Substrate Conveying Robot Gap Control via Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate conveying robots face interference issues when handling substrates with inclination angles or curved states, leading to potential collisions with adjacent substrates during conveyance.
Innovation Solution
A substrate conveying robot equipped with a robot arm, a substrate holding hand, an imager, and a controller that acquires and adjusts the conveyance gap based on images captured by the imager to prevent interference by controlling the robot arm and substrate holding hand operations, ensuring sufficient gap size for safe conveyance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the movement path or position of the substrate holding hand is changed based on the inclination angles or curved states of the substrates, then the substrate can be carried out of the cassette even when arranged in an inclined state or curved, but the substrate holding hand may interfere with adjacent substrates or the conveyed substrate may interfere with adjacent substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures images of substrates in the cassette using an imager, processes these images to detect inclination angles and curved states, and then adjusts the substrate holding hand's movement path accordingly. This feedback loop enables the robot to adapt to various substrate states while maintaining safe clearance from adjacent substrates through real-time image processing and control adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical sensing methods with an optical imaging system. Instead of using physical sensors to detect substrate inclination and curvature, the system uses an imager to capture substrate states and processes these images to determine appropriate movement paths, thereby avoiding mechanical interference with adjacent substrates
2Productivity
If the substrate holding hand enters the cassette to carry substrates, then substrate conveyance can be performed, but the hand may interfere with substrates arranged adjacent to the substrate being carried
Solution Approach 1:
Before the substrate holding hand enters the cassette, the system captures images of the substrate arrangement, processes these images to detect inclination angles and curved states, and pre-calculates a safe movement path. This preliminary action allows the hand to enter the cassette with knowledge of the substrate positions, enabling it to navigate around adjacent substrates without interference
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds an optical detection dimension to the mechanical conveyance process. By using an imager to capture substrate states from above and processing these images to determine three-dimensional substrate positions and orientations, the system creates a spatial map that guides the substrate holding hand's movement, enabling it to operate in the same space as adjacent substrates without causing interference
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate conveying robot includes a controller configured or programmed to acquire a conveyance gap based on an image captured by an imager, and control at least one of carrying a substrate out of a storage or carrying the substrate into the storage based on a size of an acquired conveyance gap.