Wafer transmission robot

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of wafer processing, in particular to a wafer transmission robot which comprises a shell, a driving shaft is arranged on the shell, one end of the driving shaft is located above the shell, and the other end of the driving shaft is located in the shell; a lifting mechanism and a rotating mechanism are arranged on the inner side of the shell, the rotating mechanism and the driving shaft are installed at the moving end of the lifting mechanism, the driving shaft is rotationally connected with the moving end of the lifting mechanism, and the rotating mechanism drives the driving shaft to rotate; one end, far away from the shell, of the driving shaft is provided with a supporting frame, the upper side of the supporting frame is horizontally provided with a mechanical arm, the inner side of the supporting frame is provided with a driving assembly for driving the mechanical arm to move along a horizontal straight line, and the mechanical arm adsorbs a wafer. According to the technical scheme, manual operation can be replaced, wafer carrying work can be rapidly completed, and the production efficiency is remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wafer fabrication technology, and in particular to a wafer transport robot. Background Technology

[0002] A wafer is a silicon wafer used to fabricate silicon semiconductor circuits; its raw material is silicon. High-purity polycrystalline silicon is dissolved, doped with silicon crystal seeds, and then slowly pulled out to form a cylindrical single-crystal silicon ingot. After grinding, polishing, and slicing, the silicon crystal ingot is formed into a silicon wafer, or crystal.

[0003] The main wafer processing methods are wafer fabrication and batch processing, which involve processing one or more wafers simultaneously. As semiconductor feature sizes shrink and processing and measurement equipment becomes increasingly advanced, new data characteristics have emerged in wafer fabrication. During processing, wafers need to be transferred. Currently, this is generally done manually. However, manual transfer is prone to scratching or contaminating the wafers, increasing the scrap rate. Furthermore, manual handling is inefficient, reducing production line efficiency to some extent. Summary of the Invention

[0004] (a) Technical problems to be solved To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a wafer transport robot that can quickly complete wafer handling tasks, significantly improving production efficiency. Simultaneously, it can replace manual operation, avoiding scratches and contamination caused by manual handling, further reducing wafer scrap rates while ensuring wafer yield.

[0005] (II) Technical Solution To achieve the above objectives, this application provides a wafer transfer robot, including a housing, a drive shaft disposed on the housing, one end of the drive shaft being located above the housing and the other end being located inside the housing; a lifting mechanism and a rotating mechanism are disposed inside the housing, the moving end of the lifting mechanism is equipped with the rotating mechanism and the drive shaft, the drive shaft is rotatably connected to the moving end of the lifting mechanism, and the rotating mechanism drives the drive shaft to rotate; a support frame is disposed at the end of the drive shaft away from the housing, a robotic arm is horizontally disposed on the upper side of the support frame, and a drive assembly is disposed inside the support frame to drive the robotic arm to move horizontally in a straight line, the robotic arm adsorbing the wafer.

[0006] Preferably, the lifting mechanism includes a support slide rail, a support base, a harmonic reducer, a lifting screw, and a first drive motor; the support slide rail is vertically fixed to the inner wall of the housing, and one support slide rail is provided on each side of the drive shaft in the vertical direction; the support base is horizontally arranged, and a sliding seat is fixedly provided on the side of the support base near the support slide rail, and the sliding seat is slidably connected to the support slide rail; the harmonic reducer is fixedly installed on the support base, and the drive shaft and the rotating mechanism are connected through the harmonic reducer; a lifting sleeve is fixedly provided on the support base and on one side of the harmonic reducer; a support plate is fixedly provided at the bottom of the housing, and the first drive motor is fixedly installed on the support plate, the first drive motor driving the lifting screw to rotate forward or reverse; the length direction of the lifting screw is parallel to the length direction of the drive shaft, one end of the lifting screw is rotatably connected to the support plate, the other end is rotatably connected to the end of the housing, the lifting screw passes through the lifting sleeve, and the lifting screw is threadedly connected to the lifting sleeve.

