Vacuum environment robot equipped with distributed actuators

Abstract

By relocating some of the actuators from the drive unit to the robot arm, we provide a vacuum environment robot that reduces mechanical complexity and improves performance. [Solution] The robot arm 212 includes a drive unit 214, a first link 218 connected to the drive unit at a shoulder joint 340, a second link 220 connected to the first link at an elbow joint 342, and a fourth link 221 connected to the second link at a wrist joint 344. The first link is connected to the drive unit, and at least one actuator M2 is located on the second link and causes rotation of the second link around the elbow joint, and at least one actuator M3 is located on the second link and causes rotation of the fourth link around the wrist joint. One or more of the following are performed via the second link: thermal management, power supply, or communication.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Exemplary and non-limiting embodiments relate generally to robots having distributed actuators, and more specifically to material handling vacuum environment robots having actuators distributed within the robot's structure to reduce mechanical complexity and improve performance. Brief description of the prior art

[0002] A simplified cross-sectional view of an exemplary material-handling vacuum environment robot with a conventional architecture utilizing centralized actuators is schematically shown in Figure 1A. The exemplary robot comprises a robotic arm, a drive unit, and a control system.

[0003] The robot arm in this example consists of an upper arm and two forearms, each equipped with an end effector, which are connected to the upper arm via a coaxial rotational joint (called the elbow joint). The upper arm has two pulley systems, each configured to actuate one of the two forearms.

[0004] The drive unit houses all of the robot's actuators. The drive unit includes the spindle assembly and the Z-axis mechanism. The Z-axis mechanism is powered by motor M Z The spindle assembly is configured to move up and down using a motor. The spindle assembly comprises three coaxial shafts and three motors. Each of these motors is configured to actuate one of the three shafts. The outer shaft is connected to the upper arm, and motor M T1 It is operated by the following: The intermediate shaft is connected to a pulley coupled to one of the forearms, and the motor M T2 It is operated by the inner shaft, which is connected to a pulley coupled to the other forearm, and the motor M T3 It is operated by [something].

[0005] In this example, the robot uses motor M to contain the vacuum environment in which the arm operates. T1 , M T2 , MT3 A distinctive feature is the presence of a bellows and a cylindrical barrier between the stator and rotor. The bellows are configured to accommodate the vertical movement of the spindle assembly.

[0006] The control system, for example, receives external input from a user or host system, reads the position of individual motion axes (motors) from position encoders (not shown in Figure 1A for simplicity), and processes the information to perform the desired motion and / or apply voltage to the motors to achieve the desired position. The operation of the exemplary robot in Figure 1A is schematically depicted in Figure 1B, which shows the retracted position and various extended positions for the exemplary robot. Abstract

[0007] According to one view, the device consists of a drive unit and; It has a first link connected to a drive unit at the shoulder, a second link connected to the first link at the elbow, a fourth link connected to the second link at the wrist, and a movable arm connected to the drive unit; A first actuator positioned in the second link and configured to cause rotation around the wrist portion of the fourth link; The system includes at least one second actuator positioned in the second link and configured to cause rotation of the fourth link around the wrist; It includes one or more of the following: thermal management, power supply, or communication, which are performed via the second link.

[0008] From another perspective, the method is to provide a drive unit; To provide a movable arm having a first link connected to the drive unit at the shoulder, a second link connected to the first link at the elbow, a fourth link connected to the second link at the wrist, and a fourth link connected to the second link at the wrist, and connected to the drive unit; To provide a first actuator positioned in the second link and configured to cause rotation around the wrist portion of the fourth link; To provide at least one second actuator positioned in the second link and configured to cause rotation of the fourth link around the wrist portion; This includes one or more of the following: thermal management, power supply, or communication, which are performed via the second link.

[0009] An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one non-volatile memory for storing computer program instructions, wherein when the computer program instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the apparatus... It has a first link connected to a drive unit at the shoulder, a second link connected to the first link at the elbow, a fourth link connected to the second link at the wrist, and a fourth link connected to the second link at the wrist, and moves the arm connected to the drive unit; The fourth link is rotated about the wrist by at least one first actuator located on the second link; The fourth link is rotated about the wrist by at least one second actuator located on the second link; It is configured to perform one or more of the following: thermal management, power supply, or communication.

[0010] From another perspective, the device consists of a drive unit and; A movable arm having a first control unit and a first link rotatable around the drive unit, a second link having a second control unit and connected to the first link by a first rotary joint, and at least one fourth link connected to the forearm by a second rotary joint; The first link is provided with at least one first actuator, configured to cause rotation of the second link around the first rotary joint; The system includes at least one second actuator positioned in the second link and configured to cause rotation of the at least one fourth link around the second rotary joint; At least one active component associated with the at least one fourth link; The system includes the following: One or more of the following are performed via the second rotary joint: thermal management, power distribution, or communication, in order to cause interaction between the at least one active component and the second control unit of the second link.

[0011] From another perspective, the method is to provide a drive unit; To provide a movable arm having a first control unit and a first link connected to the drive unit and rotatable around the drive unit, a second link having a second control unit and connected to the first link by a first rotary joint, and at least one fourth link connected to the forearm by a second rotary joint; To provide at least one first actuator positioned on the first link and configured to cause rotation of the second link around the first rotary joint; To provide at least one second actuator positioned in the second link and configured to cause rotation of the at least one fourth link about the second rotary joint; To provide at least one active component associated with the at least one fourth link; This includes, in order to cause interaction between the at least one active component and the second control unit of the second link, one or more of the following are performed via the second rotary joint: thermal management, power distribution, or communication.

[0012] From another perspective, the device consists of a drive unit and; A movable arm connected to the aforementioned drive unit; comprising a movable arm, the movable arm being an upper arm rotatably coupled to the drive unit at the shoulder, the upper arm having a first actuator inside, a forearm rotatably coupled to the upper arm, the forearm having a second actuator and a fourth actuator inside, a first pair of end effectors rotatably coupled to the forearm by a rotary joint and configured to be moved by the second actuator, and a second pair of end effectors rotatably coupled to the forearm by the rotary joint and configured to be moved by the fourth actuator. The first pair of end effectors is configured to move independently of the second pair of end effectors. At least the second actuator and the fourth actuator are configured to be controlled by a control unit, and the control unit is configured to control one or more of thermal management, power distribution, or communication for the first pair of end effectors and the second pair of end effectors.

[0013] According to another aspect, a method includes measuring at least one temperature of each of at least one structural component of a robot; using the measured at least one temperature to estimate dimensions of the at least one structural component; calculating a set of joint coordinates corresponding to a desired destination of an end effector of the robot based on the estimated dimensions of the at least one structural component; calculating a final destination of the end effector based on the calculated set of joint coordinates; determining a trajectory from the calculated final destination of the end effector to the calculated desired destination of the end effector; determining a plurality of intermediate points on the determined trajectory; using the plurality of intermediate points on the determined trajectory to control at least one motor that causes movement of the end effector; including.

[0014] Another perspective suggests the device has at least one processor; A non-volatile memory for storing computer program instructions; The device is equipped with such a computer program instruction, and when the computer program instruction is executed by the at least one processor, the device is equipped with such a computer program instruction, Measuring the temperature of at least one of each of at least one structural component of the robot; Using the measured temperature of at least one of the structural components, estimate the dimensions of the at least one structural component; Based on the estimated dimensions of the at least one structural component, the set of joint coordinates corresponding to the desired destination of the robot's end effector is calculated; Based on the set of joint coordinates calculated above, the final destination of the end effector is calculated; Determining the trajectory of the end effector from the calculated final destination to the calculated desired destination of the end effector; Determining multiple midpoints on the aforementioned determined trajectory; Using the plurality of intermediate points on the determined trajectory, control at least one motor that produces the movement of the end effector; It is configured to perform the following.

[0015] From another perspective, a machine-readable non-volatile program memory device tangibly embodies a program of machine-executable instructions for performing a process, and the process is: Measuring the temperature of at least one of each of at least one structural component of the robot; Using the measured temperature of at least one of the structural components, estimate the dimensions of the at least one structural component; Based on the estimated dimensions of the at least one structural component, the set of joint coordinates corresponding to the desired destination of the robot's end effector is calculated; Based on the set of joint coordinates calculated above, the final destination of the end effector is calculated; Determining the trajectory of the end effector from the calculated final destination to the calculated desired destination of the end effector; Determining multiple midpoints on the aforementioned determined trajectory; Using the plurality of intermediate points on the determined trajectory, control at least one motor that produces the movement of the end effector; Includes. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] The aforementioned embodiments and other features will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0017] [Figure 1A] This is a schematic diagram showing a material handling vacuum environment robot with a conventional architecture.

[0018] [Figure 1B] Figure 1A is a schematic diagram of the robot in its retracted position and various extended positions.

[0019] [Figure 2A] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an embodiment of a material handling vacuum environment robot equipped with distributed actuators. [Figure 2B] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an embodiment of a material handling vacuum environment robot equipped with distributed actuators.

[0020] [Figure 3A] This is a schematic diagram of a robot illustrating the process of heat transfer. [Figure 3B] This is a schematic diagram of a robot illustrating the process of heat transfer. [Figure 3C] This is a schematic diagram of a robot illustrating the process of heat transfer.

[0021] [Figure 4A]This diagram schematically represents heat transfer through a cylindrical surface in a robot. [Figure 4B] This diagram schematically represents heat transfer through a cylindrical surface in a robot.

[0022] [Figure 4C] This diagram schematically illustrates heat transfer via a heat pipe in a robot.

[0023] [Figure 4D] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an inductive power coupling for a robot.

[0024] [Figure 4E] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an optical communication link for a robot.

[0025] [Figure 4F] This diagram schematically shows how an optical communication link is combined with a rotary power coupling to form an integrated rotary coupling assembly.

[0026] [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a robot that utilizes a high-frequency communication system.

[0027] [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a robot in which communication signals are routed via power coupling.

[0028] [Figure 7] This diagram schematically illustrates an example of a robot in which power and communication signals are transmitted from an atmospheric environment to a vacuum environment using a multi-channel electrical feedthrough and a vacuum-compatible service loop.

[0029] [Figure 8A] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a robot utilizing a vacuum-compatible multi-channel electric rotary coupling.

[0030] [Figure 8B] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a capacitive rotary coupling for a robot. [Figure 8C] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a capacitive rotary coupling for a robot.

[0031] [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a robot in which the internal volume of the upper arm is sealed and filled with gas.

[0032] [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary robot in which communication and cooling systems utilize two feedthroughs connected by a service loop to transmit power and communication signals.

[0033] [Figure 11A] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary robot in which the service loop between feedthroughs is replaced by a multi-media rotary coupling.

[0034] [Figure 11B] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary robot that utilizes a vacuum-compatible service loop.

[0035] [Figure 11C] Figures 11C(a) and 11C(b) are schematic diagrams of the service loops in Figures 11A and 11B, where one or more service loops consist of one or more tubes. [Figure 11D] Figures 11D(a) and 11D(b) are schematic diagrams of the service loops in Figures 11A and 11B, where one or more service loops consist of one or more tubes.

[0036] [Figure 11E] Figures 11C(a), 11C(b), 11D(a), and 11D(b) schematically show the service loop connected at both ends via a pivot joint using bellows.

[0037] [Figure 11F] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a vacuum-enabled service loop consisting of a series of bellows, a rotating support, and cables and / or hoses attached to a semicircular support.

[0038] [Figure 12] This diagram schematically shows an example of a robot incorporating a dynamic seal.

[0039] [Figure 13] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the robot in which the service loop is replaced by a multi-media rotary coupling.

[0040] [Figure 14] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a robot that incorporates a dynamic seal between the robot's upper arm and spindle assembly, and further incorporates a service loop to rotate the upper arm and spindle assembly housing relative to each other.

[0041] [Figure 15A] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the robot in which the service loop is replaced by a multi-media rotary coupling.

[0042] [Figure 15B] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the robot in which a gas supply pipe is used to supply gas to the upper arm, and the gas supply pipe is fixed in place relative to the housing.

[0043] [Figure 15C] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the robot in which the gas supply pipe is fixed in place relative to the base of the drive unit.

[0044] [Figure 15D] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a robot that utilizes an external gas supply mechanism.

[0045] [Figure 15E]This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a robot with a 3-link arm.

[0046] [Figure 15F] Figures 15F(a), 15F(b), and 15F(c) are schematic diagrams showing examples of elbow rotation thermal coupling configurations.

[0047] [Figure 15G] Figure 15E is a schematic diagram of the robot having a heated choke and a rotary thermal coupling.

[0048] [Figure 15H] Figure 15 shows the flow of the thermal model of the robot.

[0049] [Figure 15I] This is a schematic diagram extending the thermal model of the robot in Figure 15G to an exemplary robot having a robotic arm with a two-axis wrist joint.

[0050] [Figure 15J(a)] This is a schematic diagram of the thermal model in Figure 15I that utilizes an inductive power coupling configuration. [Figure 15J(b)] This is a schematic diagram of the thermal model in Figure 15I that utilizes an inductive power coupling configuration. [Figure 15J(c)] This is a schematic diagram of the thermal model in Figure 15I that utilizes an inductive power coupling configuration.

[0051] [Figure 15K(a)] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a robot equipped with distributed actuators and incorporating thermal management, power distribution, and communication schemes.

[0052] [Figure 15K(b)] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a robot equipped with distributed actuators and incorporating thermal management, power distribution, and communication schemes.

[0053] [Figure 15L]Figure 15L(a) is a schematic diagram showing the rotor and stator of an example robot motor. Figure 15L(b) is a schematic diagram showing the rotor and stator of an example robot motor, the motor having a magnetic shield.

[0054] [Figure 16] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary robot with a control system architecture in which the master controller is located outside the robot's drive unit.

[0055] [Figure 17] This diagram schematically illustrates an example of a robot in which a centralized control unit within the robot's drive system receives signals and power.

[0056] [Figure 18A] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a robot in which a centralized control unit located outside the robot's drive system receives signals and power.

[0057] [Figure 18B] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary robot incorporating additional active components.

[0058] [Figure 18C] This is a graph illustrating an exemplary kinematic example of a robot.

[0059] [Figure 19A] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary robot incorporating various combinations of power, communication, cooling, and control system architectures. [Figure 19B] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary robot incorporating various combinations of power, communication, cooling, and control system architectures. [Figure 19C] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary robot incorporating various combinations of power, communication, cooling, and control system architectures.

