Substrate Support Vibration Sensing for Accurate Rotation Speed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate cleaning machines face challenges in accurately measuring the rotation speed of substrates without using idlers, due to issues like contamination and slip between the substrate and rollers, and maintainability concerns with vibration sensors attached directly to rollers.
Innovation Solution
A substrate support device with a vibration transmission mechanism that extends from rollers or a rotation drive unit to a housing, transmitting vibrations caused by a notch or orientation flat on the substrate to a detection sensor outside the housing, which calculates the substrate's rotation speed based on the detected vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a vibration sensor is attached directly to the rollers to detect vibrations for rotation speed measurement, then the measurement precision is improved, but the ease of repair deteriorates due to reduced maintainability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vibration transmission mechanism as an intermediary component that transfers vibrations from the rollers to the housing, where the detection sensor can access them. This mediator allows the sensor to be positioned outside the housing (improving maintainability) while still detecting the relevant vibrations (maintaining measurement precision).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the direct mechanical attachment of the sensor to the rollers with an acoustic/vibration transmission path through the housing. This substitution allows non-contact detection relative to the rollers, improving sensor accessibility and maintainability while preserving the ability to measure rotation speed through transmitted vibrations.
2Ease of repair
If the detection sensor is placed outside the housing to improve maintainability, then the ease of repair is improved, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to noise interference
Solution Approach 1:
The housing acts as an intermediary structure that transmits the characteristic vibrations from the rollers to the external sensor while providing isolation from external noise sources. This mediator enables the sensor to be positioned in a cleaner acoustic environment while still receiving the relevant vibration signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the detection sensor from the noisy internal environment of the housing and places it in the external environment where it can be more easily maintained. The vibration transmission mechanism ensures that the necessary vibration signals are transmitted to this externally positioned sensor despite the physical separation.
3Measurement precision
If an idler is used to measure the actual rotation speed of the substrate, then the measurement precision is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to contamination and slip
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact-based measurement method (using an idler that physically touches the substrate) with a vibration-based indirect measurement method. By detecting vibrations transmitted through the rollers that result from substrate interaction, the system achieves reliable rotation speed measurement without the contamination and slip problems associated with direct mechanical contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the rollers and housing as intermediaries to indirectly measure substrate rotation speed. Instead of having the measurement device directly contact the substrate (which causes contamination and slip), the system measures vibrations transmitted through the intermediary rollers, eliminating the harmful direct contact while preserving measurement capability.
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 solution enhances maintainability by placing the detection sensor outside the housing, improves signal-to-noise ratio by effectively transmitting relevant vibrations, and allows for accurate calculation of the substrate's rotation speed while reducing the risk of contamination and erroneous measurements.
Implementation Method 1
a vibration transmission mechanism that is installed in such a manner as to extend from any of the rollers or the rotation drive unit up to the housing and transmits vibrations to the housing, the vibrations occurring due to a notch or an orientation flat on the outer edge of the substrate hitting the roller
Implementation Method 2
a detection sensor that is arranged outside the housing, detects at least one of sound, vibration, and strain occurring from the housing, and outputs a signal corresponding thereto
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate support device includes: a plurality of rollers that is arranged inside a housing and holds an outer edge of a substrate; a rotation drive unit that rotates the substrate by rotationally driving the plurality of rollers; a vibration transmission mechanism that is installed in such a manner as to extend from any of the rollers or the rotation drive unit up to the housing and transmits vibrations to the housing, the vibrations occurring due to a notch or an orientation flat on the outer edge of the substrate hitting the roller; a detection sensor that is arranged outside the housing, detects at least one of sound, vibration, and strain occurring from the housing, and outputs a signal corresponding thereto; and a rotation speed calculation section that calculates a rotation speed of the substrate, based on the signal outputted from the detection sensor.