Transport device

Abstract

To increase functionality for a workpiece.SOLUTION: In a transport device 10, a suction pad 20 holds a workpiece W by suction. Furthermore, a pressure pad 22 presses the workpiece W, limiting deformation of the workpiece W. Furthermore, clamp claws 38 of an edge clamp mechanism 24 hook onto the workpiece W, thereby gripping the workpiece W. Here, the suction pad 20, the pressure pad 22, and the edge clamp mechanism 24 are provided. This allows for a wide range of functions for the workpiece W.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport device for transporting a workpiece. [Background technology]

[0002] In the transport mechanism described in Patent Document 1 below, a suction pad and clamp claws are provided on a holding body, and the suction pad adsorbs the wafer and the clamp claws hook the wafer from the outer periphery, causing the holding body to move and transporting the wafer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6202962 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As described above, the focus has been on transportation, and the state of the wafer during transportation has not been taken into consideration. However, it is preferable that such a transportation mechanism has many functions for the wafer.

[0005] In consideration of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a transport device that can perform multiple functions for workpieces. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first aspect of the conveying device of the present invention comprises an adsorption unit that adsorbs a workpiece, a pressing unit that presses the workpiece to limit deformation of the workpiece, a gripping unit that hooks the workpiece from the outer periphery and grips the workpiece, and a movable body that is moved to move the adsorption unit, the pressing unit, and the gripping unit, thereby conveying the workpiece.

[0007] A transport device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the transport device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the gripping portion is provided outside the pressing portion.

[0008] A third aspect of the present invention is the transfer device of the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the suction part sucks the workpiece that is not gripped by the gripping part.

[0009] A conveying device of a fourth aspect of the present invention is the conveying device of any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, wherein the pressing portion presses the workpiece placed on the mounting table, thereby limiting deformation of the workpiece.

[0010] A fifth aspect of the conveying device of the present invention is the conveying device of any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, wherein the gripping portion grips the workpiece that is not sucked by the suction portion and is not pressed by the pressing portion.

[0011] A sixth aspect of the present invention is the conveying device of any one of the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, wherein the pressing portion is made swingable.

[0012] A seventh aspect of the conveying device of the present invention is a conveying device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects of the present invention, in which the workpiece placed on a mounting table is floated above the mounting table and the gripping portion hooks the workpiece from the outer periphery.

[0013] The conveying device of an eighth aspect of the present invention is a conveying device of any one of the first to seventh aspects of the present invention, wherein the suction portion is positioned below the pressing portion and the gripping portion to adsorb the workpiece, the pressing portion is moved below the suction portion to press the workpiece, and the gripping portion is positioned below the suction portion and the pressing portion to hook the workpiece from the outer periphery. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] In the conveying device of the first aspect of the present invention, the suction unit suctions the workpiece. The pressing unit presses the workpiece to limit deformation of the workpiece. The gripping unit hooks the workpiece from the outer periphery and grips it. Then, as the moving body moves, the suction unit, pressing unit, and gripping unit move, and the workpiece is conveyed.

[0015] Here, the device is provided with a suction part, a pressing part, and a gripping part, which allows it to perform many functions on the workpiece.

[0016] In the transfer device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the gripping portion is provided outside the pressing portion, which prevents the gripping portion from interfering with the pressing of the workpiece by the pressing portion.

[0017] In the transfer device according to the third aspect of the present invention, the suction part sucks the workpiece that is not gripped by the gripping part, so that the workpiece can be easily held.

[0018] In the transfer device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the pressing portion presses the workpiece placed on the table, thereby restricting deformation of the workpiece, thereby making it possible to appropriately restrict deformation of the workpiece.

[0019] In the transfer device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the gripping section grips the workpiece that is not sucked by the suction section and not pressed by the pressing section, which makes it possible to prevent contamination of the workpiece by the suction section and the pressing section.

[0020] In the transport device according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the pressing portion is made swingable, so that the pressing portion can be swung by an external force applied to the pressing portion.

[0021] In the transfer device of the seventh aspect of the present invention, the gripping unit hooks the workpiece from the outer periphery while the workpiece placed on the mounting table is floating above the mounting table, which makes it easy for the gripping unit to hook the workpiece from the outer periphery.

[0022] In the transfer device of the eighth aspect of the present invention, the suction unit is disposed below the pressing unit and the gripping unit to suction the workpiece, which prevents the pressing unit and the gripping unit from interfering with the suction unit's suction of the workpiece.