[0060] [Figure 20]This diagram schematically shows the configuration illustrating the motor displacement between the robot arm and the drive unit. [Figure 21] This diagram schematically shows the configuration illustrating the motor displacement between the robot arm and the drive unit.

[0061] [Figure 22] This diagram schematically shows an example robot in which each motor has a rotor outside its respective stator. [Figure 23] This diagram schematically shows an example robot in which each motor has a rotor outside its respective stator.

[0062] [Figure 24] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary robot in which the power, communication, and / or cooling configurations are extended to a movable joint between the motor in the robot arm and the first link of the robot arm. [Figure 25] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary robot in which the power, communication, and / or cooling configurations are extended to a movable joint between the motor in the robot arm and the first link of the robot arm. [Figure 26] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary robot in which the power, communication, and / or cooling configurations are extended to a movable joint between the motor in the robot arm and the first link of the robot arm. [Figure 27A] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary robot in which the power, communication, and / or cooling configurations are extended to a movable joint between the motor in the robot arm and the first link of the robot arm.

[0063] [Figure 27B] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a robot equipped with four end effectors. [Figure 27C] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a robot equipped with four end effectors.

[0064] [Figure 27D] Figures 27B and 27C schematically illustrate the operation of the robot.

[0065] [Figure 28A] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary robot having two arms and incorporating various combinations of configurations for power, communication, cooling, and control system architecture. [Figure 28B] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary robot having two arms and incorporating various combinations of configurations for power, communication, cooling, and control system architecture. [Figure 28C] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary robot having two arms and incorporating various combinations of configurations for power, communication, cooling, and control system architecture.

[0066] [Figure 28D] Figure 28A is a schematic diagram of an exemplary robot showing the robot in a retracted position and various extended positions; and

[0067] [Figure 29A] This is an illustrative schematic diagram of robot operation showing the retracted and extended positions of various robot arms. [Figure 29B] This is an illustrative schematic diagram of robot operation showing the retracted and extended positions of various robot arms. Detailed description of the embodiment

[0068] Referring to Figure 1A, an example robot is generally shown as 10, and will be referred to hereafter as "robot 10". Robot 10 comprises a robotic arm 12 coupled to a drive unit 14. The robotic arm 12 is operated in a vacuum environment, and the drive unit 14 is located in an atmospheric environment. The robotic arm 12 comprises an upper arm 18, at least one forearm 20 on the upper arm 18, and corresponding end effectors 22 on each forearm 20, the end effectors 22 configured to receive a payload. The drive unit 14 comprises a spindle assembly 36 coupled to the upper arm 18, a Z-axis mechanism 38 for moving the spindle assembly 36 up and down, and one or more actuators 32 in the form of motors. A bellows 24 may be used to contain the vacuum environment in the space in which the robotic arm 12 operates. A control system 26 is used to control the movement of the robotic arm 12. The robotic arm 12 may extend from a retracted position to various extended positions, as shown in Figure 1B.

[0069] Robot 10 can be considered mechanically complex because it uses many precision mechanical parts such as bearings and pulleys. These parts define the robot's performance (such as positioning accuracy). Therefore, architectures using centralized actuators cannot adequately accommodate configurations with more axes of motion required in ever-increasing applications (see example below).

[0070] The objective of the present invention is to reduce mechanical complexity and improve performance by transferring a portion of the actuator 32 (motor) from the drive unit 14 to the robot arm 12. Since the robot arm 12 operates in a vacuum environment, it is necessary to address several technical challenges, including airtightness, power supply, communication, and heat removal (cooling).

[0071] Referring to Figure 2A, a robot having distributed actuators is generally shown as 110 and will be hereinafter referred to as "robot 110". Robot 110 is an exemplary embodiment of a material handling vacuum environment robot. As shown, the exemplary robot 110 comprises a robotic arm 112, a drive unit 114, and a control system 126.

[0072] In this particular example, the robotic arm 112 comprises an upper arm 118 and two forearms 120, each mounted on an end effector 122 (configured to receive a payload), which may be connected to the upper arm 118 via a coaxial rotary joint 130 (called an elbow joint). The upper arm may house two motors (actuators 132), each connected to one of the two forearms 120.

[0073] The drive unit 114 comprises a spindle assembly 136 and a Z-axis mechanism 138. The Z-axis mechanism 138 may be configured to move the spindle assembly 136 up and down using a motor Mz, for example, via a ball screw. The spindle assembly 136 may include a drive shaft 140 connected to the upper arm 118 and actuated by a motor M1.

[0074] The drive unit 114 of the exemplary robot 110 may include a bellows 124 and a cylindrical barrier 125 between the stator and rotor of the motor M1 to contain any vacuum environment that may exist in the space in which the robot arm 112 operates. The bellows 124 may be configured to accommodate the vertical movement of the spindle assembly 136. Alternatively, no barrier may be used between the stator and rotor of the motor M1, and the stator of the motor M1 may be located in a vacuum environment.

[0075] The control system 126 may include a master controller 142, one or more control modules 144 fixedly mounted on the drive unit 114, one or more control modules 146 mounted on the spindle assembly 136, and one or more control modules 148 located on the robot arm 112. The master controller 142 and the control modules 144, 146, and 148 may be connected by a communication network. U.S. Patent No. 10,538,000, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes an actuator on an arm sealed in an airtight container. U.S. Patent No. 10,224,232, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes a motor on an arm. U.S. Patent No. 10,569,430, which discloses heat transfer in a robot drive unit and arm, as well as an airtight container around a motor, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. U.S. Patent No. 10,424,498, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a service loop for supplying a coolant. U.S. Patent No. 10,541,167 (which is incorporated in its entirety by reference) discloses thermal conduction.

[0076] The actuators 132 (motors M2 and M3) within the robot arm 112 may be controlled by a control module 148 conveniently located in close proximity within the upper arm 118. One or more actuators located within the spindle assembly 136 of the drive unit 114, motor M1 in this particular example, may be controlled by a control module 146 attached to the spindle assembly 136 and may move up and down with the spindle assembly 136. The motor Mz that drives the Z-axis mechanism 138 may be controlled, for example, by a stationary control module 144 located at the base of the drive unit 114. The control modules 144, 146, and 148 may be coordinated, for example, via a communication network by a master controller 142, which may also be located at the base of the drive unit 114.

[0077] The upper arm 118, including its internal space, may be placed in and exposed to a vacuum environment. The motors M2 / M3 associated with the control module 148 may be sealed in a vacuum vessel, which may be filled with air, another mixture of gases, or a single gas, such as nitrogen. Alternatively, or in combination, the internal space of the housings of the M2 / M3 motors and the control module 148 may be potted to enhance heat transfer and eliminate the presence of gas in the robot arm 112. Similarly, the stators of M2 and M3 may also be surrounded by a sealed housing filled with air, another mixture of gases, or a single gas, or the internal space of the housings of the motors M2 and M3 may be potted to enhance heat transfer and eliminate the presence of gas in the robot arm 112. Alternatively, the stators of M2 and M3 and the M2 / M3 control module 148 may be packaged into a composite unit, which may be sealed in a housing (e.g., by welding, vacuum sealing, or any other suitable method). The internal space of the enclosure may again be filled with air, another mixture of gases, or a single gas, or it may be potted. In a similar alternative configuration, motors M2 and M3 may be controlled by separate control modules, so that each stator and corresponding control module can be packaged into a coupling unit in the manner outlined above. Alternatively, motors M2 and M3 may be entirely in a vacuum environment.

[0078] As another example, referring to Figure 2B, the internal space 111 of the upper arm 118 may be sealed from a vacuum environment and filled with air, another gas mixture, or a single gas, such as nitrogen. As shown, the internal space 111 of the upper arm 118 may further extend into a drive shaft 140, which may be sealed at its lower end, forming a sealed cavity (hatched in Figure 2B) that conveniently accommodates electromechanical components and allows their connection in a suitable gaseous environment (as opposed to a vacuum). As an example, the sealed cavity may house the M2 / M3 control module, part of the rotary power coupling module (PCM), and part of the optical communication module (OCM). The internal space 111 of the sealed cavity may also house the stators of motors M2 and M3, in which case a cylindrical barrier 115 between the stators and rotors of motors M2 and M3 may be used to isolate the internal space 111 of the upper arm 118 from the external vacuum environment. Alternatively, the stators of motors M2 and M3 may be located in a vacuum environment, and electrical feedthroughs may be used to connect to M2 / M3 control modules located in a sealed cavity.

[0079] In both examples in Figures 2A and 2B, each of the control modules 144, 146, and 148 may consist, for example, at least one respective processor and at least one respective memory for storing a program of instructions, for example, in software. In another exemplary embodiment, one or more of the control modules 144, 146, and 148 may consist of a servo motor controller.

[0080] The drive unit 114 of the exemplary robot 110 may include a service loop 151 which can be configured to electrically connect the spindle assembly 136 to the stationary portion of the drive unit 114. The service loop 151 may be used not only for power transmission (PWR) and signal transmission or communication (COMM), but also for electrical grounding. Where applicable, the service loop 151 may also be used to flow a liquid coolant to and from the spindle assembly 136.

[0081] The exemplary robot 110 may also employ a power coupling (denoted as PCM), such as an inductive power coupling 150, configured to transmit power non-contactually from the spindle assembly 136 to the upper arm 118. This power coupling may be rotary. Exemplary power couplings are described in U.S. Patent Applications Publications 2016 / 0229296, 2018 / 0105044, and 2018 / 0105045, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. A simplified cross-sectional view of a preferred exemplary configuration of the inductive power coupling 150 is graphically depicted in Figure 4D. The inductive power coupling 150 (or any other PCM) may be used to supply power to the control module 148 (M2 / M3) and to directly or indirectly supply power to other active devices such as position encoders and other sensors within the robot arm 112.

[0082] Electronics associated with the inductive power coupling 150, such as the AC source on the stationary side of the inductive power coupling 150 and the filtered rectifier on the moving side of the inductive power coupling 150, may be in the form of separate modules, such as printed circuit boards. Alternatively, such electronics may be integrated into the power coupling, or they may be integrated into other electronic assemblies such as the M1 control module and the M2 / M3 control modules.

[0083] The exemplary robot 110 may further include an optical communication link 160. In this particular example, the optical communication link 160 may include two optical communication modules (also denoted as OCMs), one of which remains stationary relative to the housing of the spindle assembly 136, and the other which rotates with the upper arm 118. A simplified cross-sectional view of a preferred exemplary configuration of the optical communication link 160 is graphically depicted in Figure 4E. The two parts of the optical communication link 160 may maintain alignment using bearings in the rotary joint of the robot 110, or additional bearings may be integrated into the optical communication link 160 to maintain a high degree of alignment of the two modules of the optical communication link 160 even if the structure of the robot 110 deforms under various static and dynamic load conditions. The optical communication link 160 may enable contactless data transfer between the spindle assembly 136 and the upper arm 118. For example, the optical communication link 160 may be incorporated into the communication network of the control system and may enable bidirectional data transfer between it and the control module 148 (M2 / M3).

[0084] Referring to Figure 3A, the motors M2 and M3 and the M2 / M3 control module 148 may be configured to dissipate heat to the upper arm 118. In this configuration, the heat generated by the motors M2 and M3 and the M2 / M3 control module 148 may be transferred to the upper arm 118, propagated to the drive shaft 140, radiated to the neck 135 of the spindle assembly 136, and propagated to the housing of the spindle assembly 136. The housing of the spindle assembly 136 may be cooled, for example, by forced airflow. The heat flow path is indicated by arrows in Figure 3A.

[0085] Alternatively, to lower the temperature of the neck 135 of the spindle assembly 136 and achieve more effective heat transfer between the drive shaft 140 driving the upper arm 118 and the neck 135 of the spindle assembly 136, the spindle assembly 136 and / or the neck 135 of the spindle assembly 136 may be liquid-cooled, as illustrated in Figure 3B. For example, the housing of the spindle assembly 136 (housing 129) may be located within the frame (frame 127) of the drive unit 114, along with a cooling channel 137 extending through the wall of the housing 129. As an example, the liquid cooling system may be an open-loop configuration in which a liquid such as water is supplied to the robot 110 from an external source. As another example, the liquid cooling system may be a closed-loop configuration in which a liquid such as water is circulated inside the robot 110. The closed-loop cooling system may include a pump 139 configured to force the liquid through the cooling system. A radiator 141 with or without a fan 143 may be used to extract heat from the liquid. Alternatively, a refrigeration unit 145 may be used to lower the temperature of the liquid. If the cooling system is in a closed-loop configuration, any or all of the pump 139, radiator 141, fan 143, and refrigeration unit 145 may be located inside the cooling system line, for example, the robot 110.

[0086] Referring to Figure 3C, as an alternative to liquid cooling of the spindle assembly 136, the frame 127 of the robot 110's drive unit 114 may be liquid-cooled by supplying a liquid coolant to the frame 127, as 149, in order to achieve more effective heat removal from the spindle assembly 136, particularly when the ambient temperature around the drive unit 114 of the robot 110 rises. The cooling channel 137 may extend through the frame 127. As shown in Figure 3C, the spindle assembly 136 and the frame 127 of the drive unit 114 may have alternatingly arranged features, such as fins 147 extending between the inner wall of the frame 127 and the outer wall of the housing 129 of the spindle assembly 136, configured to increase the effective area available for heat transfer while allowing vertical movement of the spindle assembly 136 relative to the frame of the robot 110's drive unit 114. Again, the liquid cooling system may be an open-loop configuration in which a liquid, such as water, is supplied to the robot 110 from an external source. As another example, the liquid cooling system may be a closed-loop configuration in which a liquid such as water circulates inside the robot 110. The closed-loop cooling system may include a pump configured to force the liquid through the cooling system. Fanged or fanless radiators may be used to remove heat from the liquid. Alternatively, a refrigeration unit may be employed to lower the temperature of the liquid.

