Conveying device

Abstract

This invention provides a transport device that can be used to transport objects within a vacuum chamber, and which reduces the bulkiness of the arm by distributing the motors while improving the cooling efficiency of the motors. [Solution] This transport device 10 comprises a multi-jointed arm unit 1 in which a first arm 11, a second arm 12, and a hand 13a are connected by joint axes L1, L2, L3, and motors 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B that drive the joint axes are arranged inside the arms 11 and 12, and a refrigerant supply passage 51, 52, and 53 that supplies refrigerant to the motors 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B employs direct drive motors, and is provided with cooling passages 61, 62, 63, and 64 that guide a portion of the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant supply passages 51, 52, and 53 to the stator for cooling, and the refrigerant that has passed through the cooling passages is discharged from the base end of the arm unit 1 through refrigerant discharge passages 71, 72, and 73, and the refrigerant that has passed through the refrigerant supply passages 51 and 52 is sent to the next stage motors 3B, 4A, and 4B.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device.

Background Art

[0002] In the manufacturing processes of semiconductors, liquid crystals, etc., a conveying device (conveying robot) for conveying a substrate is required. The conveying device includes, for example, a hand for holding the substrate, an arm that supports one end of the hand in a cantilever manner, and a main body that supports one end of the arm in a cantilever manner. The arm pivots with respect to the main body, and the hand pivots with respect to the arm. As an example of the arrangement of the drive source for driving the hand and the arm, an arrangement in which a drive source (motor) is arranged in the arm is known (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] By the way, in the case of a general conveying device used in an atmospheric environment, at least part of the heat of the motor is radiated to the outside through the hand and the arm. However, in the case of a conveying device used in, for example, a vacuum environment, that is, a conveying device (vacuum conveying robot) for conveying a substrate or the like in a vacuum chamber, the hand and the arm are arranged in the vacuum chamber. Therefore, it cannot be expected that the heat of the motor is radiated to the outside through the hand and the arm.

[0004] Therefore, for example, it is conceivable to stack and arrange the motors in the arm on the proximal end side or the main body, transmit power to the pivot shaft with a belt or pulley, and vacuum-seal between the stator and the rotor to intensively cool the stator side. However, with such a motor stacking structure, there are cases where requirements cannot be met for applications with height limitations of the arm.

[0005] In Patent Document 1 above, the motor is arranged in the arm, compressed air is sent from the main body side to the arm side through a tube, the housing of the drive motor is cooled from the outside, and then discharged into the arm and exhausted from the main body through the arm.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4617278 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, in the case of Patent Document 1 mentioned above, the motor is cooled indirectly from outside the housing, which has the problem of reduced cooling efficiency for the motor. Furthermore, although the same document is configured to cool only the motor of the base arm, if cooling of motors located in the second stage or later arms becomes necessary, for example, if the tube used for cooling is extended to the next stage arm for continued cooling, the heated refrigerant will be used to cool the next motor. This leads to a further decrease in cooling efficiency and makes it difficult to route the tubes and secure exhaust passages.

[0008] Furthermore, while Patent Document 1 employs a configuration in which heat is extracted from the motor and the resulting heated air is released into the arm, this configuration has the problem of being unsuitable for applications where a decrease in positional accuracy due to thermal expansion of the arm is undesirable, as the arm itself heats up. Alternatively, the configuration in Patent Document 1 requires the use of a pneumatic device such as a compressor or supply from equipment in a semiconductor factory, as compressed air is supplied to the tube, which may not be desirable for applications where energy saving is important.

[0009] The present invention was made to solve the above problems, and aims to realize a conveying device that is particularly suitable for conveying objects in a vacuum chamber, while reducing the bulkiness of the arms by distributing the motors and appropriately improving the cooling efficiency of the motors. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To achieve this objective, the present invention employs the following means.

[0011] In other words, the transport device of the present invention is The device comprises a multi-joint arm unit in which arms are connected by joint axes and motors for driving the joint axes are arranged inside the arms, and a refrigerant supply passage for supplying refrigerant to the motors for driving each joint axis, It is equipped with a direct drive motor that is used in at least some motors and is positioned on the joint axis, The direct drive motor is provided with a refrigerant supply passage and a cooling passage that guides a portion of the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant supply passage to the stator of the direct drive motor for cooling. The refrigerant that has passed through the cooling passage is discharged from the base end of the arm unit through the refrigerant discharge passage. The system is characterized by being configured to send the refrigerant that has passed through the aforementioned refrigerant supply path to the next stage motor. The term "arm" here includes a hand such as an end effector that captures an object at its tip.

[0012] In this configuration, the motors are distributed within the arm, allowing for a lower overall bulk compared to when they are concentrated at the base of the arm unit. While the distributed motors need to be cooled, the above configuration allows for direct cooling of the motors via cooling passages. Furthermore, since the refrigerant used for cooling is discharged through a refrigerant discharge passage, a decrease in cooling efficiency can be prevented compared to supplying refrigerant heated by heat removal to the next motor. Moreover, unlike small motors that use speed reducers and pulleys, direct-drive motors can be positioned on the articulated shaft and have a certain diameter to obtain the required output torque. This can be used to easily configure two systems—a refrigerant supply passage and a cooling passage—within the motor housing.