[0007] Preferably, the rotating mechanism includes a second drive motor, a connecting shaft, and a transmission assembly; the second drive motor is fixedly mounted on the support base, the connecting shaft is vertically arranged, and the transmission assembly is arranged between the output shaft of the second drive motor and the connecting shaft; one end of the connecting shaft away from the transmission assembly is fixedly connected to the wave generator of the harmonic reducer; the steel wheel of the harmonic reducer is connected to the support base, and the flexible wheel of the harmonic reducer is connected to the drive shaft.

[0008] Preferably, the transmission assembly includes a first pulley, a second pulley, and a timing belt; the first pulley is fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the second drive motor, the second pulley is fixedly mounted on the connecting shaft, and the timing belt is connected between the first pulley and the second pulley.

[0009] Preferably, the robotic arm includes a first robotic arm and a second robotic arm, with the first robotic arm located above the second robotic arm; an installation cavity is formed inside the support frame, and two sets of drive components are arranged inside the installation cavity, which respectively drive the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm to move linearly, and both the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm extend or retract from the same end of the support frame.

[0010] Preferably, the two sets of drive components are arranged side by side along the width direction within the mounting cavity; each set of drive components includes a support rail, a third drive motor, and a guide seat; the support rail is installed inside the support frame, and the length direction of the support rail is parallel to the length direction of the support frame; the third drive motor is located at one end of the support rail; a drive wheel is provided on the output shaft of the third drive motor; a driven wheel is provided at the end of the support rail away from the third drive motor; the drive wheel and the driven wheel are located on the same side of the support rail; a belt is connected between the drive wheel and the driven wheel; the guide seat is slidably installed on the support rail; the belt drive direction between the drive wheel and the driven wheel is parallel to the sliding direction of the guide seat; the guide seat is fixedly connected to the belt; the guide seat is connected to the first robotic arm or the second robotic arm.

[0011] Preferably, both the first and second robotic arms include a support arm and a ceramic arm; one end of the support arm is integrally formed with an L-shaped connecting plate, one end of which is integrally formed with the support arm, and the other end is vertical and fixedly connected to the L-shaped support frame; the support arm and the ceramic arm are detachably fixedly connected, and the ceramic arm has a plate-like structure, with an annular groove provided at the end of the ceramic arm away from the support arm, and a vacuum channel provided inside the support arm and the ceramic arm, one end of which is connected to the annular groove; a vacuum pump is provided inside the support frame, and the vacuum pump is connected to the vacuum channel. Both the first and second robotic arms include a support arm and a ceramic arm. One end of the support arm has an integrally formed L-shaped connecting plate, which is integrally formed with the support arm at one end, while the other end is vertical and fixedly connected to the L-shaped support frame. The support arm and the ceramic arm are detachably and fixedly connected. The ceramic arm has a plate-like structure, with an annular groove at the end of the ceramic arm away from the support arm. Vacuum channels are provided inside the support arm and the ceramic arm, with one end of the vacuum channel communicating with the annular groove. A vacuum pump is provided inside the support frame and connected to the vacuum channel.

[0012] Preferably, a wafer inspection component for inspecting the wafers inside the basket frame is provided on the support frame at the end away from the extension of the robotic arm.

[0013] Preferably, the wafer inspection assembly includes a limiting guide rail, a control cylinder, a sliding block, and a through-beam sensor; a groove is formed at the bottom of the support frame, at the end furthest from the extension of the robotic arm; the limiting guide rail is fixedly installed inside the support frame and located near the groove, with its length direction parallel to the length direction of the groove; the sliding block is fitted onto the limiting guide rail and can slide along its length; the control cylinder is fixed inside the support frame, and its piston end is fixedly connected to the sliding block; the length direction of the control cylinder piston rod is... The sliding block is detachably connected to a mounting plate on one side near the slide groove, parallel to the length direction of the limiting guide rail. One end of the mounting plate passes through the slide groove and is located below the support frame. The mounting bracket is detachably mounted on the end of the mounting plate outside the support frame. The mounting bracket is U-shaped and horizontally arranged. The opening side of the mounting bracket is away from the end of the mounting plate, and the through-beam sensor is mounted on the opening end of the mounting bracket. When the piston rod of the control cylinder extends or retracts, it controls the through-beam sensor to protrude from the support frame to detect the wafer or enter the inner side of the projection surface of the support frame.