[0087] Referring to Figures 4A and 4B, heat transfer between the drive shaft 140 driving the upper arm 118 and the neck 135 of the spindle assembly 136 may be enhanced by introducing another cylindrical surface region on the outer surface 131 of the neck 135, as shown in Figure 4A, and / or by introducing another cylindrical surface region on the inner surface 133 of the drive shaft 140, as shown in Figure 4B. Here again, the heat transfer path is indicated by an arrow (HEAT FLOW) in Figures 4A and 4B. Alternatively, to further increase the effective surface area available for heat transfer from the upper arm 118 to the housing of the spindle assembly 136, a plurality of alternatingly arranged cylindrical and / or planar structures may be employed, connected in an alternating pattern to the housing of the spindle assembly 136 and the upper arm 118.

[0088] Referring to Figure 4C, heat transfer through the robot arm 112 can be improved by using one or more heat pipes 117. A heat pipe is a heat transfer device that transfers heat between two thermally conductive interfaces by combining the principles of thermal conductivity and phase transition. The heat pipe 117 may consist of a sealed tubular housing, a wick structure, and a working fluid, having a high-temperature interface 121 at one end and a low-temperature interface 123 at the other end. The operating principle of the heat pipe 117 can be described as follows: At the high-temperature interface 121, the liquid working fluid comes into contact with the thermally conductive high-temperature interface, absorbs heat from the high-temperature interface 121, and changes into vapor. This vapor moves along the heat pipe 117 to the low-temperature interface 123, where it condenses back into a liquid state and releases latent heat. This process increases the effective thermal conductivity between the high-temperature and low-temperature interfaces of the heat pipe 117.

[0089] One or more heat pipes 117 may be configured to transfer heat generated by motors M2 and M3 in the elbow region of the upper arm 118 to the shoulder region of the upper arm 118 (where the heat may be removed from the upper arm 118, for example, through radiation to the neck 135 of the spindle assembly 136), thereby effectively reducing the effective thermal resistance between the two regions and improving the effective thermal conductivity between the two regions.

[0090] Figure 4D shows a preferred configuration example of the inductive power coupling 150 of the robot 110. The inductive power coupling 150 comprises a primary core 153 having a primary coil 155 and a secondary core 157 having a secondary coil 159, with the primary core 153 and secondary core 157 arranged around a rotation axis. The power supply 161 inputs alternating current (AC) to the primary coil 155, and inputs it to the rectifier filter 163 via the secondary coil 159. Direct current (DC) is output from the rectifier filter 163. Note that the secondary core 157, secondary coil 159, and rectifier filter 163 may be arranged as an integrated module.

[0091] Figure 4E is a simplified cross-sectional view showing a preferred configuration example of the optical communication link 160 of the robot 110. The optical communication link 160 comprises a first optical communication module 165 and a second optical communication module 167 arranged around a rotation axis. The first optical communication module 165 includes a first sealed optical element 169, and the second optical communication module 167 includes a second sealed optical element 171. The first sealed optical element 169 and the second sealed optical element 171 are arranged facing each other with a portion of the vacuum environment in between. A first optical fiber cable 173 extends from the first optical communication module 165, and a second optical fiber cable 175 extends from the second optical communication module 167.

[0092] The optical communication link 160 may include optional electronics for converting electrical signals to optical signals and vice versa (see copper-to-fiber conversion block 177 and fiber-to-copper conversion block 179). The conversion electronics (copper-to-fiber conversion block 177 and fiber-to-copper conversion block 179) may be in the form of separate modules, such as a printed circuit board. Alternatively, the conversion electronics may be integrated into the first optical communication module 165 and the second optical communication module 167, or they may be integrated into other electronic assemblies such as the M1 control module and M2 / M3 control modules shown in the embodiments of Figures 2A and 2B.

[0093] The optical communication link 160 can be conveniently incorporated into the integrated rotary coupling assembly 610 in combination with a rotary power coupling. A simplified cross-sectional view of an example of the integrated rotary coupling 610, which may include an inductive power coupling and an optical communication link, is graphically shown in Figure 4F. In this particular example, the power coupling configuration of the integrated rotary coupling 610 is based on the example in Figure 4D (having a similar primary core 153, primary coil 155, secondary core 157, and secondary coil 159), and the optical link configuration of the integrated rotary coupling is based on the example in Figure 4E (copper-to-fiber conversion block 177 and fiber-to-copper conversion block 179).

[0094] As shown in Figure 4F, the integrated rotary coupling 610 is characterized by two parts: a lower part 612 fixed to the housing of the spindle assembly 136 and an upper part 614 that rotates with the upper arm 118. The two parts of the integrated rotary coupling 610 may maintain alignment using the bearings of the rotary coupling of the robot 110, or additional bearings may be used in the integrated rotary coupling 610 to maintain a high degree of alignment of the optical communication link even if the structure of the robot 110 deforms under various static and dynamic load conditions.

[0095] Referring to Figure 5, alternatively, a radio frequency communication system 190 may be used instead of the optical communication link 160 (for example, in the robots of Figures 2A and 2B). As schematically shown in the example of Figure 5, the radio frequency communication system 190 may comprise a first radio frequency communication module 191 (denoted as RFM191) and a second radio frequency communication module 193 (denoted as RFM193), one of which is fixed and the other rotates with the upper arm 118. The RFM191 and 193 may be separate devices, as shown in Figure 5, or they may be integrated into other components of the control system.

[0096] Referring to Figure 6, as an alternative, the communication signals may be routed via a power coupling consisting of a first power / communication module 195 and a second power / communication module 197. In the case of a power coupling module configuration based on the inductive principle, the power coupling module configuration may employ the same set of coils for power and data transmission, or an additional set of coils may be used for data transmission. Alternatively, the coils for data transmission may be packaged in a separate device.

[0097] Referring to Figure 7, power (PWR) and communication signals (COMM) may be routed from the atmospheric environment to the vacuum environment using a multi-channel electrical feedthrough 174. A vacuum-enabled service loop 176 may be employed to allow relative rotation of the upper arm 118 with respect to the housing of the spindle assembly 136. For example, the vacuum-enabled service loop 176 may be implemented in the form of a single coiled cable that can include both power conductors and communication signal conductors.

[0098] As another example, the vacuum-enabled service loop 176 may utilize a flexible printed circuit board. Another example of a bendable configuration of the vacuum-enabled service loop type that allows for relative rotation of the upper arm with respect to the housing of the spindle assembly 136 while facilitating power supply and signal transmission can be found in U.S. Patent No. 10,569,430, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0099] Referring to Figure 8A, an alternative vacuum-compatible multi-channel electric rotary coupling 180 may be used. The electric rotary coupling 180 may operate according to various physical principles and combinations thereof, such as a slip ring configuration consisting of one or more conductive rings, each in contact with one or more conductive brushes; a slip ring configuration moistened with a conductive fluid such as an ionic liquid; and a non-contact capacitive coupling. For example, slip rings may be used for DC power supplies and electrical grounds, and non-contact capacitive couplings may be used for communication signals.

[0100] A simplified cross-sectional view of an example of a capacitive rotary coupling is schematically provided in Figure 8B, 181. A cylindrical annular structure is arranged around a rotation axis, and the cylindrical annular structure includes an outer cylinder portion 183 and an inner cylinder portion 185. A first outer ring 187 is positioned on the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder portion 183, and a first inner ring 189 is positioned on the outer circumferential surface of the inner cylinder portion 185, opposite the first outer ring 187. A second outer ring 201 and a second inner ring 203 are similarly positioned in close proximity to the first outer ring 187 and the first inner ring 189. Signals are supplied via the inner and outer rings.

[0101] Another example is shown in Figure 8C, 205, where the upper disk portion 207 and the lower disk portion 209 are arranged around the axis of rotation. The upper disk portion 207 includes upper rings 211 and 213, and the lower disk portion 209 includes lower rings 215 and 217. Signals are supplied through the upper and lower rings.

[0102] Referring to Figure 9, the internal space of the upper arm 118, or a portion of the internal space of the upper arm 118, may be sealed and filled with air, a mixture of other gases, or a single gas such as nitrogen. An isolation barrier 240 may be present between the stator and rotor of motors M2 and M3. In this case, the stator may be part of the sealed internal space of the upper arm 118, while the rotor may be located on the opposite side of the isolation barrier 240 in a vacuum environment. Alternatively, motors M2 and M3 may be entirely placed in a vacuum environment. The power supply, communication, and cooling configurations described above with respect to Figures 2 to 8C may be used in the exemplary embodiment of Figure 9 (the power and communication configurations in Figures 7 and 8A to 8C may require additional electrical feedthroughs so that power and communication signals can enter the sealed space of the upper arm 118).

[0103] Referring to Figure 10, one exemplary embodiment of the communication and cooling device is schematically shown. In this exemplary embodiment, a feedthrough 250 may be attached to the housing of the spindle assembly 136 between an external atmospheric environment and a vacuum environment, another feedthrough 252 may be attached to the upper arm 118 between the sealed internal space of the upper arm 118 and a vacuum environment, and a service loop 254 may be used to connect the two feedthroughs 250, 252. The feedthroughs 250, 252 and the service loop 254 may be configured to transmit power (PWR) and communication signals (COMM) between the spindle assembly 136 and the upper arm 118. A gas feed 256 is supplied to the feedthrough 250, supplying gas (GAS) to the internal space of the upper arm 118. A gas outlet 258 receives gas from the feedthrough 250 and discharges it outside the internal space of the upper arm 118. A gas (e.g., air, another mixture of gases, or a single gas such as nitrogen) may be used to remove heat from components inside the upper arm 118 and / or components attached to the upper arm 118. An exemplary gas flow is indicated by the arrow (GAS FLOW).

[0104] Referring to Figure 11A, alternatively, the service loop between the feedthroughs 250 in the exemplary embodiment of Figure 10 may be replaced by a multi-media rotary coupling 260. In this exemplary embodiment, the rotary coupling 260 may carry gas (GAS) in addition to electrical signals such as power (PWR) and communication signals (COMM). The gas enters (into the upper arm 118) through a first channel 262 and exits (out of the upper arm 118) through a second channel 264.

[0105] As schematically shown in Figure 11B, another alternative is to use a vacuum-enabled service loop 270 to directly connect the internal space of the sealed portion of the upper arm 118 or components within the upper arm 118, such as the control module 148, to the internal space of the drive unit 114.

[0106] For example, as schematically shown in Figures 11C(a) and 11C(b), the service loop 270 may consist of a flat tube 272 formed in a coil spring shape with mounting and sealing functions, such as flanges 274 having seals 276 at both ends of the tube 272, and a flat cable 278, such as a ribbon cable, routed inside the tube 272. The flange 274 may be connected at one end of the tube 272 to a sealed portion of the upper arm 118 or to a component inside the upper arm 118, and at the other end of the tube 272 to the housing of the spindle assembly 136.

[0107] Alternatively, as shown in Figures 11D(a) and 11D(b), instead of the flat tube 272 in Figures 11C(a) and 11C(b), a row of tubes 280, for example, with a circular cross-section, may be used. The row of tubes 280 may include flanges 284 and seals 286. Each of the tubes 280 may provide a passage for wires, cables, and / or hoses, or may be used to directly pass a fluid (gas or liquid). Alternatively, as shown in Figure 11D(b), the tubes 280 may be formed in a helical shape or any other suitable shape to allow sufficient bending of the tubes 280.

[0108] To limit bending loads at the mounting points, the exemplary service loop 270 may be connected at each end to a flange 292 or other surface on the bellows 124 via one or more swivel joints 290, as illustrated in Figure 11E.

[0109] In the examples of Figures 11C(a), 11C(b), 11D(a), and 11D(b), tubes 272,280, which may contain wires, cables, or hoses, may be filled with foam, a similar elastic material, or any other suitable material to prevent friction of the wires, cables, or hoses against the inner walls of tubes 272,280.

[0110] Another example of a vacuum-compatible service loop is schematically shown in Figure 11F as 300. The service loop 300 may consist of a series of bellows 302, a rotating support 304 connected to the bellows 302, and one or more cables 306 and / or one or more hoses attached to a substantially rigid semicircular support 308. The service loop 300 may further include a mounting and sealing structure, such as a flange having a seal 311. This structure may be connected at one end of the service loop 300 to a sealed portion of the upper arm 118 or to a component within the upper arm 118, and at the other end of the service loop 300 to the housing of the spindle assembly 136.

[0111] To balance the effects of the pressure difference between the vacuum environment inside and outside the service loop 300, which could cause pressure-dependent forces or torques, two vacuum-enabled service loops 300 configured to act in opposite directions may be employed.

[0112] Referring to Figure 12, another exemplary embodiment is schematically shown, in which a dynamic seal 320, such as a high-flow seal, lip seal, or any other suitable seal, may be used between the upper arm 118 (or its extension or a shaft connected to the upper arm 118) and the housing of the spindle assembly 136. As shown, the internal space of the upper arm 118 (or a portion of the internal space of the upper arm 118) may be connected to the internal space of the drive unit 114. This passage may be used for power and communication routes to the upper arm 118, gas supply to the upper arm 118, and gas discharge from the upper arm 118. A service loop 322 may be used to allow relative rotation between the upper arm 118 and the housing of the spindle assembly 136 (conveniently located outside the vacuum environment). As in the examples of Figures 11A to 11F, the gas in the exemplary embodiment of Figure 12 may be used to cool the interior of the upper arm 118 and / or components attached to the upper arm 118. The exemplary gas flow is indicated by arrows in Figure 12.

[0113] Alternatively, the service loop 322 in the exemplary embodiment of Figure 12 may be replaced by a multi-media rotary coupling 330, as schematically shown in the example of Figure 13. Here again, the exemplary gas flow is indicated by arrows.

[0114] In the exemplary embodiments described above, the bearings of the upper arm shaft 118 and the rotor of the motor M1 (and in some embodiments, the stator of the motor M1 as well) may be exposed to a vacuum environment. This can be addressed by moving the dynamic seal 320 above the upper bearing of the upper arm shaft, as shown in Figures 14 and 15A. In these examples, the bearings of the upper arm shaft and the motor M1 may be in an atmospheric environment.

[0115] The exemplary embodiment in Figure 14 employs a dynamic seal 320, such as a ferromagnetic seal, a lip seal, or any other suitable seal, between the upper arm 118 and the neck 135 of the spindle assembly 136 (which may be part of the housing of the spindle assembly 136). Service loops (e.g., 176, 254, 270, 300, 322) may be used to allow relative rotation between the upper arm 118 and the housing of the spindle assembly 136. Alternatively, the service loops (e.g., 176, 254, 270, 300, 322) may be replaced with multi-media rotary couplings (e.g., 260, 330), as schematically depicted in the example in Figure 15A.

