US 12,142,505 B2
Transport apparatus with linear bearing
Daniel Babbs, Austin, TX (US); Robert Chris May, Austin, TX (US); and Robert T. Caveney, Windham, NH (US)
Assigned to Brooks Automation US, LLC, Chelmsford, MA (US)
Filed by Brooks Automation US, LLC, Chelmsford, MA (US)
Filed on Dec. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/145,164.
Application 18/145,164 is a continuation of application No. 16/668,290, filed on Oct. 30, 2019, granted, now 11,545,380.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/754,465, filed on Nov. 1, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0129289 A1, Apr. 27, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01L 21/677 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/67706 (2013.01) [B25J 9/0009 (2013.01); B25J 9/0012 (2013.01); H01L 21/6773 (2013.01); H01L 21/67766 (2013.01); H01L 21/67781 (2013.01)] 32 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vacuum substrate transport apparatus comprising:
a frame;
a drive section connected to the frame, the drive section having at least one drive axis;
at least one arm having an end effector configured for holding a substrate, the at least one arm being connected to the drive section by a transmission link and having at least one degree of freedom axis effecting extension and retraction of the end effector with respect to the at least one arm; and
a bearing connected to the frame and the end effector, the bearing defining a guideway that defines the at least one degree of freedom axis, wherein the bearing comprises
at least one rolling load bearing element disposed in a bearing case of the bearing so as to circulate through the bearing case along a bearing rail, interfacing between a bearing raceway of the bearing case and the bearing rail so as to support arm loads, imparted by the at least one arm onto the bearing, and effecting sliding of the bearing case with the at least one arm along the bearing rail; and
at least one rolling, substantially non-load bearing, spacer element disposed in the bearing case alongside, intervening between and spacing each of the at least one rolling load bearing element from another of the at least one rolling load bearing element, the at least one rolling, substantially non-load bearing, spacer element is configured so that, interfacing between the bearing raceway and the bearing rail, the at least one rolling, substantially non-load bearing, spacer element is unloaded substantially continuously throughout the bearing by the arm loads generated for each motion of the at least one arm,
wherein the at least one rolling, substantially non-load bearing, spacer element is of a vacuum compatible sacrificial non-steel or non-ceramic buffer material compatible with sustained substantially unrestricted service commensurate with a predetermined semiconductor processing service duty of the vacuum substrate transport apparatus in a vacuum environment at temperatures over 260° C. for a specified predetermined service period of at least five years.