Rotating Boom Linkage Robot for Substrate Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic device manufacturing systems face challenges in efficiently and precisely transporting substrates between process chambers and load locks, leading to inefficiencies in system throughput and increased operating costs due to vibration issues caused by rapid robot arm movements.
Innovation Solution
A robot apparatus with a boom linkage that allows for rotation and positioning adjacent to destinations, featuring multi-arm configurations with upper arms, forearms, and wrist members, enabling precise and rapid substrate transport while minimizing arm size and settling time through strategic placement and actuation of end effectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If rapid robot arm movements are used to improve substrate transport speed, then productivity increases, but vibration and settling time increase reducing manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The robot arm is divided into multiple segments (boom linkage, upper arm, forearm, wrist member) that can move independently. This segmentation allows each segment to be optimized for its specific function, enabling rapid positioning while maintaining precision through coordinated movement of individual segments rather than moving the entire arm rapidly.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot system uses dynamic control where the boom linkage rotates to position the robot assembly adjacent to destinations, and the wrist member provides dynamic orientation adjustments. This dynamic, multi-stage approach allows rapid transport followed by precise settling, resolving the contradiction between speed and precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If larger robot arms are used to increase reach and coverage, then adaptability improves, but settling time and vibration increase reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The system adds the rotational dimension of the boom linkage to the robot arm's workspace. Instead of relying solely on a larger arm for reach, the boom linkage rotates the entire robot assembly to access different destinations, enabling long reach without requiring proportionally larger arm structures that would increase settling time.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot system is segmented into the boom linkage for positioning and the robot arm for manipulation. This allows the arm to remain relatively compact for quick settling while the boom linkage provides the extended reach and versatility needed for accessing multiple chambers and load locks.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional single-robot configurations are used to simplify device complexity, then ease of manufacture improves, but productivity decreases due to sequential substrate transport
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges a rotating boom linkage with a robot arm assembly to create an integrated system. The boom linkage and robot arm work together as a unified mechanism, allowing the robot to service multiple destinations by rotating the boom while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that can be manufactured using conventional techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot assembly mounted on the rotating boom linkage can service multiple chambers and load locks by rotating to different positions. This multi-functional capability allows a single robot configuration to perform substrate transport to multiple destinations, improving productivity without requiring multiple separate robot systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Robot apparatus, substrate transport systems, and methods are described. The robot apparatus and systems are adapted to efficiently put or pick substrates at a destination by rotating a boom linkage to a position adjacent to the destination and then actuating robot assemblies to put or pick the substrates at the destination. Numerous other aspects are provided.