[0014] (III) Beneficial Effects This invention provides a wafer transfer robot. Through a lifting mechanism and a rotating mechanism, the lifting mechanism controls the robotic arm to rise and fall to a set height, while the rotating mechanism controls the drive shaft to rotate at a set angle. During operation, the robotic arm picks up the wafer. Before and after picking up the wafer, the lifting and rotating mechanisms drive the robotic arm to rise and fall vertically and rotate horizontally, enabling the robotic arm to pick up and transfer the wafer. This device can quickly complete wafer handling, significantly improving production efficiency. At the same time, it can replace manual operation, avoiding scratches and contamination caused by manual operation, further reducing the wafer scrap rate, and ensuring a high wafer yield.

[0015] Meanwhile, a wafer inspection component is installed on the support frame, at the end furthest from the extension of the robotic arm, to inspect the wafers within the basket. During wafer transfer, the wafer inspection component 800 helps determine the accuracy of the wafer's placement within the basket, facilitating subsequent actions. Furthermore, by controlling the dimensions of the mounting bracket and the through-beam sensor, this wafer inspection component can accommodate the inspection of wafers of various sizes. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is an overall schematic diagram of a wafer transport robot according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram highlighting the lifting and rotating mechanisms inside the housing of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram highlighting the lifting mechanism of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram highlighting the rotating mechanism of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the harmonic reducer connected to the drive shaft, support base, and connecting shaft in this invention. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram highlighting the connection between the support frame and the drive shaft in this invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram highlighting the internal structure of the support frame of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram highlighting the driving component of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram highlighting the structure of the robotic arm in this invention; Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view highlighting the vacuum passage inside the robotic arm in this invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the wafer inspection component of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the cooperation between the limiting guide rail and the sliding block in this invention.

[0017] Marked in the attached diagram: 100. Housing; 200. Drive shaft; 300. Lifting mechanism; 310. Support slide rail; 320. Support base; 321. Sliding seat; 322. Lifting sleeve; 330. Harmonic reducer; 331. Wave generator; 332. Steel wheel; 333. Flexible wheel; 340. Lifting screw; 350. First drive motor; 351. Support plate; 400. Rotating mechanism; 410. Second drive motor; 420. Connecting shaft; 430. Transmission assembly; 431. First pulley; 432. Second pulley; 433. Synchronous belt; 500. Support frame; 510. Mounting cavity; 520. Mounting slot; 530. Slide groove ; 600, robotic arm; 600a, first robotic arm; 600b, second robotic arm; 610, support arm; 611, L-shaped linkage plate; 612, shallow groove; 620, ceramic arm; 621, annular groove; 630, vacuum passage; 700, drive assembly; 710, support guide rail; 711, driven wheel; 720, third drive motor; 721, drive wheel; 730, guide seat; 740, belt; 750, L-shaped support frame; 800, wafer inspection assembly; 810, limit guide rail; 820, control cylinder; 830, sliding block; 831, mounting plate; 840, mounting bracket; 850, through-beam sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] Example This invention provides a wafer transport robot, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figures 1-12 The device includes a housing 100, on which a drive shaft 200 is provided. The drive shaft 200 is vertically arranged, with one end of the drive shaft 200 located above the housing 100 and the other end located inside the housing 100. The drive shaft 200 can slide in the vertical direction and can rotate.

[0020] A lifting mechanism 300 and a rotating mechanism 400 are provided inside the housing 100. The rotating mechanism 400 and the drive shaft 200 are installed on the moving end of the lifting mechanism 300. The moving end of the lifting mechanism 300 is rotatably connected to the drive shaft 200. The rotating mechanism 400 drives the drive shaft 200 to rotate. Therefore, during operation, the lifting mechanism 300 drives the rotating mechanism 400 and the drive shaft 200 to rise and fall synchronously by a set height value, and the rotating mechanism 400 controls the drive shaft 200 to rotate by a set angle.

