A catheter state maintaining device, atmospheric manipulator and catheter routing method

Abstract

The present invention discloses a catheter state maintaining device, an atmospheric manipulator and a catheter routing method, wherein the catheter state maintaining device comprises: a flexible substrate, comprising a holding portion and a hollow portion, wherein the hollow portion is provided with a catheter through hole along the extension direction of the flexible substrate, wherein the catheter through hole is used for the pipeline to pass through, and the holding portion is arranged on the side of the hollow portion along the extension direction of the flexible substrate; a transmission guide assembly, comprising a rotation anchor point and a plurality of rotating members, wherein the rotating members can rotate around their own axis, wherein the plurality of rotating members surround the rotation anchor point and form a transmission space, and the flexible substrate is arranged around the rotation anchor point and is located in the transmission space. By adopting the above scheme, the probability of catheter wear and gas leakage can be reduced while satisfying the gas delivery of the atmospheric manipulator, thereby ensuring the stable supply of gas and electricity, and thus improving the stability of the atmospheric manipulator during the grasping process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor wafer pick-and-place equipment, and in particular to a catheter state maintaining device, an atmospheric manipulator and a catheter routing method. Background Art

[0002] Atmospheric manipulators are a type of automation equipment widely used in the fields of semiconductor production equipment, liquid crystal production equipment, etc. They are mainly used to transport silicon wafers or LED sapphire substrates under normal pressure. Atmospheric manipulators have high cleanliness, high stability and high precision to adapt to high-demand production environments. Its working principle usually involves using a negative pressure suction cup to pick up the wafer, that is, using the suction cup principle to adsorb the semiconductor wafer onto a quartz or ceramic finger, and the duct loop used for power and gas supply is one of the core structures to achieve the grasping function.

[0003] At present, atmospheric manipulators mainly achieve gas conduction and electrical conduction by arranging conduits. Existing conduit systems usually include open or partially closed air tubes, some of which are distributed outside the manipulator. In order to build an effective air conduction circuit, a special air tube wheel is often designed, and a guide groove is opened on the arm shell of the manipulator. Although this design meets the needs of gas transmission, it also has some significant defects. First, when the axis of the manipulator rotates, the air tube exposed to the outside is prone to friction. Friction can cause wear of the air tube and may even cause damage to the pipe, resulting in internal gas leakage and failure to supply air to the suction cup, thereby affecting the stability of the grasping function.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a catheter state maintaining device, an atmospheric manipulator and a catheter routing method to solve the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a catheter state maintaining device, an atmospheric manipulator and a catheter routing method, which can reduce the probability of catheter wear and gas leakage while meeting the gas transportation of the atmospheric manipulator, ensure the stable supply of gas and electricity, and thus improve the stability of the atmospheric manipulator during the grasping process.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a catheter state maintaining device, which is applied to a robotic arm, and has pipelines arranged inside the catheter state maintaining device, wherein the pipelines have a margin to adapt to the switching of the extended or retracted state of the robotic arm, and include:

[0008] The flexible substrate comprises a holding portion and a hollow portion, wherein the hollow portion is provided with a conduit through hole along the extension direction of the flexible substrate, the conduit through hole is used for the pipeline to pass through, and the holding portion is arranged on the side of the hollow portion along the extension direction of the flexible substrate;

[0009] A transmission guide assembly, comprising a rotation anchor point and a plurality of rotation members, wherein the rotation members can rotate around their own axes, the plurality of rotation members surround the rotation anchor point and form a transmission space, and the flexible substrate is arranged around the rotation anchor point and is located in the transmission space;

[0010] Among them, the flexible substrate abuts against each of the rotating parts. When the robotic arm makes the flexible substrate move adaptively during extension or retraction, it drives the rotating parts to rotate around their own axes, and converts the friction between the flexible substrate and the rotating parts into torque that causes the rotating parts to rotate around their own axes.

[0011] The beneficial effect of a catheter state holding device provided by the present invention is that the catheter state holding device reduces the direct contact between the catheter and external objects through the design of the flexible substrate and the transmission guide assembly. In particular, through the protection of the flexible substrate and the rotation coordination of multiple rotating parts, the catheter can slide smoothly when the manipulator moves, avoiding the wear caused by friction. Specifically, when the flexible substrate moves, the rotating part will rotate with the movement of the substrate. Since the rotation of the rotating part itself replaces the sliding friction between the catheter and the fixed surface, the static friction between the catheter and the external object is reduced, thereby significantly reducing the friction loss. And by arranging multiple rotating parts around the rotation anchor point, a transmission space is formed, in which the flexible substrate contacts multiple rotating parts. This design disperses the friction contact points of the catheter to multiple small rotating parts, and the friction force of each contact point is small, further reducing the overall friction loss. And the flexible substrate can be deformed within a certain range, easing the contact between the catheter and the transmission part, thereby reducing the impact force during friction. In addition, by arranging the catheter through hole in the flexible substrate, the holding part provides a more stable support for the catheter, avoiding the catheter from being directly exposed to the external environment. This structural design effectively reduces the risk of catheter wear, thereby reducing the probability of gas leakage and ensuring the stability of gas supply during the grasping process.

[0012] Furthermore, the rotation anchor point includes a column and a first bearing, the first bearing is sleeved on the column, and the flexible base is rollingly connected to the first bearing.

