Power supply component, wafer handling device and circuit routing method

By using rotating gas-electric slip rings and electric swing joints in the wafer handling device, the power supply line is converted into a rotary power supply method, which solves the problem of limited winding and rotation angle of the power supply line, and realizes the infinite rotation adaptation action of the end effector, and improves the handling efficiency.

CN119170540BActive Publication Date: 2025-08-22ZHONGKEXIN MICRO INTELLIGENT EQUIP (SHENYANG) CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411201172.5
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-08-29
Publication Date
2025-08-22
Estimated Expiration
2044-08-29

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In the prior art, the power supply lines of the wafer handling device are prone to wrap around, the rotation angle of the end effector is limited, and the circuit cannot adapt to the action with the infinite rotation of each end effector.

Method used

The rotating gas-electric slip ring and electric swing joint are used to convert the power supply line into a rotating power supply method. The transmission components make the circuit adapt to the infinite rotation of the end effector, and the electric slip ring structure is used to maintain electrical connections to avoid wire entanglement.

Benefits of technology

The power supply line is not wound during the rotation of the end effector, ensuring that the circuit can adapt to the infinite rotation of each end effector, improving the wafer handling efficiency.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The present invention discloses a power supply assembly, a wafer handling device, and a circuit routing method, which relates to the field of semiconductor technology and includes a main supply structure and a transmission assembly. The transmission assembly includes at least two groups of power supply lines and a transmission part. One end of the power supply line is electrically connected to the main supply structure, and the other end is electrically connected to the transmission part. The transmission part is used to connect the electrical components on the end effector. The transmission part includes at least two groups of circuits. The power supply assembly is used to supply power to the electrical components on the end effector, and the wafer handling device is used to enable the end effector to rotate infinitely. At least the technical problems that the rotation angle of the end effector is limited and the power supply line is entangled can be solved.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor integrated circuit technology, and in particular to a power supply component, a wafer handling device, and a circuit routing method. Background Art

[0002] Atmospheric manipulators are important components for transferring wafers between devices during wafer production and manufacturing. They are used to grasp and transfer wafers and are widely used in the integrated circuit manufacturing industry.

[0003] In the prior art, the electrical components on the end effector in the robot are activated by controlling the circuit, wherein sensors detect the operation of each component during the wafer clamping process. Therefore, during the rotation of the end effector, the circuit will become entangled. Especially in the case where there are multiple end effectors, the rotation angle of the end effector is limited during the rotation process, which will consume more time during the transportation process.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new power supply assembly, wafer handling device and circuit routing method to solve the above problems existing in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a power supply assembly, a wafer handling device, and a circuit routing method for powering electrical components on an end effector in a wafer handling device, which can at least solve the following technical problems:

[0006] 1. The power supply assembly at least solves the technical problem of easy entanglement between gas supply lines in the existing technology;

[0007] 2. The wafer handling device at least solves the problem of entanglement of power supply lines and limited rotation angle of the end effector in the existing technology;

[0008] 3. The circuit axis method at least solves the technical problem in the prior art that when the end effector rotates, each set of circuits cannot adapt to the infinite rotation of each end effector.

[0009] To achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0010] In a first aspect, the present invention discloses a power supply assembly for use with a wafer handling device, wherein the wafer handling device includes at least two end effectors capable of relative rotation, and each end effector can continuously rotate infinitely in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The power supply assembly includes:

[0011] A main supply structure and a transmission assembly, wherein the transmission assembly includes at least two sets of power supply lines and a transmission part, wherein one end of the power supply line is electrically connected to the main supply structure and the other end is electrically connected to the transmission part, and the transmission part includes at least two sets of circuits;

[0012] In which, the electricity of the main supply structure is transmitted to the transmission part through the power supply line, and the transmission part supplies power to the electrical components in at least two end effectors respectively. The transmission part converts the fixed power supply mode of the power supply line into a rotating power supply mode. Each group of circuits in the transmission part can rotate relative to each other, so that each group of circuits can adapt to the infinite rotation of each end effector.

[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, the power supply line passes through the transmission part to power the electrical components on the end effector. The transmission part can convert the fixed power supply mode of the power supply line into a rotating power supply mode, so that the circuit can adapt to the movement with the wireless rotation of the end effector. During this process, the line will not be entangled.

[0014] Optionally, an electrical output connector for outputting electrical signals is provided on the main supply structure, and the power supply line is connected to the electrical output connector of the main supply structure.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, the main supply structure is a rotating gas-electric slip ring, which can transmit gas and electrical signals simultaneously, making it easy to control the electrical components or gas-consuming components on the end effector.

[0016] Optionally, the transmission component includes:

[0017] The spindle is hollow, and the power supply line is passed through the spindle;

[0018] a first driving member, coaxial with the spindle member and rotatably disposed on the outer wall of the spindle member;

[0019] a second driving member, coaxial with the first driving member and rotatably disposed on an outer wall of the first driving member;

[0020] An electric slip ring structure, comprising a slip ring portion and a slip ring seat, wherein the slip ring portion is fixedly disposed on the first driving member, the slip ring seat is fixedly disposed on the second driving member, and the slip ring portion and the slip ring seat are electrically connected;

[0021] In the working state, the first driving member and the second driving member are both connected to the end effector, wherein one group of power supply lines passes through the spindle member and is electrically connected to the end effector fixed to the first driving member; the other group of power supply lines passes through the spindle member and is electrically connected to the slip ring part, and is electrically connected to the end effector fixed to the second driving member through the slip ring seat.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution, the slip ring seat in the electric slip ring structure can rotate on the slip ring part, and during the rotation process, the slip ring part and the slip ring seat can maintain electrical connection. During actual use, the slip ring part is electrically connected to the power supply line, and the slip ring seat is electrically connected to the end effector, so that the power supply line and the end effector are electrically connected, which facilitates the control of the electrical components on the end effector. At the same time, during the rotation of the end effector, the power supply line will not be entangled.

[0023] Optionally, an electric rotary joint is provided inside the spindle member, the electric rotary joint comprises a stator end and a rotor end, and the stator end is fixedly provided inside the spindle member;

[0024] In the working state, the two groups of power supply lines are electrically connected to the stator end, and the electrical signal passes through the stator end and is output from the rotor end, so that the electrical signal is transmitted to the electrical components in the end effector.

[0025] By adopting the above technical solution, since the electric rotary joint includes a stator end and a rotor end, after the power supply line is connected, the rotor end can rotate. At the same time, the line is electrically connected to the electrical components on the two end effectors through the rotor end. During the rotation of the two end effectors, the power supply line will not be entangled.

[0026] In a second aspect, the present invention discloses a wafer handling device, comprising at least a main support body, two end effectors capable of relative rotation, a first arm, a second arm, and a power supply assembly;

[0027] The main supply structure is fixedly arranged inside the main support body, the transmission component is arranged at the wrist joint of the first arm, and the end effector is connected to the transmission component; the power supply line is connected to the transmission component through the main support body, the second arm and the first arm, and the transmission component is electrically connected to the electrical components of the end effector.

[0028] By adopting the above technical solution, the power supply line is connected to the transmission component after passing through the main support body, and is thereby electrically connected to the electrical components on the end effector, making it easier to control the end effector to clamp the wafer.

[0029] Optionally, the end effector includes an upper end effector and a lower end effector; the upper end effector is fixedly arranged on the first driving member, and the power supply line is electrically connected to the electrical components of the upper end effector; the lower end effector is fixedly arranged on the second driving member, and the power supply line is electrically connected to the electrical components of the lower end effector through the electric slip ring structure.

[0030] By adopting the above technical solution, one power supply line is directly electrically connected to the electrical components on the upper end effector, and the other power supply line is electrically connected to the electrical components on the lower end effector after passing through the electric slip ring structure. The electrical components on the upper end effector and the electrical components on the lower end effector can be independently controlled, thereby facilitating the wafer handling process.

[0031] Optionally, the drive assembly includes at least two direct drive motors, one of which is connected to the first drive member for driving the first drive member to rotate; and the other direct drive motor is connected to the second drive member for driving the second drive member to rotate.

[0032] By adopting the above technical solution, the two direct drive motors respectively drive the first drive member and the second drive member to rotate, thereby driving the upper end effector and the lower end effector to rotate, facilitating the wafer handling process.