[0116] Alternatively, a combination of rotary couplings and service loops may be used. For example, rotary couplings (e.g., 260, 330) can be used to supply gas, and service loops (e.g., 176, 254, 270, 300, 322) can be used for power and communication signals.

[0117] Alternatively, a substantially fixed gas supply pipe 332 may be used to supply gas to the upper arm 118. The gas supply pipe 332 may be fixed to the housing of the spindle assembly 136, as illustrated in the embodiment of Figure 15B (in this example, the gas supply pipe 332 forms part of the service loop 151), or it may be fixed to the base of the drive unit 114, as illustrated in the embodiment of Figure 15C. In the embodiments of Figures 15B and 15C, a dynamic seal 320 is shown above the upper bearing of the upper arm shaft, but the dynamic seal 320 may be in any suitable position, as in the embodiments of Figures 12 and 13.

[0118] The exemplary diagrams in Figures 10 to 15D suggest the use of an external gas supply (e.g., gas supply pipe 332) for the robot 110. Alternatively, the robot 110 may be characterized by having an internal closed-loop gas circulation system. Or, an open-loop air-cooling configuration may be utilized in which air from the external atmospheric environment is forced through the robot 110 and exhausted back into the external environment. As an example, an electric fan may be employed for this purpose.

[0119] A generalized diagram encompassing the above options is provided in Figure 15D. In the case of an external gas supply, GAS IN 336 may represent the gas supply from the outside. In the case of an internal closed-loop gas circulation system, GAS IN 336 may reuse the gas circulated through the robot 110. And in the case of an open-loop air-cooled configuration, GAS IN 336 may draw in air from the external environment.

[0120] Alternatively, liquid cooling may be employed for the upper arm 118 (or components associated with the upper arm 118). In this case, the liquid may flow into the upper arm 118 and return from the upper arm 118 via substantially the same configuration as that used for gas circulation in the embodiments of Figures 12 to 15D. As an example, the liquid cooling system may be an open-loop configuration in which a liquid such as water is supplied to the robot 110 from an external source. As another example, the liquid cooling system may be a closed-loop configuration in which a liquid such as water is circulated inside the robot 110. The closed-loop cooling system may include a pump configured to force the liquid through the cooling system. A faned or unfanned radiator may be used to remove heat from the liquid. Alternatively, a refrigeration unit may be employed to lower the temperature of the liquid.

[0121] Exemplary embodiments, such as those shown in Figures 12, 14, and 15B to 15D, illustrate a two-stage service loop configuration. In this configuration, service loop 151 may be used to facilitate translational motion between the spindle assembly 136 and the fixed base of the drive unit 114, and (second) service loops (e.g., 176, 254, 270, 300, 322) may be used to facilitate rotational motion between the upper arm 118 and the spindle assembly 136. Alternatively, a single service loop may be used that is configured to allow both translational and rotational motion between the upper arm 118 and the fixed base of the drive unit 114. As an example, this service loop may take the form of one or more coiled cables, one or more coiled hoses, or a combination of one or more coiled cables and one or more hoses (e.g., one or more bundles).

[0122] For example, in a more complex robotic arm configuration that may utilize a multi-link serial mechanism, the thermal path from the actuator (motor) in the robotic arm 112 to the drive unit 114 may include additional movable joints. The thermal management scheme described herein can be extended to such a robotic arm configuration, as illustrated in Figure 15E.

[0123] Figure 15E is a simplified cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a robot 210 having a three-link robotic arm 212. As with the exemplary robots to date, the robot 210 may incorporate a suitable controller having a processor, memory, and software. The robot 210 incorporates a bellows 224, a spindle assembly 236 (with a neck 235), and a Z-axis mechanism 238 as in other exemplary embodiments. Coolant inflow and outflow may be managed through a service loop 251. As shown, the robotic arm 212 may include three links arranged in series and connected to each other via a rotary joint. The following terms are used to describe the robotic arm in Figure 15E. The first link of the exemplary robotic arm 212 is called link 1 or upper arm 218, the second link is called link 2 or upper forearm 220, and the fourth link is called link 3 or lower forearm 221. The rotational joint between the spindle assembly 236 and the upper arm 218 is called the shoulder joint 340, the rotational joint between the upper arm 218 and the upper forearm 220 is called the elbow joint 342, and the rotational joint between the upper forearm 220 and the lower forearm 221 is called the wrist joint 344. An example is shown in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 031,883, filed on 29 May 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0124] As shown in Figure 15E, the upper arm 218 may be actuated by a motor M1, which may be housed in the spindle assembly 236 of the drive unit 214. The upper forearm 220 may be actuated by a motor M2, which may be housed in the upper arm 218 at the elbow joint 342 of the robot arm 212. The lower forearm 221 may be actuated by a motor M3, which may be housed in the upper forearm 220 at the wrist joint 344 of the robot arm 212. The motors M1, M2, and M3 may conveniently be referred to as the spindle motor, elbow motor, and wrist motor, respectively. The lower forearm 221 may be configured to carry a payload. As an example, it may include an end effector 222 suitable for picking up, carrying, and placing semiconductor wafers.

[0125] One or more of the rotary joints of the robot arm 212 can be complemented by one or more thermal coupling configurations configured to transfer heat between links connected by the corresponding rotary joints. In a particular example in Figure 15E, the shoulder joint 340 is complemented by a shoulder rotational thermal coupling configuration 231, and the elbow joint 342 is complemented by an elbow rotational thermal coupling configuration 233.

[0126] As shown in Figure 15F(a), an exemplary elbow rotational thermal coupling configuration 233, which may be used in a rotational joint, for example, the elbow joint 342 of the exemplary robot arm 212 in Figure 15E, may consist of two parts. The first part 346a comprises one or more substantially cylindrical surfaces 348a aligned coaxially with the corresponding rotational joint (elbow joint 342), such that the substantially cylindrical surfaces 348a face an opposing substantially cylindrical surface 348b on the second part 346b of the elbow rotational thermal coupling configuration 233. The opposing cylindrical surfaces may be configured to transfer heat via radiation across the gap between the opposing substantially cylindrical surfaces 348a, 348b of the elbow rotational thermal coupling configuration 233. The radiation mechanism may be complemented by convection / conduction through the environment between the opposing substantially cylindrical surfaces 348a, 348b of the elbow rotational thermal coupling configuration 233 when residual gas is present in a vacuum environment. Shoulder and wrist joints may be configured similarly.

[0127] To increase the effective area and minimize the volume occupied by the exemplary elbow rotation thermal coupling configuration 233, arrays of substantially cylindrical structures may be provided on each of the two parts of the elbow rotation thermal coupling configuration 233. These two arrays may be arranged in an interleaved manner, for example, as alternating fins extending from each of parts 346a and 346b.

[0128] Alternatively, as illustrated in the example in Figure 15F(b), the two parts of the elbow rotational thermal coupling configuration 233 may provide opposing disk-shaped structures configured for non-contact heat transfer across the gap between them. Another alternative is that any other suitable shape, and combinations thereof, of an effective structure for a rotational thermal coupling, not limited to conical and spherical, may be utilized.

[0129] The effective surface of the elbow rotation thermal coupling configuration 233 may be treated to improve its thermal emissivity. For example, the two parts of the elbow rotation thermal coupling configuration 233 may be made of aluminum, and their effective surfaces may be anodized.

[0130] Heat transfer through the rotating thermal coupling configuration 233 may be increased by introducing a heat transfer medium 349 into the gap between the two parts of the rotating thermal coupling configuration 233, as illustrated in the example in Figure 15F(c). The heat transfer medium 349 may be a fluid that contacts the effective surfaces of the two parts of the rotating thermal coupling configuration 233 and completely or partially fills the space between them (e.g., between fins), enabling heat transfer through the fluid by conduction, convection, or a combination thereof.

[0131] An example of a suitable heat transfer medium 349 is an ionic liquid having a suitable vapor pressure, which allows it to function without the need for seals. Another example of a heat transfer medium 349 is a solution of a liquid with suspended particles, such as ferrofluid or magnetic fluid, where the particles may be selected to improve vapor pressure and / or thermal conductivity.

[0132] The rotary thermal coupling configuration 233 may incorporate a seal that isolates the heat transfer medium 349 from the surrounding vacuum environment. The seal can enable the use of a heat transfer medium 349 having a vapor pressure higher than the pressure of the vacuum environment and / or a heat transfer medium 349 passing through a phase change.

[0133] To enable heat transfer between two links of a robot arm (e.g., robot arm 212), a portion of the exemplary rotary thermal coupling configuration may be attached to one link (e.g., the upper arm 218 in Figure 15E), or other portions of the exemplary rotary thermal coupling may be attached to an adjacent link (e.g., the upper forearm 220 in Figure 15E) in a configuration substantially coaxial with a rotary joint connecting the two links (e.g., the elbow rotary thermal coupling configuration 233 in Figure 15E). Alternatively, the features of the rotary thermal coupling may be directly incorporated into the links of the robot arm.

[0134] As shown in Figure 15E, the shoulder rotational thermal coupling configuration 231 in the shoulder joint 340 follows substantially the same configuration as described herein. The shoulder rotational thermal coupling configuration 231 in the shoulder joint 340 may be configured to transfer heat from the upper arm 218 of the robot arm 212 to the neck and housing of the spindle assembly 236 of the drive unit 214, and as a result may be cooled by a liquid or other coolant, for example, as shown in the example in Figure 15E.

[0135] In addition to removing heat from the motor of the robot arm 212, the thermal management scheme described for the robot 210 in Figure 15E can be conveniently extended and utilized to manage the heat that the robot arm 212 receives from other sources, such as the payload it carries and the area around the robot arm 212. This can prevent various problems caused by excessive temperature increases of the components of the robot arm 212, such as thermal expansion, reduced bearing life, premature lubrication decomposition, and thermal damage to active components (e.g., motor control modules, sensors, and other electronics that may be integrated into the robot arm 212).

[0136] To manage the heat flow from high-temperature payloads or the environment in which the payload is extracted or placed, a heat choke 350 and another rotating thermal coupling may be introduced, as shown in Figure 15G.

[0137] As schematically shown in Figure 15G, the link 3 or lower forearm 221 may include a first portion 221a adjacent to the payload carried by the end effector 222, a second portion 221b adjacent to the wrist joint 344, and a heat choke 350 between the first portion 221a and the second portion 221b. The heat choke 350 may be configured to limit heat transfer from the first portion 221a to the second portion 221b. The amount of heat transferred through the heat choke 350 may be controlled by its thermal resistance, which may be selected along with other design parameters to achieve a desired balance between the temperature of the first portion 221a and the temperature of the second portion 221b. The heat choke 350 may be implemented in the form of a section of a material with low thermal conductivity, such as ceramic.

[0138] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 15G, a rotary thermal coupling (e.g., 231, 233) may be included to complement the wrist joint 344 of the robot arm 212. The rotary thermal couplings 231, 233 may be configured to transfer heat from the second portion 221b to link 2 (upper forearm 220) and to lower the temperature of the second portion 221b of link 3. The characteristics of the rotary thermal couplings 231, 233 may be selected, along with the thermal resistance of the heat choke 350 and other design parameters, to achieve a desired balance between the temperature of the second portion 221b of link 3 and the temperature of the upper forearm 220 (link 2).

[0139] A simplified thermal model of the exemplary robot 210 in Figure 15G is shown at 360 in the flow chart or block diagram in Figure 15H. The following nomenclature is used in Figure 15H. P01 Amount of heat (W) transferred from the surrounding environment to Link 1 P02 Heat transfer (W) from the surrounding environment to Link 2 P03 Heat (W) transferred from the payload and surrounding environment to Link 3 P1: Amount of heat (W) transferred from link 1 to the spindle housing. P21 Heat transfer (W) from Link 2 to Link 1 P32 Heat transfer (W) from Link 3 to Link 2 Heat transfer (W) from PME elbow motor to link 1 PM: Heat (W) transferred from the spindle motor to the spindle housing. PM: Heat transferred from wrist motor to link 2 (W) The amount of heat (W) transferred from the PSC spindle housing to the cooling medium. T01 Link 1 Ambient Temperature (°C) T02 Link 2 Ambient Temperature (°C) T1 Link 1 (upper arm) temperature (°C) T2 Link 2 (forearm) temperature (°C) Temperature (°C) of the first part of T31 Link 3 (between the payload and the 350 heat choke) Temperature (°C) of the second part of T32 link 3 (between heat choke 350 and wrist joint 344) TC spindle housing cooling medium inlet temperature (°C) TME elbow motor temperature (°C) TM Spindle Motor Temperature (°C) TMW Wrist Motor Temperature (°C) TS spindle housing temperature (°C)

[0140] As shown in Figure 15H, the main components of the robot 210, such as the spindle housing (or housing of the spindle assembly 236), link 1 (upper arm 218), link 2 (upper forearm 220), the first part 221a of link 3 (between the payload and the heat choke 350), and the second part 221b of link 3 (between the heat choke 350 and the wrist joint 344), are represented in the simplified thermal model 360 by discrete lumped thermal mass.

[0141] Given that the exemplary robot 210 may handle a high-temperature payload and operate in a high-temperature environment, it is assumed that heat may be transferred from the payload and from the environment in which the payload is extracted or placed to the lower forearm 221 defining link 3 (represented by the “heat source” block in Figure 15H). As shown in Figure 15H, it is also assumed that heat may be transferred from their surroundings to links 1 and 2 (upper arm 218 and upper forearm 220). The mechanism of heat transfer may include not only radiation from the surroundings but also convection / conduction if residual gas is present in a vacuum environment. Similar to the example in Figure 15G, the block diagram in Figure 15H reflects that heat may be removed from the robot 210 by cooling the housing of the spindle assembly 236.

[0142] The thermal model 360 in Figure 15H can be converted into 11 heat transfer equations and 4 energy conservation equations, which can be used to analyze the thermal management scheme of a robot. For example, given a heat source and environmental conditions, the temperatures of the robot arm 212 components, including TS, T1, T2, T31, T32, TMS, TME, TMW, and P01, P02, P03, P32, P21, P1S, and PSC, may be obtained for a given robot design.

