Self-adaptive wafer and crystal ingot transfer manipulator

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductor material processing equipment, in particular to a self-adaptive wafer crystal ingot transfer manipulator which comprises a base and a support which are used for integrally fixing and supporting, the support is of a C-shaped structure and is fixedly arranged on the base, and a plurality of sets of vacuum chucks are evenly installed at the bottom of the base. The vacuum suction cups are connected with external vacuum equipment through pipelines, rotatable guide rods are installed in the positions, close to the four corners, of the interior of the base in a penetrating mode through shaft seats, and rotary supporting handles of a horizontal structure are fixedly arranged at the lower ends of the guide rods. According to the utility model, the loading capacity of the manipulator is improved through the plurality of groups of vacuum chucks, wafers with different diameters can be adsorbed and transferred, the application range is widened, and meanwhile, the arranged guide rods can be moved up and down for adjustment, so that the transfer requirements of crystal ingots with different thicknesses can be met; therefore, the manipulator can cope with wafers or crystal ingots of various sizes without being replaced, and the flexibility and convenience of use are greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductor material processing equipment, specifically an adaptive wafer or ingot transfer robot for automatically, accurately and safely transferring wafers or ingots of different sizes and weights during the semiconductor production process. Background Art

[0002] A wafer is the substrate (also called a base) used to manufacture semiconductor transistors or integrated circuits. Because it is made of crystalline material and is typically round in shape, it is called a wafer. Various circuit components can be fabricated on a wafer (such as a silicon wafer), resulting in integrated circuit products with specific electrical functions. During wafer processing, a transfer robot is required to move the wafer into the processing equipment.

[0003] There are many limitations in the wafer transfer robots currently available on the market. First, they are usually only suitable for wafers of one custom size and have a small load-bearing capacity. When the size of the wafer to be transferred or grasped changes, the corresponding robot often needs to be replaced, which greatly limits its flexibility and convenience of use. Secondly, the existing robots cannot effectively transfer or grasp larger-sized ingots and cannot be used for larger-sized ingots because the ingots are usually heavier (usually around 1-10kg) and thicker, and the load-bearing capacity of existing robots on the market generally does not exceed 1kg (except for special customization). In addition, the existing robots lack wafer-falling protection devices. If the suction cup fails during the transfer process, the wafer will fall off and cause serious losses. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of the existing deficiencies, the present invention provides an adaptive wafer and ingot transfer robot, which solves the problems raised in the above-mentioned background technology.

[0005] In order to achieve the above purpose, the technical solution adopted by the utility model is:

[0006] The cam is connected to the base via a plurality of vacuum suction cups, and the vacuum suction cups are connected to the external vacuum equipment through pipelines. The base has a plurality of rotatable guide rods installed near the four corners through the shaft seat, and the lower end of the guide rod is fixed with a rotating support arm with a horizontal structure. The guide rod is equipped with a rotatable worm gear through a bearing, and a second pulley is provided on the upper side of the worm gear, and a first pulley is provided on the upper side of the second pulley. The plurality of first pulleys are connected by a first belt transmission, and the plurality of second pulleys are connected by a second belt transmission. A servo motor is installed on the rear side of the base, and a worm is installed on the output end of the servo motor, and the worm is meshed with one of the worm gears for transmission. A servo electric cylinder is fixed on the left side of the bracket, and a fixed block is installed on the output end of the servo cylinder, and the fixed block is fixedly connected to the first pulley.

[0007] Furthermore, the upper side cover of the bracket is provided with a shell, and the shell is detachably connected to the bracket by screws.

[0008] Furthermore, an external flange for connecting to external equipment is provided on the top of the shell.

[0009] Furthermore, an external thread is engraved on the annular surface of the guide rod, and the second pulley and the worm gear are rotatably connected to the guide rod through the thread.

[0010] Furthermore, a clamping block is fixedly provided inside the first pulley, and a limiting sliding groove adapted to the clamping block is provided inside the guide rod, and the clamping block is clamped into the limiting sliding groove and is slidably connected thereto.