[0033] Optionally, it also includes an air supply component, which includes at least an air supply pipeline, a first air channel opened on the central shaft, and a second air channel opened on the first driving member; the gas enters the air-consuming element of the end effector after passing through the air supply pipeline, the first air channel, and the second air channel.

[0034] By adopting the above technical solution, the gas passes through the gas supply pipeline, the first gas channel, and the second gas channel and enters the gas-consuming element of the end effector. The gas-consuming element is activated to clamp the wafer, which facilitates the transportation of the wafer.

[0035] In a third aspect, the present invention discloses a circuit routing method, comprising the following steps:

[0036] The electrical signal is transmitted to the main supply structure and transmitted to the power supply line via the main supply structure;

[0037] The electrical signal in the power supply circuit is transferred to the transmission part, and then transferred to the electrical components on each end effector after being switched and split by the transmission part.

[0038] By adopting the above technical solution, the electrical components on the end effector can be powered while the end effector is rotating, and the power supply lines will not be entangled, which facilitates the power supply process.

[0039] Optionally, at least two groups of power supply lines are provided, wherein one power supply line is directly electrically connected to the electrical components on the upper end effector, and the other power supply line is electrically connected to the electrical components on the lower end effector via an electric slip ring structure.

[0040] By adopting the above technical solution, the two power supply lines respectively power the electrical components on the upper end effector and the electrical components on the lower end effector. During the rotation of the upper end effector and the lower end effector, the power supply lines will not be entangled.

[0041] The beneficial effects of the power supply assembly, wafer handling device, and circuit routing method provided by the present invention include at least:

[0042] 1. The slip ring seat in the electric slip ring structure can rotate on the slip ring part, and during the rotation process, the slip ring part and the slip ring seat can maintain electrical connection. In actual use, the slip ring part is electrically connected to the power supply line, and the slip ring seat is electrically connected to the end effector, thereby electrically connecting the power supply line and the end effector, facilitating the control of the electrical components on the end effector. At the same time, during the rotation of the end effector, the power supply line will not be entangled;

[0043] 2. The electric rotary joint includes a stator end and a rotor end. After the power supply lines are connected, the rotor end can rotate. One power supply line is electrically connected to the electric slip ring structure, and thus electrically connected to the electrical components on the end effector. The other power supply line is directly electrically connected to the electrical components on the end effector. During the rotation of the two end effectors, the power supply lines will not be entangled. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the power supply line routing and transmission unit installation position according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 2 A top view of the installation position of the electric slip ring structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the transmission unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the gas supply pipeline routing position and transmission unit installation position according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the positions of the gas-consuming components and the clamping block according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of the first connecting member structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of the second connecting member structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 8 This is an axonometric view of a wafer handling device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram of the driving and transmission parts of the wafer handling device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 10 A top view of the drive assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention (a diagram showing the positional arrangement of the direct drive motor);

[0054] Figure 11 A partial cross-sectional view of the specific structure of the actuator rotation unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 12 Schematic diagram of the lifting principle of the wafer handling device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] Reference numerals:

[0057] 100, main support body; 110, first arm; 120, end effector; 121, upper end effector; 122, lower end effector; 130, actuator rotation unit; 131, first rotating cylinder; 132, second rotating cylinder; 133, first bearing; 134, driving member; 135, second bearing; 140, first transmission member; 150, direct drive motor; 160, second transmission member; 170, shoulder pulley; 180, Third transmission member; 190, driver; 200, second arm; 210, wire opening; 300, support housing; 310, lift motor; 320, lead screw; 330, lift seat; 340, slide rail; 350, nut; 360, slide block; 400, main supply structure; 401, compressed air outlet; 402, compressed air inlet; 403, electrical input connector; 404, electrical output connector; 410, transmission assembly; 411 , air supply line; 412, power supply line; 500, transmission part; 501, spindle member; 5011, first boss; 502, first driving member; 5021, second boss; 503, first air channel; 504, second air channel; 505, third air channel; 506, fourth air channel; 507, fifth air channel; 510, first connecting member; 511, first annular groove; 512, second annular groove; 513, connecting hole; 520, output part ; 521, second driving member; 522, second connecting member; 523, third ring groove; 524, fourth ring groove; 525, connecting hole; 530, first starting member; 540, second starting member; 550, gas-consuming element; 551, slide plate; 552, clamping block; 553, stopper; 600, electric slip ring structure; 610, slip ring part; 620, slip ring seat; 700, electric rotary joint; 710, stator end; 720, rotor end. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] 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 making 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 the common meanings understood by people with ordinary skills in the field to which the invention belongs. The words "including" and similar words used in this article mean that the elements or objects appearing before the word cover the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects.

[0059] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0060] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a power supply assembly for use in a wafer handling device, wherein the wafer handling device includes at least two end effectors 120 that can rotate relative to each other, and each end effector 120 can continuously rotate infinitely in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. In this embodiment, each end effector 120 can continuously rotate 360°, 720°, 1440° or other angles infinitely in any direction, which is described in detail below; on this basis, refer to Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3 The power supply assembly includes a main supply structure 400 and a transmission assembly 410. The transmission assembly 410 includes at least two sets of power supply lines 412 and a transmission part 500. One end of the power supply line 412 is electrically connected to the main supply structure 400, and the other end is electrically connected to the transmission part 500. The power supply line 412 is electrically connected to the main supply structure 400, and the other end is electrically connected to the transmission part 500. The power supply line 412 is electrically connected to the electrical components on the end effector 120 through the transmission part 500. In the working state, the electrical signal of the main supply structure 400 is transmitted to the transmission part 500 through the power supply line 412, and the electrical components in at least two end effectors 120 are respectively powered by the transmission part 500, thereby controlling the start-up of the electrical components on the end effector 120. 500 converts the fixed power supply mode of the power supply line 412 into a rotating power supply mode, and each group of circuits in the transmission part can rotate relative to each other, so that each group of circuits can adapt to the infinite rotation of each end effector 120; in this embodiment, the main supply structure 400 is a rotating air-electric slip ring, and an electric output connector 404 is fixedly provided on the rotating air-electric slip ring. The power supply line 412 is electrically connected to the electric output connector 404 of the main supply structure 400. During the actual power supply process, the electrical signal passes through the main supply structure 400 and the electric output connector 404 and is transmitted to the power supply line 412, which facilitates the transmission of electrical signals during the wafer transportation process.

[0061] During the transmission of the electrical signal, it is necessary to ensure that the power supply line 412 does not get tangled during the rotation of the end effector 120. Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3 The transmission part 500 at least includes a spindle 501, which is hollow and has a power supply line 412 passing through the spindle 501. An electric rotary joint 700 is provided inside the spindle 501, and the power supply line 412 is electrically connected to the electric rotary joint 700. The electric rotary joint 700 includes a stator end 710 and a rotor end 720. The stator end 710 is fixedly arranged inside the spindle 501, and the fixing method can be bonding, interference fit or other methods of connecting the two. In this embodiment, the stator end 710 is interference fit with the inner wall of the spindle 501, and the rotor end 720 is electrically connected to the electrical components on the end effector 120. During the rotation of the end effector 120, the position of the stator end 710 does not change. 20 is rotatably connected to the stator end 710, and both sets of circuits are electrically connected to the stator end 710, that is, both power supply lines 412 are electrically connected to the stator end 710. After the electrical signal enters the stator end 710 of the electric rotary joint 700, the rotor end 720 outputs the electrical signal. When the power supply line 412 passes through the spindle 501, a portion of the power supply line 412 is electrically connected to the stator end 710, and the other portion of the power supply line 412 is electrically connected to the rotor end 720. The power supply line 412 electrically connected to the rotor end 720 is electrically connected to the electrical components on the end effector 120. The electric rotary joint 700 prevents the power supply line 412 from twisting during rotation. When there are multiple power supply lines 412, the multiple power supply lines 412 will not be entangled.

