Contactless Wafer Conveying With 6-DOF Magnetic Manipulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveying devices face challenges in providing stable, contactless transportation and precise positioning of payloads in all six degrees of freedom, particularly in environments with cleanliness or vacuum requirements, and lack flexibility and efficiency in handling various tasks.
Innovation Solution
A conveying device with a transport body equipped with a manipulator that can move in six degrees of freedom, allowing for handling, positioning, and processing of payloads, and featuring a manipulator with additional degrees of freedom for flexible and efficient task execution, including clamping, processing, and checking, without the need for stationary components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If contactless conveying is used to meet cleanliness requirements, then payload contamination is reduced, but system complexity increases due to magnetic field control requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical contact-based conveying systems with a magnetic field-based contactless conveying system. The stator generates a magnetic field that interacts with magnets on the transport body to achieve contactless movement and positioning, eliminating mechanical contact points that could contaminate payloads while meeting cleanliness requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic field system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides contactless conveying, precise positioning in six degrees of freedom, and stable hovering. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanical systems for each function, thereby managing complexity while achieving cleanliness goals.
2Measurement precision
If full six-degree-of-freedom positioning is implemented, then positioning precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple control magnets and actuators
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning system is segmented into six independent control dimensions (three translational and three rotational degrees of freedom). Each degree of freedom is controlled by specific actuators that adjust the position and orientation of control magnets independently, enabling precise positioning while managing complexity through modular control architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic adjustment of control magnet positions and orientations through actuators. The control magnets are not fixed but can be dynamically repositioned to achieve precise control in all six degrees of freedom, allowing the system to adapt to different positioning requirements while maintaining manageable complexity through active control.
3Force
If permanent magnets are used instead of solenoids, then flux density and levitation capability are improved, but energy control flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges permanent magnets with electromagnet actuators. The permanent magnets provide the primary magnetic flux density for levitation and force generation, while the electromagnet actuators provide controlled energy input to adjust the magnetic field. This combination achieves high flux density from permanent magnets while retaining energy control flexibility through the electromagnet components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables complex and efficient motion sequences, reduces system complexity and cost, increases throughput, and allows for parallel processing of tasks, while being suitable for environments with high cleanliness or vacuum requirements, and extreme conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a stator (3) having control magnets (31) in a flat arrangement, whose orientation is changeable by means of actuators... the transport body (2) and the connected manipulator (22) are positionable in their six degrees of freedom of movement with respect to a stator (3) using the magnetic field of the stator (3)
Implementation Method 2
Magnetic levitation systems can be used in this context... one of the two elements has a plurality of at least partially movably arranged control magnets whose respective position and/or orientation relative to this element can be predefined in a controlled manner
Implementation Method 3
the other of the two elements has at least two stationary magnets immovably connected to that element, the stationary magnets being magnetically coupled to the control magnets
Data Source
AI summary
A conveying device is configured to convey one or more payloads, in particular wafers, using transport bodies. The transport bodies are floatingly moved and positioned over a transport surface of a stator. The moving and positioning are preferably carried out with respect to all six degrees of freedom. The transport body has a movable boom or a movable manipulator or a movable robotic arm. At an end effector thereof, the payload is deposited or fastened. The payload can also be processed and/or checked. The processing and/or checking is carried out by an end effector of an additional transport body of the same conveying device.