[0011] Furthermore, a thickness sensor for measuring the thickness of the ingot is embedded on the right side surface of the bracket.

[0012] Furthermore, a layer of cushioning pad is pasted on the upper surface of the rotating handle.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0014] 1. The utility model improves the load capacity of the manipulator by setting up multiple sets of vacuum suction cups, which can absorb and transport wafers of different diameters and sizes, thereby increasing the scope of application. At the same time, the guide rods set up can be moved up and down to adapt to the transportation needs of crystal ingots of different thicknesses, so that the manipulator can cope with wafers or crystal ingots of various sizes without replacement, greatly improving the flexibility and convenience of use.

[0015] 2. The utility model can measure the thickness of the ingot in real time through the thickness sensor provided, providing accurate thickness data for the manipulator, so that the manipulator can adjust the telescopic movement distance of the guide rod according to the thickness of the ingot to ensure the stability and safety of the ingot during transportation.

[0016] 3. In the present invention, the wafer or ingot can be supported from the bottom by the rotatable guide rod and the rotating support, thereby realizing anti-fall protection for the wafer or ingot, and the buffer pad pasted on the upper surface of the rotating support can absorb and disperse the impact force, protecting the wafer or ingot from damage during transportation, and preventing the wafer or ingot from being scratched or damaged due to collision or friction. At the same time, the buffer pad can increase the friction between the rotating support and the wafer or ingot, preventing the wafer or ingot from sliding or falling during transportation, thereby improving the stability of transportation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the utility model.

[0018] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of the utility model.

[0019] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the shell in the utility model.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of the interior of the shell in another angle of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the local structure of the utility model.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the partially disassembled structure of the utility model.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the use state of the utility model.

[0024] In the figure: 1. External flange; 2. Housing; 3. Guide rod; 31. Limiting slide; 4. Rotating support; 5. Vacuum suction cup; 6. Shaft seat; 7. Bracket; 8. First belt; 9. Second belt; 10. Worm gear; 11. Thickness sensor; 12. Worm; 13. Servo motor; 14. Fixed block; 15. Servo cylinder; 16. Base; 17. First pulley; 171. Block; 18. Second pulley; 19. External thread. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The following will be combined with the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only 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 efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] Example:

[0027] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, an adaptive wafer and ingot transfer robot comprises a base 16 and a bracket 7 for overall fixed support. The bracket 7 is set to a C-shaped structure and is fixed on the base 16. The stable combination of the base 16 and the C-shaped bracket 7 provides overall support for the robot, ensuring stability during the transfer process. A plurality of groups of vacuum suction cups 5 are evenly installed on the bottom of the base 16, and the vacuum suction cups 5 are connected to the external vacuum equipment through pipelines. The vacuum suction cups 5 are controlled by the external vacuum equipment and can firmly adsorb the wafer or ingot. A rotatable guide rod 3 is installed through the shaft seat 6 near the four corners of the base 16. The lower end of the guide rod 3 is fixed with a rotating hand 4 with a horizontal structure. The wafer or ingot can be supported from the bottom by the rotatable guide rod 3 and the rotating hand 4, thereby realizing anti-fall protection for the wafer or ingot. A rotatable worm wheel 10 is assembled through the bearing, and a second pulley 18 is provided on the upper side of the worm wheel 10 as an integral part thereof, and a first pulley 17 is provided on the upper side of the second pulley 18. Multiple groups of first pulleys 17 are connected by a first belt 8, and multiple groups of second pulleys 18 are connected by a second belt 9. A servo motor 13 is assembled on the rear side of the base 16, and a worm 12 is mounted on the output end of the servo motor 13, and the worm 12 is meshed and connected with one group of worm wheels 10. A servo electric cylinder 15 is fixedly provided on the left side of the bracket 7, and a fixed block 14 is mounted on the output end of the servo electric cylinder 15, and the fixed block 14 is fixedly connected to the first pulley 17. The combination of the worm wheel 10, the worm 12, the second pulley 18 and the belt transmission system enables the servo motor 13 to drive multiple guide rods 3 to move up and down synchronously, thereby adapting to crystal ingots of different thicknesses.