[0062] When the multiple end effectors 120 rotate, each set of circuits needs to adapt to the infinite rotation of each end effector 120. Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3The transmission part 500 also includes a first driving member 502, which is coaxially arranged with the spindle member 501 and rotatably arranged on the outer wall of the spindle member 501. During use, one of the end effectors 120 is fixedly arranged on the side wall of the first driving member 502, and the fixing method can be integrally formed or fixed with bolts. In this embodiment, the connection method of the two being fixed with bolts is adopted. The first driving member 502 rotates to drive the end effector 120 to rotate. At this time, one of the power supply lines 412 is electrically connected to the end effector 120; the outer wall of the first driving member 502 is rotatably provided with a second driving member 521, and the second driving member 521 is connected to the end effector 120. The first driving member 502 is coaxially arranged. During use, the other end effector 120 is fixedly arranged on the side wall of the second driving member 521. In this embodiment, the two are connected by bolts. The rotation of the second driving member 521 drives the end effector 120 to rotate. The transmission part 500 also includes an electric slip ring structure 600. The electric slip ring structure 600 includes a slip ring part 610 and a slip ring seat 620. The slip ring part 610 is annular and fixedly arranged on the side wall of the first driving member 502. The slip ring part 610 is coaxially arranged with the first driving member 502. The slip ring seat 620 is fixedly arranged on the second driving member 521 by bolts. The seat 620 is electrically connected to the slip ring portion 610. The slip ring seat 620 is provided with an annular structure formed by a circuit, and the annular structure is sleeved on the slip ring portion 610. During the relative rotation between the slip ring seat 620 and the slip ring portion 610, the annular structure formed by the circuit on the slip ring seat 620 is always in contact with the side wall of the slip ring portion 610 and maintains electrical connection. In the working state, the first driving member 502 and the second driving member 521 are both fixedly connected to the end effector 120, one of which passes through the spindle member 501 and is directly electrically connected to the end effector 120 fixedly set with the first driving member 502; the other power supply line 412 passes through the spindle member After 501, it is first electrically connected to the slip ring part 610 and connected to the connector on the slip ring part 610. The slip ring seat 620 is electrically connected to the electrical components on the end effector 120 fixedly provided on the second driving member 521, thereby electrically connecting the power supply line 412 to the electrical components on the end effector 120 fixed on the second driving member 521. With such a configuration, during the operation of the two end effectors 120, the power supply lines 412 will not be entangled, and the rotation angle of the end effector 120 will not be restricted. At the same time, under the action of the electric slip ring structure 600, each group of circuits adapts to the infinite rotation of each end effector 120.

[0063] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further discloses a wafer transport device, referring to Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3The wafer handling device includes at least a main support body 100, at least two end effectors 120, a first arm 110, a second arm 200 and a power supply assembly, wherein the two end effectors 120 can rotate relative to each other and continuously rotate infinitely in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction; the main supply structure 400 is fixedly arranged inside the main support body 100, the transmission part 500 is arranged on the main support body 100, and the second arm 200 is also fixedly arranged on the main support body 100, the first arm 100 is rotatably arranged at the elbow rotation center of the second arm 200, and the two end effectors 120 are rotatably arranged at the wrist rotation center of the first arm 100, and the transmission part 500 is also arranged at the wrist rotation center of the first arm 100, that is, the transmission part 500 is arranged on the main support body 100; at the same time, the power supply line 412 passes through the main support body 100, the second arm 200 in sequence. The second arm 200 and the first arm 100 are electrically connected to the transmission part 500, and the two end effectors 120 are fixedly arranged on the first driving member 502 and the second driving member 521 respectively. The power supply line 412 in the transmission part 500 is electrically connected to the electrical components on the end effector 120; at the same time, the main support body 100 is provided with an electric input connector A5 and an electric input connector B5, and the electric input connector A5 and the electric input connector B5 are both electrically connected to the main supply structure 400. During use, the electric input connector A5 and the electric input connector B5 are powered by an external power supply device, and the electrical signal enters the power supply line 412 after passing through the main supply structure 400. The main supply structure 400 is provided with an electrical input connector 403, and the electrical input connector A5 and the electrical input connector B5 are connected to the electrical input connector 403, so that the electrical signal enters the main supply structure 400;

[0064] The electrical components on the end effector 120 are fixedly provided with at least a first sensor, a cylinder sensor, a filter, a solenoid valve, and a speed regulating valve. In this embodiment, the electrical components are fixed by bolts. The first sensor is a through-beam sensor used to detect whether the wafer is protruding or overlapping. The cylinder sensor is used to detect and read the position of the cylinder extension and retraction. The filter is used to filter the gas discharged by the cylinder to prevent contamination of the wafer. The solenoid valve is used to control the on-off of the air channel in the pneumatic circuit or change the flow direction of the compressed air. The speed regulating valve is used to adjust the operating speed of the cylinder.

[0065] The end effector 120 includes an upper end effector 121 and a lower end effector 122. The upper end effector 121 is fixedly arranged on the side wall of the first driving member 502. The power supply line 412 passes through the transmission part 500 and is electrically connected to the electrical components on the upper end effector 121. The lower end effector 122 is fixedly arranged on the side wall of the second driving member 521. The power supply line 412 is electrically connected to the electrical components on the lower end effector 122 through the electric slip ring structure 600, so that the power supply lines 412 will not be entangled during the rotation of the upper end effector 121 and the lower end effector 122.

[0066] The wafer handling device also includes an air supply component, see Figure 4 and Figure 5 The air supply assembly also includes a main supply structure 400 and a transmission assembly 410. In addition to the power supply line 412 and the transmission part 500, the transmission assembly 410 also includes an air supply pipeline 411. The two ends of the air supply pipeline 411 are respectively connected to the main supply structure 400 and the transmission part 500. The transmission part 500 includes at least two groups of air paths, which are respectively connected to the air-consuming elements 550 on the two end effectors 120 for supplying air to the air-consuming elements 550 on the two end effectors 120. The gas from the main supply structure 400 is transmitted to the transmission unit 500 through the gas supply pipeline 411 and enters the two sets of gas circuits. The transmission unit 500 supplies gas to the gas-consuming components 550 in at least two end effectors 120 through the two sets of gas circuits. The transmission unit 500 converts the fixed gas supply mode of the gas supply pipeline 411 into a rotating gas supply mode. In addition, each set of gas circuits in the transmission unit 500 can rotate relative to each other, so that each set of gas circuits can adapt to the infinite rotation of each end effector 120.

[0067] The gas-consuming element 550 may be a cylinder, or a vacuum suction cup, a Bernoulli gas disc, or other element. In this embodiment, the gas-consuming element 550 is a cylinder, and the transmission part 500 is connected to the gas-consuming element 550 of the end effector 120. The main supply structure 400 is used to provide gas, and the gas enters the transmission part 500 through the gas supply line 411, and then the gas is transported to the gas-consuming element 550 of the end effector 120 by the transmission part 500. In this embodiment, the main supply structure 400 is a rotating gas-electric slip ring, which has a compressed air inlet 402 and a compressed air outlet 401. The gas supply line 411 is connected to the compressed air outlet 401. During use, gas enters the rotating gas-electric slip ring through the compressed air inlet 402 and is transferred to the gas supply line 411 through the compressed air outlet 401, which facilitates the gas supply process. At the same time, the rotating gas-electric slip ring can also transmit electrical signals, which is described in detail below.

[0068] The gas needs to satisfy each set of gas paths as each end effector 120 rotates infinitely to adapt to the action when passing through the transmission part 500. Figure 3 and Figure 4The spindle 501 is used to determine the position of the transmission part 500. The first driving member 502 is rotatably arranged on the outer wall of the spindle 501. The first driving member 502 is cylindrical, and the first driving member 502 and the spindle 501 are coaxially arranged. During operation, the end effector 120 is fixed to the first driving member 502. The fixing method can be clamping, bolt fixing or other fixing methods. In this embodiment, the end effector 120 is fixed to the outer wall of the first driving member 502 by bolt fixing. The first driving member 502 rotates to drive the end effector 120 to rotate. There is at least a first Air channel 503, and multiple air channels can be opened on the main shaft 501. In this embodiment, two air channels are opened on the main shaft 501, namely the first air channel 503 and the third air channel 505; at least a second air channel 504 is opened on the first driving member 502, and multiple air channels can be opened on the first driving member 502. In this embodiment, two air channels are opened on the first driving member 502, namely the second air channel 504 and the fourth air channel 506, wherein the first air channel 503 is connected to the second air channel 504, and the third air channel 505 is connected to the fourth air channel 506. Here, the first air channel 503 and the second air channel 504 are described first.