[0013] Furthermore, a limiting column is arranged along the radial direction of the column, and the limiting column is provided with a first limiting ring and a second limiting ring along the axial direction, a rolling space is formed between the first limiting ring and the second limiting ring, a second bearing is slidably connected between the first limiting ring and the second limiting ring, and the flexible base is located in the rolling space and is rollingly connected to the second bearing.

[0014] Furthermore, the conduit through hole includes an air path through hole for the air pipe to pass through and a circuit through hole for the cable to pass through, and the retaining portion includes a first flexible column and a second flexible column, and the first flexible column and the second flexible column are respectively wrapped and arranged on both sides of the hollow portion.

[0015] Furthermore, the flexible substrate is provided with protrusions along the extension direction, the protrusions are located on both sides of the retaining portion, and the protrusions are rollingly connected to the rotating member.

[0016] In a second aspect, the present invention further provides an atmospheric manipulator, comprising the above-mentioned catheter state maintaining device, comprising:

[0017] A driving assembly, the driving assembly is used to drive the output end of the atmospheric manipulator to move in multiple degrees of freedom;

[0018] A manipulator arm connected to the driving assembly, the driving assembly is used to drive the manipulator arm to rotate in a horizontal direction; and / or the driving assembly is used to drive the manipulator arm to rise and fall in a vertical direction;

[0019] A manipulator forearm is connected to the driving assembly, the driving assembly is used to drive the manipulator forearm to rotate in a horizontal direction, and the manipulator arm is hinged to the manipulator forearm;

[0020] An end effector, arranged on the robot arm, and used for taking and placing wafers;

[0021] The catheter state maintaining device is arranged at the joint of the atmospheric manipulator.

[0022] The beneficial effect of the atmospheric manipulator provided by the present invention is that the catheter state holding device of the atmospheric manipulator enables the catheter to be effectively isolated from external objects when the manipulator moves, avoiding friction caused by direct contact. It is ensured that the durability of the catheter system is greatly improved when the manipulator works for a long time. During the long-term operation of the equipment, the catheter maintains smooth sliding, avoiding frequent maintenance caused by wear, thereby extending the service life of the manipulator. In addition, the atmospheric manipulator relies on gas supply to drive its end effector to clamp and release the wafer, and the catheter state holding device ensures a continuous and stable supply of gas by effectively fixing and protecting the catheter. The reasonable design of the catheter through hole prevents the distortion, deformation or leakage of the catheter, effectively reduces the fluctuation in the gas supply, and ensures the high-precision grasping action of the manipulator. Regardless of whether the manipulator arm and the forearm are rotating or lifting, the catheter can effectively adapt to the movement of the manipulator through the rotation of the transmission member, and the operation of the manipulator will not be affected by the obstruction of the catheter. In addition, the catheter state holding device is designed to be built into the forearm of the manipulator, which makes the overall design of the manipulator more compact, reduces the occupied space of the equipment, and avoids the direct exposure of the catheter to the external environment.

[0023] Furthermore, the driving component includes a lifter, a driver and a controller, the output ends of the lifter and the driver are connected to the robot arm, the lifter, the driver and the controller are electrically connected, the driver and the controller are used to control the lifter to drive the robot arm to rise and fall in the height direction, and the controller is used to control the driver to drive the robot arm to rotate in the horizontal direction.

[0024] Furthermore, the manipulator arm includes an arm body, an arm drive motor, an arm drive pulley, an arm transmission pulley and an arm reducer, the driving end of the arm drive motor is connected to the arm drive pulley, the arm drive pulley is connected to the arm transmission pulley through a synchronous belt, the arm transmission pulley is connected to the input end of the arm reducer, and the output end of the arm reducer is connected to the arm body.

[0025] Further, the manipulator forearm includes a forearm body, a forearm drive motor, a forearm drive pulley, a forearm transmission pulley 1, a forearm reducer, a forearm transmission pulley 2, a forearm transmission pulley 3 and a connecting tube, the driving end of the forearm drive motor is connected to the forearm drive pulley, the forearm drive pulley is connected to the forearm transmission pulley 1 through a synchronous belt, the forearm transmission pulley 1 is connected to the input end of the forearm reducer, the output end of the forearm reducer is connected to the forearm transmission pulley 2, the forearm transmission pulley 2 is connected to the forearm transmission pulley 3 through a synchronous belt, and the transmission pulley 3 is connected to the forearm through a connecting tube.

[0026] Further, it also includes a first end effector and a second end effector, the second end effector is hinged to the manipulator forearm, and the first end effector is hinged to the first end effector; the first end effector includes a first motor, a first reducer, a first pulley and a first transmission pulley, the first motor is located in the connecting tube, and the driving end of the first motor is connected to the first reducer, the driving end of the first motor increases the torque through the first reducer and then extends into the forearm body and is connected to the first pulley, and the first driving pulley is connected to the first driving pulley through a synchronous belt; the second end effector includes a second motor, a second reducer, a second driving pulley and a second driving pulley, the second motor is located in the connecting tube, and the second motor is connected to the second reducer, the driving end of the second motor increases the torque through the second reducer and then extends into the forearm body and is connected to the second driving pulley, the second driving pulley is connected to the second driving pulley through a synchronous belt, the second driving pulley is partially penetrated by the first driving pulley, and is connected to the first driving pulley through a bearing; the first motor and the second motor are arranged in parallel front and back.