[0143] An extension of the thermal management scheme of the thermal model 360 described above to an exemplary robot 310 having a robot arm 312 with a biaxial wrist joint 366 is schematically shown in Figure 15I. Similar to the previous exemplary embodiment, the robot arm 312 has an upper link 318 (link 1), link 2, link 3A, link 3B, and an end effector 323 and a heat choke 350. The robot arm 312 extends from a drive unit 314 having a bellows 324, a spindle assembly 336, and a Z-axis drive mechanism 338. Power (PWR), communication (COMM), and cooling water lines may pass through a service loop 351.

[0144] Figure 15I also shows how the previously described power and communication configuration can be extended to a more complex robotic arm configuration in which the electrical path through the robotic arm 312 may include additional movable joints. In line with the previously described power and communication configuration, the first electric rotary coupling 370 at the shoulder joint 340 and the second electric rotary coupling 372 at the elbow joint 342 may represent, for example, a service loop (similar to, for example, the service loop 151), an electric slip ring, inductive coupling, capacitive coupling, an optical communication link, a radio frequency communication system, and any combination of these and other appropriate configurations. For example, an electric slip ring or inductive coupling may be used for power transmission, and capacitive coupling or an optical communication link may be used for communication signals.

[0145] As schematically depicted in Figures 15J(a) to 15J(c), the concept of the inductive power coupling 150 in Figure 4D, which can provide a non-contact solution with an unlimited range of rotation, can be conveniently extended to the rotary couplings 370 and 372 of the exemplary robot arm in Figure 15I. A first exemplary configuration of a preferred inductive power coupling is shown in Figure 15J(a), a second exemplary configuration of a preferred inductive power coupling is shown in Figure 15J(b), and a fourth exemplary configuration of a preferred inductive power coupling is shown in Figure 15J(c). Figure 15J(a) may feature a shoulder joint power coupling comprising a single secondary winding. This secondary winding, similar to the primary winding of an elbow joint power coupling, may supply power to the rectifier electronics in an exemplary configuration. The electronics associated with each of the inductive power couplings, such as the AC power supply on the stationary side of the shoulder joint power coupling and the filtered rectifier on the moving side of the shoulder joint power coupling, may be in the form of separate modules, such as printed circuit boards. Alternatively, the above electronics may be integrated into an inductive power coupling, as shown in Figure 15J(a), or into another electronic assembly, such as an adjacent control module, as shown in Figure 15J(b). Figure 15J(c) shows another example configuration in which the shoulder joint power coupling may have two single secondary windings. In this example, one powers the rectifier electronics and the other powers the primary winding of the elbow joint power coupling. In all three of these examples, each of the inductive power couplings may be part of an integrated rotary coupling that combines the inductive power coupling with optical communication, as previously described with respect to Figure 4F.

[0146] Figure 15K(a) shows another example of a thermal management, power distribution, and communication scheme suitable for the robot of the above example having distributed actuators. In the particular example of Figure 15K(a), the internal space of link 1 in the shoulder of the robot arm 312 may be utilized for an additional thermal coupling configuration 237. As shown in Figure 15K(a), the internal space of link 1 in the shoulder of the robot arm 312 may also be recessed as shown by 380, or otherwise utilized, to accommodate the upper part of the drive unit 314 and / or part of the bellows 124. Thus, it is possible to reduce the overall height of the robot 310. This is possible because the exemplary robot 310 with distributed actuators 132 according to Figure 15K(a) does not use shoulder pulleys, unlike conventional robots with centralized actuators (see Figures 1A and 1B). As shown in Figure 15K(b), the robot 310 may include a robot arm 312 having two or more end effectors 323, for example, three or four end effectors 323 as shown. Each end effector 323 is driven by a motor or a bank of motors. As in other exemplary embodiments, the motor or bank of motors may be controlled by a controller having one or more processors and memory.

[0147] Exemplary thermal management, power distribution, and communication schemes can be seen as combinations and extensions of selected elements described in detail in various places throughout this document, particularly the sealed internal space of the link as seen in Figure 2B, the open-loop liquid-cooled spindle and neck assembly as seen in Figure 3B, the rotational thermal coupling at all joints as seen in Figure 15F(a), the integrated rotational coupling at the shoulder and elbow joints as seen in Figure 4F, the power distribution through the robotic arm as seen in Figure 15J(b), and control system architectures consistent with the control system architectures described herein (e.g., controllers incorporating processors, memory, and software).

[0148] Regarding magnetic field containment, actuators such as electric motors distributed within a robotic arm can utilize magnetic fields for their operation. However, depending on the application, they may be sensitive to the effects of magnetic fields, for example, because they could interfere with processes taking place in the vicinity of the robotic arm. In such cases, it can be advantageous to minimize the potential leakage of magnetic fields from actuators distributed through the robotic arm. As an example, magnetic shielding can be used, as shown in Figures 15L(a) and 15L(b).

[0149] In Figure 15L(a), a cross-section of an example of a conventional permanent magnet brushless DC motor without magnetic shielding is shown at 660. The rotor 664 rotates relative to the stator 667. The rotor 664 includes a yoke 670 and magnets 671, and the stator 667 includes a core 670, windings 672, and teeth 674. Figure 15L(b) shows a cross-section of a permanent magnet brushless DC motor 680 having an example of a magnetic shielding configuration 682 according to the present invention.

[0150] As shown in Figure 15L(b), the rotor 684 of the motor 680 rotates relative to the stator 687. The rotor 684 of the motor 680 may also be provided with one or more magnetic shields 682 configured to contain the magnetic field from the magnets 686 of the rotor 684 of the motor 680. In this particular example, the magnetic shields 682 may consist of two ring-shaped structures. These may be made of a soft magnetic material and may be located above and below the rotor 684, extending radially to (or beyond) a virtual cylindrical surface defined by the outer surface of the magnets 686 of the rotor 684 of the motor 680. Here again, the stator 689 includes a core 690, windings 691, and teeth 692.

[0151] In the exemplary embodiment of Figure 15L(b), the magnetic shield 682 is shown covering the magnets 686 of the rotor 684 of the motor 680 with a gap between the magnetic shield 682 and the magnets 686 of the rotor 684 of the motor 680. Alternatively, the magnetic shield 682 and the magnets 686 of the rotor 684 of the motor 680 may be in substantially gapless contact. The magnetic shield 682 may be designed integrally with the yoke 685 of the rotor 684 of the motor 680, or it may be designed as a separate component attached to the rotor 684 of the motor 680.

[0152] Turning to the control system architecture, for example, as illustrated in Figure 15A, the actuator 132 in the robot arm 112 may be controlled by a control module 148 conveniently located in close proximity to the actuator 132 in the robot arm 112. The motor M1 located in the spindle assembly 136 of the robot drive unit 114 may be controlled by a control module 146 attached to the spindle assembly 136. The Z motor Mz may be controlled by a control module 144 fixed within the robot drive unit 214. The control modules 144, 146, and 148 may be coordinated by a master controller 142, which may also be located in the robot drive unit 114, for example, via a communication network. The master controller 142 may include, for example, at least one processor and each processor having at least one memory for storing program instructions. In another exemplary embodiment, the master controller 142 may consist of a servo motor controller. The master controller 142 and the Z motor control module 144 may be separate devices or may be combined into a single integrated device. Alternatively, as schematically depicted in Figure 16, the master controller 142 may be located outside the robot drive unit 114.

[0153] As schematically shown in Figures 17 and 18A, respectively, in another exemplary embodiment, encoder signals and motor lines may be supplied to a central controller 390 located inside or outside the robot drive unit 114. MTR / ENC in the figures represents the motor lines and encoder signals. Alternatively, any combination of the configurations in Figures 15A to 18A may be used. Furthermore, although the above exemplary control system architecture is depicted in Figures 15A to 18A with respect to one example of power, communication, and cooling configurations, these are applicable to other power, communication, and cooling configurations described above.

[0154] As shown in the exemplary embodiment of Figure 18B, an additional active component 400 may be incorporated into the robot 500 having a robot arm 512 (and bellows 524, drive unit 514, spindle assembly 536, Z-axis mechanism 538, and service loop 551, as in the previous exemplary embodiment). In the robot 500 of Figure 18B, the active component 400 is understood to be any device that can utilize (electrical or other) power and / or (electrical or other) communication signals. Exemplary active components may include actuators, grippers, heaters, sensors (proximity, position, temperature, pressure), and cameras.

[0155] As an example, the active component 400 may include sensors that may be used to detect the presence of a payload on one or more end effectors 522 and / or to determine the location of the payload on the end effectors 522. As another example, the active component 400 may include sensors and cameras that may be used individually and / or in conjunction to determine the location of one or more end effectors 522 with respect to features in the surrounding environment. Information from such active components 400 may be used to teach the location of the workstation (automatically or manually) and / or to improve the accuracy of the payload location.

[0156] Considering the specific example in Figure 18B, the control module 404 located in link 2 406 may be conveniently utilized to interact with active components 400 (such as material handling components for use with the robot). The active components 400 are associated with the lower arm or link 3A 410 and the lower arm or link 3B 412. Each of these arms or links has an end effector 522 configured to receive a payload, as shown in Figure 18B. A rotary coupling 470 in the rotary joint between the lower arm or link 3A 410 and link 2 406 may be used to facilitate communication between the active components 400 associated with the lower arm or link 3A 410 and the control module 404 in link 2 406, for example, via one or more electrical connections or optical signals. Similarly, the rotary coupling 416 in the rotary joint between the lower arm or link 3B 412 and link 2 406 may be used to facilitate communication between the active components 400 associated with the lower arm or link 3B 412 and the control module 404 in link 2 406, for example, via one or more electrical connections or optical signals. In this configuration, the active components 400 associated with the lower arm or link 3A 410 and the lower arm or link 3B 412 perform control or other communication using the same communication channel. For example, the same communication channel that can be used to communicate with the control module 404 in link 2 406 is used. Thus, the complexity of wiring through the robot arm 512 can be greatly reduced. As with the exemplary embodiments described earlier, the motor (or any part thereof) may be enclosed within the link, and heat, power, and communication may act through the enclosed structure.

[0157] For example, the active components 400 associated with the lower arm or link 3A 410 and the lower arm or link 3B 412 may include a gripper such as an electrostatic chuck, or any other material handling instrument or device suitable for use in wafer processing or other processing in which the exemplary robot described herein may be used, and the control module 404 in the second link 406 may include the electronics necessary to operate the gripper. In this configuration, the gripper can be conveniently controlled via the same communication channel as a communication network that may be used to communicate with the control module of link 2 406.

[0158] Alternatively, the active components 400 associated with the lower arm or link 3A 410 and the lower arm or link 3B 412 may be directly connected to a communication network, or they may be controlled or otherwise interacted with using other electronics that may interact with the control module of link 2 406 via a separate channel.

[0159] With regard to thermal expansion compensation, the robot 500 may include a temperature sensor 501 configured to measure the temperature of its structural components, such as the links of the robot arm 512. For example, the temperature sensor 501 may be implemented in the form of individual devices attached to the links of the robot arm 512, or it may be integrated into electronics such as control modules thermally connected to the links of the robot arm 512 (e.g., control module 404 for the second link 406 and control module 409 for the first link 411). Information from the temperature sensor 501 can be used by a control system (e.g., a controller 502 having a processor and memory, which may be coupled to, integrated with, or communicated with the master controller 142) to compensate for the effect of thermal expansion of the structural components of the robot 500 on the position of one or more end effectors 522 of the robot 500.

[0160] As an example, the following steps may be used by a control system to compensate for the effect of thermal expansion of the structural components of the robot 500 on the position of one or more end effectors 522 of the robot 500, so that the robot 500 can accurately grasp and place the payload regardless of the temperature of the structural components of the robot 500 (Method A). A1. Measure the temperature of a structural component of the robot 500 whose dimensions affect the actual position of the robot's end effector(s) 522. For example, the structural component may be a link of the robot arm 512. A2. The parameters of the kinematic model of robot 500 are estimated using the measured temperature. The kinematic model of robot 500 may be a set of mathematical expressions (equations) used to convert the joint coordinates of robot 500 to the end effector coordinates of robot 500 (forward kinematics) and vice versa (inverse kinematics). The parameters of the kinematic model of robot 500 may be, for example, the dimensions of the links of robot arm 512, such as the inter-joint lengths of the links of robot arm 512. The estimated parameters of the kinematic model of robot 500 may be referred to as the adjusted parameters of the kinematic model. A3. Using the adjusted parameters of the kinematic model and inverse kinematics, calculate the joint coordinates of robot 500 corresponding to the destination end effector coordinates of robot 500 (the coordinates of robot 500's end effector 522 at the desired endpoint of the movement). The calculated joint coordinates of robot 500 may be called the adjusted destination joint coordinates of robot 500. A4. Based on the adjusted destination joint coordinates of robot 500, the corresponding end effector coordinates of robot 500 are calculated using forward kinematics, utilizing the nominal parameters of the kinematic model. The calculated end effector coordinates of robot 500 may be called the adjusted destination end effector coordinates of robot 500. A5. In the end-effector coordinate space, generate a trajectory from the current commanded end-effector coordinates of robot 500 to the adjusted destination end-effector coordinates of robot 500. The result may be a set of commanded intermediate points in the end-effector coordinate space between the current commanded end-effector coordinates of robot 500 and the adjusted destination end-effector coordinates of robot 500. A6. For each commanded midpoint in the end-effector coordinate space, the corresponding joint coordinates of robot 500 are calculated using inverse kinematics, utilizing the nominal parameters of the kinematic model. The resulting joint coordinates of robot 500 can be called the commanded joint coordinates of robot 500. A7. Using the commanded joint coordinates of robot 500, control the motors of robot 500 so that the actual joint coordinates of robot 500 faithfully follow the commanded joint coordinates of robot 500.

[0161] In the steps described above, the joint coordinates may be, for example, the angular position of the actuator (motor) that drives the links of the robot arm 512, and the end effector coordinates may be the Cartesian coordinates of the reference point on the robot end effector. As another example, the end effector coordinates may be the Cartesian coordinates of the reference point on the robot end effector and the direction of the robot end effector.

[0162] Step A6 described above may be performed before the robot 500 begins moving, or periodically during the robot 500's movement, for example, substantially in parallel with step A7, or a combination of these two methods may be used. For example, step A5 may generate a coarse set of commanded intermediate points in the end-effector coordinate space prior to the robot 500's movement, and finer commanded intermediate points may be calculated during the movement. In this case, step A6 may be applied to each of the commanded finer intermediate points during the robot's movement.