[0013] In this case, it is preferable that the cooling passage is configured to flow between the stator coils of the direct drive motor.

[0014] In this way, by using the gaps between coils as cooling passages, it is easier to secure a flow path, and the stator of a direct-drive motor can be directly cooled.

[0015] Alternatively, it is preferable that the refrigerant discharge passage within the arm includes a discharge pipe, and that the space between the outside of the discharge pipe and the inner wall of the arm serves as a refrigerant supply passage.

[0016] This method allows the inside of the arm to be used as the forward path for the refrigerant, eliminating the need for pipes. Furthermore, circulating the refrigerant through the arm cools it, preventing thermal deformation and subsequent loss of positional accuracy.

[0017] Alternatively, it is preferable that within the direct drive motor, the refrigerant discharge passage passes through the hollow portion of a support shaft positioned at the axis of the direct drive motor, and the refrigerant supply passage passes around the support shaft.

[0018] This makes it easier to configure the refrigerant supply and return paths, and also allows for proper connection between the supply path and the cooling path.

[0019] Alternatively, it is preferable to connect one or more exhaust devices to the base end of one or more refrigerant discharge passages, and to configure the system so that a portion of the refrigerant in the refrigerant supply passage is drawn into the cooling passage by the exhaust devices.

[0020] In this way, the starting end of the refrigerant supply path is opened to the atmosphere, allowing, for example, the surrounding air to be used and taken in as a refrigerant. Therefore, a small fan can be used as an exhaust device, and the present invention can be suitably applied to applications where the installation of a pressure feeding device such as a compressor is not appropriate.

[0021] Regarding the above-mentioned transport device, it is preferable to configure the substrate processing system by placing it inside a vacuum chamber and transporting substrates between the vacuum chamber and a processing chamber adjacent to the vacuum chamber.

[0022] This makes it possible to suitably apply the present invention to situations such as when the height dimension of the conveying device is limited in relation to the processing chamber.

Advantages of the Invention

[0023] According to the present invention described above, it can be particularly preferably applied to the use of transporting an object to be transported in a vacuum chamber. By dispersing the motors, it is possible to suppress the bulkiness of the arm while appropriately increasing the cooling efficiency of the motors, and to provide a transport device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] [Figure 1] A configuration diagram schematically showing a transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A schematic configuration diagram of a transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] A diagram for explaining a medium supply path and a cooling path of the embodiment. [Figure 4] A diagram for explaining a medium discharge path of the embodiment. [Figure 5] A cross-sectional plan view corresponding to each part of FIG. 3 for explaining a cooling path of the embodiment. [Figure 6] A diagram for explaining a power supply system of the embodiment. [Figure 7] A diagram showing a modification of the present invention. [Figure 8] A diagram showing another modification of the present invention. [Figure 9] A diagram showing a modification of the present invention other than the above.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0026] <1. Overall Configuration of the Transport Device> The overall configuration of the transport device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of the transport device 10, and FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the transport device 10.

[0027] As shown in Figure 1, the conveying device 10 is a vacuum conveying device (vacuum conveying robot) that conveys objects within a vacuum chamber 20. The vacuum chamber 20 has a vacuum seal structure between the external space and the internal space. For example, a pump is connected to the vacuum chamber 20, and the pump exhausts the gas from the internal space of the vacuum chamber 20, thereby reducing the pressure of the internal space to a vacuum atmosphere (pressure value below a predetermined value) Q1. In other words, the inside of the vacuum chamber 20 is maintained in a vacuum atmosphere Q1, and the outside of the vacuum chamber 20 is an atmosphere (in this case, an atmospheric atmosphere) Q2 with a pressure value higher than the vacuum atmosphere Q1.

[0028] The transport device 10 comprises an arm unit 1 and a main body 2 that supports the arm unit 1. The arm unit 1 is located inside the vacuum chamber 20, while the main body 2 is mostly located outside the vacuum chamber 20. However, the internal space of the arm unit 1 is airtight to the external space inside the vacuum chamber 20, and together with the internal space of the main body 2, it is in an atmosphere Q3 with a pressure value higher than the vacuum atmosphere Q1 (in this case, an atmospheric atmosphere with a pressure approximately equal to that of the atmospheric atmosphere Q2). The main body 2 is positioned to hang downward through an opening 20x provided in the bottom wall of the vacuum chamber 20 and is supported by a support base 21 attached to the bottom wall of the vacuum chamber 20 via a lifting mechanism 22.

[0029] The lifting mechanism 22 includes, for example, a motor which is a drive source, and a transmission mechanism (for example, a gear mechanism, a ball screw mechanism, etc.) which transmits the driving force provided by the motor to the support base 21 and raises and lowers it. When the lifting mechanism 22 raises and lowers the support base 21, the arm unit 1, including the main body 2 supported by the support base 21, moves up and down within the vacuum chamber 20. A bellows 23 is provided between the opening 20x and the support base 21, which can deform in accordance with the raising and lowering of the support base 21. The bellows 23 is hermetically connected around the opening 20x at one end and hermetically connected to the support base 21 at the other end. This hermetically seals the space between the opening 20x and the support base 21.

