US 12,278,132 B2
Substrate transfer robot for transferring substrate in vacuum chamber
Soo Jong Lee, Suwon-si (KR); Chang Seong Lee, Hwaseong-si (KR); Seung Young Baek, Osan-si (KR); and Moon Gi Hur, Suwon-si (KR)
Assigned to T-Robotics Co., Ltd., Osan-si (KR)
Filed by T-Robotics Co., Ltd., Osan-si (KR)
Filed on Jan. 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/100,974.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2022-0019824 (KR), filed on Feb. 15, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0260821 A1, Aug. 17, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01L 21/687 (2006.01); B25J 9/04 (2006.01); H01L 21/677 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/68707 (2013.01) [B25J 9/043 (2013.01); H01L 21/67742 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A substrate transfer robot for transferring a substrate in a vacuum chamber, comprising:
a transfer arm platform through which a first coupling hole, a second coupling hole and a third coupling hole are formed respectively at a first center area, a first one-end area and a first opposite-end area thereof, wherein a first locking member, through which a first through-hole corresponding to a hollow of a support shaft is formed on a transfer robot coupling part of a lower support, compartmentalizes the first coupling hole into a first upper space sealed by a first cover and a first lower space, wherein a second locking member, through which a second through-hole is formed, compartmentalizes the second coupling hole into a second upper space and a second lower space sealed by a second cover, wherein a third locking member, through which a third through-hole is formed, compartmentalizes the third coupling hole into a third upper space and a third lower space sealed by a third cover, wherein a first link connecting member including a (1_1)-st blade and a (1_2)-nd blade for link connection is fixedly engaged at a front area, with a direction of the front area being a direction of a processing chamber from the substrate transfer robot when the substrate transfer robot is positioned to transfer the substrate to the processing chamber coupled with the vacuum chamber, wherein a second link connecting member including a (2_1)-st blade and a (2_2)-nd blade for link connection is fixedly engaged at a rear area corresponding to the front area, and wherein the support shaft at the lower support inserted into the first lower space is fixedly engaged with the first locking member;
a first transfer arm part including a (1_1)-st transfer link arm, a (1_2)-nd transfer link arm, a first common link arm, a (1_1)-st subordinate link arm parallel to the (1_1)-st transfer link arm, a (1_2)-nd subordinate link arm parallel to the (1_1)-st transfer link arm, a (1_3)-rd subordinate link arm parallel to the (1_2)-nd transfer link arm, a (1_4)-th subordinate link arm parallel to the first common link arm, and a first end effector, wherein a first transfer driving motor and a first speed reducer, interlocked with the first transfer driving motor to reduce a rotational speed of the first transfer driving motor by half, are installed in a sealed inner space of the (1_1)-st transfer link arm, wherein a (1_1)-st drive shaft, having a hollow formed therein and interlocked with the first speed reducer, and a (1_1)-st output shaft interlocked with the (1_1)-st drive shaft are sealingly installed on a (1_1)-st one-end area of the (1_1)-st transfer link arm, wherein a (1_2)-nd drive shaft, having a hollow formed therein and interlocked with the first transfer driving motor, and a (1_2)-nd output shaft interlocked with the (1_2)-nd drive shaft are sealingly installed on a (1_1)-st opposite-end area of the (1_1)-st transfer link arm, wherein the (1_1)-st output shaft of the (1_1)-st transfer link arm is fixedly engaged with a first linking member that is inserted into the second upper space of the transfer arm platform to be fixedly engaged with the second locking member, wherein a (1_2)-nd one-end area of the (1_2)-nd transfer link arm is fixedly engaged with the (1-2)-nd output shaft of the (1_1)-st transfer link arm through a first fixed coupling shaft, wherein a second center area of the first common link arm is rotatably engaged with the first fixed coupling shaft, wherein a (1_4)-th one-end area of the (1_1)-st subordinate link arm is rotatably engaged with the (1_1)-st blade of the first link connecting member of the transfer arm platform, and a (1_4)-th opposite-end area of the (1_1)-st subordinate link arm is rotatably engaged with a (1_3)-rd one-end area of the first common link arm, wherein a (1_5)-th one-end area of the (1_2)-nd subordinate link arm is rotatably engaged with the (2_1)-st blade of the second link connecting member of the transfer arm