[0069] During the rotation of the first driving member 502, the first air channel 503 and the second air channel 504 remain connected to ensure that the first air channel 503 and the second air channel 504 can adapt to the infinite rotation of each end effector 120. Figure 3 and Figure 6The first connecting member 510 is provided on the inner wall of the first driving member 502. The first connecting member 510 is cylindrical and coaxial with the first driving member 502. The setting mode can be fixed or detachable. In this embodiment, the first connecting member 510 is fixed on the inner wall of the first driving member 502. At the same time, the inner wall of the first driving member 502 is provided with a first connecting groove for setting the first connecting member 510, so that the inner wall of the first connecting member 510 and the first driving member 502 are connected. The inner walls are all in contact with the outer wall of the spindle 501. Since the first driving member 502 is rotatably set on the spindle 501, the first connecting member 510 is rotatably set on the spindle 501. The inner wall of the first connecting member 510 is provided with a first annular groove 511, and the outer wall is provided with a second annular groove 512. At the same time, the inner wall of the first connecting member 510 is provided with a connecting hole 513, which passes through the side wall of the first connecting member 510 and connects the first annular groove 511 and the second annular groove 512. There are multiple connecting holes 513, and the multiple connecting holes 513 are provided. The connecting holes 513 are evenly distributed around the axis of the first connecting member 510, and the two ends of the connecting holes 513 are respectively connected to the first annular groove 511 and the second annular groove 512. At the same time, the first air channel 503 is connected to the first annular groove 511, and the second air channel 504 is connected to the second annular groove 512. In the working state, the gas in the air supply line 411 is passed into the first air channel 503, and the second air channel 504 is connected to the end effector 120. During the rotation of the first driving member 502, the gas passes through the first air channel 503 in sequence. 3. The first annular groove 511, the connecting hole 513, the second annular groove 512, and the second air duct 504 enter the gas-consuming element 550 of the end effector 120. Since the first annular groove 511 and the second annular groove 512 are annular, the first annular groove 511 always remains connected to the first air duct 503 during the rotation of the first driving member 502, and the air intake process will not be interfered with. At the same time, the first air duct 503 and the second air duct 504 can adapt to the infinite rotation of each end effector 120.

[0070] During the air supply process, it is necessary to supply air to the air-consuming components 550 on the multiple end effectors 120 at the same time. Figure 3 、 Figure 6 and Figure 7A third air channel 505 is provided on the spindle member 501, and a fourth air channel 506 is provided on the first driving member 502. The third air channel 505 and the fourth air channel 506 are communicated with each other through a first connecting member 510. At the same time, an output portion 520 is provided on the outside of the first driving member 502, and the output portion 520 is connected to another end effector 120. The fourth air channel 506 is communicated with the output portion 520. In the working state, the gas in the air supply line 411 enters the third air channel 505. During the rotation of the first driving member 502, the third air channel 505 and the fourth air channel 506 are communicated with each other through the first connecting member 510. After passing through the fourth air channel 506, the gas enters the output portion 520, and then enters the gas-consuming element 550 of the end effector 120 through the output portion 520, so as to facilitate simultaneous operation of multiple gas-consuming elements 550. 0 for air supply, and at the same time, the third air channel 505 is connected with the first annular groove 511, and the fourth air channel 506 is connected with the second annular groove 512, wherein the third air channel 505 and the first air channel 503 can be connected to the same first annular groove 511, and can also be connected to different first annular grooves 511. In this embodiment, the third air channel 505 and the first air channel 503 are connected to different first annular grooves 511, that is, in this embodiment, there are at least two first annular grooves 511 and at least two second annular grooves 512, the first air channel 503 and the third air channel 505 are respectively connected to the two first annular grooves 511, and the second air channel 504 and the fourth air channel 506 are respectively connected to the two second annular grooves 512, so that the processes of supplying air to the air-consuming components 550 of the multiple end effectors 120 are independent and will not be interfered with.

[0071] During the process of supplying air to the gas-consuming element 550 on the end effector 120, it is necessary to make the output portion 520 adaptable to the wireless rotation of the end effector 120. Figure 3 、 Figure 6 and Figure 7The output part 520 includes a coaxially arranged second driving member 521 and a second connecting member 522. The second driving member 521 and the second connecting member 522 are both cylindrically arranged, and the second driving member 521 and the second connecting member 522 are coaxially arranged. The second connecting member 522 is arranged inside the second driving member 521. The second connecting member 522 and the second driving member 521 can be fixed or detachable. In this embodiment, the second connecting member 522 is fixedly arranged on the second driving member 521, and the second connecting member 522 is rotatably arranged on the first driving member 502, so that the second The driving member 521 is rotatably arranged on the outer wall of the first driving member 502, and a fifth air channel 507 is opened on the second driving member 521. One end of the fifth air channel 507 is communicated with the gas-consuming element 550 on the end effector 120, and the other end is communicated with the fourth air channel 506 through the second connecting member 522. The inner wall of the second connecting member 522 is provided with at least a third annular groove 523, and the outer wall is provided with at least a fourth annular groove 524. The number of the third annular groove 523 and the fourth annular groove 524 is determined according to actual conditions. In this embodiment, one third annular groove 523 and one fourth annular groove 524 are both provided, and the The second connecting member 522 is provided with a connecting hole 525, and there are multiple connecting holes 525, and the multiple connecting holes 525 are evenly distributed around the axis of the second connecting member 522. The two ends of the connecting hole 525 are respectively connected to the third annular groove 523 and the fourth annular groove 524. The fourth air channel 506 is connected to the third annular groove 523, and the fifth air channel 507 is connected to the fourth annular groove 524. During the rotation of the second driving member 521, the gas passes through the third air channel 505, the fourth air channel 506, the third annular groove 523, the connecting hole 525, the fourth annular groove 524, and the fifth air channel 507 in sequence to enter the end execution. The gas-consuming element 550 of the device 120, since the third annular groove 523 and the fourth annular groove 524 are annular, the third annular groove 523 always remains connected with the fourth air channel 506 during the rotation of the second driving member 521, and the air intake process will not be interfered with. The two air supply pipes 411 are used to supply air to the first air channel 503 and the third air channel 505 respectively; the two end effectors 120 are respectively fixed on the first driving member 502 and the second driving member 521, that is, in this embodiment, the first driving member 502 and the second driving member 521 are used as the rotating shafts of the two end effectors 120 respectively.

[0072] In order to facilitate the rotation of the first driving member 502 and the second driving member 521, refer to Figure 3 、 Figure 6 and Figure 7The side wall of the spindle 501 is fixedly provided with a first boss 5011 in an integral molding manner, and a first starting member 530 is rotatably provided on the side wall of the first boss 5011. The first starting member 530 is fixedly provided on the first driving member 502. In this embodiment, the first starting member 530 is a synchronous pulley. During operation, the first starting member 530 is driven to rotate by the pulley transmission, thereby driving the first driving member 502 to rotate, which is convenient for driving the end effector 120 to rotate; the outer side wall of the second driving member 521 is fixedly provided with a second boss 5021, and the side wall of the first driving member 502 is rotatably provided with a second starting member 540. The second starting member 540 is fixed to the second driving member 521, so that the second starting member 540 rotates to drive the second driving member 521 to rotate. The fixing method of the second starting member 540 and the second driving member 521 can be clamping, bonding or bolting, etc. In this embodiment, The second starting member 540 is connected to the second driving member 521 by bolts. In this embodiment, the second starting member 540 is a synchronous pulley, which drives the second starting member 540 to rotate by pulley transmission, thereby driving the second driving member 521 to rotate, so as to facilitate the rotation of multiple end effectors 120; such a setting makes the connection between the spindle member 501, the first driving member 502 and the second driving member 521 more stable, enhances the stability of the transmission part 500, and at the same time, the inner walls of the first starting member 530 and the second starting member 540 are provided with bearings to facilitate the rotation process of the first starting member 530 and the second starting member 540; such a setting does not require additional pipelines during the air supply process, and during the rotation of a single or multiple end effectors 120, the air path can adapt to the wireless rotation of the end effector 120, and there is no possibility of entanglement of the air supply pipeline 411.