[0030] The transport device 10 is a horizontal articulated robot. Specifically, the arm unit 1 comprises, for example, a first arm 11, a second arm 12, and one or more (in this case, two) hands 13a, 13b. In this specification, hands 13a, 13b are also included in the concept of an arm.

[0031] The first arm 11 is a long, hollow member extending in a nearly horizontal position, and its base end is pivotably connected to the main body 2 around a support shaft 31 positioned on the first axis L1. The support shaft 31 is a cylindrical shaft (pipe member) extending in the axial direction. A hollow portion 31h extending in the axial direction is provided on the inner side (axis side) of the support shaft 31. The upper end of the support shaft 31 is rotatably attached relative to the first manifold 11a, which also serves as a bearing, located at a corresponding position on the first arm 11. The extension direction of the first axis L1 is vertical, and the first arm 11 rotates in the horizontal plane. This first axis L1 corresponds to the shoulder joint axis of the arm unit 1.

[0032] The second arm 12 is a long, hollow member extending in a nearly horizontal position, and its base end is pivotably connected to the tip of the first arm 11 around a support shaft 31 positioned on the second axis L2. The support shaft 31 is a cylindrical shaft extending in the axial direction. A hollow portion 31h extending in the axial direction is provided on the inner side (axis side) of the support shaft 31. The upper end of the support shaft 31 of the second motor 3B is rotatably mounted relative to the second manifold 12a, which also serves as a bearing, located at a corresponding position on the second arm 12. The extension direction of the second axis L2 is vertical, and the second arm 12 pivots in the horizontal plane. This second axis L2 corresponds to the elbow joint axis of the arm unit 1.

[0033] The first hand 13a and the second hand 13b are both elongated members extending in a substantially horizontal position. Their base ends are rotatably connected to rotating shafts 41a and 41b, which are positioned on a third axis L3 and a fourth axis L4, respectively, that are set coaxially with respect to the tip of the second arm 12. The rotating shaft 41a is a solid shaft, and the rotating shaft 41b is a cylindrical shaft, with the rotating shaft 41a being inserted through the rotating shaft 41b so as to be rotatable relative to it. The extension direction of the third axis L3 and the fourth axis L4 is vertical, and both the first hand 13a and the second hand 13b rotate independently in the horizontal plane. These third and fourth axes L3 and L4 correspond to the wrist joint axes of the arm unit 1. The first hand 13a and the second hand 13b hold the object to be transported at their tip (the so-called end effectors). For example, each hand 13a and 13b has a fork-like shape with its tip branched into two.

[0034] The object transported by the transport device 10 is, for example, a substrate. That is, various modules 30 (for example, an EFEM (Equipment Front End Module), which is an interface for loading and unloading substrates between the vacuum chamber 20 and a storage container for storing substrates, processing chambers for performing various processes on the substrates, etc.) are connected to the vacuum chamber 20 either directly or via a load lock chamber. Here, the transport device 10 is configured to transport substrates between processing chambers 30 connected to the vacuum chamber 20, and the substrate processing system 100 includes the transport device 10, the vacuum chamber 20, and the processing chambers 30.

[0035] <2. Configuration related to the driving of the arm unit by the motor> (a) Role and placement of motors The transport device 10 shown in Figure 1 is equipped with a plurality (in this case, four) of motors 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B, which are the drive sources for the arm unit 1, as shown in Figure 2. The first motor 3A provides the driving force to rotate the first arm 11 around the first axis L1. The second motor 3B provides the driving force to rotate the second arm 12 around the second axis L2. The third motor 4A provides the driving force to rotate the first hand 13a around the third axis L3. The fourth motor 4B provides the driving force to rotate the second hand 13b around the fourth axis L4.

[0036] The first motor 3A is located coaxially with the first axis L1 and in a motor housing space that communicates with the main body 2 and the first arm 11, and drives the first arm 11 to rotate. The second motor 3B is located coaxially with the second axis L2 and in a motor housing space formed across the tip of the first arm 11 and the base of the second arm 12, and drives the second arm 12 to rotate. The third motor 4A and the fourth motor 4B are located coaxially with the third axis L3 and in a motor housing space at the tip of the second arm 12, and drive the first hand 13a and the second hand 13b to rotate.

[0037] (b) Motor configuration The first motor 3A and the second motor 3B are outer rotor type motors, while the third motor 4A and the fourth motor 4B are inner rotor type motors.

[0038] The first motor 3A and the second motor 3B each include a stator 32 and a rotor 33.

[0039] The stator 32 is provided in a stator housing 32H located on the outer circumference of the support shaft 31. The stator 32 is cylindrical and is arranged coaxially with the first shaft L1 and the second shaft L2. Specifically, for example, the stator 32 is provided with a stator core 32a at a position that protrudes radially from the stator housing 32H, and a stator coil 32b is wound around the stator core 32a.