[0027] Furthermore, a catheter channel is opened at the end joint of the forearm body, the first transmission pulley and the second transmission pulley are coaxially arranged and both have pipelines opened along the axial direction, and the catheter channel and the pipeline are used for the catheter to pass through.

[0028] In a third aspect, the present invention further includes a catheter routing method, using the catheter state maintaining device, the method comprising:

[0029] conveying the input end of the pipeline into the conduit through hole of the hollow portion;

[0030] Providing a transition plate, placing the pipeline on the transition plate, and leaving a rotation margin for the pipeline between the transition plate and the catheter state maintaining device;

[0031] The flexible substrate is wound around and sequentially passes through a plurality of the rotating members and the rotating anchor points before passing out.

[0032] The beneficial effect of a catheter routing method provided by the present invention is that by placing the gas pipeline and the circuit pipeline before the catheter state maintaining device and winding them on the transition plate, sufficient rotation margin is left to ensure that the pipeline will not be tightened or twisted in different degrees of freedom of movement of the manipulator, such as rotation, lifting, etc. The design of the rotation margin can effectively prevent the pipeline from being damaged due to excessive force during the operation of the manipulator, thereby improving the durability of the equipment. In addition, through the catheter through-holes set in the catheter state maintaining device, the gas pipeline and the circuit pipeline are reasonably arranged to keep them stable during the transmission process and not be affected by external interference. In particular, the gas pipeline is a key link in the air supply of the suction cup. The optimized design of the routing method ensures the continuity of the gas supply, thereby improving the grasping accuracy and operation stability of the manipulator.

[0033] Furthermore, an atmospheric manipulator is provided, wherein the atmospheric manipulator is provided with a conduit channel and a pipeline, wherein the pipeline includes an air pipeline and a circuit pipeline, and the pipeline is transported to the manipulator forearm through the manipulator arm, wherein the circuit pipeline is divided into multiple branches, and the multiple circuit pipelines are electrically connected to the manipulator arm and the manipulator forearm respectively to supply power to them;

[0034] The end effector comprises a first end effector and a second end effector, a diversion point is provided at the connection between the manipulator arm and the end effector, and the pipelines are divided into a first group and a second group at the diversion point;

[0035] Each group of pipelines includes an air pipeline and an electric circuit pipeline, and the first group of pipelines passes through the catheter channel and the pipelines to supply power and air to the first end effector;

[0036] The second group of pipelines pass through the transition plate and supply power and gas to the first end effector after passing through the catheter state maintaining device.

[0037] A solenoid valve, a pressure gauge and a filter are provided, wherein a branch pipeline of the gas circuit is connected to the solenoid valve, the pressure gauge and the filter through which the gas flows and then is led out into the manipulator arm. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a catheter state maintaining device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a catheter state maintaining device according to embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a catheter state maintaining device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 4 is a schematic top view of a column in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of the limiting column in the embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the atmospheric manipulator in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 7 It is a structural schematic diagram of a lifter in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the catheter channel and pipeline in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of pipeline diversion in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Fig.10 It is a schematic diagram comparing the driving state of the present invention with that of the prior art.

[0048] Reference numerals: 1, flexible substrate; 11, holding portion; 111, first flexible column; 112, second flexible column; 113, hollow tube; 114, protrusion; 12, hollow portion; 121, catheter through hole;

[0049] 2. Transmission guide assembly; 21. Rotation anchor point; 211. Column; 212. First bearing; 22. Rotating member; 23. Limiting column; 231. First limiting ring; 232. Second limiting ring; 233. Second bearing;

[0050] 3. Driving assembly; 31. Lifter; 311. Lifting motor; 312. Driving wheel; 313. Driven wheel; 314. Fixed end; 315. Nut; 316. Lifting bearing; 32. Driver; 33. Controller;

[0051] 4. Robot arm; 41. Arm body; 42. Arm drive motor; 43. Arm drive pulley; 44. Arm transmission pulley; 45. Arm reducer;

[0052] 5. Manipulator arm; 51. Arm body; 511. Catheter channel; 52. Arm drive motor; 53. Arm drive pulley; 54. Arm drive pulley 1; 55. Arm reducer; 56. Arm drive pulley 2; 57. Arm drive pulley 3; 58. Connecting tube;

[0053] 6. End effector; 61. First end effector; 611. First motor; 612. First reducer; 613. First pulley; 614. First drive pulley; 6141. Pipeline; 62. Second end effector; 621. Second motor; 622. Second reducer; 623. Second drive pulley; 624. Second drive pulley;

[0054] 7. Outer cover; 8. Slider; 9. Slide rail; 91. Drag chain; 92. Lifting frame; 93. Transition plate; 94. Diversion point; 95. First group; 96. Second group. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Unless otherwise defined, the technical terms or scientific terms used herein should be understood by people with general skills in the field to which the present invention belongs. "Including" and similar words used in this article mean that the elements or objects appearing before the word include the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects.

[0056] The present invention is applicable to the semiconductor wafer handling equipment industry, for example, the atmospheric manipulator in the embodiment of the present invention is used to grab and transfer wafers, and is widely used in the integrated circuit manufacturing industry. During the transmission of wafers between devices, the manipulator needs to move in the horizontal plane to determine the coordinate points of the loading and unloading positions of the wafers. After the loading and unloading position coordinate points are determined, the manipulator needs to move in the vertical direction to lift the wafer from the processing equipment, i.e., wafer unloading, or place the wafer on the positioning device of the processing equipment, i.e., wafer loading.

