Substrate Holder Drive Layout for Easier Belt Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses require significant labor and effort for maintenance due to the lack of a configuration that facilitates easy access to the rotating mechanism, particularly when issues arise with the power transmitter such as belt elongation or breakage.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus is designed with a motor and power transmitter positioned on the opposite side of the substrate holder, facing a maintenance opening, allowing direct access for maintenance work, and the power transmitter is arranged linearly with the conveyance opening to facilitate efficient maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the motor and power transmitter are positioned inside the chamber to rotate the substrate holder, then the rotating mechanism can function properly, but the maintenance work requires significant labor and effort due to poor accessibility
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber wall is segmented by providing a dedicated maintenance opening that separates the maintenance access path from the substrate conveyance path. This allows maintenance personnel to access the motor and power transmitter without interfering with substrate processing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
A maintenance opening is introduced as an intermediary access point in the chamber wall. This opening serves as a mediator that allows maintenance personnel to reach the rotating mechanism components without requiring complete disassembly or complex access procedures.
2Ease of repair
If the power transmitter components are arranged away from the maintenance opening, then the substrate conveyance is not affected, but the maintenance work becomes more difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The motor and power transmitter are pre-positioned on the opposite side of the substrate holder from the conveyance opening, facing the maintenance opening. This preliminary arrangement ensures that maintenance personnel can directly access these components through the maintenance opening without requiring additional disassembly or reconfiguration steps.
3Reliability
If a drive belt is used in the power transmitter, then the motor can transmit rotational force to the substrate holder, but the drive belt requires periodic maintenance due to elongation and breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The drive belt and other power transmitter components are extracted from the interior of the chamber and positioned near the maintenance opening. This extraction allows maintenance personnel to easily remove and replace worn drive belts without requiring complex disassembly of the entire rotating mechanism.
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
This configuration improves the maintainability of the rotating mechanism by enabling easier and more efficient maintenance of the power transmitter components, reducing the effort and time required for repairs.
Implementation Method 1
a motor configured to generate a rotational driving force to rotate the substrate holder and a power transmitter configured to transmit the rotational driving force generated by the motor to the substrate holder
Data Source
AI summary
In an substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, a chamber has a conveyance opening for conveying the substrate along a conveyance path between the outside of the chamber and the substrate holder and a maintenance opening provided on an opposite side of the conveyance opening with the substrate holder. A rotating mechanism has a motor for generating a rotational driving force to rotate the substrate holder and a power transmitter for transmitting the rotational driving force generated by the motor to the substrate holder. The motor and the power transmitter are so arranged on the opposite side of the conveyance opening with respect to the substrate holder, as to face the maintenance opening, to thereby make the rotating mechanism accessible through the maintenance opening from the outside.