[0040] The rotor 33 is provided on the outer circumference of the stator 32. The rotor 33 is cylindrical with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the stator 32, and is arranged coaxially with the stator 32, surrounding the stator core 32a from the outside. When power is supplied to the stator coil 32b, the rotor 33 rotates around the stator 32, generating a driving force (rotational driving force). In the first motor 3A, the output end of the rotor 33 and the base end of the first arm 11 are coupled to rotate together coaxially, and in the second motor, the output end of the rotor 33 and the base end of the second arm 12 are coupled to rotate together coaxially.

[0041] Since the first and second motors 3A and 3B are positioned under an atmospheric atmosphere Q3 as shown in Figure 1, a vacuum partition is not provided between the stator 32 and rotor 33 as shown in Figure 2.

[0042] As shown in Figure 2, the third motor 4A and the fourth motor 4B each include a stator 42 and a rotor 43.

[0043] The stator 42 is provided in a stator housing 42H located on the outer circumference of the rotor housing space. The stator 42 is cylindrical and is arranged coaxially with the third shaft L3 and the fourth shaft L4. Specifically, for example, the stator 42 is provided with a stator core 42a that protrudes radially inward from the stator housing 42H, and a stator coil 42b is wound around the stator core 42a.

[0044] The rotor 43 is attached to the rotating shafts 41a and 41b, respectively, and is located on the inner circumference side of the stator 42. In other words, the third motor 4A and the fourth motor 4B are so-called inner rotor type motors in which the rotor 43 is positioned inside the stator 42. When power is supplied to the stator 42 (specifically the coil), the rotor 43 rotates on the inner circumference of the stator 42, generating a driving force (rotational driving force). This driving force is transmitted as a turning force to the first hand 13a and the second hand 13b via the rotating shafts 41a and 41b.

[0045] The third and fourth motors 4A and 4B shown in Figure 2 are equipped with vacuum partitions (not shown), with the stator 42 located in an atmospheric environment and the rotor 43 located in a vacuum.

[0046] (c) Mode of operation The first motor 3A, second motor 3B, third motor 4A, and fourth motor 4B shown in Figure 2 are direct-drive motors directly connected to the load. Specifically, the rotors 33 of the first motor 3A and second motor 3B are connected to the first arm 11 and second arm on the outer circumference of the stator 32. The rotors 43 of the third motor 4A and fourth motor 4B are connected to the first hand 13a and second hand 13b on the inner circumference of the stator 42. Therefore, when power is supplied to the stators 32 of the first and second motors 3A and 3B, the rotors 33 of the first and second motors 3A rotate around the first axis L1 and second axis L2, causing the first arm 11 and second arm 12 to pivot around the first axis L1 and second axis L2. Furthermore, when power is supplied to the stators 42 of the third and fourth motors 4A and 4B, the rotors 43 of the third and fourth motors 4A and 4B rotate around the third axis L1 and the fourth axis L2, causing the first hand 13a and the second hand 13b to revolve around the third axis L1 and the fourth axis L2.

[0047] <3. Cooling structure> The transport device 10 is equipped with a cooling structure for cooling motors 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B.

[0048] (Refrigerant supply path) The refrigerant supply path will be explained with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3. The transport device 10 shown in Figure 1 is equipped with refrigerant supply lines 51 and 52 that supply refrigerant to the first motor 3A and the second motor 3B, as shown in Figure 3.

[0049] First, the refrigerant supply passage 51 from the main body 2 to the first motor 3A that drives the first arm 11 will be described. On the inner circumference of the stator housing 32H shown in Figure 2, a fixed guide portion 51a is provided that forms an annular gap with the support shaft 31 shown in Figure 3. At the output end of the rotor 33, a movable guide portion 51b is also provided at a position opposite the fixed guide portion 51a, which forms a funnel-shaped gap with the support shaft 31 and a guide gap to the cooling passage 61 described later. These gaps constitute a refrigerant supply passage 51 that supplies refrigerant Re from below to above, as indicated by the arrows. The lower end of the refrigerant flow path 51 communicates with an air inlet 20a provided in the bottom wall of the main body 2.

[0050] The upper end of the refrigerant supply passage 51 is continuous with the refrigerant supply passage 52 in the space inside the first arm 11. The movable guide portion 51b rotates together with the first arm 11, thereby appropriately guiding the refrigerant Re flowing from bottom to top in the longitudinal direction of the first arm 11, regardless of the orientation of the first arm 11.

[0051] Next, the refrigerant supply passage 52 to the second motor 3B, which drives the second arm 12 from the first arm 11, will be described. A fixed guide portion 52a is provided on the inner circumference of the stator 32, forming an annular gap with the support shaft 31. A movable guide portion 52b is also provided at the output end of the rotor 33, opposite the fixed guide portion 52a, forming a funnel-shaped gap with the support shaft 31 and a guide gap to the cooling passage 62, which will be described later. These gaps constitute a refrigerant supply passage 52 that supplies refrigerant Re from below to above, as indicated by the arrows. The lower end of the refrigerant supply passage 52 extends horizontally through an annular space and communicates with the refrigerant supply passage 52 in the arm space of the first arm 11.