[0028] In this embodiment, a shell 2 is provided on the upper side cover of the bracket 7, and the shell 2 is detachably connected to the bracket 7 by screws. The shell 2 can cover the transmission system and key components inside the manipulator, preventing external dust, impurities, etc. from entering the interior of the manipulator and causing interference or damage to the normal operation of the manipulator. During the operation of the manipulator, the shell 2 can also play a certain safety protection role to prevent the operator from accidentally touching the moving parts inside the manipulator, thereby avoiding the occurrence of safety accidents.

[0029] In this embodiment, an external flange 1 for connecting to external equipment is provided on the top of the shell 2. The external flange 1 serves as a bridge between the manipulator and the external equipment, allowing the manipulator to be easily connected to external equipment such as automated production lines, handling robots, etc., thereby achieving more efficient material transfer and process automation.

[0030] In this embodiment, an external thread 19 is engraved on the annular surface of the guide rod 3, and the second pulley 18 and the worm gear 10 are rotatably connected to the guide rod 3 through threads. The threaded connection can convert the rotational motion of the second pulley 18 into linear motion of the guide rod 3, thereby controlling the guide rod 3 to move up and down to adapt to crystal ingots of different thicknesses.

[0031] In this embodiment, a clamping block 171 is fixedly provided inside the first pulley 17, and a limiting slide groove 31 adapted to the clamping block 171 is opened inside the guide rod 3. The clamping block 171 is clamped into the limiting slide groove 31 and is slidably connected to it. The connection between the first pulley 17 and the guide rod 3 is realized by cooperating with the limiting slide groove 31. When the first pulley 17 rotates, the guide rod 3 is driven to rotate through the clamping block 171, and then the angular position of the rotating support hand 4 at the bottom of the guide rod 3 is adjusted to support the wafer ingot. This design enables the guide rod 3 to maintain relative stability with the first pulley 17, while being able to move up and down, thereby realizing flexible transmission and adjustment.

[0032] In this embodiment, a thickness sensor 11 for measuring the thickness of the crystal ingot is embedded on the right side surface of the bracket 7. The thickness sensor 11 can enable the robot to measure the thickness of the crystal ingot in real time when grasping and transporting the crystal ingot, and then adjust the telescopic movement distance of the guide rod 3 according to the thickness of the crystal ingot to ensure the stability and safety of the crystal ingot during the transportation process.

[0033] In this embodiment, a layer of buffer pad is pasted on the upper surface of the rotating support arm 4. The main function of the buffer pad is to protect the wafer or ingot from damage during the transportation process. When the robot grasps and places the wafer or ingot, the buffer pad can absorb and disperse the impact force to prevent the wafer or ingot from being scratched, broken, etc. due to collision or friction. At the same time, the buffer pad can increase the friction between the rotating support arm 4 and the wafer or ingot to prevent the wafer or ingot from sliding or falling during the transportation process, thereby improving the stability of transportation.

[0034] The working principle of this adaptive wafer ingot transfer robot is as follows: in actual use, the robot is connected to the external transfer equipment through the external flange 1. When grabbing the wafer, the robot moves to the top of the wafer through the external transfer equipment, and makes the vacuum suction cup 5 come into contact with the wafer, and adsorbs the wafer through the vacuum suction cup 5. Then the robot is controlled to move upward to grab the wafer. At this time, the servo electric cylinder 15 is pneumatically driven to drive the fixed block 14 to move, and the fixed block 14 drives the first pulley 17 to move a certain distance, and then drives the first pulley 17 to rotate a certain angle. The rotation of the first pulley 17 drives the guide rod 3 and the rotating support hand 4 thereon to rotate, so that the rotating support hand 4 rotates to the bottom of the wafer, and is supported from the bottom of the wafer by the rotating support hand 4; when grabbing the ingot, the thickness of the ingot is measured in real time by the thickness sensor 11 to provide feedback to the control system, and the servo motor 13 is started to drive the guide rod 3 to move up and down through the worm 12, worm wheel 10 and second pulley 18 to adapt to the thickness of the ingot.