[0057] The specific implementation modes of the present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0058] A catheter state maintaining device in the present invention is applied to a robotic arm, wherein pipelines are arranged inside the catheter state maintaining device, and the pipelines have a margin to adapt to the switching of the robotic arm's extended or retracted state, and specifically comprises a flexible substrate 1 and a transmission guide assembly 2.

[0059] Reference Figure 1 The flexible substrate 1 includes a holding portion 11 and a hollow portion 12. The hollow portion 12 is provided with a conduit through hole 121 along the extension direction of the flexible substrate 1. The conduit through hole 121 is used for passing a pipeline. The holding portion 11 is arranged on the side of the hollow portion 12 along the extension direction of the flexible substrate 1. The conduit through hole 121 includes an air path through hole for passing an air pipe and a circuit through hole for passing a cable.

[0060] Reference Figure 1In some embodiments of the present invention, the holding portion 11 includes a first flexible column 111 and a second flexible column 112, and the first flexible column 111 and the second flexible column 112 are solid columns and are respectively wrapped and arranged on both sides of the hollow portion 12. The solid first flexible column 111 and the second flexible column 112 have better toughness and can well maintain the ability of the catheter in the catheter through hole 121 to resist bending.

[0061] Reference Figure 2 In some embodiments of the present invention, the retaining portion 11 includes a first flexible empty tube and a second flexible empty tube, and the first flexible empty tube and the second flexible empty tube are respectively wrapped and arranged on both sides of the hollow portion 12, that is, the flexible base 1 is composed of multiple hollow tubes 113 stacked together.

[0062] Reference Figure 3 In other embodiments of the present invention, the flexible substrate 1 is provided with protrusions 114 along the extension direction, the protrusions 114 are located on both sides of the holding portion 11, and the protrusions 114 are rollingly connected with the rotating member 22. Specifically, the cross section of the flexible substrate 1 is I-shaped, and the width of the holding portion 11 is greater than the width of the hollow portion 12, thereby better protecting the through hole in the catheter through hole 121 from bending.

[0063] Reference Figure 1 The transmission guide assembly 2 has a rotation anchor point 21 and a plurality of rotating members 22. The rotating members 22 can rotate around their own axis. The plurality of rotating members 22 surround the rotation anchor point 21 and form a transmission space. The flexible substrate 1 is arranged on the side of the rotation anchor point 21 and is located in the transmission space; wherein the flexible substrate 1 abuts against each rotating member 22, and when the flexible substrate 1 moves, the rotating member 22 is driven to rotate around its own axis. The friction between the flexible substrate 1 and the rotating member 22 is converted into a torque for the rotating member 22 to rotate around its own axis. Specifically, since the rotation of the rotating member 22 replaces the sliding friction between the catheter and the fixed surface, the static friction between the catheter and the external object is reduced, thereby significantly reducing the friction loss. A transmission space is formed by arranging the plurality of rotating members 22 around the rotation anchor point 21, in which the flexible substrate 1 contacts the plurality of rotating members 22. This design disperses the friction contact points of the catheter to a plurality of small rotating members 22, and the friction force of each contact point is small, further reducing the overall friction loss.

[0064] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 4In other embodiments of the present invention, the rotation anchor 21 includes a column 211 and a first bearing 212, the first bearing 212 is sleeved on the column 211, and the flexible substrate 1 is rollingly connected with the first bearing 212. The first bearing 212 is selected from one or more of a ball bearing, a rolling bearing, a spherical bearing, a sliding bearing, etc., and the column 211 is made of a wear-resistant material. The first bearing 212 is provided to support the flexible substrate 1, reduce the friction coefficient during its movement, and ensure its rotation accuracy. The rotating member 22 can be attached to the flexible substrate 1 and rotated, and the rotating member 22 adopts a pulley, and the flexible substrate 1 is sleeved on the pulley.

[0065] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 In some other embodiments of the present invention, a limiting column 23 is provided at one end of the column 211, and the limiting column 23 is arranged perpendicular to the column 211. The limiting column 23 is provided with a first limiting ring 231 and a second limiting ring 232 along the axial direction, and a rolling space is formed between the first limiting ring 231 and the second limiting ring 232. A second bearing 233 is slidably connected between the first limiting ring 231 and the second limiting ring 232, and the flexible base 1 is located in the rolling space and rollingly connected to the second bearing 233.

[0066] Second, refer to Figure 6 The present invention also provides an atmospheric manipulator, including the above-mentioned catheter state maintaining device, and also includes a driving component 3, a manipulator arm 4, a manipulator arm 5 and an end effector 6.

[0067] Reference Figure 6 The driving assembly 3 is used to drive the output end of the atmospheric manipulator to move with multiple degrees of freedom. The manipulator arm 4 is connected to the driving assembly 3, and the manipulator arm 5 is connected to the driving assembly 3. The manipulator arm 4 is hinged with the manipulator arm 5. The driving assembly 3 includes a lifter 31, a driver 32 and a controller 33. The output ends of the lifter 31 and the driver 32 are connected to the manipulator arm 4. The lifter 31, the driver 32 and the controller 33 are electrically connected. The driver 32 and the controller 33 are used to control the lifter 31 to drive the manipulator arm 4 to rise and fall in the height direction. The controller 33 is used to control the driver 32 to drive the arm manipulator to rotate in the horizontal direction. The end effector 6 is arranged on the manipulator arm 5. The end effector 6 is used to clamp or release the wafer. The catheter state maintaining device is arranged in the manipulator arm 5.

