US 11,989,027 B2
Dual-mode autonomous guided vehicle
Christopher W. Burkhart, Los Gatos, CA (US); and Charles Ditmore, Oakland, CA (US)
Assigned to Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/046,257
Filed by Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
PCT Filed Apr. 9, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/026623
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 8, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/199856, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 17, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/655,026, filed on Apr. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0080968 A1, Mar. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. G05D 1/02 (2020.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC G05D 1/0225 (2013.01) [G05D 1/0234 (2013.01); G05D 2201/0216 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A dual-mode autonomous guided vehicle (AGV) for docking a module in a fabrication bay, the AGV comprising:
a chassis for supporting the module on the AGV;
drive means to transport the AGV under autonomous guidance, in a module transportation mode, to a specified location within the fabrication bay;
a Cartesian x-y movement table to move the module under autonomous guidance, in a module docking mode, in an x- or y-docking direction, into a specific docking position, wherein the Cartesian x-y movement table, in the module docking mode, restricts movement of the module outward of a docking zone; and
a z-direction lift mechanism to move the module in a z-docking direction during the module docking mode.