[0163] The objective of the above method is to correct the position of the robot 500's end effector at the end of the movement, which may allow the robot 500 to accurately grasp and place the payload regardless of the temperature of its structural components. However, the actual motion path of the robot 500's end effector 522 between the end points may not exactly follow the desired path, because the nominal values ​​of the kinematic parameters used by the control system to calculate the commanded joint coordinates may not reflect the actual dimensions of the robot 500's structural components. For example, if the desired path to the end point of the robot 500's end effector 522's movement is a straight line, the actual path of the end effector 522 may deviate from the desired straight line path between the start and end points of the movement.

[0164] Alternatively, if precise motion between endpoints is desired, the control system may use the following steps to compensate for the effect of thermal expansion of the structural components of the robot 500 on the position of one or more end effectors 522 of the robot 500 during motion (Method B). B1. Measure the temperature of a structural component of the robot 500, the dimensions of which affect the actual position of one or more end effectors 522 of the robot 500. B2. Use the measured temperature to estimate the parameters of the kinematic model of robot 500. The estimated parameters of the kinematic model of robot 500 may also be referred to as the adjusted parameters of the kinematic model. B3. Forward kinematics is used to calculate the corresponding end-effector coordinates of robot 500, utilizing the adjusted parameters of the kinematic model based on the current commanded joint coordinates of robot 500. The calculated end-effector coordinates of robot 500 may be referred to as the adjusted starting end-effector coordinates of robot 500. B4. In the end-effector coordinate space, generate a trajectory from the robot's adjusted starting end-effector coordinates to the robot's destination end-effector coordinates (the coordinates of the robot's end-effector at the desired end point of the movement). The result can be a set of commanded intermediate points in the end-effector coordinate space between the adjusted robot's starting end-effector coordinates and the robot's destination end-effector coordinates. B5. For each commanded midpoint in the end-effector coordinate space, the corresponding joint coordinates of robot 500 are calculated using inverse kinematics, utilizing the adjusted parameters of the kinematic model. The resulting joint coordinates of robot 500 may be called the commanded joint coordinates of robot 500. B6. Using the commanded joint coordinates of robot 500, control the motors of robot 500 so that the actual joint coordinates of robot 500 faithfully follow the commanded joint coordinates of robot 500.

[0165] Step B5 described above may be performed before the robot 500 begins moving, or periodically during the robot 500's movement, for example, substantially in parallel with step B6. Alternatively, a combination of these two methods may be used. For example, step B4 may generate a coarse set of commanded intermediate points in the end-effector coordinate space prior to the robot 500's movement, and finer commanded intermediate points may be calculated during the movement. In this case, step B5 may be applied to each of the commanded finer intermediate points during the robot's movement.

[0166] In the above method, before performing the steps outlined above, the destination end effector coordinates (endpoint) may be adjusted to reflect the thermal expansion of the system on which the robot 500 operates. For example, the destination end effector coordinates may be adjusted to reflect the change in distance between the robot drive unit 514 in the transport chamber and the station in the process module of the semiconductor wafer processing system due to the thermal expansion of the transport chamber and process module.

[0167] The above-described thermal expansion compensation method can be described, for example, with an exemplary robot shown in FIGS. 2A or 2B. The kinematic model of this exemplary robot can be derived from the graph of FIG. 18C depicting the upper arm (link 1) and one forearm (link 2) of the robot. In the figure, the following nomenclature is used. L1: length from the shoulder joint to the elbow joint of link 1 (upper arm) (m) L2: length from the elbow joint of link 2 (forearm) to the reference point of the robot end effector (m) X: x coordinate of the reference point of the robot end effector (m) Y: y coordinate of the reference point of the robot end effector (m) θ1: angle of link 1 (upper arm) with respect to the fixed coordinate system (rad) θ2: angle of link 2 (forearm) with respect to link 1 (upper arm) (rad)

[0168] Considering the figure of FIG. 18C, the forward kinematics of the exemplary robot of FIGS. 2A or 2B can be described by the following equations. X = L1 cos θ1 + L2 cos (θ1 + θ2) (1) Y = L1 sin θ1 + L2 sin (θ1 + θ2) (2)

[0169] Similarly, referring again to FIG. 18C, the inverse kinematic equations of the exemplary robot of FIGS. 2A or 2B can be formulated as follows. θ2 = acos [(X 2 + Y 2 - L1 2 - L2 2 ) / (2 L1 L2)] (3) θ1 = atan (Y / X) - atan [L2 sin θ2 / (L1 + L2 cos θ2)] (4)

[0170] Following the previously established terminology, we will refer to the length L1 of link 1 (upper arm) and the length L2 of link 2 (forearm) as parameters of the kinematic model of the example robot.

[0171] The actual values ​​of the above parameters in the kinematic model can be estimated from their nominal values ​​and temperature measurements of link 1 (upper arm) and link 2 (forearm) using the following formula. L1adj = L1nom CTE1 (T1act - Tnom) (5) L2adj = L2nom CTE2 (T2act - Tnom) (6) Here, CTE1: Thermal expansion coefficient (1 / K) of Link 1 (upper arm) CTE2: Thermal expansion coefficient of Link 2 (forearm) (1 / K) L1adj: Adjusted length (m) of Link 1 (upper arm) L1nom: Nominal length (K) of link 1 (upper arm) at temperature Tnom. L2adj: Adjusted length (m) of Link 2 (forearm) L2nom: Nominal length (K) of link 2 (forearm) at temperature Tnom. T1act: Measured temperature (K) at Link 1 (upper arm) T2act: Measured temperature (K) at Link 2 (forearm) Tnom: Nominal temperature (K) of the robot arm

[0172] Using the above formula, thermal expansion correction method A can be applied to the robot in the example shown in Figure 2A or Figure 2B as follows. A1. Measure the temperature T1act of link 1 (upper arm) and the temperature T2act of link 2 (forearm). A2. Using equations (5) and (6), calculate the adjustment length L1adj of link 1 (upper arm) and the adjustment length L2adj of link 2 (forearm). A3. Based on the inverse kinematic equations (3) and (4), calculate the adjusted destination joint coordinates θ1dstadj and θ2dstadj of the robot. θ2dstadj = acos [(Xdst2 + Ydst 2 - L1adj 2 - L2adj 2 ) / (2 L1adj L2adj)] (7) θ1dstadj = atan (Ydst / Xdst) - atan [L2adj sin θ2dstadj / (L1adj + L2adj cos θ2dstadj)] (8) Here, Xdst: x-coordinate (m) of the reference point on the robot end effector at the end point of movement. Ydst: The y-coordinate (m) of the reference point on the robot end effector at the end point of movement. θ1dstadj: Adjustment angle (rad) of link 1 (upper arm) at the desired end point of movement. θ2dstadj: Adjustment angle (rad) of link 2 (forearm) at the desired end point of movement. A4. Based on the forward equations of motion (1) and (2), the adjusted destination end effector coordinates Xdstadj and Ydsadj are determined. Xdstadj = L1nom cos θ1dstadj + L2nom cos (θ1dstadj+ θ2dstadj) (9) Ydstadj = L1nom sin θ1dstadj + L2nom sin (θ1dstadj+ θ2dstadj) (10) Here, Xdstadj: Adjusted x-coordinate (m) of the reference point on the robot end effector at the end point of movement. Ydstadj: Adjusted y-coordinate (m) of the reference point on the robot end effector at the end point of movement. A5. In the end-effector coordinate space, generate a trajectory from the robot's current commanded end-effector coordinates Xcmd0 and Ycmd0 to the robot's adjusted destination end-effector coordinates Ydstadj and Ydstadj. The result can be a set of commanded intermediate points Xcdmi and Ycmdi (i = 1, 2, ..., N (where N is the number of trajectory points)). A6. For each command midpoint Xcmdi and Ycmdi, the corresponding commanded joint coordinates θ1cmdi and θ2cmdi are calculated based on the inverse kinematic equations (3) and (4). θ2cmdi = acos [(Xcmdi 2 + Ycmdi 2 - L1nom 2 - L2nom 2 ) / (2 L1nom L2nom)] (11) θ1cmdi = atan (Ycmdi / Xcmdi) - atan [L2nom sin θ2cmdi / (L1nom + L2nom cos θ2cmdi)] (12) Here, θ1cmdi: Adjustment angle (rad) of link 1 (upper arm) at orbit point i. θ2cmdi: Adjustment angle (rad) of link 2 (forearm) at orbit point i. A7. The robot's command joint coordinates θ1cmdi and θ2cmdi are used to control the robot's motors, such as motor M1 and motor M2, so that the robot's actual joint coordinates faithfully follow the robot's command joint coordinates.

[0173] Similarly, applying thermal expansion correction method B to the robot in the example shown in Figure 2A or Figure 2B using equations (1) to (6) yields the following result. B1. Measure the temperature T1act of link 1 (upper arm) and the temperature T2act of link 2 (forearm). B2. Using equations (5) and (6), calculate the adjustment length L1adj of link 1 (upper arm) and the adjustment length L2adj of link 2 (forearm). B3. Based on the robot's current command joint coordinates θ1cmd0 and θ2cmd0, the kinematic model's adjustment parameters L1adj and L2adj are used to apply forward kinematic equations (1) and (2) to calculate the adjusted robot's starting end effector coordinates Xcm0 and Ycmd0. Xcmd0 = L1adj cos θ1cmd0 + L2adj cos (θ1cmd0+ θ2cmd0) (13) Ycmd0 = L1adj sin θ1cmd0 + L2adj sin (θ1cmd0+ θ2cmd0) (14) B4. In the end-effector coordinate space, generate a trajectory from the adjusted robot's starting end-effector coordinates Xcm0, Ycmd0 to the robot's destination end-effector coordinates Xdst, Ydst. The result may be a set of commanded intermediate points, Xcmdi and Ycmdi (i=1, 2, ..., N (where N is the number of trajectory points)) in the end-effector coordinate space. B5. For each command midpoint Xcmdi and Ycmdi, the corresponding robot command joint coordinates θ1cmdi and θ2cmdi are calculated using the adjustment parameters L1adj and L2adj of the kinematic model in the inverse kinematic equations (3) and (4). θ2cmdi = acos [(Xcmdi 2 + Ycmdi 2 - L1adj 2 - L2adj 2 ) / (2 L1adj L2adj)] (15) θ1cmdi = atan (Ycmdi / Xcmdi) - atan [L2adj sin θ2cmdi / (L1adj + L2adj cos θ2cmdi)] (16)

[0174] B6. The robot's command joint coordinates θ1cmdi and θ2cmdi are used to control the robot's motors, such as motor M1 and motor M2, so that the robot's actual joint coordinates faithfully follow the robot's command joint coordinates.

[0175] Exemplary robot configurations relating to various exemplary embodiments of a material handling vacuum environment robot according to the present invention are represented by simplified cross-sectional views in Figures 19A to 28C (including Figures 19B, 19C, and 27A). These embodiments can conveniently incorporate various combinations of the exemplary power, communication, and cooling configurations and control system architectures described earlier. In Figure 19A, the actuator (motor M1) is located in the drive unit 114, and the actuators 132 (motors M2 / M3) are mounted in the robot arm 112 at the elbow joint between the upper arm 118 and the forearm 120, respectively. In Figure 19B, the actuator (motor M1) is removed from the drive unit 114 and located in the upper arm 118 at the shoulder joint, and the actuators 132 (motors M2 / M3) are also mounted in the robot arm 112 at the elbow joint between the upper arm 118 and the forearm 120, respectively. Figures 28A to 28C show a robot 110 having a first arm 112a and a second arm 112b.

[0176] If a movable joint exists between some of the motors in the robot arm 112 and the first link of the robot arm 112, as in the exemplary embodiments shown in Figures 24 to 27A, the exemplary power, communication, and cooling configurations described earlier can be conveniently extended to these joints. In all of the robot arms 112 shown in Figures 24 to 27A, at least a shoulder joint 800 is located between the motor in the drive unit 114 and the displaced motor in the robot arm 112. In the exemplary embodiment of Figure 19C, the stators of all motors M1, M2, and M3 are attached to the first link (upper arm 118) of the robot arm 112. (This differs from other examples shown in which the stator of motor M1 is directly or indirectly connected to the housing of the spindle assembly 136). This allows for the use of a single service loop that can be configured to enable both translational and rotational motion between the upper arm 118 of the robot arm 112 and the fixed base of the drive unit 114.

[0177] The exemplary diagrams in Figures 19B, 22, and 23 show exemplary embodiments of an inside-out motor, i.e., a motor having a rotor 700 outside its stator (a motor with an external rotor) M. This may be used to make efficient use of available space. However, any suitable motor configuration, including radial motors with internal rotors, radial motors with external rotors, axial motors, and combinations thereof, may be used in any embodiment. Figure 20 shows a configuration in which the robot arm 112 has two motors M1 / M2 in the drive unit 114 and two motors M3 / M4 at the elbow joint. Figure 21 shows a configuration in which the robot arm 112 has one motor M1 in the drive unit 114 and three motors M2 / M3 / M4 at the elbow joint.

[0178] The robot's movements in the embodiments of Figures 15E, 15G, 15I, 15K(a) and (b), 18B, and 20 to 27D are illustrated in Figures 29A and 29B, which show the robot in a retracted position and various extended positions.

[0179] Figures 27B and 27C illustrate exemplary embodiments of a robot 900 having a drive unit 914 with a robot arm 112 having four end effectors 922. As shown in Figure 27B, at least the motors M1, M2, M3, and M4 may be controlled using a suitable controller having a processor and memory, some or all of which may be linked via a communication system. Figure 27B shows a simplified cross-sectional side view of the robot 900, and Figure 27C is a schematic top view of the robot 900. As shown in Figures 27B and 27C, the four end effectors 922 may be configured as two sets of two end effectors positioned opposite each other on the arm 912. In each set, the two opposite end effectors may be connected to each other in a manner that they are substantially immobile from one another. For example, end effectors A and C, which are in opposite positions, may be connected to each other in a substantially rigid manner, and end effectors B and D, which are in opposite positions, may be connected to each other in a substantially rigid manner. Two pairs of end effectors, for example, pair AC and pair BD, may be configured to rotate independently of each other. Two pairs of end effectors may be coupled at a midpoint 925 that forms a pivot point on the wrist of the robot arm 912, so that the two pairs move in a scissor-like motion.