[0073] During the gas supply process, it is necessary to assemble the gas supply assembly and the wafer handling device, and connect the gas line. Figure 3 、 Figure 4 and Figure 5 , an air intake connector A4 and an air intake connector B4 are provided on the side wall of the main support body 100, and the air intake connector A4 and the air intake connector B4 are respectively connected to the two compressed air inlets 402 of the main supply structure 400, so as to facilitate the entry of external air into the main supply structure 400; the second arm 200 is fixed to the main support body 100 by bolts, the transmission part 500 is provided on the main support body 100, the end effector 120 is provided on the transmission part 500, and the air supply pipeline 411 is connected to the transmission part 500 through the main support body 100. Specifically in this embodiment, the air supply pipeline 411 passes through the main support body 100, the second arm 200, and the first arm 110 in sequence and then communicates with the transmission part 500. Two output connectors are provided on the transmission part 500, and the two output connectors are respectively connected to the gas-consuming elements 550 on the two end effectors 120, so as to facilitate the gas transfer process;

[0074] The gas-consuming element 550 is fixed to the end effector 120 by means of bolts, and a slide 551 is fixedly provided at the end of the gas-consuming element 550. The fixing method here can be clamping or bolting, or other fixing methods that can connect the two. In this embodiment, the slide 551 is bolted to the end of the piston rod of the gas-consuming element 550. A clamping block 552 is slidably provided on the end effector 120. The gas-consuming element 550 is started to drive the slide 551 to move, and the slide 551 drives the clamping block 552 to move toward or away from the wafer to clamp the wafer or separate from the wafer. A stop block 553 is also fixed on the end effector 120, and the stop block 553 is used to engage with the clamping block 552 Cooperate to clamp the wafer. During the clamping process, the stop block 553 and the clamping block 552 both abut against the side wall of the wafer, thereby clamping the wafer; in this embodiment, the end effector 120 includes an upper end effector 121 and a lower end effector 122, the upper end effector 121 is fixedly arranged on the side wall of the first driving member 502, the second air channel 504 is connected to the gas-consuming element 550 on the upper end effector 121 through one of the output connectors, the lower end effector 122 is fixedly arranged on the second driving member 521, and the fifth air channel 507 is connected to the gas-consuming element 550 of the lower end effector 122 through another output connector, so as to supply air to the two end effectors 120 respectively.

[0075] In this embodiment, the power supply line 412 and the gas supply line 411 are both connected to the main supply structure 400. At the same time, the power supply line 412 and the gas supply line 411 pass through the main support body 100, the second arm 200, and the first arm 110 in sequence and are connected to the transmission part 500, and are connected to the elements on the end effector 120 through the transmission part 500. The electrical signal or gas passes through the stationary end of the main supply structure 400 and enters the corresponding power supply line 412 or gas supply line 411 through the rotating end of the main supply structure 400. Since in this embodiment, the main supply structure 400 is a rotating gas-electric slip ring, the electrical signal or gas passes through the stator end and the rotor end of the main supply structure 400 in sequence and enters the corresponding power supply line 412 or gas supply line 411.

[0076] The rotation of the two end effectors 120 requires a specific drive structure. In order to realize the rotation of the two end effectors 120, refer to Figure 8 、 Figure 9 and Figure 10The drive assembly includes a drive integration unit, which includes a plurality of direct drive motors 150. The plurality of direct drive motors 150 are arranged in parallel. The shoulder pulleys 170 are fixedly provided at the rotating shafts of the direct drive motors 150 by means of interference fit, and there is a certain interval between two adjacent shoulder pulleys 170 along their own axial direction, so that the plurality of direct drive motors 150 have multiple transmission level heights; the direct drive motors 150 are used to drive the end effector 120. The plurality of direct drive motors 150 are fixedly provided on the same horizontal plane and are evenly distributed on the same horizontal plane. The direct drive motors 150 There are multiple direct drive motors 150. Specifically in this embodiment, there are three direct drive motors 150, one of the three direct drive motors 150 is used to control the rotation of the first arm 110, and the other two are used to control the rotation of the two end effectors 120 respectively; at the same time, the external covers of the three direct drive motors 150 are provided with a machine cover, which can be selectively connected to the wafer handling device or directly connected to the direct drive motor 150. The machine cover integrates multiple direct drive motors 150 together to form a complete drive integration part. In addition, the machine cover can also protect the direct drive motor 150.

[0077] One of the direct drive motors 150 of the drive integration unit is connected to the first arm 110 and drives the first arm 110 to rotate around the elbow rotation center of the second arm 200. The other direct drive motors 150 respectively drive at least two end effectors 120 to rotate relative to each other at different heights around the wrist rotation center of the first arm 110. This improves the situation in which the end effector rotation angle is limited due to the servo motor drive in the prior art, so that the rotation angle of the end effector 120 will not be restricted. At the same time, the direct drive motors 150 are fixedly arranged on the same horizontal plane and are evenly distributed on the same horizontal plane, so that the transmission process between the three direct drive motors 150 will not be interfered with, which facilitates the wafer handling process. At the same time, the direct drive motors 150 will not overlap longitudinally and occupy less space.

[0078] In some embodiments, the drive shafts of multiple direct-drive motors 150 have multiple transmission level heights in the axial direction, wherein the transmission level height of any one drive end has a height difference from the transmission level heights of the other drive ends. The drive end of each direct-drive motor 150 is synchronously connected to a shoulder pulley 170. Since the drive shafts of the direct-drive motors 150 have multiple transmission level heights in the axial direction, the drive shafts of the direct-drive motors 150 operate at different transmission level heights during the driving process. Different parts, such as bevel gears or shoulder pulleys 170, can be installed on the drive shafts of the direct-drive motors 150 as needed to ensure that the transmission processes between the multiple direct-drive motors 150 are not interfered with.

[0079] Alternatively, the driving end of each direct-drive motor 150 is synchronously connected to a shoulder pulley 170, and the connection method can be a bolt connection or an interference fit. In this embodiment, an interference fit connection method is adopted between the shoulder pulley 170 and the driving end of the direct-drive motor, and the multiple shoulder pulleys 170 have multiple transmission level heights, so that the direct-drive motor 150 can work at different transmission level heights, wherein the transmission level height of any shoulder pulley 170 has a height difference from the transmission level height of other shoulder pulleys 170, ensuring that each shoulder pulley 170 is placed at a different transmission level height and transmits at different transmission level heights; there is a certain interval between two adjacent shoulder pulleys 170 in the vertical direction, and the multiple shoulder pulleys 170 are placed at different heights in the vertical direction, ensuring that the transmission process between the multiple direct-drive motors 150 will not be interfered with;

[0080] Alternatively, the drive shafts of multiple direct-drive motors 150 have multiple transmission level heights in the axial direction, and at the same time, the drive ends of each direct-drive motor 150 are synchronously connected to a shoulder pulley 170, and the multiple shoulder pulleys 170 have multiple transmission level heights, that is, there is a height difference between the transmission level height of any one drive end and the transmission level height of other drive ends; at the same time, there is a height difference between the transmission level height of any one shoulder pulley 170 and the transmission level height of other shoulder pulleys 170, that is, there is a certain interval between two adjacent shoulder pulleys 170 in the vertical direction, and the multiple shoulder pulleys 170 are placed at different heights in the vertical direction to ensure that the transmission process between the multiple direct-drive motors 150 will not be interfered with.

[0081] Specifically in this embodiment, the driving ends of the multiple direct-drive motors 150 have the same transmission level height in the axial direction, that is, the specifications of the multiple direct-drive motors 150 are the same, and the driving end of each direct-drive motor 150 is synchronously connected to the shoulder pulley 170, which can be connected by interference fit or bolts. In this embodiment, the shoulder pulley 170 is fixed to the rotating shaft of the direct-drive motor 150 by interference fit. The multiple shoulder pulleys 170 have multiple transmission level heights in the axial direction, and the transmission level height of any one shoulder pulley 170 has a height difference from the transmission level height of other shoulder pulleys 170. During transmission, the multiple shoulder pulleys 170 transmit at different transmission level heights, so that the transmission process of the multiple direct-drive motors 150 will not be interfered with.