platform, and a (1_5)-th opposite-end area of the (1_2)-nd subordinate link arm is rotatably engaged with a (1_3)-rd opposite-end area of the first common link arm, wherein a (1_6)-th one-end area of the (1_3)-rd subordinate link arm is rotatably engaged with the (1_3)-rd opposite-end area of the first common link arm, wherein a (1_7)-th one-end area of the (1_4)-th subordinate link arm is rotatably engaged with a (1_6)-th opposite-end area of the (1_3)-rd subordinate link arm, and a (1_7)-th opposite-end area of the (1_4)-th subordinate link arm is rotatably engaged with a (1_2)-nd opposite-end area of the (1_2)-nd transfer link arm, and wherein the first end effector is fixed to the (1_7)-th opposite-end area of the (1_4)-th subordinate link arm to thereby support the substrate; and
a second transfer arm part including a (2_1)-st transfer link arm, a (2_2)-nd transfer link arm, a second common link arm, a (2_1)-st subordinate link arm parallel to the (2_1)-st transfer link arm, a (2_2)-nd subordinate link arm parallel to the (2_1)-st transfer link arm, a (2_3)-rd subordinate link arm parallel to the (2_2)-nd transfer link arm, a (2_4)-th subordinate link arm parallel to the second common link arm, and a second end effector, wherein a second transfer driving motor and a second speed reducer, interlocked with the second transfer driving motor to reduce a rotational speed of the second transfer driving motor by half, are installed in a sealed inner space of the (2_1)-st transfer link arm, wherein a (2_1)-st drive shaft, having a hollow formed therein and interlocked with the second speed reducer, and a (2_1)-st output shaft interlocked with the (2_1)-st drive shaft are sealingly installed on a (2_1)-st one-end area of the (2_1)-st transfer link arm, wherein a (2_2)-nd drive shaft, having a hollow formed therein and interlocked with the second transfer driving motor, and a (2_2)-nd output shaft interlocked with the (2_2)-nd drive shaft are sealingly installed on a (2_1)-st opposite-end area of the (2_1)-st transfer link arm, wherein the (2_1)-st output shaft of the (2_1)-st transfer link arm is fixedly engaged with a second linking member that is inserted into the third upper space of the transfer arm platform to be fixedly engaged with the third locking member, wherein a (2_2)-nd one-end area of the (2_2)-nd transfer link arm is fixedly engaged with the (2-2)-nd output shaft of the (2_1)-st transfer link arm through a second fixed coupling shaft, wherein a third center area of the second common link arm is rotatably engaged with the second fixed coupling shaft, wherein a (2_4)-th one-end area of the (2_1)-st subordinate link arm is rotatably engaged with the (1_2)-nd blade of the first link connecting member of the transfer arm platform, and a (2_4)-th opposite-end area of the (2_1)-st subordinate link arm is rotatably engaged with a (2_3)-rd one-end area of the second common link arm, wherein a (2_5)-th one-end area of the (2_2)-nd subordinate link arm is rotatably engaged with the (2_2)-nd blade of the second link connecting member of the transfer arm platform, and a (2_5)-th opposite-end area of the (2_2)-nd subordinate link arm is rotatably engaged with a (2_3)-rd opposite-end area of the second common link arm, wherein a (2_6)-th one-end area of the (2_3)-rd subordinate link arm is rotatably engaged with the (2_3)-rd opposite-end area of the second common link arm, wherein a (2_7)-th one-end area of the (2_4)-th subordinate link arm is rotatably engaged with a (2_6)-th opposite-end area of the (2_3)-rd subordinate link arm, and a (2_7)-th opposite-end area of the (2_4)-th subordinate link arm is rotatably engaged with a (2_2)-nd opposite-end area of the (2_2)-nd transfer link arm, and wherein the second end effector is fixed to the (2_7)-th opposite-end area of the (2_4)-th subordinate link arm to thereby support the substrate;
wherein a joint, to which the (1_6)-th one-end area of the (1_3)-rd subordinate link arm and the (1_3)-rd opposite-end area of the first common link arm of the first transfer arm part are linked, is formed at a location same as or different from a location of a joint, to which the (1_5)-th opposite-end area of the (1_2)-nd subordinate link arm and the (1_3)-rd opposite-end area of the first common link arm of the first transfer arm part are linked,
wherein a joint, to which the (2_6)-th one-end area of the (2_3)-rd subordinate link arm and the (2_3)-rd opposite-end area of the second common link arm of the second transfer arm part are linked, is formed at a location same as or different from a location of a joint, to which the (2_5)-th opposite-end area of the (2_2)-nd subordinate link arm and the (2_3)-rd opposite-end area of the second common link arm of the second transfer arm part are linked.