[0021] A support frame 500 is provided at the end of the drive shaft 200 away from the housing 100. A robotic arm 600 is horizontally arranged on the upper side of the support frame 500. A drive assembly 700 is provided inside the support frame 500 to drive the robotic arm 600 to move horizontally. The outer end of the robotic arm 600 adsorbs the wafer. During operation, the robotic arm 600 adsorbs the wafer. Before and after adsorbing the wafer, the lifting mechanism 300 and the rotating mechanism 400 drive the robotic arm 600 to move vertically and rotate horizontally, enabling the robotic arm 600 to pick up and transfer the wafer. This device can quickly complete wafer handling, significantly improving production efficiency. At the same time, it can replace manual operation, avoiding scratches and contamination caused by manual operation, further reducing the wafer scrap rate, and ensuring the wafer yield.

[0022] Specifically, the lifting mechanism 300 includes a support slide rail 310, a support base 320, a harmonic reducer 330, a lifting screw 340, and a first drive motor 350.

[0023] The support slide rail 310 is vertically fixed to the inner wall of the housing 100, and there is one support slide rail 310 on each side of the drive shaft 200 in the vertical direction.

[0024] The support base 320 is horizontally set, and a sliding seat 321 is fixedly set on the side of the support base 320 near the support slide rail 310. The sliding seat 321 is slidably connected to the support slide rail 310. By connecting the two support slide rails 310 with the sliding seat 321, the support base 320 is supported and limited, so that the support base 320 can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction and its position remains stable.

[0025] The harmonic reducer 330 is fixedly installed on the support base 320, and the drive shaft 200 and the rotating mechanism 400 are connected through the harmonic reducer 330.

[0026] A lifting sleeve 322 is fixedly installed on the support base 320 and on one side of the harmonic reducer 330; a support plate 351 is fixedly installed at the bottom of the housing 100, and a first drive motor 350 is fixedly installed on the support plate 351. The first drive motor 350 drives the lifting screw 340 to rotate forward or reverse. Specifically, the connection between the first drive motor 350 and the lifting screw 340 can be through a belt 740, chain, or gear transmission, and there are no specific limitations.

[0027] The lifting screw 340 is parallel to the length of the drive shaft 200. One end of the lifting screw 340 is rotatably connected to the support plate 351, and the other end is rotatably connected to the end of the housing 100. The lifting screw 340 passes through the lifting sleeve 322 and is threadedly connected to the lifting sleeve 322.

[0028] During operation, the first drive motor 350 drives the lifting screw 340 to rotate forward or reverse. When the lifting screw 340 rotates, it drives the support base 320 to move in the vertical direction. The end of the drive shaft 200 is connected to the support base 320 through the harmonic reducer 330, thereby realizing the linear lifting and lowering of the drive shaft 200 in the vertical direction.

[0029] The rotating mechanism 400 includes a second drive motor 410, a connecting shaft 420, and a transmission assembly 430.

[0030] The second drive motor 410 is fixedly installed on the support base 320, the connecting shaft 420 is vertically arranged, and a transmission component 430 is provided between the output shaft of the second drive motor 410 and the connecting shaft 420, and the connecting shaft 420 is driven to rotate through the transmission component 430.

[0031] In one embodiment, the transmission assembly 430 includes a first pulley 431, a second pulley 432, and a timing belt 433.

[0032] The first pulley 431 is fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the second drive motor 410, and the second pulley 432 is fixedly mounted on the connecting shaft 420. A synchronous belt 433 is connected between the first pulley 431 and the second pulley 432. Thus, when the second drive motor 410 is working, it can drive the connecting shaft 420 to rotate.

[0033] The harmonic reducer 330 is existing technology. To facilitate understanding, the main principle of the harmonic reducer 330 is explained here. The harmonic reducer 330 mainly includes a wave generator 331, a steel wheel 332, and a flexible wheel 333. The steel wheel 332 is fixedly connected to the frame, the wave generator 331 is used to connect to the power input end, and the flexible wheel 333 is connected to the power output shaft. During operation, the wave generator 331 drives the flexible wheel 333 to perform harmonic deformation. The flexible wheel 333 achieves speed reduction during the meshing and rotation with the steel wheel 332.