[0068] Reference Figure 7In some embodiments of the present invention, the lifter 31 includes a lifting motor 311, a driving wheel 312, a driven wheel 313, a fixed end 314, a screw rod, a nut 315 and a lifting bearing 316; the driving end of the lifting motor 311 is coaxially arranged with the driving wheel 312 and rotates synchronously, and the driving wheel 312 is connected to the driven wheel 313 through a synchronous belt. The upper and lower ends of the screw rod are supported by the fixed end 314 and the lifting bearing 316, and the nut 315 is threadedly connected to the screw rod and can be lifted and lowered along the height direction of the screw rod. Preferably, it also includes a slide rail 9 and a slider 8, the slider 8 is fixedly connected to the outside, the slide rail 9 is connected to the drive assembly 3, the slide rail 9 can slide relative to the slider 8, and the slide rail 9 can be used to limit the lifting trajectory of the manipulator arm 4 to improve stability. During the lifting process, the driving end of the lifting motor 311 drives the driving wheel 312 to rotate, and the driving wheel 312 drives the driven wheel 313 to rotate through the synchronous belt. The driven wheel 313 drives the screw rod to rotate, and the nut 315 is lifted and lowered along the height direction of the screw rod, thereby driving the lifting frame 92 to lift and lower. At the same time, the lifting frame 92 drives the slide rail 9 to slide up and down along the inner wall of the slider 8, thereby realizing the lifting and lowering of the manipulator arm 4 along the height direction.

[0069] In some other embodiments of the present invention, an outer cover 7 is further included which is raised and lowered along with the lifter 31 to prevent the internal parts of the body from being exposed after the body is raised, thereby isolating the internal and external environments and preventing the external environment from interfering with the internal environment.

[0070] By setting a catheter state maintaining device inside the atmospheric manipulator, the catheter can maintain smooth sliding during long-term operation when the manipulator moves, avoiding frequent maintenance caused by wear, thereby extending the service life of the manipulator. In addition, the atmospheric manipulator relies on gas supply to drive its end effector 6 to clamp and release the wafer, and the catheter state maintaining device ensures a continuous and stable supply of gas by effectively fixing and protecting the catheter. The reasonable design of the catheter through hole 121 prevents the distortion, deformation or leakage of the catheter, effectively reduces the fluctuation in the gas supply, and ensures the high-precision grasping action of the manipulator. Regardless of whether the manipulator arm 4 and the forearm are rotating or lifting, the catheter can effectively adapt to the movement of the manipulator through the rotation of the transmission member, and the operation of the manipulator will not be affected by the obstruction of the catheter. In addition, the catheter state maintaining device is designed to be built into the forearm of the manipulator, which makes the overall design of the manipulator more compact, reduces the space occupied by the equipment, and avoids the catheter from being directly exposed to the external environment.

[0071] In other embodiments of the present invention, the manipulator arm 4 includes an arm body 41, an arm drive motor 42, an arm drive pulley 43, an arm transmission pulley 44 and an arm reducer 45. The driving end of the arm drive motor 42 is connected to the arm drive pulley 43, the arm drive pulley 43 is connected to the arm transmission pulley 44 through a synchronous belt, the arm transmission pulley 44 is connected to the input end of the arm reducer, and the output end of the arm reducer is connected to the arm body 41. Specifically, the arm drive motor 42 drives the arm drive pulley 43 to rotate through the driving end, the arm drive pulley 43 drives the arm transmission pulley 44 to rotate through the synchronous belt, and after the output torque is increased by the reducer, the torque is transmitted to the arm body 41 to drive the arm body 41 to rotate.

[0072] In other embodiments of the present invention, the manipulator arm 5 includes an arm body 51, an arm drive motor 52, an arm drive pulley 53, an arm drive pulley 1 54, an arm reducer 55, an arm drive pulley 2 56, an arm drive pulley 3 57 and a connecting tube 58. The driving end of the arm drive motor 52 is connected to the arm drive pulley 53, the arm drive pulley 53 is connected to the arm drive pulley 1 54 through a synchronous belt, the arm drive pulley 1 54 is connected to the input end of the arm reducer 55, the output end of the arm reducer 55 is connected to the arm drive pulley 2 56, the arm drive pulley 2 56 is connected to the arm drive pulley 3 57 through a synchronous belt, and the drive pulley 3 is connected to the arm body 51 through a connecting tube 58.

[0073] Specifically, the driving end of the forearm driving motor 52 drives the forearm driving pulley 53 to rotate, the forearm driving pulley 53 drives the forearm transmission pulley 1 54 to rotate through the synchronous belt, the forearm transmission pulley 1 54 drives the input end of the forearm reducer 55 to rotate, after the forearm reducer 55 decelerates and increases the output torque, the output end of the forearm reducer 55 drives the forearm transmission pulley 2 56 to rotate, the forearm transmission pulley 2 56 drives the forearm transmission pulley 3 57 to rotate through the synchronous belt, and the forearm transmission pulley 3 57 drives the forearm to rotate through the connecting tube 58.