[0023] Furthermore, the pressing portion is moved downward relative to the suction portion to press the workpiece, thereby effectively limiting deformation of the workpiece.

[0024] Furthermore, the gripping portion is disposed below the suction portion and the pressing portion, and hooks the workpiece from the outer periphery side, which prevents the suction portion and the pressing portion from interfering with the gripping portion's hooking of the workpiece. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from diagonally front right. [Figure 2] 1 is a top view showing a main part of a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the right. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view seen from the right, showing when a workpiece is being transported to a chuck table in the transport device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 10 is a cross-sectional view seen from the right, showing a state in which a workpiece is held on a chuck table in the transfer device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view seen from the right, showing the transfer device according to the embodiment of the present invention transferring a workpiece from a chuck table. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a conveying device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention as seen from diagonally forward right, and Fig. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the conveying device 10 as seen from the right. In the drawings, the front of the conveying device 10 is indicated by an arrow FR, the right of the conveying device 10 is indicated by an arrow RH, and the top of the conveying device 10 is indicated by an arrow UP.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a transfer device 10 according to this embodiment is provided with a robot arm 12 as a moving body, and the robot arm 12 is driven so as to be movable.

[0028] A robot hand 14 is provided in front of the robot arm 12. A lifting body 16 is provided on the robot hand 14, and the lifting body 16 is movable in the vertical direction between an upper position and a lower position relative to the robot arm 12. A first air cylinder (not shown) is fixed to the robot arm 12, and a first rod of the first air cylinder is mechanically connected to the lifting body 16, with the lifting body 16 being positioned at the upper position. When the first air cylinder is actuated, the first rod is moved by air pressure against the biasing force, and the lifting body 16 is moved to the lower position.

[0029] The lifting body 16 is provided with a cylindrical shaft 18 as a support, and the shaft 18 is movable up and down (axially) within a predetermined range relative to the lifting body 16. The shaft 18 is biased upward relative to the lifting body 16, and is exposed on the upper side of the lifting body 16. A convex support spherical surface 18A is formed on the lower surface of the shaft 18, and the support spherical surface 18A protrudes below the lifting body 16.

[0030] A predetermined number (four in this embodiment) of suction pads 20 serving as suction sections are connected to the underside of the lifting body 16, and the suction pads 20 are movable up and down integrally with the lifting body 16. The suction pads 20 are arranged at equal intervals around the circumference of the shaft 18 of the lifting body 16 and extend downward relative to the lifting body 16, with the underside of each suction pad 20 forming a suction port. The suction pads 20 are connected to a first vacuum source 20A serving as a first suction source, and when the first vacuum source 20A is activated, air is sucked through the suction ports of the suction pads 20.

[0031] A substantially disk-shaped pressure pad 22 serving as a pressure section is supported on the underside of lifting body 16. Pressure pad 22 is arranged coaxially with shaft 18 of lifting body 16 and is movable up and down relative to lifting body 16. A concave ball receiving surface 22A is formed in the center of the upper surface of pressure pad 22, and pressure pad 22 is biased upward relative to lifting body 16, with ball receiving surface 22A fitted into support spherical surface 18A of shaft 18. Therefore, pressure pad 22 is movable up and down integrally with lifting body 16, and ball receiving surface 22A slides against support spherical surface 18A, allowing pressure pad 22 to swing relative to shaft 18. The pressure pad 22 is arranged above the suction pad 20 at the arrangement position of the suction pad 20, and is arranged so that the suction pad 20 can penetrate the pressure pad 22 when the pressure pad 22 is moved downward relative to the lifting body 16 against the biasing force (see FIG. 5). A circular annular pressure plate 22B is arranged coaxially on the outer periphery of the lower surface of the pressure pad 22, and the pressure plate 22B protrudes downward, with its lower surface arranged above the lower surface of the suction pad 20.

[0032] The robot hand 14 is provided with an edge clamp mechanism 24 (see FIG. 2) serving as a gripping unit. The edge clamp mechanism 24 includes a storage box 26, which is L-shaped in top view and located above the pressure pad 22. The storage box 26 is fixed to the robot arm 12 and disposed to the left of the front of the lifting body 16. Plate-shaped sliders 28 extend through the left and right walls of the storage box 26, respectively, and are slidable in the left-right direction. Within the storage box 26, one end of each of the pair of sliders 28 is rotatably connected to each of the pair of long, plate-shaped links 30. One end and the other end of each of the pair of links 30 are rotatably connected to one end and the other end of each of the pair of links 30. The longitudinal center of the center link 32 is rotatably supported. A second air cylinder 34 is fixed within the storage box 26, and a second rod 34A of the second air cylinder 34 is mechanically connected to the right link 30. When the second air cylinder 34 is activated, the second rod 34A is moved against the biasing force by the air pressure, and the pair of links 30 and the central link 32 are rotated, causing the pair of sliders 28 to slide inward in the left-right direction of the storage box 26.