[0034] After the harmonic reducer 330 is applied in this application, the end of the connecting shaft 420 away from the transmission assembly 430 is fixedly connected to the wave generator 331 of the harmonic reducer 330; the steel wheel 332 of the harmonic reducer 330 is connected to the support base 320, and the flexible wheel 333 of the harmonic reducer 330 is connected to the drive shaft 200.

[0035] Furthermore, after installation, the lifting mechanism 300 can control the drive shaft 200 to rise and fall in the vertical direction, while the rotating mechanism 400 can control the drive shaft 200 to rotate. During this process, the drive shaft 200 can achieve high-precision speed reduction.

[0036] The robotic arm 600 includes a first robotic arm 600a and a second robotic arm 600b, with the first robotic arm 600a positioned above the second robotic arm 600b. A mounting cavity 510 is formed inside the support frame 500, and two sets of drive components 700 are disposed inside the mounting cavity 510. The two sets of drive components 700 respectively drive the first robotic arm 600a and the second robotic arm 600b to move linearly, and both the first robotic arm 600a and the second robotic arm 600b extend or retract from the same end of the support frame 500. It is understood that the first robotic arm 600a and the second robotic arm 600b of this application can operate independently or simultaneously. When operating simultaneously, they can adsorb two wafers of different heights.

[0037] Two sets of drive components 700 are arranged side by side along the width direction in the mounting cavity 510; each set of drive components 700 includes a support rail 710, a third drive motor 720 and a guide seat 730.

[0038] The support rail 710 is installed inside the support frame 500, and the length direction of the support rail 710 is parallel to the length direction of the support frame 500.

[0039] The third drive motor 720 is located at one end of the support guide rail 710. A drive wheel 721 is provided on the output shaft of the third drive motor 720. A driven wheel 711 is provided at the end of the support guide rail 710 away from the third drive motor 720. The drive wheel 721 and the driven wheel 711 are located on the same side of the support guide rail 710. A belt 740 is connected between the drive wheel 721 and the driven wheel 711.

[0040] The guide seat 730 is slidably mounted on the support rail 710. The guide seat 730 can slide along the length of the support rail 710 and will not detach from the support rail 710.

[0041] The belt 740 between the driving pulley 721 and the driven pulley 711 is driven in a direction parallel to the sliding direction of the guide seat 730. The guide seat 730 is fixedly connected to the belt 740. Thus, when the third drive motor 720 drives the belt 740, it can synchronously drive the guide seat 730 to move linearly.

[0042] The guide seat 730 is connected to either the first robotic arm 600a or the second robotic arm 600b. Therefore, when the guide seat 730 moves linearly, it can drive either the first robotic arm 600a or the second robotic arm 600b to move linearly.

[0043] The support frame 500 has mounting slots 520 on both vertical sidewalls along its length. The belt 740 between the drive wheel 721 and the driven wheel 711 is parallel to the length of the mounting slots 520.

[0044] An L-shaped support frame 750 is fixedly mounted on the upper side of the support base 320. One end of the L-shaped support frame 750 passes through the mounting slot 520 and is fixedly connected to the support base 320. The other end of the L-shaped support frame 750 is located on the outside of the support frame 500, in a vertical position, and is connected to either the first robotic arm 600a or the second robotic arm 600b. It can be understood that L-shaped support frames 750 are provided on both sides of the support frame 500, and the two L-shaped support frames are respectively connected to the first robotic arm 600a and the second robotic arm 600b. This allows for independent control of the first robotic arm 600a and the second robotic arm 600b.

[0045] Both the first robotic arm 600a and the second robotic arm 600b include a support arm 610 and a ceramic arm 620.

[0046] One end of the support arm 610 is integrally formed with an L-shaped connecting plate 611. One end of the L-shaped connecting plate 611 is integrally formed with the support arm 610, and the other end is in a vertical state and is fixedly connected to the L-shaped support frame 750.

[0047] The support arm 610 and the ceramic arm 620 are detachably and fixedly connected. Specifically, a shallow groove 612 is provided at one end of the support arm 610 near the ceramic handle, and one end of the ceramic arm is fitted into the shallow groove 612 and fixedly connected by bolts.