[0082] Among them, the upper end effector 121 and the lower end effector 122 are coaxially arranged, and the shoulder pulley 170 on the direct-drive motor 150 for driving the upper end effector 121 to rotate around the wrist rotation center of the first arm 110 is in the middle position; the shoulder pulley 170 on the direct-drive motor 150 for driving the lower end effector 122 to rotate around the wrist rotation center of the first arm 110 is in the lowest position, and the shoulder pulley 170 on the direct-drive motor 150 for driving the first arm 110 to rotate around the elbow rotation center of the second arm 200 is in the highest position; at the same time, the three direct-drive motors 150 can be arranged in parallel or in a non-parallel manner. In this embodiment, the three direct-drive motors 150 are arranged in a triangular manner; such an arrangement effectively avoids the overlap of transmission levels, and the specific connection method is described below.

[0083] In the process of realizing the drive, it is necessary to install and combine the drive component and the wafer handling device, refer to Figure 8 、 Figure 9 and Figure 11 The main support body 100 mainly plays a supporting role and is used to support the parts set on the main support body 100. The main support body 100 is cylindrical and the interior of the main support body 100 is hollow. The first arm 110 is rotatably set on the main support body 100. Synchronous pulleys are fixed on the rotating shafts of the two end effectors 120, and the synchronous pulleys on the two end effectors 120 are located at different transmission level heights; the end effector 120 is also connected to an actuator rotation unit 130, and the actuator rotation unit 130 is set at the elbow rotation center of the first arm 110 around the second arm 200. The actuator rotation unit 130 is used to drive the end effector 120 to rotate. A first transmission member 140 is provided between the end effector 120 and the actuator rotation unit 130. The two ends of the first transmission member 140 are respectively connected to the rotating shafts of the actuator rotation unit 130 and the end effector 120. The first transmission member 140 mainly plays a transmission role and can be synchronous The bevel gears at both ends of the first transmission member 140 are respectively engaged with the bevel gears on the end effector 120 and the bevel gears on the actuator rotating unit 130, and the end effector 120 is driven to rotate by the bevel gears; in this embodiment, the transmission mode of the first transmission member 140 is a pulley transmission, that is, the first transmission member 140 is a transmission belt. During use, the two ends of the first transmission member 140 are respectively sleeved on the side walls of the synchronous pulleys on the rotating shafts of the actuator rotating unit 130 and the end effector 120. The actuator rotating unit 130 rotates, driving the first transmission member 140 to rotate, thereby driving the end effector 120 to rotate.

[0084] The actuator rotation unit 130 mentioned above is specifically described below with an example. It can be flexibly configured according to actual production requirements to achieve the relative independent rotation of the first rotating cylinder 131 and the second rotating cylinder 132.

[0085] Reference Figure 8 、 Figure 9 and Figure 11 The actuator rotating unit 130 includes at least a first rotating cylinder 131 and a second rotating cylinder 132, wherein the first rotating cylinder 131 and the second rotating cylinder 132 are both cylindrical rotating shafts. In addition, there can be more rotating cylinders inside the actuator rotating unit 130, and the number of rotating cylinders here is the same as the number of the end actuator 120. The first rotating cylinder 131 and the second rotating cylinder 132 are coaxially arranged, and the first rotating cylinder 131 and the second rotating cylinder 132 both have an input end and an output end. At the same time, synchronous pulleys are fixedly provided on the output end and input end of the first rotating cylinder 131 and the second rotating cylinder 132, and a synchronous pulley is fixedly provided on the rotating shaft of the end actuator 120, that is, two ends of one of the first transmission members 140 are respectively sleeved on the synchronous pulley at the output end B1 of the first rotating cylinder 131 and the side wall of the synchronous pulley on the rotating shaft of one of the end actuators 120; two ends of the other first transmission member 140 are respectively sleeved on the output end of the second rotating cylinder 132 The synchronous pulley B2 is connected to the synchronous pulley side wall of the synchronous pulley on the rotating shaft of the other end effector 120. Therefore, the rotation of the first rotating cylinder 131 and the second rotating cylinder 132 can be converted into the rotation of the end effector 120 through the first transmission member 140. In the working state, the output end B1 of the first rotating cylinder 131 is connected to the first transmission member 140, that is, the first transmission member 140 is sleeved on the synchronous pulley of the output end B1 of the first rotating cylinder 131, driving the input end A1 of the first rotating cylinder 131 to rotate, thereby driving the output end B1 of the first rotating cylinder 131 to rotate, so that one of the end effectors 120 rotates; the output end B2 of the second rotating cylinder 132 is connected to the first transmission member 140, that is, one end of the first transmission member 140 is sleeved on the synchronous pulley of the output end B2 of the second rotating cylinder 132, controlling the rotation of the input end A2 of the second rotating cylinder 132, thereby driving the output end B2 of the second rotating cylinder 132 to rotate, so that the other end effector 120 rotates.

[0086] In actual production, the two end effectors 120 may need to rotate relative to each other to carry or transport wafers at different positions. In order to achieve this possibility, refer to Figure 8 、 Figure 9 and Figure 11The first rotating drum 131 and the second rotating drum 132 can be arranged in parallel in the same axial direction, or the first rotating drum 131 can be arranged inside the second rotating drum 132. In this embodiment, the first rotating drum 131 is selected to pass through the inside of the second rotating drum 132, and the outer wall diameter of the first rotating drum 131 is smaller than the inner wall diameter of the second rotating drum 132. At the same time, the output end B1 and the input end A1 of the first rotating drum 131 are both placed outside the second rotating drum 132, that is, the length of the first rotating drum 131 is greater than the length of the second rotating drum 132. This arrangement ensures that the synchronous pulleys on the first rotating drum 131 and the synchronous pulleys on the second rotating drum 132 do not contact each other, and the two have different transmission level heights. When the second rotating cylinder 132 rotates, there will be no interference between the synchronous pulleys on the first rotating cylinder 131 and the second rotating cylinder 132. A first bearing 133 is provided between the first rotating cylinder 131 and the second rotating cylinder 132. One end of the first bearing 133 abuts against the outer wall of the first rotating cylinder 131, and the other end abuts against the inner wall of the second rotating cylinder 132, and is connected to the two by an interference fit. By providing the first bearing 133, the first rotating cylinder 131 and the second rotating cylinder 132 can rotate relative to each other, and the rotation process will not be interfered with. The two end effectors 120 can be controlled to rotate infinitely in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction at the same time, so that the rotation angle of the two end effectors 120 will not be restricted, which facilitates the wafer clamping process.

[0087] In order to control the independent rotation of the first rotating drum 131 and the second rotating drum 132, refer to Figure 8 、 Figure 9 and Figure 10, a second transmission member 160 and a direct-drive motor 150 are provided on the main support body 100, at least two second transmission members 160 are provided, the number of second transmission members 160 corresponds to the number of end effectors 120, a plurality of direct-drive motors 150 are provided, and the plurality of direct-drive motors 150 are fixedly provided on the main support body 100, and the direct-drive motor 150 is used to drive the second transmission member 160 to move. In this embodiment, two direct-drive motors 150 are provided for connecting with the second transmission member 160, and the second transmission member 160 is connected to the actuator rotating unit 130. In this embodiment, the transmission method of the second transmission member 160 adopts the transmission method of a synchronous pulley, that is, the second transmission member 160 is a transmission belt, wherein one end of a second transmission member 160 is connected to the synchronous pulley on the input end A1 of the first rotating cylinder 131, and the other end is connected to the direct-drive motor 1 50's shoulder pulley 170; one end of the other second rotating member is connected to the synchronous pulley on the input end A2 of the second rotating cylinder 132, and the other end is connected to the direct drive motor 150; that is, specifically in this embodiment, the synchronous pulley of the input end A1 of the first rotating cylinder 131 corresponds to the position of the lowest shoulder pulley 170, and the synchronous pulley of the input end A2 of the second rotating cylinder 132 corresponds to the position of the shoulder pulley 170 in the middle position; in the working state, the two direct drive motors 150 are started, and the driving end of the direct drive motor 150 drives the shoulder pulley 170 on the direct drive motor 150 to rotate, thereby driving the second transmission member 160 to rotate, and respectively driving the synchronous pulley on the input end A1 of the first rotating cylinder 131 to rotate and the synchronous pulley on the input end A2 of the second rotating cylinder 132 to rotate, thereby driving the first rotating cylinder 131 and the second rotating cylinder 132 to rotate.