[0033] Outside the storage box 26, long plate-shaped clamp arms 36 are fixed to the pair of sliders 28, each of which extends in the front-rear direction except at both ends and extends radially outward from the pressure pad 22 at both ends. A substantially rectangular, columnar clamp claw 38 is fixed to each end of the clamp arm 36 as a hook, and the clamp claw 38 extends downward beyond the pressure pad 22, radially outward from the pressure pad 22. A triangular cross-sectional recess 38A is formed at the lower end of the surface of the clamp claw 38 facing the pressure pad 22, and the recess 38A is open to both circumferential sides of the pressure pad 22. The recess 38A is partially open to the lower side of the clamp claw 38, and the angle between the lower surface of the recess 38A and the lower surface of the clamp claw 38 is an acute angle. When the second air cylinder 34 is actuated and the pair of sliders 28 is slid inward in the left-right direction of the storage box 26, the pair of clamp arms 36 (including four clamp claws 38) is slid inward in the left-right direction of the pressure pad 22. For example, the clamp claws 38 are formed in a roughly U-shape that opens inward, with the portion above the recess 38A recessed outward from the recess 38A so as not to interfere with the pressure pad 22 and the pressure plate 22B.

[0034] The conveying device 10 according to this embodiment conveys and places a disk-shaped workpiece W, which is a semiconductor wafer such as a silicon wafer, on a disk-shaped chuck table 40 serving as a mounting table (see FIG. 4), and the chuck table 40 is rotatable around its central axis.

[0035] A disk-shaped porous chuck 40A serving as an adsorption body is coaxially embedded in the upper portion of the chuck table 40, with the upper surface of the porous chuck 40A exposed above the chuck table 40. The porous chuck 40A is made of a porous material such as alumina, and its diameter is equal to or smaller than the outer diameter of the pressure plate 22B of the pressure pad 22. The lower surface of the porous chuck 40A is connected to a second vacuum source 40B serving as a second suction source. When the second vacuum source 40B is activated, air is sucked from the upper surface of the porous chuck 40A. The lower surface of the porous chuck 40A is connected to a pure water source 40C (see FIG. 6) serving as a supply source. When the pure water source 40C is activated, pure water is supplied as a fluid to the upper side of the porous chuck 40A.

[0036] A third air cylinder 42 is installed above the chuck table 40, and a cylindrical third rod 42A of the third air cylinder 42 is arranged coaxially with the chuck table 40. When the third air cylinder 42 is actuated, the third rod 42A is moved downward by air pressure against the biasing force (see FIG. 5).

[0037] The chuck table 40 can be moved horizontally from its initial position to a grinding position. A grinding device (not shown) is installed above the chuck table 40 at the grinding position, and the grinding device can be moved up and down. A disk-shaped grinding wheel is provided at the bottom end of the grinding mechanism, and the grinding wheel is arranged horizontally and can rotate around its central axis. The chuck table 40 can also be moved horizontally from the grinding position to a carry-out position.

[0038] Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

[0039] In the transfer device 10 configured as described above, when the workpiece W is transferred above the chuck table 40 (see FIG. 4 ), the robot arm 12 is first moved so that the workpiece W from the previous process is coaxially positioned below the pressure pad 22 of the robot hand 14, and the workpiece W is positioned below the suction pad 20 of the robot hand 14. At the same time, the clamp claws 38 of the edge clamp mechanism 24 of the robot hand 14 are positioned radially outward of the workpiece W so as not to interfere with the pressure pad 22 and the pressure plate 22B. The first air cylinder is then actuated to move the lifting body 16 to a lower position, thereby moving the suction pad 20 and the pressure pad 22 downward together with the lifting body 16. At this time, the clamp claws 38 are positioned above the suction pad 20 so as not to interfere with the chuck table 40 and the workpiece W. The pressure plate 22B can also be positioned above the suction pad 20. Furthermore, the first vacuum source 20A is activated to suck air through the suction port of the suction pad 20, generating a negative pressure between the suction pad 20 and the workpiece W, and the workpiece W is suction-held by the suction pad 20. Thereafter, the robot arm 12 is moved, and the workpiece W is transported together with the robot hand 14, and the workpiece W is positioned coaxially near the upper side of the porous chuck 40A of the chuck table 40.