[0052] The upper end of the refrigerant supply passage 52 is continuous with the refrigerant supply passage 53 in the space inside the arm of the second arm 12. The movable guide portion 52b rotates together with the second arm 12, thereby appropriately guiding the refrigerant Re flowing from bottom to top in the longitudinal direction of the second arm 12, regardless of the orientation of the second arm 12.

[0053] Next, we will describe the refrigerant supply passage 53 to the third motor 4A and fourth motor 4B that drive the first hand 13a and second hand 13b from the second arm 12. The motor housings constituting the third motor 4A and fourth motor 4B are connected to the third manifold 12b, and an inlet port 53a opening on the side of the third manifold 12b leads to a cooling passage 64 provided in the stator 42 via a refrigerant supply passage 12b1 within the third manifold 12b. This refrigerant supply passage 12b1 also constitutes part of the refrigerant supply passage 53 within the second arm 12.

[0054] (cooling path) In the first motor 3A, the second motor 3B, the third motor 4A, and the fourth motor 4B, the cooling passages are provided as cooling passages 61, 62, 63, and 64, respectively, at positions that guide a portion of the supplied refrigerant Re to the heat sources of each motor 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B.

[0055] Cooling passages 61, 62, 63, and 64 will be explained with reference to Figures 2, 3, and 5. These figures show cooling passages 61, 62, 63, and 64 along with the refrigerant Re flowing through them.

[0056] The first motor 3A shown in Figure 3 has a cooling passage 61 that diverts a portion of the refrigerant Re flowing through the refrigerant supply passage 51 toward the first arm 11 and supplies it to the stator 32. In Figure 3, the cooling passage 61 is shown branching from the gap between the end of the fixed guide portion 51a and the movable guide portion 51b, but the cooling passage 61 may also be configured to guide a portion of the refrigerant Re to the stator 32 after exiting the movable guide portion 51b. The cooling passage 61 is configured to direct the diverted refrigerant Re to a position close to the heat source inside the stator 32. Figure 5(a) is a plan view (AA section) of the first motor 3A (or second motor 3B), and the stator coils 32b arranged in a ring shape at a predetermined pitch have a wedge-shaped gap 3S between the stator coils 32b, 32b. The first motor 3A uses this gap 3S as the cooling passage 61 inside the stator 32 and is configured to allow the refrigerant Re to pass downward along the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper through this cooling passage 61.

[0057] The cooling passage 62 of the second motor 2B shown in Figure 3 is generally similar to the cooling passage 61 of the first motor 2A. That is, the second motor 3B has a cooling passage 62 that diverts a portion of the refrigerant Re flowing through the refrigerant supply passage 52 in the support shaft 31 toward the second arm 12 and supplies it to the stator 32. In Figure 3, the cooling passage 62 is shown branching from the gap between the end of the fixed guide portion 52a and the movable guide portion 52b, but the cooling passage 62 may also be configured to guide a portion of the refrigerant Re to the stator 32 after exiting the movable guide portion 52b. The cooling passage 62 is configured to direct the diverted refrigerant Re to a position close to the heat source inside the stator 32. As mentioned above, Figure 5(a) also shows a planar section (BB section) of the second motor 3B, and the stator coils 32b, which are arranged in a ring shape at a predetermined pitch, have wedge-shaped gaps 3S between the stator coils 32b, 32b. The second motor 3B uses this gap 3S as a cooling passage 62 within the stator 32, and is configured to flow the refrigerant Re downward along the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper through this cooling passage 62.

[0058] In the third motor 4A and fourth motor 4B shown in Figure 2, a third manifold 12b, shown in Figure 3, is provided adjacent to the stator housing 42H. The third motor 4A introduces the refrigerant Re that has flowed through the refrigerant supply passage 53 in the second arm 12 into the cooling passage 63 of the stator 42 via the inlet port 53a of the third manifold 12b. The cooling passage 63, although a detailed diagram is omitted, has an annular introduction space on one end of the stator 42 along the axial direction, a main cooling passage passing through the stator 42, and an annular outlet passage located on the other end of the stator 42. Figure 5(b) is a planar section (CC section) of the motor, and the stator coils 42b, which are arranged in an annular shape at a predetermined pitch, have wedge-shaped gaps 4S between the stator coils 42b, 42b. The third motor 4A uses this gap 4S as a cooling passage (main cooling passage) 63 within the stator 42, and is configured to flow the refrigerant Re upward along the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper through this cooling passage 63.