[0074] In some embodiments of the present invention, a first end effector 61 and a second end effector 62 are further included, wherein the second end effector 62 is hinged to the manipulator arm 5, and the first end effector 61 is hinged to the first end effector 61; the first end effector 61 includes a first motor 611, a first reducer 612, a first driving pulley and a first transmission pulley 614, the first motor 611 is located in the connecting tube 58, and the driving end of the first motor 611 is connected to the first reducer 612, the driving end of the first motor 611 increases the torque through the first reducer 612, and then extends into the arm body 51 and is connected to the first pulley 613, and the first driving pulley is connected to the first transmission pulley through a synchronous belt 614 is connected; the second end effector 62 includes a second motor 621, a second reducer 622, a second drive pulley 623 and a second transmission pulley 624, the second motor is located in the connecting tube 58, and the second motor 621 is connected to the second reducer 622, the driving end of the second motor 621 increases the torque through the second reducer 622 and then extends into the forearm body 51 and is connected to the second drive pulley 623, the second drive pulley 623 is connected to the second transmission pulley 624 through a synchronous belt, the second transmission pulley 624 is partially penetrated by the first transmission pulley 614, and is connected to the first transmission pulley 614 through a bearing; the first motor 611 and the second motor 621 are arranged in parallel front and back.

[0075] Specifically, the first motor 611 is connected to the first reducer 612, the motor shaft of the first motor 611 is directly sleeved in the connection hole of the first reducer 612, the output end of the first reducer 612 drives the first pulley 613 to rotate, the first pulley 613 drives the first transmission pulley 614 to rotate through the synchronous belt, and the first transmission pulley 614 drives the upper end effector to rotate. The second motor 621 is connected to the second reducer 622, the motor shaft of the second motor 621 is directly sleeved in the connection hole of the second reducer 622, the output end of the second reducer 622 drives the second drive pulley 623 to rotate, the second drive pulley 623 drives the second transmission pulley 624 to rotate through the synchronous belt, and the second transmission pulley 624 drives the second end effector 62 to rotate. The first motor 611 and the second motor 621 are arranged in parallel in the connecting cylinder 58 along the vertical direction, the first drive pulley and the second drive pulley 623 are located at different heights, compared with the conventional manipulator in which the motor is installed in the arm body 41, the present application can be transmitted through the transmission mode of the multi-stage transmission structure. The arrangement and driving method of the present application reduces the transmission levels and improves the accuracy.

[0076] Reference Fig.10 It should be noted that in the present invention, the manipulator upper arm 4 is hinged to the manipulator lower arm 5 , the second end effector 62 is hinged to the manipulator lower arm 5 , and the first end effector 61 is hinged to the first end effector 61 . Fig.1010-1 of the present application is a robot that can flexibly change the angle of any joint through multi-level articulation in the EFEM environment, so that the angle of wafer placement is always kept perpendicular to the opening direction of the workstation to prevent interference, with higher flexibility and space saving, and each joint can operate independently. Fig.10 10-2 in the prior art is that since there is only one drive for the telescopic movement, it can only move in a single direction, while the other joints rotate synchronously, which easily leads to the angle of the wafer being placed and taken not being perpendicular to the opening direction of the station, and easily interfering with the side of the station; Fig.10 10-3 in the prior art, Fig.10 A horizontal translation axis is added to the 10-2 in order to achieve the wafer loading and unloading direction perpendicular to the opening direction of the workstation, which increases costs and occupies space while reducing work efficiency.

[0077] Reference Figure 8 In other embodiments of the present invention, a catheter channel 511 is opened at the end joint of the forearm body 51, the first transmission pulley 614 and the second transmission pulley 624 are coaxially arranged and both have a pipeline 6141 opened along the axial direction, and the catheter channel 511 and the pipeline 6141 are used for the catheter to pass through.

[0078] An embodiment of the present invention provides a catheter routing method, using the catheter state maintaining device described above, and the specific method includes the following steps:

[0079] Reference Fig. 9 A transition plate 93 is provided, which is wound half a circle on the transition plate 93 before the gas line and the circuit line pass through the catheter state holding device to leave a set rotation margin. Specifically, a slide post or a pulley is provided on the transition plate 93, and the flexible substrate 1 is wound half a circle on the slide post or the pulley, and the slide post or the pulley is in sliding contact with the flexible substrate 1.

[0080] The input ends of the gas pipeline and the circuit pipeline are transported to the manipulator arm 4 , and a climbing drag chain 91 and a lifting frame 92 are provided. The gas pipeline and the circuit pipeline are transported to the lifting frame 92 through the climbing drag chain 91 .

[0081] The gas pipeline and the circuit pipeline are conveyed into the conduit through hole 121 of the hollow part 12, and the flexible substrate 1 is wound and sequentially passes through a plurality of rotating members 22 and the rotating anchor point 21 before passing out. In some embodiments of the present invention, the rotating member 22 uses four pulleys, which extend into the end effector after passing through the pulleys at the four corners and wrapping around the column 211.

[0082] In other embodiments of the present invention, the above-mentioned atmospheric manipulator is provided, and the atmospheric manipulator is provided with duct channels and pipelines, the pipelines including air pipelines and circuit pipelines, the pipelines are transported to the manipulator forearm through the manipulator upper arm, wherein the circuit pipeline is divided into multiple branches, and the multiple circuit pipelines are respectively electrically connected to the manipulator upper arm and the manipulator forearm to supply power to them; specifically, they are electrically connected to the upper arm drive motor and the forearm drive motor.