[0048] The ceramic arm 620 has a plate-like structure. An annular groove 621 is provided at the end of the ceramic arm 620 away from the support arm 610. The annular groove 621 is located on the upper side of the ceramic arm 620.

[0049] A vacuum channel 630 is provided inside the support arm 610 and the ceramic arm 620. One end of the vacuum channel 630 is connected to the annular groove 621. A vacuum pump is provided inside the support frame 500, and the vacuum pump is connected to the vacuum channel 630 through a pipeline. During operation, the vacuum pump creates a vacuum, resulting in a negative pressure state at the position of the annular groove 621. As a result, when the ceramic arm 620 approaches the wafer, it can adsorb the wafer onto its upper surface. During movement, this prevents the wafer from shifting and ensures the accuracy of the wafer's position after movement.

[0050] A wafer inspection component 800 is installed on the support frame 500 at the end extending away from the robotic arm 600 to inspect the wafers within the basket frame. During wafer transfer, the wafer is typically removed from the basket frame and transferred to a specific device, or taken from the processing equipment and placed inside the basket frame. The wafer inspection component 800 helps determine whether the wafer's placement within the basket frame is accurate, thus facilitating the next step.

[0051] The wafer inspection assembly 800 includes a limit guide rail 810, a control cylinder 820, a sliding block 830, a mounting bracket 840, and a through-beam sensor 850.

[0052] A groove 530 is provided at the bottom of the support frame 500 and at the end away from the extension of the robotic arm 600. A limiting guide rail 810 is fixedly installed inside the support frame 500 and located on the side close to the groove 530. The length direction of the limiting guide rail 810 is parallel to the length direction of the groove 530.

[0053] The sliding block 830 is fitted onto the limiting guide rail 810 and can slide along the length of the limiting guide rail 810.

[0054] The control cylinder 820 is fixed inside the support frame 500, and the piston end of the control cylinder 820 is fixedly connected to the sliding block 830. The length direction of the piston rod of the control cylinder 820 is parallel to the length direction of the limiting guide rail 810. This ensures that the control cylinder 820 can drive the sliding block 830 to move linearly.

[0055] A mounting plate 831 is detachably connected to one side of the sliding block 830 near the slide groove 530; one end of the mounting plate 831 passes through the slide groove 530 and is located below the support frame 500, and a mounting bracket 840 is detachably installed at the end of the mounting plate 831 located outside the support frame 500.

[0056] The mounting bracket 840 is U-shaped and horizontally positioned. One end of the mounting bracket 840 has an opening away from the mounting plate 831, and a through-beam sensor 850 is mounted on the open end of the mounting bracket 840. When the piston rod of the control cylinder 820 extends or retracts, it controls the through-beam sensor 850 to protrude from or enter the projection plane of the support frame 500. During operation, the control cylinder 820, when extending or retracting, moves the mounting bracket 840 horizontally. When moving towards the end away from the support frame 500, the through-beam sensor 850 detects the wafer position.

[0057] In summary, this invention provides a wafer transfer robot. Through a lifting mechanism 300 and a rotating mechanism 400, the lifting mechanism 300 controls the robotic arm 600 to rise and fall to a set height, while the rotating mechanism 400 controls the drive shaft 200 to rotate at a set angle. During operation, the robotic arm 600 picks up the wafer. Before and after picking up the wafer, the lifting mechanism 300 and rotating mechanism 400 drive the robotic arm 600 to rise and fall vertically and rotate horizontally, enabling the robotic arm 600 to pick up and transfer the wafer. This device can quickly complete wafer handling, significantly improving production efficiency. Simultaneously, it can replace manual operation, avoiding scratches and contamination caused by manual operation, further reducing the wafer scrap rate, and ensuring the wafer yield rate.

[0058] Meanwhile, a wafer inspection component 800 is installed on the support frame 500 at the end extending away from the robotic arm 600 to inspect the wafers within the basket frame. During wafer transfer, the wafer inspection component 800 helps determine the accuracy of the wafer's placement within the basket frame, facilitating subsequent actions. Furthermore, by controlling the dimensions of the mounting bracket 840 and the through-beam sensor 850, the wafer inspection component 800 can inspect wafers of various sizes.