[0059] As shown in Figure 3, the fourth motor 4B introduces the refrigerant Re that has flowed through the refrigerant supply passage 53 in the second arm 12 into the cooling passage 64 of the stator 42 via the inlet port 53a of the third manifold 12b. The cooling passage 64, although a detailed diagram is omitted, has an annular introduction space on one end of the stator 42 along the axial direction, a main cooling passage that passes through the stator 42, and an annular outlet passage located on the other end of the stator 42. Figure 5(b) above also shows a plan view (DD section) of the fourth motor 4B, and wedge-shaped gaps 4S exist between the stator coils 42b, which are arranged in an annular shape at a predetermined pitch. The fourth motor 4B uses these gaps 4S as the cooling passage (main cooling passage) 64 within the stator 42, and is configured to flow the refrigerant Re downward along the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in this cooling passage 64.

[0060] (refrigerant discharge path) Next, the refrigerant discharge passages 7 (71, 72, 73, 74) will be explained with reference to Figures 2, 3, and 4.

[0061] In the first motor 3A, an annular outlet space 61a is provided at the outlet of the cooling passage 61 shown in Figure 3, and this outlet space 61a communicates with the discharge port 34a shown in Figure 4, which is provided at the lower end of the stator housing 32H shown in Figure 2. This discharge port 34a communicates with the first outlet 20b1 provided at the lower end of the main body 2, and the discharge port 34a and the first outlet 20b1 constitute the refrigerant discharge passage 71 of the first motor 3A. The first exhaust device, the first fan 81, is provided at the first outlet 20b1, and by drawing in the first outlet 20b1 with the first fan 81, a portion of the refrigerant from the refrigerant supply passage 51 shown in Figure 3 is drawn into the cooling passage 61 by negative pressure.

[0062] In the second motor 3B, an annular outlet space 62a is provided at the outlet of the cooling passage 62 shown in Figure 3, and this outlet space 62a communicates with the discharge port 34b shown in Figure 4, which is located on the side of the stator housing 32H shown in Figure 2. One end of a flexible discharge pipe 72a is connected to this discharge port 34b, and the other end of the discharge pipe 72a is connected to the first manifold 11a of the first motor 3A. The inside of the first manifold 11a is a closed space, and the other part of the first manifold 11a communicates with the second discharge port 20b2 provided at the lower end of the main body 20 via the hollow portion 31a of the support shaft 31.

[0063] The discharge port 34b, discharge pipe 72a, first manifold 11a, hollow section 31a of the support shaft 31, and second discharge port 20b2 constitute the refrigerant discharge passage 72 of the present invention for the second motor 3B. A second fan, which is a second exhaust device, is provided at the second discharge port 20b2, and the second fan 82 draws air into the second discharge port 20b2, thereby creating negative pressure that draws a portion of the refrigerant from the refrigerant supply passage 52 shown in Figure 3 into the cooling passage 62.

[0064] In the third motor 4A and the fourth motor 4B, as described above, the third manifold 12b shown in Figure 3 is connected to the stator housing 42H shown in Figure 2, and multiple refrigerant discharge passages 12b2 are formed within the third manifold 12b. Annular outlet spaces 63a and 64a are provided at the outlets of the cooling passages 63 and 64 shown in Figure 3, and these outlet spaces 63a and 64a communicate with the refrigerant discharge passages 12b2 within the third manifold 12b, respectively. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, one end of multiple flexible discharge pipes 73a is connected to the outlet port of the refrigerant discharge passage 12b2 of the third manifold 12b, and the other end of the discharge pipes 73a is connected to the second manifold 12a of the second motor 3B. The inside of the second manifold 12a is a closed space, and the rest of the second manifold 12a communicates with a discharge port 34c provided on the side of the motor housing via the hollow portion 31a of the support shaft 31.

[0065] One end of the flexible exhaust pipe 73b is connected to the discharge port 34c, and the other end of the exhaust pipe 73b is connected to the first manifold 11a of the first motor 3A. Here, it merges with the exhaust from the exhaust pipe 72a. After that, as described for the exhaust pipe 72a, the rest of the first manifold 11a is connected to the second discharge port 20b2 located at the lower end of the main body 20 via the hollow section 31a of the support shaft 31.

[0066] The refrigerant discharge passage 73a (including 12b2), manifold 12a, discharge pipe 73a, hollow section 31a of the support shaft 31, discharge port 34c, manifold 11a, hollow section 31a of the support shaft 31, and second discharge port 20b2 constitute the refrigerant discharge passage 73 of the present invention for the third and fourth motors 4A and 4B. The second exhaust device, the second fan 82, installed at the second discharge port 20b2, draws refrigerant into the second discharge port 20b2 by creating negative pressure, thereby drawing a portion of the refrigerant from the refrigerant supply passage 53 shown in Figure 3 into the cooling passages 63 and 64.

[0067] (Wiring route) The wiring routes supplying power to motors 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B will be explained with reference to Figure 6.

[0068] As shown in Figure 6, for the first motor 3A, a power supply line (lead wire) 91 is passed through the refrigerant supply line 51, and the wiring 91 is pulled out along the way and connected to the stator coil 32b of the first motor 3A.