[0180] The robot's movements in Figures 27B and 27C are illustrated in Figures 27D (a) through (h). Figure (a) shows robot 900 in a retracted position with end effectors A and B overlapping, ready to extend. Figure (b) shows robot 900 extended with end effectors A and B overlapping. Figure (c) shows robot 900 in a retracted position with end effectors C and D overlapping, ready to extend. Figure (d) shows robot 900 extended with end effectors C and D overlapping. Figure (e) shows robot 900 in a retracted position with end effectors A and B fanned out and side-by-side, ready to extend. Figure (f) shows robot 900 extended with end effectors A and B side-by-side. Figure (f) shows robot 900 in the retracted position, ready to extend with end effectors C and D spread out in a fan shape and aligned side by side. Figure (g) shows robot 900 extended with end effectors C and D aligned side by side.

[0181] As an example, using the operation shown in Figure 27C, the robot 900 may transport material between a stacking station, such as a load lock, and a station located next to it (for example, a process module). For example, the robot 900 may use end effectors A and B to pick up a pair of fresh wafers from a pair of stacked stations (a stacking load lock), and use end effectors C and D to pick up a pair of processed wafers from a pair of side-by-side stations (a twin process module). The processed wafer pair on the side-by-side station (twin process module) is immediately replaced with fresh wafers on end effectors A and B, and the processed wafer pair on end effectors C and D is placed on the pair of stacking stations (a stacking load lock).

[0182] Figures 28A to 28C illustrate an exemplary robot having an exemplary arm, which may consist of two links, for example, a left link and a right link. Each of the two linkages may consist of a first link (which may also be called an upper arm), a second link (forearm), and a fourth link (wrist assembly), each having an end effector (or multiple end effectors as described below). The upper arms of the two links may be rigidly connected to each other and mounted on a drive shaft of the robot's drive mechanism. Each forearm may be coupled to the corresponding upper arm via a rotary joint and moved relative to the corresponding upper arm by an actuator such as an electric motor. Each wrist assembly may be coupled to the corresponding forearm via another rotary joint and constrained by a transmission mechanism such as a belt, band, or cable drive to maintain a radial orientation (or an orientation offset by a certain distance and / or a certain angle from the radial direction).

[0183] In the examples in Figures 28A to 28C, the interarticular length of the forearm is shown to be shorter than the interarticular length of the upper arm, which may allow multiple forearms to share substantially the same vertical space and reduce the overall height of the arms. In this case, the transmission mechanism may utilize a belt, band, or cable drive with non-circular pulleys. Alternatively, the interarticular length of the forearm may be the same as the interarticular length of the upper arm. In this case, each forearm is stacked vertically to clear each other, and the transmission mechanism may utilize a belt, band, or cable drive with circular pulleys. (The effective radius of the pulley connected to the wrist assembly at the wrist joint may be twice the effective radius of the pulley connected to the upper arm at the elbow joint). Another option is that the interarticular length of the forearm may be longer than the interarticular length of the upper arm.

[0184] The exemplary robot's movements in Figure 28 are illustrated in Figure 28D, which shows the exemplary robot in a retracted position and various extended positions.

[0185] Most of the exemplary embodiments described above feature two independently operating end effectors, but any number of end effectors may be used, including three or more independently operating end effectors. The number of independently operating end effectors may be one. Furthermore, the robot arm 912 may carry one or more assemblies of multiple rigidly connected end effectors. For example, such an assembly of rigidly connected end effectors may consist of a pair of end effectors arranged side by side in a single plane, or it may consist of multiple end effectors substantially stacked on top of each other.

[0186] While a single Z-axis mechanism is shown as part of the exemplary embodiments described above, any number of Z-axis mechanisms may be used. Embodiments without a Z-axis mechanism may also exist. The exemplary embodiments described above are depicted with a Z-axis actuated by a rotary motor via a ball screw. However, any other suitable configuration, such as a linkage mechanism or a linear motor, may be used. Furthermore, the configuration of the Z-axis is not limited to these.

[0187] Please note that the bearings, bearing configurations, and bearing positions shown in the diagrams of this book are for illustrative purposes only, and their purpose is to convey how individual parts can generally be constrained by each other. Any suitable bearings, bearing configurations, and bearing positions may be used.

[0188] While communication networks have been described as a means of communication between various components of a control system, any other suitable means of communication between the master controller and control modules, such as wireless networks or point-to-point buses, can be used.

[0189] In one embodiment, the apparatus is Drive unit and; It has a first link connected to a drive unit at the shoulder, a second link connected to the first link at the elbow, a fourth link connected to the second link at the wrist, and a movable arm connected to the drive unit; A first actuator positioned in the second link and configured to cause rotation around the wrist portion of the fourth link; The system includes at least one second actuator positioned in the second link and configured to cause rotation of the fourth link around the wrist; It is equipped with. Thermal management, power supply, or one or more of the above are performed via the second link.

[0190] At least one of the shoulder portion, the elbow portion, and the wrist portion is equipped with a thermal coupling configuration. The thermal coupling configuration may comprise a first portion having a first cylindrical surface and a second portion having a second cylindrical surface positioned such that the second cylindrical surface faces the first cylindrical surface. The first and second cylindrical surfaces may be arranged coaxially with at least one rotation point of the shoulder, elbow, or wrist. Heat transfer acts across the gap between the first and second cylindrical surfaces. The first cylindrical surface and the second cylindrical surface may define a plurality of fins extending from the first portion and the second portion, respectively. The apparatus may include a heat transfer medium between the first cylindrical surface and the second cylindrical surface. The first link may include a recess configured to accommodate the upper part of the drive unit. The first link, the second link, the fourth link, and one or more of the fourth links may have a sealed internal space. The drive unit may include a spindle assembly having a drive shaft configured to rotate the movable arm. The spindle assembly may include one or more cooling channels configured to receive a circulating cooling medium. The apparatus may further include a first power coupling unit between the drive unit and the first link of the movable arm. In that case, the first power coupling unit includes a primary coil that is on the drive unit and is configured not to move relative to the drive unit, and a secondary coil that is on the first link and is rotatable relative to the primary coil. The apparatus may further include an optical communication link integrated with the first power coupling. The apparatus may further include a second power coupling unit between the first link and the second link. In that case, the second power coupling unit includes a primary coil that is on the first link and is configured not to move relative to the first link, and a secondary coil that is on the second link and is rotatable relative to the primary coil. The fourth link and the fourth link may each be a pair of end effectors configured to rotate about the wrist portion, and may include a pair of end effectors with opposite positions relative to each other.

[0191] In another embodiment, the method includes providing a drive unit; providing a movable arm having a first link connected to the drive unit at a shoulder, a second link connected to the first link at an elbow, a fourth link connected to the second link at a wrist, and a fourth link connected to the second link at the wrist, the movable arm being connected to the drive unit; providing a first actuator disposed on the second link and configured to cause the fourth link to rotate about the wrist portion; providing at least one second actuator disposed on the second link and configured to cause rotation of the fourth link about the wrist portion; including. One or more of thermal management, power supply, or communication is performed via the second link.

[0192] The method may include providing a thermal coupling configuration to at least one of the shoulder, the elbow, or the wrist. The method may include forming a recess in the first link to accommodate an upper portion of the drive unit. The method may include cooling the drive unit. The cooling may include circulating a cooling medium from an external source through the drive unit. Cooling the drive unit may include circulating a cooling medium inside the drive unit and / or the movable arm. The method may include providing a power coupling between the drive unit and the first link. The method may include providing an optical communication link integrated with the first power coupling.

[0193] In another embodiment, the apparatus includes at least one processor and at least one non-volatile memory storing computer program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to, have a first link connected to the drive unit at the shoulder, a second link connected to the first link at the elbow, a fourth link connected to the second link at the wrist, and a fourth link connected to the second link at the wrist, and move an arm connected to the drive unit; rotate the fourth link about the wrist by at least one first actuator disposed on the second link; rotate the fourth link about the wrist by at least one second actuator disposed on the second link; and are configured to perform. One or more of thermal management, power supply, or communication is performed via the second link.

[0194] In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a drive unit; A movable arm having a first control unit and a first link rotatable around the drive unit, a second link having a second control unit and connected to the first link by a first rotary joint, and at least one fourth link connected to the forearm by a second rotary joint; The first link is provided with at least one first actuator, configured to cause rotation of the second link around the first rotary joint; The system includes at least one second actuator positioned in the second link and configured to cause rotation of the at least one fourth link around the second rotary joint; At least one active component associated with the at least one fourth link; It is equipped with. To cause interaction between the at least one active component and the second control unit of the second link, one or more of the following are performed via the second rotary joint: thermal management, power distribution, or communication.

[0195] The apparatus may further include at least one thermal coupling configuration located on one or more of the first rotary joint or the second rotary joint. The first link may have a recess for accommodating the upper part of the drive unit. One or more of the first link, the second link, and the at least one fourth link may have a sealed internal space. The at least one first actuator or the at least one second actuator may each be located within a vacuum vessel in at least one first link or the at least one second link. The vacuum vessel may be filled with air, a mixture of other gases, or a single gas. The apparatus may further include a first power coupling section between the drive unit and the first link of the movable arm. In this case, the first power coupling section comprises a primary coil located on the drive unit and immovable relative to the drive unit, and a secondary coil located on the first link and rotatable relative to the primary coil. The active component may include an actuator, a gripper, a heater, or a sensor. The aforementioned active component may include a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may be combined with a control device having a processor and at least one memory. The temperature sensor may be configured to measure the temperature of one or more of the first link, the second link, or the at least one fourth link. The measured temperature may be used to compensate for the effects of thermal expansion of one or more of the first link, the links, or the at least one of the second links. The at least one fourth link may have a first pair of end effectors positioned opposite each other, and a second pair of end effectors positioned opposite each other. The two end effectors of the first pair and the two end effectors of the second pair may also be connected to each other in a rigid manner.

[0196] In another embodiment, the method is To provide a drive unit; To provide a movable arm having a first control unit and a first link connected to the drive unit and rotatable around the drive unit, a second link having a second control unit and connected to the first link by a first rotary joint, and at least one fourth link connected to the forearm by a second rotary joint; To provide at least one first actuator positioned on the first link and configured to cause rotation of the second link around the first rotary joint; To provide at least one second actuator positioned in the second link and configured to cause rotation of the at least one fourth link about the second rotary joint; To provide at least one active component associated with the at least one fourth link; Includes. To cause interaction between the at least one active component and the second control unit of the second link, one or more of the following are performed via the second rotary joint: thermal management, power distribution, or communication.

[0197] The active component may include an actuator, a gripper, a heater, or a sensor. The active component may include at least one temperature sensor. The method may further include providing a control unit having a processor and at least one memory. The control unit may also be configured to accept at least one input from the at least one temperature sensor. The at least one input may be used to calculate the thermal expansion of one or more of the first link, the second link, or the at least one fourth link. The calculated thermal expansion may be used to determine the adjusted endpoint position of the at least one fourth link.

[0198] In another embodiment, the apparatus is Drive unit and; A movable arm connected to the aforementioned drive unit; comprising a movable arm, the movable arm being an upper arm rotatably coupled to the drive unit at a shoulder, the upper arm having a first actuator inside, a forearm rotatably coupled to the upper arm, the forearm having a second actuator and a fourth actuator inside, a first pair of end effectors rotatably coupled to the forearm by a rotary joint and configured to be moved by the second actuator, and a second pair of end effectors rotatably coupled to the forearm by the rotary joint and configured to be moved by the fourth actuator. The first pair of end effectors is configured to move independently of the second pair of end effectors. At least the second actuator and the fourth actuator are configured to be controlled by a control unit, and the control unit is configured to control one or more of thermal management, power distribution, or communication for the first pair of end effectors and the second pair of end effectors.

[0199] The first pair of end effectors and the second pair of end effectors may be rotatably connected to the rotary joint at the central portions of the first pair of end effectors and the second pair of end effectors. [[ID=,10]]The second actuator and the fourth actuator may be configured to be controlled by a controller having a processor and at least one memory. In that case

[0200] In another embodiment, the apparatus measures at least one temperature of each of at least one structural component of the robot; using the at least one measured temperature to estimate the dimensions of the at least one structural component; calculating a set of joint coordinates corresponding to a desired destination of the end effector of the robot based on the estimated dimensions of the at least one structural component; calculating a final destination of the end effector based on the calculated set of joint coordinates; Determining the trajectory of the end effector from the calculated final destination to the calculated desired destination of the end effector; Determining multiple midpoints on the aforementioned determined trajectory; Using the plurality of intermediate points on the determined trajectory, control at least one motor that produces the movement of the end effector; Includes.

[0201] Using the plurality of intermediate points on the determined trajectory to control the at least one motor may include moving the end effector to a desired destination along the determined trajectory and based on the estimated dimensions at the plurality of intermediate points on the determined trajectory.

[0202] In another embodiment, the device includes at least one processor; A non-volatile memory for storing computer program instructions; The device is equipped with such a computer program instruction, and when the computer program instruction is executed by the at least one processor, the device is equipped with such a computer program instruction, Measuring the temperature of at least one of each of at least one structural component of the robot; Using the measured temperature of at least one of the structural components, estimate the dimensions of the at least one structural component; Based on the estimated dimensions of the at least one structural component, the set of joint coordinates corresponding to the desired destination of the robot's end effector is calculated; Based on the set of joint coordinates calculated above, the final destination of the end effector is calculated; Determining the trajectory of the end effector from the calculated final destination to the calculated desired destination of the end effector; Determining multiple midpoints on the aforementioned determined trajectory; The system is configured to control at least one motor that produces the movement of the end effector using the plurality of intermediate points on the determined trajectory.

[0203] According to another embodiment, a machine-readable non-volatile program storage device tangibly embodies a program of machine-executable instructions for performing a process, and the process is: Measuring the temperature of at least one of each of at least one structural component of the robot; Using the measured temperature of at least one of the structural components, estimate the dimensions of the at least one structural component; Based on the estimated dimensions of the at least one structural component, the set of joint coordinates corresponding to the desired destination of the robot's end effector is calculated; Based on the set of joint coordinates calculated above, the final destination of the end effector is calculated; Determining the trajectory of the end effector from the calculated final destination to the calculated desired destination of the end effector; Determining multiple midpoints on the aforementioned determined trajectory; Using the plurality of intermediate points on the determined trajectory, control at least one motor that produces the movement of the end effector; Includes.

