Substrate Transfer Device Chamber Depth Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate transfer devices are limited in reducing the depth of their conveying chamber due to the constraints of the entire hand length of the robot hand, which restricts the size reduction of the device.
Innovation Solution
The substrate transfer device is designed with a casing where the size in one direction is larger than in another, featuring a robot arm with a traveling shaft and multiple links, allowing the robot hand to operate within an effective conveying chamber, thus reducing the entire link length and enabling easier size reduction of the conveying chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the robot hand moves in the conveying chamber in a direction parallel to the depth direction to enter or exit the substrate carrier, then the substrate transfer operation can be performed, but the entire hand length is limited by the depth of the conveying chamber, which restricts the size reduction of the device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the movement direction of the robot hand from the depth direction (first direction) to the width direction (second direction) by reorienting the substrate carrier opening. This dimensional change allows the robot hand to access the substrate carrier without being constrained by the limited depth of the conveying chamber, effectively decoupling the entire hand length requirement from the conveying chamber depth.
2Productivity
If multiple substrate carriers are coupled to one conveying chamber to improve throughput, then the number of load ports increases, but the width of the substrate transfer device becomes wider
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reorients the substrate carrier opening from parallel to the depth direction to parallel to the width direction. This allows multiple substrate carriers to be arranged along the depth direction instead of requiring increased width, enabling high throughput while maintaining a compact width profile of the device.
3Length of moving object
If the opening direction of the substrate carrier is changed to parallel to the width direction, then the robot hand can operate with reduced link length, but the carrier orientation must be reconfigured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reconfigures the substrate carrier opening direction to be parallel to the width direction of the casing. This orientation change allows the robot arm to operate within a reduced link length since the movement occurs primarily along the width direction rather than requiring deep insertion into the carrier. The reconfiguration is achieved through proper positioning and orientation of the substrate carrier within the conveying chamber.
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate transfer device includes a casing and a substrate conveying robot. A size of the casing in a second direction Y is more than a size of the casing in a first direction X. The casing includes walls forming a conveying chamber and at least one opening or provided at at least one side of the conveying chamber in the first direction X. The substrate conveying robot includes a base, a robot arm, a robot hand, and a controller. When a space in the conveying chamber except for a predetermined exclusive region is defined as an effective conveying chamber, an entire link length DL of a link is less than a conveying chamber size Dx, and an entire hand length Dh of the robot hand is not less than an effective conveying chamber size Dx′.