[0040] When the second vacuum source 40B is activated, air is sucked from the upper surface of the porous chuck 40A, generating a negative pressure between the porous chuck 40A and the workpiece W, and the workpiece W is coaxially suction-held on the upper surface of the porous chuck 40A. Furthermore, when the operation of the second vacuum source 40B is started, the third air cylinder 42 above the chuck table 40 is activated, and the third rod 42A of the third air cylinder 42 is moved downward. This causes the third rod 42A to move the shaft 18 downward relative to the lifting body 16 against the biasing force, and the pressure pad 22 is moved downward relative to the lifting body 16 against the biasing force (see FIG. 5). The pressure plate 22B comes into contact with the workpiece W and presses it. At this time, the pressure plate 22B can be located at approximately the same height as the suction pad 20, for example. As a result, even if the workpiece W has warpage (deformation) that progresses upward from the center toward the periphery, the pressure plate 22B of the pressure pad 22 presses the workpiece W, correcting (limiting) the warpage of the workpiece W. When the pressure plate 22B presses the workpiece W, the clamp claws 38 (recesses 38A) are positioned outward of the pressure plate 22B and the pressure pad 22B and above the chuck table 40 or the pressure plate 22B so as not to interfere with the pressure pad 22 and the pressure plate 22B and the chuck table 40. Furthermore, even if a swinging force acts on the pressure plate 22B of the pressure pad 22 from the workpiece W, the pressure pad 22 swings relative to the shaft 18, and the pressure plate 22B of the pressure pad 22 is made parallel to the upper surface of the chuck table 40. Next, the first vacuum source 20A is stopped, and the suction and holding of the workpiece W by the suction pad 20 is released.

[0041] Thereafter, the chuck table 40 is moved from the initial position to the grinding position, and the chuck table 40 is rotated. Furthermore, the grinding device is moved downward, and the grinding wheel of the grinding mechanism is rotated, thereby grinding the workpiece W with the grinding wheel. When grinding of the workpiece W is completed, the chuck table 40 is moved from the grinding position to the carry-out position.

[0042] Next, when the workpiece W is transferred from above the chuck table 40 (see FIG. 6), the first air cylinder is first stopped, and the first rod is moved by its biasing force, thereby moving the lifting body 16 to the upper position, and the suction pad 20 and pressure pad 22 are moved upward together with the lifting body 16. Next, the robot arm 12 is moved, and the workpiece W above the chuck table 40 at the unloading position is coaxially positioned below the pressure pad 22. Also, the second vacuum source 40B is stopped, and the suction holding of the workpiece W on the upper surface of the porous chuck 40A is released. Then, the pure water source 40C is activated, and pure water is supplied to the upper side of the porous chuck 40A, causing the workpiece W to float above the porous chuck 40A. Then, in the edge clamp mechanism 24, the second air cylinder 34 is actuated to slide the pair of clamp arms 36 (including the four clamp claws 38) inward in the left-right direction of the pressure pad 22. As a result, the clamp claws 38 do not interfere with the pressure pad 22 (and the pressure plate 38A), and the workpiece W is hooked in the recessed portions 38A of each clamp claw 38, and the workpiece W is gripped by the four clamp claws 38. In other words, the recessed portions 38A of each clamp claw 38 grip the workpiece W below the pressure pad 22 and the pressure plate 22B. At this time, for example, the ends of the pressure pad 22 and the pressure plate 38A are accommodated in the portions of each clamp claw 38 above the recessed portions 38A of each clamp claw 38, so that the clamp claws 38 do not interfere with the pressure pad 22 and the pressure plate 22B. Thereafter, the robot arm 12 is moved, and the workpiece W is transported together with the robot hand 14 to a subsequent process.

[0043] Here, the robot hand 14 is provided with a suction pad 20, a pressure pad 22, and an edge clamp mechanism 24. This allows the robot hand 14 to perform more functions with respect to the workpiece W. As a result, a single robot hand 14 can transport and place the workpiece W on the chuck table 40, and then transport it from the chuck table 40 to another position. This reduces the amount of configuration required to transport the wafer W. Furthermore, simply by positioning the robot hand 14, the workpiece W can be transported and placed on the chuck table 40, any warpage of the workpiece W can be corrected, and the workpiece W can be transported from the chuck table 40 to another position.

