the pitch of the forearm. In this embodiment, the number of springs 5 is designed to be 18, of which three are in a group, a total of six groups, arranged in sequence, such as Figure 2 shown.

[0049] Note: The first and second screw holes on the connecting column 4 may or may not be connected. When connected, the first and second screw holes communicate. The first and second screws 7 and 8 can be made of the same type to facilitate unified procurement, assembly, and fabrication of the first and second screw holes on the connecting column 4. Bolts can also be used to replace the first and second screws 7 and 8. The adjustment plate 2 may also be provided with a pin hole 205 for receiving a positioning pin.

[0050] The base plate 1 is provided with a plurality of first connection holes 103 for connecting to the middle arm. When connected to the middle arm, bolts can be assembled through the first connection holes 103 to achieve bolt connection. The adjustment plate 2 is provided with a plurality of second connection holes 204 for connecting to the forearm. When connected to the forearm, bolts can be assembled through the second connection holes 204 to achieve bolt connection.

[0051] Example 2

[0052] This embodiment provides a wafer transfer robot, which includes a forearm, a middle arm and the leveling mechanism described in Example 1. The leveling mechanism is arranged at the junction of the forearm and the middle arm, and the base plate 1 is connected to the middle arm, and the adjustment plate 2 is connected to the forearm.

[0053] Specifically, the base plate 1 and the middle arm can be detachably connected via bolts, and the adjustment plate 2 and the forearm can be detachably connected via bolts. The base plate 1 has multiple first connection holes 103 for connecting to the middle arm. When connected to the middle arm, the first connection holes 103 can be used to assemble bolts to achieve a bolt connection. The adjustment plate 2 has multiple second connection holes 204 for connecting to the forearm. When connected to the forearm, the second connection holes 204 can be used to assemble bolts to achieve a bolt connection.

[0054] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0055] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that although some embodiments herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not others, combinations of features from different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the present invention and to form different embodiments. For example, in the claims above, any of the claimed embodiments may be used in any combination. The information disclosed in this background section is intended solely to enhance understanding of the overall background of the present invention and should not be construed as an admission or any form of implication that such information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art.

[0056] While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, and that the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0057] The foregoing description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and variations of the present invention are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are intended to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A leveling mechanism for the junction of the forearm and middle arm of a wafer transfer robot, characterized in that: It comprises a base plate (1), an adjustment plate (2), and a pressure plate (3) which are arranged in sequence from bottom to top; The bottom plate (1) and the adjustment plate (2) are connected via a plurality of first screws (7), and the bottom plate (1) is provided with first through holes (101) for inserting the first screws (7); The pressing plate (3) is connected to the adjusting plate (2) via a plurality of second screws (8), and a second through hole (301) for inserting the second screw (8) is provided on the pressing plate (3); The adjustment plate (2) is provided with a plurality of column holes (206) extending vertically therethrough. A connecting column (4) is installed in the column hole (206). The upper end of the connecting column (4) is provided with a first screw hole for connecting with a second screw (8); the lower end of the connecting column (4) is provided with a second screw hole for connecting with a first screw (7); the first screw hole and the second screw hole are in one-to-one correspondence and are coaxially arranged. A plurality of elastic members are provided between the base plate (1) and the adjustment plate (2), and a plurality of slots for mounting the elastic members are provided on the upper surface of the base plate (1) and / or the lower surface of the adjustment plate (2); The pressure plate (3) is further provided with three circumferentially distributed top screw mounting holes (302), each of which is provided with an adjusting top screw (6), and the upper surface of the adjusting plate (2) is provided with a conical centering hole (201), a long directional groove (202) and an auxiliary blind hole (203), respectively. The bottoms of the three adjusting top screws (6) are respectively located in the conical centering hole (201), the long directional groove (202) and the auxiliary blind hole (203).

2. The leveling mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper surface of the base plate (1) and the lower surface of the adjustment plate (2) are both provided with a plurality of slots, the upper portion of the elastic member is located in the slots on the adjustment plate (2), and the lower portion of the elastic member is located in the slots on the base plate (1).

3. The leveling mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic member is a spring (5).

4. The leveling mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first screw hole is communicated with the second screw hole.

5. The leveling mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom plate (1) is provided with a plurality of first connection holes (103) for connecting the middle arms.

6. The leveling mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adjustment plate (2) is provided with a plurality of second connection holes (204) for connecting to the forearm.

7. A wafer transfer robot, characterized in that: It comprises a forearm, a middle arm and a leveling mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the leveling mechanism is arranged at the junction of the forearm and the middle arm, the bottom plate (1) is connected to the middle arm, and the adjustment plate (2) is connected to the forearm.

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