[0088] When the robot arm performs scara action, the first arm 110 needs to rotate relative to the main support body 100. Figure 8 、 Figure 9 and Figure 11The wafer handling device also includes a driving member 134, which is cylindrical and rotatably arranged on the main support body 100. The driving member 134 and the second rotating cylinder 132 are coaxially arranged. The driving member 134 and the second rotating cylinder 132 can be arranged in parallel in the axial direction, or the second rotating cylinder 132 can be passed through the driving member 134. In this embodiment, the second rotating cylinder 132 is passed through the driving member 134; the driving member 134 has an input end A3 and an output end B3. The output of the driving member 134 The output end B3 is fixedly arranged on the first arm 110. In addition to the direct drive motor 150 for driving the first rotating cylinder 131 and the second rotating cylinder 132 to rotate, the main support body 100 is also provided with a direct drive motor 150 for driving the driving member 134 to rotate, and a third transmission member 180. The third transmission member 180 is a transmission belt, wherein the first transmission member 140, the second transmission member 160 and the third transmission member 180 are made of the same material, which can be a belt, a steel belt, or other parts that can realize pulley transmission. The direct drive motor 150 is used to drive the driving member 134. In order to drive the third transmission member 180 to move, one end of the third transmission member 180 is connected to the direct drive motor 150, and the other end is connected to the input end A3 of the driving member 134, that is, specifically in this embodiment, the synchronous pulley of the input end A1 of the driving member 134 corresponds to the position of the uppermost shoulder pulley 170; the third transmission member 180 mainly plays a transmission role. In this embodiment, the shoulder pulley 170 is fixedly provided on the direct drive motor 150, and the input end A3 of the driving member 134 is fixedly provided with a synchronous pulley, that is, one end of the third transmission member 180 is sleeved It is arranged on the shoulder pulley 170 of the direct drive motor 150, and the other end is sleeved on the synchronous pulley of the input end A3 of the driving member 134. The direct drive motor 150 starts to drive the third transmission member 180 to move, thereby driving the driving member 134 to rotate, so that the first arm 110 rotates relative to the main support body 100, which is convenient for adjusting the position of the end effector 120; the direct drive motor 150 improves the defect of the servo motor drive in the existing technology with large damping, making control more convenient, and at the same time the rotation angle of the end effector 120 will not be restricted.

[0089] In order to prevent the rotation of the synchronous pulley from being interfered with when the synchronous pulley is installed on the second rotating drum 132 and the driving member 134, refer to Figure 8 、 Figure 9 and Figure 11The second rotating cylinder 132 is passed through the driving member 134. At the same time, the input end A2 and the output end B2 of the second rotating cylinder 132 are both placed outside the driving member 134. The input end A2 of the second rotating cylinder 132 and the input end A3 of the driving member 134 have different transmission level heights, and the output end B2 of the second rotating cylinder 132 and the output end B3 of the driving member 134 have different transmission level heights; such an arrangement prevents interference between the synchronous pulley on the second rotating cylinder 132 and the synchronous pulley on the driving member 134; a second bearing 135 is provided between the driving member 134 and the second rotating cylinder 132, one end of the second bearing 135 abuts against the outer wall of the second rotating cylinder 132, and the other end abuts against the inner wall of the driving member 134. The arrangement of the second bearing 135 allows the driving member 134 and the second rotating cylinder 132 to rotate relative to each other, and their rotation process will not be interfered with.

[0090] In order to increase the travel of the first arm 110 and the end effector 120, refer to Figure 8 、 Figure 9 and Figure 11The main support body 100 has a second arm 200 at its end, and the second arm 200 extends to the outside of the main support body 100. The first arm 110 is arranged on the second arm 200. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first arm 110 is rotatably arranged at the elbow rotation center of the second arm 200, and multiple direct drive motors 150 are integrated on the second arm 200. In addition, a wire opening 210 is opened on the second arm 200. The wire opening 210 on the second arm 200 is used to pass lines or pipes. In this embodiment, the wire opening 210 There are two of them, and the two wire openings 210 are respectively placed between the two direct-drive motors 150. The rotation of the main support body 100 can drive the second arm 200 to rotate. During operation, the main support body 100 and the second arm 200 rotate, which can drive the position change of the first arm 110, so as to facilitate the control of the position change of the end effector 120; a driver 190 is provided at the bottom of the main support body 100, and the driver 190 is used to drive the main support body 100 to rotate. In this embodiment, the driver 190 adopts a motor, and the rotating shaft of the driver 190 is fixed to the bottom of the main support body 100. When the driver 190 is started, it drives the main support body 100 to rotate, thereby driving the second arm 200 to rotate, so as to facilitate the adjustment of the position of the first arm 110 and the end effector 120; in the process of driving the upper end effector 121 and the lower end effector 122 to rotate, the lowest direct-drive motor 150 and the shoulder pulley 170 drive the input end A1 of the first rotating cylinder 131 to rotate, and the output end B1 of the first rotating cylinder 131 rotates synchronously, and drives the lower end effector 122 to rotate. The intermediate direct-drive motor 150 and the shoulder pulley 170 drive the input end A2 of the second rotating cylinder 132 to rotate, and the output end B2 of the second rotating cylinder 132 rotates synchronously, and drives the upper end effector 121 to rotate; the uppermost direct-drive motor 150 and the shoulder pulley 170 drive the input end A3 of the driving member 134 to rotate, and the output end B3 of the driving member 134 rotates synchronously to drive the first arm 110 to rotate. At the same time, in order to avoid entanglement of pipes and lines, the rotation angle of the first arm 110 is less than 360°;

[0091] During the actual working process, since the direct drive motor 150 is used to drive and the two end effectors 120 are driven to rotate through the pulley transmission, the end effector 120 can rotate infinitely at different angles in any direction, and its rotation angle includes 360° and any angle within 360°, such as 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°, 120°, 240° or other rotation angles. In addition, the end effector 120 can also perform continuous wireless rotation in any direction, such as 360°, 720°, 1440° or other rotation angles.

[0092] During wafer handling, the vertical position of the end effector 120 needs to be adjusted. Figure 8 、 Figure 9 and Figure 12The wafer handling device also includes a lifting motor 310. A screw rod 320 is fixedly provided at the rotating shaft of the lifting motor 310. The fixing method thereof can be a rigid direct connection, a clamping connection or a bolt fixing, or other methods that can realize the connection between the two. In this embodiment, it is preferred that the screw rod 320 is rigidly directly connected to the rotating shaft of the lifting motor 310; a lifting seat 330 is connected to the screw rod 320, and the main support body 100 abuts against the lifting seat 330. By controlling the lifting seat 330 to move on the screw rod 320, the main support body 100 can be driven to move axially along the screw rod 320. The movement drives the end effector 120 to move in the axial direction of the lead screw 320. The wafer handling device also includes a slide rail 340. The axial direction of the slide rail 340 is parallel to the axial direction of the lead screw 320. A sliding block 360 is fixed on the lifting seat 330. The fixing method can be bonding, clamping or bolt fixing. In this embodiment, the sliding block 360 is preferably fixed to the lifting seat 330 by bolt fixing. The sliding block 360 is slidably connected to the slide rail 340. The sliding block 360 cooperates with the slide rail 340 to limit the lifting seat 330. The lifting seat 330 is fixedly provided with a nut 350, which is threadedly connected to the screw rod 320, thereby connecting the lifting seat 330 to the screw rod 320. In the working state, the lifting motor 310 is started to drive the screw rod 320 to rotate. Under the limiting action of the sliding block 360 and the slide rail 340, the rotation of the screw rod 320 is converted into the axial movement of the lifting seat 330 along the screw rod 320, thereby driving the main support body 100 to move, that is, the lifting motor 310 drives the lifting seat 330 to move along the axial direction of the screw rod 320 and pushes the main support body 100 to move; The transport device also includes a support shell 300, the main support body 100 is slidably set in the support shell 300, the lifting motor 310 is fixedly set inside the support shell 300 by bolts, and the slide rail 340 is fixedly set inside the support shell 300 by bolts. During operation, the lifting motor 310, the slide rail 340, and the lifting seat 330 cooperate to drive the main support body 100 to move, thereby driving the robot arm to move, that is, driving the first arm 110, the second arm 200, and the end drive 190 to move in the axial direction of the screw rod 320.