[0059] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," "outer," "front," and "rear," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0060] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances. Without conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this invention can be combined with each other.

[0061] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of implementation methods of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wafer transfer robot, characterized in that, Includes a housing (100), on which a drive shaft (200) is provided, one end of the drive shaft (200) being located above the housing (100) and the other end being located inside the housing (100); A lifting mechanism (300) and a rotating mechanism (400) are provided inside the housing (100). The rotating mechanism (400) and the drive shaft (200) are mounted on the moving end of the lifting mechanism (300). The drive shaft (200) is rotatably connected to the moving end of the lifting mechanism (300). The rotating mechanism (400) drives the drive shaft (200) to rotate. A support frame (500) is provided at one end of the drive shaft (200) away from the housing (100). A robotic arm (600) is horizontally arranged on the upper side of the support frame (500). A drive assembly (700) is provided inside the support frame (500) to drive the robotic arm (600) to move in a horizontal straight line. The robotic arm (600) adsorbs the wafer.

2. The wafer transfer robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism (300) includes a support slide rail (310), a support base (320), a harmonic reducer (330), a lifting screw (340), and a first drive motor (350). The support slide rail (310) is vertically fixed to the inner wall of the housing (100), and one support slide rail (310) is provided on each side of the drive shaft (200) in the vertical direction; The support base (320) is horizontally arranged, and a sliding seat (321) is fixedly arranged on the side of the support base (320) near the support slide rail (310). The sliding seat (321) is slidably connected to the support slide rail (310). The harmonic reducer (330) is fixedly installed on the support base (320), and the drive shaft (200) and the rotating mechanism (400) are connected through the harmonic reducer (330). A lifting sleeve (322) is fixedly installed on the support base (320) and on one side of the harmonic reducer (330). A support plate (351) is fixedly provided at the bottom of the housing (100), and the first drive motor (350) is fixedly installed on the support plate (351). The first drive motor (350) drives the lifting screw (340) to rotate forward or reverse. The length direction of the lifting screw (340) is parallel to the length direction of the drive shaft (200). One end of the lifting screw (340) is rotatably connected to the support plate (351), and the other end is rotatably connected to the end of the housing (100). The lifting screw (340) passes through the lifting sleeve (322), and the lifting screw (340) is threadedly connected to the lifting sleeve (322).

3. A wafer transfer robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rotating mechanism (400) includes a second drive motor (410), a connecting shaft (420), and a transmission assembly (430). The second drive motor (410) is fixedly mounted on the support base (320), the connecting shaft (420) is vertically arranged, and the transmission assembly (430) is arranged between the output shaft of the second drive motor (410) and the connecting shaft (420). The end of the connecting shaft (420) away from the transmission assembly (430) is fixedly connected to the wave generator (331) of the harmonic reducer (330); The steel wheel (332) of the harmonic reducer (330) is connected to the support base (320), and the flexible wheel (333) of the harmonic reducer (330) is connected to the drive shaft (200).

4. A wafer transfer robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The transmission assembly (430) includes a first pulley (431), a second pulley (432), and a synchronous belt (433). The first pulley (431) is fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the second drive motor (410), and the second pulley (432) is fixedly mounted on the connecting shaft (420). The synchronous belt (433) is connected between the first pulley (431) and the second pulley (432).

5. A wafer transfer robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The robotic arm (600) includes a first robotic arm (600a) and a second robotic arm (600b), with the first robotic arm (600a) located above the second robotic arm (600b); An installation cavity (510) is formed inside the support frame (500). Two sets of drive components (700) are provided inside the installation cavity (510). The two sets of drive components (700) drive the first robotic arm (600a) and the second robotic arm (600b) to move linearly, respectively. The first robotic arm (600a) and the second robotic arm (600b) both extend or retract from the same end of the support frame (500).