[0044] Furthermore, when the workpiece W is transported above the chuck table 40, the suction pad 20 sucks and holds the workpiece W that is not gripped by the clamp claws 38 of the edge clamp mechanism 24. This makes it possible to hold the workpiece W easily.

[0045] Furthermore, the suction opening of the suction pad 20 is disposed below the pressure pad 22 and the clamp claws 38, and the suction pad 20 adsorbs the workpiece W. This prevents the pressure pad 22 and the clamp claws 38 from interfering with the suction pad 20's adsorption of the workpiece W.

[0046] Furthermore, the pressure pad 22 (pressure plate 22B) is moved downward relative to the suction pad 20 to press the workpiece W. Therefore, the pressure pad 22 can correct the warp of the workpiece W well.

[0047] Moreover, when the pressure pad 22 presses the workpiece W, the clamp claws 38 are disposed radially outward of the pressure pad 22. This prevents the clamp claws 38 from interfering with the pressure pad 22 pressing the workpiece W.

[0048] Furthermore, the pressure pad 22 (pressure plate 22B) presses the workpiece W placed on the upper surface of the chuck table 40, thereby correcting any warpage of the workpiece W. This allows the warpage of the workpiece W to be properly corrected, and the workpiece W can be satisfactorily adsorbed and held on the upper surface of the porous chuck 40A.

[0049] Moreover, the pressure pad 22 is made swingable. Therefore, while the pressure pad 22 is swung by an external force from the workpiece W to the pressure pad 22, the pressure plate 22B of the pressure pad 22 can be made parallel to the upper surface of the chuck table 40, and the warpage of the workpiece W can be properly corrected.

[0050] Furthermore, when the workpiece W is transported from above the chuck table 40, the clamp claws 38 of the edge clamp mechanism 24 grip the workpiece W that is not attracted by the suction pad 20 and not pressed by the pressure pad 22. This prevents the workpiece W from being contaminated by the suction pad 20 and the pressure pad 22.

[0051] Furthermore, by operating the pure water source 40C, the clamp claws 38 (recesses 38A) hook the workpiece W from the outer periphery while the workpiece W placed on the chuck table 40 is floating on the upper side of the chuck table 40 by the pure water. Therefore, the clamp claws 38 can easily hook the workpiece W from the outer periphery.

[0052] Moreover, the clamp claws 38 (recesses 38A) are disposed below the suction pad 20 and the pressure pad 22, and hook the workpiece W from the outer periphery. This prevents the suction pad 20 and the pressure pad 22 from interfering with the clamp claws 38's ability to hook the workpiece W.

[0053] In this embodiment, the pure water source 40C (supply source) supplies pure water (liquid) to the upper side of the porous chuck 40A. However, the supply source may supply compressed air (gas) to the upper side of the porous chuck 40A.

[0054] In this embodiment, the suction pad 20 sucks the workpiece W and the clamp claws 38 hook the workpiece W from the outer periphery side separately. However, the suction pad 20 may suck the workpiece W and the clamp claws 38 may hook the workpiece W from the outer periphery side at the same time. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 10. Conveyor 12 Robot arm (mobile body) 20 Suction pad (suction part) 22 Pressure pad (pressure part) 24 Edge clamp mechanism (gripping part) 40 Chuck table (mounting table) double work

Claims

1. a suction portion that suctions the workpiece; a pressing portion that presses the workpiece to limit deformation of the workpiece; a gripping portion that grips the workpiece by hooking the workpiece from the outer periphery side; a movable body that is moved to move the suction portion, the pressing portion, and the gripping portion, thereby transporting the workpiece; A conveying device comprising:

2. The conveying device according to claim 1 , wherein the gripping portion is provided outside the pressing portion.

3. The conveying device according to claim 1 , wherein the suction unit sucks the workpiece that is not gripped by the gripping unit.

4. 2. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing portion presses the workpiece placed on the table, thereby restricting deformation of the workpiece.

5. The conveying device according to claim 1 , wherein the gripping portion grips the workpiece that is not sucked by the suction portion and not pressed by the pressing portion.

6. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing portion is swingable.

7. 2. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the gripping portion hooks the workpiece from the outer periphery while the workpiece is placed on a table and is suspended above the table.

8. 2. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the suction portion is positioned below the pressing portion and the gripping portion to adsorb the workpiece, the pressing portion is moved below the suction portion to press the workpiece, and the gripping portion is positioned below the suction portion and the pressing portion to hook the workpiece from the outer periphery.

Images