[0093] In the process of driving the end effector 120 to rotate, since the two end effectors 120 are respectively fixed to the first driving member 502 and the second driving member 521, the first driving member 502 and the second driving member 521 respectively serve as the rotating shafts of the two end effectors 120. In the process of controlling the rotation of the end effector 120, the first rotating cylinder 131 is connected to the first starting member 530 on the first driving member 502 through the first transmission member 140, so that the first rotating cylinder 131 rotates to drive the first starting member 530 to rotate, thereby driving the first driving member 502 to rotate, so that the upper end effector 121 rotates; the second rotating cylinder 132 is connected to the second starting member 540 on the second driving member 521 through the second transmission member 160, so that the second rotating cylinder 132 rotates to drive the second starting member 540 to rotate, thereby driving the second driving member 521 to rotate, so that the lower end effector 122 rotates.

[0094] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a wafer handling method, comprising the following steps:

[0095] Step 1: Control the main support body 100 to rotate, driving the second arm 200 to rotate, so as to change the positions of the first arm 110 and the end effector 120;

[0096] Step 2: Control the first arm 110 to rotate and change the position of the end effector 120;

[0097] Step 3: Control the two direct drive motors 150 to start respectively, driving the first rotating cylinder 131 and the second rotating cylinder 132 to rotate so as to rotate the end effector 120;

[0098] Step 4: The two first transmission members 140 move to drive the two end effectors 120 to rotate, so that the two end effectors 120 rotate independently, thereby realizing the two end effectors 120 moving in a horizontal direction to transport or transfer the wafer;

[0099] Step 5: The main supply structure 400 transmits gas to the transmission unit 500 through the gas supply line 411, controls the gas to pass through the gas supply line 411 and enter the gas-consuming component 550 of the end effector 120, so that the end effector 120 clamps the gas-consuming component 550;

[0100] Step 6: The gas passes through the first gas channel 503 and the second gas channel 504 to supply gas to the gas-consuming component 550 on the upper end effector 121; the gas passes through the third gas channel 505, the fourth gas channel 506, and the fifth gas channel 507 to supply gas to the gas-consuming component 550 on the lower end effector 122;

[0101] Step 7: The gas-consuming element 550 is activated to drive the slide 551 to move, pushing the clamping block 552 to move and clamp the wafer;

[0102] Step 8: The main supply structure transmits the electrical signal to the transmission unit 500 through the power supply line 412;

[0103] Step nine: The electrical components on the end effector 120 are started.

[0104] On this basis, a circuit routing method is provided.

[0105] An external power supply device provides an electrical signal, which is transmitted to the stationary end of the main supply structure 400 and then to the corresponding power supply line 412 via the rotating end of the main supply structure 400. The electrical signal in the power supply line 412 is transferred to the transmission unit 500 and transmitted to the electrical components on the end effector 120 via the spindle 501 in the transmission unit 500. Since the main supply structure 400 in this embodiment is a rotating pneumatic slip ring, the electrical signal sequentially passes through the stator end and the rotor end of the main supply structure 400 and enters the corresponding power supply line 412.

[0106] One power supply line 412 is directly electrically connected to the electrical components on the upper end effector 121 , and the other power supply line 412 is electrically connected to the electrical components on the lower end effector 122 via the electrical slip ring structure 600 ;

[0107] The main supply structure 400 and the power supply line 412 are used to control the electrical components on the end effector 120 to start up and detect the wafer or gas-consuming component 550 on the end effector 120 .

[0108] The implementation principle of the wiring method of a power supply assembly, a wafer handling device and a circuit of the present invention is as follows: the main supply structure 400 is connected to the external circuit, so that the electrical signal is transmitted to the power supply line 412 through the main supply structure 400, and then transferred to the transmission part 500 through the power supply line 412. One power supply line 412 is directly electrically connected to the electrical components on the upper end effector 121, and the other power supply line 412 is electrically connected to the electrical components on the lower end effector 122 through the electric slip ring structure 600, thereby completing the power supply to the electrical components on the end effector 120.

[0109] While the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations of these embodiments are possible. However, it should be understood that such modifications and variations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention as set forth in the claims. Furthermore, the invention described herein is susceptible to other embodiments and may be practiced or implemented in a variety of ways.

Claims

1. A power supply assembly for a wafer handling device, wherein the wafer handling device includes at least two end effectors capable of relative rotation, and each end effector can continuously rotate infinitely in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, characterized in that: Power supply components include: The main supply structure and the transmission assembly include at least two sets of power supply lines and a transmission part. One end of the power supply line is electrically connected to the main supply structure, and the other end is electrically connected to the transmission part. The transmission part is used to connect to the electrical components on the end effector. The transmission part includes at least two sets of circuits. The transmission department includes: The spindle is hollow and the power supply line is passed through the spindle; A first driving member is coaxial with the spindle member and is rotatably disposed on the outer wall of the spindle member; a second driving member, coaxial with the first driving member and rotatably disposed on an outer wall of the first driving member; The electric slip ring structure comprises a slip ring portion and a slip ring seat, wherein the slip ring portion is fixedly arranged on the first driving member, the slip ring seat is fixedly arranged on the second driving member, and the slip ring portion and the slip ring seat are electrically connected; The first driving member and the second driving member are both connected to an end effector, wherein one set of power supply lines passes through the spindle and is electrically connected to the end effector fixed to the first driving member; the other set of power supply lines passes through the spindle and is electrically connected to the slip ring portion, and is electrically connected to the end effector fixed to the second driving member through the slip ring seat; An electric rotary joint is provided inside the spindle, and the power supply circuit is electrically connected to the electric rotary joint; the electric rotary joint includes a stator end and a rotor end; Among them, the electrical signal of the main supply structure is transmitted to the transmission part through the power supply line, and the transmission part supplies power to the electrical components in at least two end effectors respectively. The two power supply lines are electrically connected to the stator end. After the electrical signal enters the stator end of the electric rotary joint, the electrical signal is output by the rotor end; each group of circuits in the transmission part can rotate relative to each other, so that each group of circuits can adapt to the infinite rotation of each end effector.

2. The power supply assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that An electrical output connector for outputting electrical signals is provided on the main supply structure, and the power supply line is connected to the electrical output connector of the main supply structure.

3. The power supply assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that An electric rotary joint is provided inside the spindle, and the electric rotary joint includes a stator end and a rotor end, and the stator end is fixedly provided inside the spindle; In the working state, both sets of power supply lines are electrically connected to the stator end. The electrical signal passes through the stator end and is output from the rotor end, so that the electrical signal is transmitted to the electrical components in the end effector.

4. A wafer transport device, characterized in that: At least comprising a main support body, two end effectors capable of relative rotation, a first arm, a second arm and a power supply assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3; The main supply structure is fixedly arranged inside the main support body, the transmission part is arranged at the wrist joint of the first arm, and the end effector is connected to the transmission part; the power supply line passes through the main support body, the second arm and the first arm in sequence and is connected to the transmission part, and the transmission part is electrically connected to the electrical components of the end effector.

5. The wafer transport device according to claim 4, wherein: The end effector includes an upper end effector and a lower end effector; the upper end effector is fixedly arranged on the first driving member, and the power supply line is electrically connected to the electrical components of the upper end effector; the lower end effector is fixedly arranged on the second driving member, and the power supply line is electrically connected to the electrical components of the lower end effector through an electric slip ring structure.

6. The wafer transport device according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes a drive assembly, which includes at least two direct drive motors, one of which is connected to the first drive member to drive the first drive member to rotate; and the other direct drive motor is connected to the second drive member to drive the second drive member to rotate.

7. The wafer transport device according to claim 6, wherein: It also includes an air supply component, which includes at least an air supply pipeline, a first air channel opened on the core shaft, and a second air channel opened on the first driving component; the gas enters the air-consuming component of the end effector after passing through the air supply pipeline, the first air channel, and the second air channel.

8. A circuit routing method, characterized in that: The wafer handling device according to claim 7 comprises the following steps: The electrical signal is transmitted to the main supply structure and then to the power supply line via the main supply structure; The electrical signal in the power supply circuit is transferred to the transmission part, and then transmitted to the electrical components on each end effector after being switched and divided by the transmission part.

9. The circuit routing method according to claim 8, characterized in that: At least two groups of power supply lines are provided, wherein one power supply line is directly electrically connected to the electrical components on the upper end effector, and the other power supply line is electrically connected to the electrical components on the lower end effector through an electrical slip ring structure.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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