Articulated Substrate Transport Wrist With Over-360° Band Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robotic manipulators with metal band and pulley drive systems are limited to 360° rotation due to the screw-type coupling, restricting the range of motion and functionality in high-density semiconductor processing environments where increased joint angle rotation is required for efficient substrate transport.
Innovation Solution
A band and pulley torque transmission drive configuration with a rotation angle defined by the drive ratio between input and output pulleys, allowing for greater than 360° rotation of the driven pulley, enabling increased robotic manipulator range of motion through enhanced articulated link stroke.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If screw-type coupling is used between band and pulley, then torque transfer is achieved, but rotation range is limited to 360° or less
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the screw-type coupling mechanism from the band-pulley system, extracting the constraint that limited rotation to 360°. By eliminating this coupling component, the band can wrap around the pulley multiple times without folding over, enabling rotation ranges exceeding 360° while maintaining torque transfer through direct frictional contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the band-pulley system by increasing the wrap angle beyond the conventional single-turn configuration. This parameter change allows the driven pulley to rotate through angles greater than 360° while the drive pulley rotates through a smaller angle, achieving extended range of motion without increasing device complexity.
2Ease of operation
If band wrap angle is increased for greater rotation, then range of motion increases, but band may fold over itself
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the screw-type mechanical coupling with a friction-based torque transfer mechanism. This substitution allows the band to slide smoothly over the pulley surface during rotation, preventing the band from folding over itself even when the wrap angle exceeds 360°, thereby maintaining both range of motion and band stability.
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
The solution provides increased joint angle rotation, facilitating substrate transport to multiple process modules in high-density tools, enhancing the robotic manipulator's range of motion and efficiency in semiconductor processing.
Implementation Method 1
A friction drive transmission includes a drive pulley and a driven pulley coupled to each other by a band
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate transport apparatus comprising a frame, a drive section connected to the frame, and an articulated arm having at least one articulated arm link operably connected to the drive section so that the articulated arm rotates about a pivot axis relative to the frame and extends and retracts relative to the pivot axis. The articulated arm has an end effector pivotally mounted to at least one articulated arm link forming a joint between the end effector and the articulated arm link, with an arm joint pivot axis disposed so that the end effector rotates relative to at least one articulated arm link about the arm joint pivot axis. The articulated arm has a drive band transmission with drive and driven pulleys where the driven pulley is connected to the articulated wrist.