[0069] For the second motor 3B, a power supply line (lead wire) 92 is passed through the refrigerant supply passage 51 of the first motor 3A. The power supply line 92 drawn out from the first motor 3A is then guided to the tip of the first arm 11 via the refrigerant supply passage 52 inside the first arm 11, and after securing the excess wiring length 92a, it is passed through the refrigerant supply passage 52 of the second motor 3B. The wiring 92 is then pulled out along the way and connected to the stator coil 32b of the second motor 3B.

[0070] For the third and fourth motors 4A and 4B, a power supply line (lead wire) 93 is passed through the refrigerant supply passage 51 of the first motor 3A. The power supply line 3 drawn from the first motor 3A is guided to the tip of the first arm 11 via the refrigerant supply passage 52 inside the first arm 11, and after securing a wiring slack length 93a, it is passed through the refrigerant supply passage 52 of the second motor 3B. Furthermore, the power supply line 93 drawn from the second motor 3B is extended towards the tip of the first arm 11 after securing a wiring slack length 93b, and after inserting the wiring 93 through the medium introduction passage 12b1, which is a hole provided in the third manifold 12b, it is connected to the stator coils 42b of the third and fourth motors 4A and 4B.

[0071] Figure 1 shows the refrigerant supply paths 51, 52, 53, cooling paths 61, 62, 63, 64, refrigerant discharge paths 71, 72, 73, fans 81, 82, etc.

[0072] <4. Effects> As described above, the transport device 10 according to this embodiment is The multi-jointed arm unit 1 comprises a first arm 11, a second arm 12, and a hand 13 connected by joint axes L1, L2, and L3, with motors 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B that drive the joint axes L1, L2, and L3 positioned within the arms 11 and 12, and refrigerant supply passages 51, 52, and 53 that supply refrigerant Re to the motors 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B that drive each joint axis L1, L2, and L3.

[0073] Furthermore, direct drive motors are used for motors 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B. The direct drive motors 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B are provided with refrigerant supply passages 51, 52, and 53, and cooling passages 61, 62, 63, and 64 that guide a portion of the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant supply passages 51, 52, and 53 to the stators 32 and 42 for cooling. The refrigerant Re that has passed through cooling passages 61, 62, 63, and 64 is discharged from the base end of arm unit 1 through refrigerant discharge passages 71, 72, and 73. In at least some of the refrigerant supply lines 51 and 52, the refrigerant Re that has passed through the refrigerant supply lines 51 and 52 is configured to be sent to the next stage motors 3B, 4A, and 4B through the refrigerant supply lines 52 and 53.

[0074] In this configuration, motors 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B are distributed within arms 11 and 12, thus reducing the overall bulk compared to when they are concentrated at the base end of arm unit 1. In this case, the distributed motors 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B need to be cooled, but with the above configuration, motors 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B can be directly cooled by cooling passages 61, 62, 63, and 64. Moreover, since the refrigerant used for cooling is discharged from refrigerant discharge passages 71, 72, and 73, a decrease in cooling efficiency can be prevented compared to supplying refrigerant heated by heat removal to the next stage motor. Furthermore, unlike small motors that use reducers and pulleys, direct drive motors can be placed on articulated axes L1, L2, and L3 and have a certain diameter to obtain the required output torque. This can be used in reverse to appropriately configure two systems, refrigerant supply passages 51, 52, etc. and cooling passages 61, 62, etc., within the motor housing.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cooling passages 61, 62, 63, and 64 are configured to flow between the stator coils 32b, 32b (42b, 42b) of the direct drive motors 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B.

[0076] In other words, by using the gap 3S (4S) between coils 32b, 32b (or between 42b, 42b) as cooling passages 61, 62, 63, and 64, it becomes easier to secure a flow path, and the stator of the direct drive motor can be directly cooled by the refrigerant Re.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, within the arms 11 and 12, the refrigerant discharge passages 71, 72, and 73 are equipped with discharge pipes 72a, 73a, and 73b, and the space between the outside of the discharge pipes 72a, 73a, and 73b and the inner walls of the arms 11 and 12 is used as the refrigerant supply passages 52 and 53.

[0078] In this way, the inside of arms 11 and 12 can be used as the forward path for the refrigerant, eliminating the need for piping. Furthermore, by flowing the refrigerant through arms 11 and 12, the arms 11 and 12 can be cooled, preventing thermal deformation of the arms 11 and 12 and thus preventing a decrease in positional accuracy.

[0079] Furthermore, in this embodiment, within the motors 3A and 3B, the refrigerant discharge passages 71 and 72 are configured to pass through the hollow section 31a provided on the support shaft 31 of the direct drive motors 3A and 3B, and the refrigerant supply passages 51 and 52 pass around the support shaft 31.

[0080] This makes it easier to configure the forward and return paths for the refrigerant Re, and also allows for proper connection between the forward refrigerant supply paths 51 and 52 and the cooling paths 61 and 62.

[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, multiple exhaust devices, which are fans 81 and 82, are connected to the base ends of multiple refrigerant discharge passages 71, 72, and 73, and the configuration is such that a portion of the refrigerant Re from the refrigerant supply passages 51 and 52 is drawn into the cooling passages 61 and 62 by the drawing in by the fans 81 and 82.