[0204] In another embodiment, the apparatus is Drive unit and; A movable arm connected to the drive unit, comprising a first link connected to the drive unit at the shoulder, a second link connected to the first link at the elbow, and at least one fourth link connected to the second link at the wrist; A first actuator positioned in the second link and configured to cause rotation around the wrist portion for at least one fourth link; It is equipped with. Thermal management, power supply, or one or more of the above are performed via the second link.

[0205] In another embodiment, the method is To provide a drive unit; To provide a movable arm connected to the aforementioned drive unit, comprising a first link connected to the drive unit at the shoulder, a second link connected to the first link at the elbow, and at least one fourth link connected to the second link at the wrist; To provide a first actuator positioned on the second link and configured to cause rotation around the wrist portion for at least one fourth link; Includes. Thermal management, power supply, or one or more of the above are performed via the second link.

[0206] An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one non-volatile memory for storing computer program instructions, wherein when the computer program instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the apparatus... Moving an arm connected to a drive unit, the arm comprising a first link connected to the drive unit at the shoulder, a second link connected to the first link at the elbow, and at least one fourth link connected to the second link at the wrist; At least one first actuator positioned on the second link is configured to cause at least one fourth link to rotate around the wrist portion. Thermal management, power supply, or one or more of the above are performed via the second link.

[0207] It should be understood that the above description is merely an example. Those skilled in the art will be able to consider various variations and modifications. For example, it is possible to selectively combine features from the various embodiments described above to create new embodiments. This specification is intended to encompass all such alternatives, modifications, and variations.

[0208] This paragraph includes the invention described in the claims attached to the original filing of the parent application of the present family (Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-548092). [Invention 1] Drive unit and; A movable arm connected to the drive unit, comprising a first link connected to the drive unit at the shoulder, a second link connected to the first link at the elbow, and at least one fourth link connected to the second link at the wrist; A first actuator positioned in the second link and configured to cause rotation around the wrist portion for at least one fourth link; A device comprising, wherein one or more of the following are performed via the second link: thermal management, power supply, or communication. [Invention 2] The apparatus according to Invention 1, wherein at least one of the shoulder portion, the elbow portion, or the wrist portion is equipped with a thermal coupling configuration. [Invention 3] The apparatus according to Invention 2, wherein the thermal coupling configuration comprises a first portion having a first cylindrical surface and a second portion having a second cylindrical surface positioned such that the second cylindrical surface faces the first cylindrical surface, the first cylindrical surface and the second cylindrical surface are arranged coaxially with at least one rotation point of the shoulder, elbow, or wrist, and heat transfer acts across the gap between the first cylindrical surface and the second cylindrical surface. [Invention 4] The apparatus according to Invention 3, wherein the first cylindrical surface and the second cylindrical surface define a plurality of fins extending from the first portion and the second portion, respectively. [Invention 5] The apparatus according to invention 3, wherein a heat transfer medium is provided between the first cylindrical surface and the second cylindrical surface. [Invention 6] The apparatus according to Invention 1, wherein the first link has a recess configured to accommodate the upper part of the drive unit. [Invention 7] The apparatus according to Invention 1, wherein one or more of the first link, the second link, or the at least one fourth link has a sealed internal space. [Invention 8] The apparatus according to Invention 1, wherein the drive unit comprises a spindle assembly having a drive shaft configured to rotate the movable arm. [Invention 9] The apparatus according to invention 8, wherein the spindle assembly includes one or more cooling channels configured to receive a circulating cooling medium. [Invention 10] The apparatus according to Invention 1, further comprising a first power coupling section between the drive unit and the first link of the movable arm, wherein the first power coupling section comprises a primary coil located on the drive unit and not moving relative to the drive unit, and a secondary coil located on the first link and rotatable relative to the primary coil. [Invention 11] The apparatus according to invention 10, further comprising an optical communication link integrated with the first power coupling. [Invention 12] The apparatus according to invention 10, further comprising a second power coupling section between the first link and the second link, wherein the second power coupling section comprises a primary coil located on the first link and fixed so as not to move relative to the first link, and a secondary coil located on the second link and rotatable relative to the primary coil. [Invention 13] The apparatus according to Invention 1, comprising a pair of end effectors, the at least one fourth link of which is configured to rotate around the wrist portion, wherein the pair of end effectors are positioned opposite to each other. [Invention 14] The apparatus according to Invention 1, wherein the at least one fourth link comprises four end effectors. [Invention 15] To provide a drive unit; To provide a movable arm connected to the aforementioned drive unit, comprising a first link connected to the drive unit at the shoulder, a second link connected to the first link at the elbow, and at least one fourth link connected to the second link at the wrist; To provide a first actuator positioned on the second link and configured to cause rotation around the wrist portion for at least one fourth link; A method comprising one or more of the following: thermal management, power supply, or communication, performed via the second link. [Invention 16] The method according to Invention 15, which provides a thermal coupling configuration to at least one of the shoulder, elbow, or wrist portions. [Invention 17] The method according to invention 15, wherein a recess is formed in the first link to accommodate the upper part of the drive unit. [Invention 18] The method according to the invention 15, comprising cooling the drive unit. [Invention 19] The method according to invention 18, wherein cooling the drive unit includes circulating a cooling medium from an external source through the drive unit. [Invention 20] The method according to invention 18, wherein cooling the drive unit includes circulating a cooling medium inside the drive unit and / or the movable arm. [Invention 21] The method according to the invention of 15, comprising providing a power coupling between the drive unit and the first link. [Invention 22] The method according to the invention 21, comprising providing an optical communication link integrated with the first power coupling. [Invention 23] An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one non-volatile memory for storing computer program instructions, wherein when the computer program instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the apparatus... Moving an arm connected to a drive unit, the arm comprising a first link connected to the drive unit at the shoulder, a second link connected to the first link at the elbow, and at least one fourth link connected to the second link at the wrist; At least one first actuator positioned on the second link causes at least one fourth link to rotate around the wrist; A device configured to perform the following, wherein one or more of the following means of thermal management, power supply, or communication operate via the second link. [Invention 24] It is a device, Drive unit and; Robot arm and; The robot arm is equipped with, A first link having a first control unit and rotatable around the drive unit, A second link having a second control unit and connected to the first link by a first rotary joint, At least one fourth link connected to the forearm by a second rotating joint, The apparatus further comprises, The first link is provided with at least one first actuator, configured to cause rotation of the second link around the first rotary joint; The system includes at least one second actuator positioned in the second link and configured to cause rotation of the at least one fourth link around the second rotary joint; At least one active component associated with the at least one fourth link; An apparatus comprising, wherein one or more of the following are performed via the second rotary joint to cause interaction between the at least one active component and the second control unit of the second link: thermal management, power distribution, or communication. [Invention 25] The apparatus according to invention 24, further comprising at least one thermal coupling configuration located on one or more of the first rotary joint or the second rotary joint. [Invention 26] The apparatus according to invention 24, wherein the first link has a recess for housing the upper part of the drive unit. [Discussion 27] The apparatus according to invention 24, wherein one or more of the first link, the second link, or the at least one fourth link has a sealed internal space. [Invention 28] The apparatus according to invention 27, wherein the at least one first actuator or the at least one second actuator is each located within a vacuum vessel in the at least one first link or the at least one second link. [Invention 29] The apparatus according to invention 28, wherein the vacuum vessel is filled with air, a mixture of other gases, or a single gas. [Invention 30] The apparatus according to invention 24, further comprising a first power coupling section between the drive unit and the first link of the movable arm, wherein the first power coupling section comprises a primary coil located on the drive unit and not moving relative to the drive unit, and a secondary coil located on the first link and rotatable relative to the primary coil. [Invention 31] The apparatus according to invention 24, wherein the active component includes a gripper, a heater, or a sensor. [Invention 32] The apparatus according to invention 24, wherein the active component includes a temperature sensor. [Invention 33] The apparatus according to invention 32, wherein the temperature sensor is combined with a control device having a processor and at least one memory. [Invention 34] The apparatus according to invention 32, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to measure the temperature of one or more of the first link, the second link, or the at least one fourth link. [Invention 35] The apparatus according to invention 34, wherein the measured temperature is used to compensate for the effect of thermal expansion of one or more of the first link, the link, or the at least one of the second links. [Invention 36] The apparatus according to invention 24, wherein the at least one fourth link has a first pair of two end effectors positioned opposite each other and a second pair of two end effectors positioned opposite each other, and both the two end effectors of the first pair and the two end effectors of the second pair are connected to each other in a rigid manner. [Invention 37] It is a method, To provide a drive unit; To provide a robotic arm; The robot arm includes, It has a first control unit and a first link connected to the drive unit and rotatable around the drive unit, A second link having a second control unit and connected to the first link by a first rotary joint, The fourth link connects to the forearm at the second rotating joint, The method further comprises, To provide at least one first actuator positioned on the first link and configured to cause rotation of the second link around the first rotary joint; To provide at least one second actuator positioned in the second link and configured to cause rotation of the at least one fourth link about the second rotary joint; To provide at least one active component associated with the at least one fourth link; A method comprising, wherein one or more of the following are performed via the second rotary joint to cause interaction between the at least one active component and the second control unit of the second link: thermal management, power distribution, or communication. [Invention 38] The method according to invention 37, wherein the active component includes a gripper, a heater, or a sensor. [Invention 39] The method according to invention 37, wherein the active component includes at least one temperature sensor. [Invention 40] The method according to invention 39, further comprising providing a control unit having a processor and at least one memory, wherein the control unit is configured to accept at least one input from the at least one temperature sensor. [Invention 41] The method according to Invention 40, wherein the at least one input is used to calculate the thermal expansion of one or more of the first link, the second link, or the at least one fourth link. [Invention 42] The method according to invention 41, wherein the calculated thermal expansion is used to determine the adjusted endpoint position of the at least one fourth link. [Invention 43] It is a device, Drive unit and; A movable arm connected to the aforementioned drive unit; The movable arm is equipped with, An upper arm rotatably connected to the drive unit at the shoulder, the upper arm having a first actuator inside, A forearm rotatably connected to the upper arm, the forearm having a second actuator and a fourth actuator inside, A first pair of end effectors, rotatably connected to the forearm by a rotary joint and configured to be moved by the second actuator, A second pair of end effectors, rotatably connected to the forearm by the rotary joint and configured to be moved by the fourth actuator, Equipped with, The first pair of end effectors is configured to operate independently of the second pair of end effectors. At least the second actuator and the fourth actuator are configured to be controlled by a control unit, which is configured to control one or more of the thermal management, power distribution, or communication for the first pair of end effectors and the second pair of end effectors. Device. [Invention 44] The apparatus according to invention 43, wherein the first pair of end effectors and the second pair of end effectors are rotatably connected to the rotary joint at the central portion of the first pair of end effectors and the second pair of end effectors. [Invention 45] The apparatus according to invention 43, wherein the second actuator and the fourth actuator are configured to be controlled by a controller having a processor and at least one memory.

Claims

1. It is a device, A drive unit comprising a drive unit motor controlled by a drive unit control module, A movable arm, The movable arm is equipped with, A first link having a first control module and rotatable around the drive unit, A second link having a second control module and connected to the first link at a first rotary joint, A second rotational joint comprising at least one third link connected to the second link, The apparatus further comprises, A first actuator is positioned on the first link and configured to cause rotation of the second link around the first rotary joint, At least one second actuator positioned on the second link and configured to cause rotation of the at least one third link around the second rotary joint, At least one active component associated with the at least one third link, A master controller is located outside the first link and the second link and is configured to control the drive unit control module, the first control module, and the second control module. Equipped with, The at least one active component includes a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor is configured to measure the temperature of one or more of the first link, the second link, or the at least one third link, and at least one of the at least one first actuator is configured to cooperate with the master controller to cause rotation of the at least one third link around the second rotary joint in order to achieve a corrected position of the at least one third link based on the measured temperature. Device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one thermal coupling configuration located in one or more of the first or second rotary joints.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first link has a recess for housing the upper part of the drive unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the first link, the second link, or the at least one third link has a sealed internal space.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein at least one first actuator is located in the vacuum space within the first link, or at least one second actuator is located in the vacuum space within the second link.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the vacuum space is filled with air, a mixture of other gases, or a single gas.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first power coupling between the drive unit and the first link, wherein the first power coupling comprises a primary coil located on the drive unit and immovable relative to the drive unit, and a secondary coil located on the first link and rotatable relative to the primary coil.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the active component includes a gripper, a heater, or a sensor.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is combined with a control device having a processor and at least one memory.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one third link has a first pair of two end effectors positioned opposite each other and a second pair of two end effectors positioned opposite each other, and both the two end effectors of the first pair and the two end effectors of the second pair are connected to each other in a rigid manner.

11. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the drive unit further comprises a lifting motor for raising and lowering the movable arm, and a lifting control module that controls the lifting motor and is connected to the master controller.

12. It is a method, To provide a drive unit, To provide a movable arm connected to the drive unit, having a first link rotatable relative to the drive unit, a second link rotatable relative to the first link at a first rotational joint, and at least one third link rotatable relative to the second link at a second rotational joint, To provide at least one first actuator and at least one first controller located within the second link and capable of communicating with a master controller outside the second link, To provide at least one temperature sensor associated with the at least one first controller, Includes, The at least one temperature sensor is configured to measure at least one temperature in at least one of the first link, the second link, or the at least one third link. To achieve the corrected position of the at least one third link based on the measured temperature, the at least one first actuator and the at least one first controller are configured to cooperate with the master controller to cause the at least one third link to rotate around the second rotary joint. method.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein providing the at least one temperature sensor comprises attaching the temperature sensor to at least one of the first link, the second link, and the at least one third link.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein providing the at least one temperature sensor comprises forming the temperature sensor as part of the at least one first controller which is thermally coupled to the second link.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising providing a thermal coupling configuration to at least one of the connection portion between the movable arm and the drive unit, the first rotary joint, and the second rotary joint.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein a recess is formed in the first link to accommodate the upper part of the drive unit.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising cooling the drive unit.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein cooling the drive unit includes circulating a cooling medium from an external source through the drive unit.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein cooling the drive unit includes circulating a cooling medium inside the drive unit and / or the movable arm.

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