[0035] To sum up, the adaptive wafer and ingot transfer robot improves the load capacity of the robot by setting up multiple sets of vacuum suction cups 5, and can absorb and transfer wafers of different diameters, thereby improving the scope of application. At the same time, the guide rod 3 set can be moved up and down and adjusted to adapt to the transfer requirements of ingots of different thicknesses, so that the robot can cope with wafers or ingots of various sizes without replacement, greatly improving the flexibility and convenience of use, and realizing flexible and efficient transfer of wafers or ingots of different sizes and thicknesses.

[0036] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not limitations on the implementation methods of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in the relevant field, other different forms of changes or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is impossible to list all the implementation methods here. All obvious changes or modifications derived from the technical solution of the present invention are still within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adaptive wafer and ingot transfer robot, characterized by: The invention comprises a base (16) and a bracket (7) for integral fixed support, wherein the bracket (7) is set as a C-shaped structure and fixed on the base (16), a plurality of vacuum suction cups (5) are evenly installed on the bottom of the base (16), and the vacuum suction cups (5) are connected to the external vacuum equipment through a pipeline, a rotatable guide rod (3) is installed through the shaft seat (6) near the four corners of the base (16), a horizontal structure rotating support (4) is fixed on the lower end of the guide rod (3), a rotatable worm wheel (10) is assembled on the guide rod (3) through a bearing, and a second pulley (18) is provided on the upper side of the worm wheel (10) integral with it, and the guide rod (3) is provided with a plurality of vacuum suction cups (5) evenly installed on the bottom of the base (16), and a plurality of vacuum suction cups (5) are connected to the external vacuum equipment through a pipeline, and ... the plurality of vacuum suction cups (5) are connected to the external vacuum equipment through a pipeline, and the plurality of vacuum suction cups (5) are connected to the external vacuum equipment through a pipeline, and the plurality of vacuum suction cups (5) are connected to the external vacuum equipment through a pipeline, and the plurality of vacuum suction cups (5) are connected to the external vacuum equipment through a pipeline, and the plurality of vacuum suction cups (5) are connected to the A first pulley (17) is provided on the upper side of the second pulley (18), and multiple groups of the first pulleys (17) are connected to each other through a first belt (8), and multiple groups of the second pulleys (18) are connected to each other through a second belt (9). A servo motor (13) is assembled on the rear side of the base (16), a worm (12) is mounted on the output end of the servo motor (13), and the worm (12) is meshed and connected to one group of worm wheels (10). A servo electric cylinder (15) is fixed on the left side of the interior of the bracket (7), and a fixed block (14) is mounted on the output end of the servo electric cylinder (15), and the fixed block (14) is fixedly connected to the first pulley (17).

2. The adaptive wafer ingot transfer robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A shell (2) is provided on the upper side cover of the bracket (7), and the shell (2) is detachably connected to the bracket (7) via screws.

3. The adaptive wafer and ingot transfer robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: An external flange (1) for connecting to external equipment is provided on the top of the housing (2).

4. The adaptive wafer and ingot transfer robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: An external thread (19) is engraved on the annular surface of the guide rod (3), and the second pulley (18) and the worm wheel (10) are rotatably connected to the guide rod (3) via the thread.

5. The adaptive wafer and ingot transfer robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A clamping block (171) is fixedly provided inside the first pulley (17), and a limiting sliding groove (31) adapted to the clamping block (171) is provided inside the guide rod (3), and the clamping block (171) is clamped into the limiting sliding groove (31) and slidably connected therewith.

6. The adaptive wafer and ingot transfer robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A thickness sensor (11) for measuring the thickness of the crystal ingot is embedded on the right side surface of the bracket (7).

7. The adaptive wafer and ingot transfer robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A layer of cushioning pad is pasted on the upper surface of the rotating support handle (4).

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