[0082] In this way, the starting ends of the refrigerant supply passages 51, 52, and 53 are opened to the atmosphere, allowing the surrounding air to be used as refrigerant Re and drawn in. Since small fans can be used as fans 81 and 82, the present invention can be suitably applied to applications where the installation of a pressure feeding device such as a compressor is not appropriate.

[0083] The substrate processing system 100 is configured such that the transport device 10 is placed inside the vacuum chamber 20, and substrates are transported between the vacuum chamber 20 and the processing chamber 30 adjacent to the vacuum chamber 20.

[0084] Therefore, the present invention can be suitably applied when the height dimension of the conveying device is limited relative to the processing chamber 30, etc.

[0085] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the specific configuration of each part is not limited to the embodiment described above.

[0086] For example, in Figure 1, exhaust fans 81 and 82 are used for the media discharge passage 71 and media discharge passages 72 and 73, respectively. However, it is also possible to configure the system to use a common fan to exhaust the media discharge passages 71, 72, and 73.

[0087] Furthermore, in Figure 1, for example, a so-called pull-type configuration is adopted in which exhaust fans 81 and 82 are connected to media discharge passages 71, 72, and 73, and by drawing them in, the refrigerant in the refrigerant supply passages 51, 52, and 53 is supplied to the cooling passages 61, 62, 63, and 64 of each motor 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B by negative pressure. However, a push-type configuration may also be adopted.

[0088] Figure 7 shows one example. If the fans 81 and 82 in Figure 1 are replaced with compressors 101 and 102, which are an example of a compression device, then reference numerals 71, 72, and 73 become media supply passages, and reference numerals 51, 52, and 53 become media discharge passages. This makes it possible to directly supply refrigerant to the cooling passages of each motor. Furthermore, if the expansion of arms 11 and 12 due to the return of the refrigerant after heat dissipation is within an acceptable range, or if it can be addressed by other corrections, then the cooling efficiency can be improved.

[0089] Furthermore, as a modified example of Figure 1, as shown in Figure 8, by simultaneously using compressors 100 for the medium supply passages 51, 52, and 53 and fans 81 and 82 for the medium discharge passages 71, 72, and 73, the refrigerant can be pumped and discharged at the same time.

[0090] This configuration is particularly effective when a smooth flow of refrigerant cannot be expected through suction or pumping alone due to high resistance in certain flow paths.

[0091] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, each motor 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B may be configured to supply and discharge the medium through medium passages 3ar, 3br, 4ar, and 4br, which serve both as medium supply and medium discharge channels. Such a configuration can be implemented, for example, by using a flexible tube (coaxial, flat cable, etc.) having two insulated flow paths.

[0092] This simplifies the piping configuration and allows motors 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B to be cooled without creating an atmospheric environment inside arms 11 and 12. This eliminates the need for vacuum sealing between the arm interior and the vacuum chamber interior, thus simplifying the sealing structure.

[0093] Other configurations can also be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0094] 1…Arm unit 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B… motors 10... Conveying equipment, 11…First Arm 12... Second Arm 13a, 13b... Hand (arm) 20… Vacuum Chamber 30… Processing room 31…Spindle 31a...Hollow part 32…Stata 32b, 42b... Stator coil 42...Stata 51, 52, 53... Refrigerant supply lines 61, 62, 63, 64...Cooling path 71, 72, 73…refrigerant discharge path 72a, 73a, 73b...Discharge pipe 81, 82... Exhaust system (fan) 100... Vacuum processing system L1, L2, L3... Joint axes Re... Refrigerant

Claims

1. The device comprises a multi-joint arm unit in which arms are connected by joint axes and motors for driving the joint axes are arranged inside the arms, and a refrigerant supply passage for supplying refrigerant to the motors for driving each joint axis, It is equipped with a direct drive motor that is used in at least some motors and is positioned on the joint axis, The direct drive motor is provided with a refrigerant supply passage and a cooling passage that guides a portion of the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant supply passage to the stator of the direct drive motor for cooling. The refrigerant that has passed through the cooling passage is discharged from the base end of the arm unit through the refrigerant discharge passage. A conveying device characterized by being configured to send the refrigerant that has passed through the refrigerant supply path to the next motor.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling passage is configured to flow between the stator coils of the direct drive motor.

3. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant discharge passage within the arm comprises a discharge pipe, and the space between the outside of the discharge pipe and the inner wall of the arm serves as a refrigerant supply passage.

4. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein, within the direct drive motor, the refrigerant discharge passage is configured to pass through the hollow portion of a support shaft positioned at the axis of the direct drive motor, and the refrigerant supply passage is configured to pass around the support shaft.

5. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein one or more exhaust devices are connected to the base end of one or more refrigerant discharge passages, and a portion of the refrigerant in the refrigerant supply passage is drawn into the cooling passage by the exhaust devices.

6. A substrate processing system characterized in that a transport device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is placed inside a vacuum chamber and configured to transport substrates between the vacuum chamber and a processing chamber adjacent to the vacuum chamber.

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