6. A wafer transfer robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The two sets of drive assemblies (700) are arranged side by side along the width direction within the mounting cavity (510); Each of the drive components (700) includes a support rail (710), a third drive motor (720), and a guide seat (730). The support rail (710) is installed inside the support frame (500), and the length direction of the support rail (710) is parallel to the length direction of the support frame (500). The third drive motor (720) is located at one end of the support rail (710). A drive wheel (721) is provided on the output shaft of the third drive motor (720). A driven wheel (711) is provided at the end of the support rail (710) away from the third drive motor (720). The drive wheel (721) and the driven wheel (711) are located on the same side of the support rail (710). A belt (740) is connected between the drive wheel (721) and the driven wheel (711). The guide seat (730) is slidably mounted on the support guide rail (710), and the belt (740) between the driving wheel (721) and the driven wheel (711) is driven in a direction parallel to the sliding direction of the guide seat (730); the guide seat (730) is fixedly connected to the belt (740). The guide seat (730) is connected to the first robotic arm (600a) or the second robotic arm (600b).

7. A wafer transfer robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The support frame (500) has mounting slots (520) on both vertical sidewalls along its length. The belt (740) between the drive wheel (721) and the driven wheel (711) is driven in a direction parallel to the length of the mounting slots (520). An L-shaped support frame (750) is fixedly installed on the upper side of the support base (320). One end of the L-shaped support frame (750) passes through the mounting slot (520) and is fixedly connected to the support base (320). The other end of the L-shaped support frame (750) is located outside the support frame (500), is in a vertical state, and is connected to the first robotic arm (600a) or the second robotic arm (600b).

8. A wafer transfer robot according to claim 7, characterized in that, Both the first robotic arm (600a) and the second robotic arm (600b) include a support arm (610) and a ceramic arm (620). One end of the support arm (610) is integrally formed with an L-shaped connecting plate (611). One end of the L-shaped connecting plate (611) is integrally formed with the support arm (610), and the other end is in a vertical state and is fixedly connected to the L-shaped support frame (750). The support arm (610) and the ceramic arm (620) are detachably and fixedly connected. The ceramic arm (620) is a plate-shaped structure. An annular groove (621) is provided at one end of the ceramic arm (620) away from the support arm (610). A vacuum channel (630) is provided inside the support arm (610) and the ceramic arm (620). One end of the vacuum channel (630) is connected to the annular groove (621). A vacuum pump is provided inside the support frame (500). The vacuum pump is connected to the vacuum channel (630).

9. A wafer transfer robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, A wafer inspection component (800) for inspecting wafers in the basket frame is provided on the support frame (500) at the end that extends away from the robotic arm (600).

10. A wafer transfer robot according to claim 9, characterized in that, The wafer inspection assembly (800) includes a limiting guide rail (810), a control cylinder (820), a sliding block (830), and a through-beam sensor (850). A groove (530) is provided at the bottom of the support frame (500) and at the end away from the extension of the robotic arm (600). The limiting guide rail (810) is fixedly installed inside the support frame (500) and located on the side close to the groove (530). The length direction of the limiting guide rail (810) is parallel to the length direction of the groove (530). The sliding block (830) is fitted onto the limiting guide rail (810) and can slide along the length direction of the limiting guide rail (810); The control cylinder (820) is fixed inside the support frame (500), and the piston end of the control cylinder (820) is fixedly connected to the sliding block (830). The length direction of the piston rod of the control cylinder (820) is parallel to the length direction of the limiting guide rail (810). A mounting plate (831) is detachably connected to one side of the sliding block (830) near the slide groove (530); one end of the mounting plate (831) passes through the slide groove (530) and is located below the support frame (500); a mounting bracket (840) is detachably installed at the end of the mounting plate (831) outside the support frame (500). The mounting bracket (840) is U-shaped and horizontally arranged. The side of the opening of the mounting bracket (840) is away from the end of the mounting plate (831), and the through-beam sensor (850) is installed at the opening end of the mounting bracket (840). When the piston rod of the control cylinder (820) extends or retracts, it controls the through-beam sensor (850) to protrude from the support frame (500) to detect the wafer or to enter the inner side of the projection surface of the support frame (500).

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