[0083] The end effector 6 includes a first end effector 61 and a second end effector 62. A diversion point 94 is provided at the connection between the manipulator arm 5 and the end effector 6. The pipeline is divided into a first group 95 and a second group 96 at the diversion point 94.

[0084] Each set of pipelines includes an air pipeline and an electric circuit pipeline. The first set of pipelines 95 passes through the catheter channel 511 and the pipeline 6141 to supply power and air to the first end effector 61; specifically, the first motor 611 and the built-in mapping sensor and amplifier of the first end effector 61 are powered, and the suction cup end of the first end effector 61 is supplied with air;

[0085] The pipelines of the second group 96 pass through the transition plate 93 and supply power and air to the first end effector 61 after passing through the catheter state maintaining device. Specifically, they supply power to the second motor 621 and the built-in Mapping sensor and amplifier of the second end effector 62, and supply air to the suction cup end of the second end effector 62.

[0086] A solenoid valve, a pressure gauge and a filter are provided, wherein a branch pipeline of the gas circuit is connected to the solenoid valve, the pressure gauge and the filter through which the gas flows and then is led out into the manipulator arm 5.

[0087] The wiring method of the present invention divides the pipelines into groups, and shunts the power supply and gas supply pipelines of the first end effector 61 and the second end effector 62 to avoid pipeline interference when the two perform rotational motion. In addition, the gas pipeline and the circuit pipeline are wound on the transition plate 93 before the catheter state holding device, leaving enough rotation margin to avoid the flexible substrate 1 from breaking when suddenly tensioned. Through the catheter through hole 121 set in the catheter state holding device, the gas pipeline and the circuit pipeline are reasonably arranged to keep them stable during the transmission process and not be disturbed by the outside.

[0088] In summary, the first aspect of the present invention solves the problem that the catheter is easily damaged by friction and bending when the manipulator moves by combining the flexible substrate 1 with the transmission guide component 2. The catheter state maintaining device reduces the friction and wear of the catheter by setting the catheter through hole 121 in the flexible substrate 1 and utilizing the rolling contact of the transmission member, thereby extending the service life of the equipment and avoiding air leakage in the air path to ensure the high precision and stability of the manipulator when taking and placing wafers. The second aspect realizes multi-degree-of-freedom motion control by providing an atmospheric manipulator, and the end effector 6 performs gas-driven operation through the air pipeline and the circuit pipeline. The multi-stage transmission design not only improves the flexibility of the equipment, but also ensures that each joint can operate independently, thereby avoiding interference. The catheter channel 511 and the pipeline 6141 are designed for the catheter to pass between the first transmission pulley 614 and the second transmission pulley 624, thereby improving the space utilization and operational flexibility of the equipment. On the third aspect, a method for routing the conduit is provided, and the conduits are reasonably arranged and fixed through transition plates and climbing drag chains 91 to avoid damage to the conduits due to tension or twisting, and to provide stable air and power supply support for various components of the manipulator.

[0089] Although the embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to these embodiments. However, it should be understood that such modifications and variations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention as described in the claims. Moreover, the present invention described herein may have other embodiments and may be implemented or realized in a variety of ways.

Claims

1. A catheter state maintaining device, applied to a robotic arm, wherein pipelines are arranged inside the device, and the pipelines have a margin to adapt to the switching of the extended or retracted state of the robotic arm, characterized in that: include: The flexible substrate comprises a holding portion and a hollow portion, wherein the hollow portion is provided with a conduit through hole along the extension direction of the flexible substrate, the conduit through hole is used for the pipeline to pass through, and the holding portion is arranged on the side of the hollow portion along the extension direction of the flexible substrate; The transmission guide assembly comprises a rotation anchor point and a plurality of rotating members, wherein the rotating members can rotate around their own axes, the plurality of rotating members surround the rotation anchor point and form an annular transmission space, and the flexible substrate is arranged around the rotation anchor point and is located in the transmission space; Among them, the flexible substrate abuts against each of the rotating parts. When the robotic arm makes the flexible substrate move adaptively during extension or retraction, it drives the rotating parts to rotate around their own axes, and converts the friction between the flexible substrate and the rotating parts into torque for the rotating parts to rotate around their own axes; when the robotic arm is extended to the extreme position, the flexible substrate abuts against the rotation anchor point and one of the rotating parts; when the robotic arm is retracted to the extreme position, the flexible substrate turns away from the rotation anchor point and abuts against the rotating part.

2. The catheter state maintaining device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotation anchor point includes a column and a first bearing, the first bearing is sleeved on the column, and the flexible base is rollingly connected to the first bearing.

3. The catheter state maintaining device according to claim 2, characterized in that: A limiting column is arranged along the radial direction of the column, and the limiting column is provided with a first limiting ring and a second limiting ring along the axial direction, a rolling space is formed between the first limiting ring and the second limiting ring, a second bearing is slidably connected between the first limiting ring and the second limiting ring, and the flexible base is located in the rolling space and is rollingly connected to the second bearing.

4. The catheter state maintaining device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conduit through hole includes an air path through hole for the air pipe to pass through and a circuit through hole for the cable to pass through. The retaining portion includes a first flexible column and a second flexible column, and the first flexible column and the second flexible column are respectively wrapped and arranged on both sides of the hollow portion.

5. The catheter state maintaining device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible substrate is provided with protrusions along the extension direction, the protrusions are located at both sides of the retaining portion, and the protrusions are rollingly connected with the rotating member.

6. An atmospheric manipulator, comprising a catheter state maintaining device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: include: A driving assembly, the driving assembly is used to drive the output end of the atmospheric manipulator to move in multiple degrees of freedom; A manipulator arm connected to the driving assembly, the driving assembly is used to drive the manipulator arm to rotate in a horizontal direction; and / or the driving assembly is used to drive the manipulator arm to rise and fall in a vertical direction; A manipulator forearm is connected to the driving assembly, the driving assembly is used to drive the manipulator forearm to rotate in a horizontal direction, and the manipulator arm is hinged to the manipulator forearm; An end effector, arranged on the robot arm, and used for taking and placing wafers; The catheter state maintaining device is arranged at the joint of the atmospheric manipulator.

7. The atmospheric manipulator according to claim 6, characterized in that: The driving assembly includes a lifter, a driver and a controller. The output ends of the lifter and the driver are connected to the robot arm. The lifter and the driver are electrically connected to the controller. The controller is used to control the lifter to drive the robot arm to rise and fall in the height direction. The controller is used to control the driver to drive the robot arm to rotate in the horizontal direction.

8. The atmospheric manipulator according to claim 6, characterized in that: The robot arm includes an arm body, an arm drive motor, an arm drive pulley, an arm transmission pulley and an arm reducer. The driving end of the arm drive motor is connected to the arm drive pulley, the arm drive pulley is connected to the arm transmission pulley through a synchronous belt, the arm transmission pulley is connected to the input end of the arm reducer, and the output end of the arm reducer is connected to the arm body.

9. The atmospheric manipulator according to claim 8, characterized in that: The manipulator forearm includes a forearm body, a forearm drive motor, a forearm drive pulley, a forearm transmission pulley 1, a forearm reducer, a forearm transmission pulley 2, a forearm transmission pulley 3 and a connecting tube, the driving end of the forearm drive motor is connected to the forearm drive pulley, the forearm drive pulley is connected to the forearm transmission pulley 1 through a synchronous belt, the forearm transmission pulley 1 is connected to the input end of the forearm reducer, the output end of the forearm reducer is connected to the forearm transmission pulley 2, the forearm transmission pulley 2 is connected to the forearm transmission pulley 3 through a synchronous belt, and the transmission pulley 3 is connected to the forearm body through a connecting tube.

10. The atmospheric manipulator according to claim 9, characterized in that: It also includes a first end effector and a second end effector, the second end effector is hinged to the forearm of the manipulator, and the second end effector is hinged to the first end effector; the first end effector includes a first motor, a first reducer, a first pulley and a first transmission pulley, the first motor is located in the connecting tube, and the driving end of the first motor is connected to the first reducer, the driving end of the first motor increases the torque through the first reducer and then extends into the forearm body and is connected to the first pulley, and the first pulley is connected to the first transmission pulley through a synchronous belt; the second end effector includes a second motor, a second reducer, a second drive pulley and a second transmission pulley, the second motor is located in the connecting tube, and the second motor is connected to the second reducer, the driving end of the second motor increases the torque through the second reducer and then extends into the forearm body and is connected to the second drive pulley, the second drive pulley is connected to the second drive pulley through a synchronous belt, the second drive pulley is partially penetrated by the first drive pulley, and is connected to the first drive pulley through a bearing; the first motor and the second motor are arranged in parallel front and back.

11. The atmospheric manipulator according to claim 10, characterized in that: A catheter channel is provided at the end joint of the forearm body, the first transmission pulley and the second transmission pulley are coaxially arranged and both have pipelines provided along the axial direction, and the catheter channel and the pipeline are used for the catheter to pass through.

12. A catheter routing method, using the catheter state maintaining device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The method comprises: conveying the input end of the pipeline into the conduit through hole of the hollow portion; Providing a transition plate, placing the pipeline on the transition plate, and leaving a rotation margin for the pipeline between the transition plate and the catheter state maintaining device; The flexible substrate is wound around and sequentially passes through a plurality of the rotating members and the rotating anchor points before passing out.

13. The catheter routing method according to claim 12, characterized in that: Also includes: Provided is an atmospheric manipulator according to any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein the atmospheric manipulator is provided with a conduit channel and a pipeline, wherein the pipeline includes a gas pipeline and a circuit pipeline, and the pipeline is transported through the manipulator arm to the manipulator arm, wherein the circuit pipeline is divided into multiple branches, and the multiple circuit pipelines are electrically connected to the manipulator arm and the manipulator arm respectively to supply power to them; The end effector comprises a first end effector and a second end effector, a diversion point is provided at the connection between the manipulator arm and the end effector, and the pipelines are divided into a first group and a second group at the diversion point; Each group of pipelines includes an air pipeline and an electric circuit pipeline, and the first group of pipelines passes through the catheter channel and the pipelines to supply power and air to the first end effector; The second group of pipelines pass through the transition plate and supply power and gas to the first end effector after passing through the catheter state maintaining device; A solenoid valve, a pressure gauge and a filter are provided, wherein a branch pipeline of the gas circuit is connected to the solenoid valve, the pressure gauge and the filter through which the gas flows and then is led out into the manipulator arm.

Images