Apparatus for transferring substrates

{
  "publication_number": "US2014105716A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Apparatus for transferring substrates",
  "abstract": "The present invention relates to an apparatus for transferring a substrate. The apparatus includes a supporting member; an elevating and rotating member; a transferring unit; a first arm whose one end is supported by the elevating and rotating member to be rotatable; a second arm whose one end is supported by the transferring unit to be rotatable and whose the other end is supported by the other end of the first arm to be rotatable; and an arm driving part, installed on the first arm, which drives the other end of the second arm to pivot on the other end of the first arm to allow the first arm and the second arm to be folded or unfolded and thus removes the state of singularity by rotating the other end of the second arm based on the other end of the first arm.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An apparatus for transferring substrates, comprising: a supporting member; an elevating and rotating member installed to be elevated or descended and rotated on the upper side of the supporting member; a transferring unit, which is installed on the elevating and rotating member, for making linear motions to transfer substrates when the elevating and rotating member moves; a first arm whose one end is supported by the elevating and rotating member to be rotatable; a second arm whose one end is supported by the transferring unit to be rotatable and whose the other end is supported by the other end of the first arm to be rotatable; and an arm driving part, installed on the first arm, which drives the other end of the second arm to pivot on the other end of the first arm to allow the first arm and the second arm to be folded or unfolded and thus removes the state of singularity by rotating the other end of the second arm based on the other end of the first arm to allow the second arm to be unfolded with the first arm even when the first arm and the second arm are arranged at an overlapped state while the first arm and the second arm move. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transferring unit includes: a fixed member combined with the elevating and rotating member; a sliding member installed on the fixed member to be slidable and slid by the second arm, wherein the sliding member supports one end of the second arm to be rotatable; and multiple hands, which move with the sliding member by being combined with one sides thereof, for supporting the substrates. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fixed member includes a first fixed member and a second fixed member; wherein the sliding member includes a first sliding member installed on the first fixed member to be slidable and a second sliding member installed to the second fixed member to be slidable and located on the upper side of the first sliding member; wherein the hands include multiple first hands combined with the first sliding member and multiple second hands combined with the second sliding member; wherein one pair of the first arm and the second arm and the other pair of the first arm and the second arm face each other, placed across the transferring unit; wherein one end of either of the first arms is supported by one side of the elevating and rotating member to be rotatable, and one end of the second arm connected with the either of the first arms is supported by the first sliding member to be rotatable; and wherein one end of the other first arm is supported by the other side of the elevating and rotating member to be rotatable, and one side of the other second arm connected with the other first arm is supported by the second sliding member to be rotatable. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein motions of the either of the first arms and the second arm connected thereto and those of the other first arm and the other second arm connected thereto are mutually independent. 5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein guide rails and guide grooves that guide the motions of the sliding member are formed in the fixed member and the sliding member, and wherein the guide rails are inserted into and combined with the guide grooves. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first arm includes: a body in which the arm driving part is installed and whose either the upper side or the undersurface is opened; and a cover combined on the opened upper side or the opened undersurface of the body. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a sealing member is between the body and the cover. 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a spacing member is between the elevating and rotating member and the transferring unit; wherein a driving axis for elevating and rotating the elevating and rotating member is installed inside the supporting member; wherein paths are formed through the driving axis, the elevating and rotating member, the spacing member, and the body; and wherein cables for supplying external power to the arm driving part pass through the paths. 9. An apparatus for transferring substrates, comprising: a supporting member; an elevating and rotating member installed to be elevated or descended and rotated on the upper side of the supporting member; a transferring unit, which is installed on the elevating and rotating member, for making linear motions to transfer substrates when the elevating and rotating member moves; a first arm whose one end is supported by the elevating and rotating member to be rotatable; a second arm whose one end is supported by the transferring unit to be rotatable and whose the other end is supported by the other end of the first arm to be rotatable and which is bent; an arm driving part, which is installed on the first arm, drives the other end of the second arm to pivot on the other end of the first atm to allow the first arm and the second arm to be folded or unfolded and thus removes the state of singularity by rotating the other end of the second arm based on the other end of the first arm to allow the second arm to be unfolded with the first arm when a virtual linear line connecting both ends of the first arm and that connecting both ends of the second arm are arranged at an overlapped state while the first arm and the second arm move. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second arm is formed in a bent shape including a first body part and a second body part; wherein one end of the first body part is supported by the transferring unit to be rotatable, and one end of the second body part is supported by the other end of the first arm to be rotatable while being rotated by the arm driving part; and wherein the length of the first body part is formed longer than that of the second body part. 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second arm is formed in a bent shape including a first body part and a second body part; wherein one end of the first body part is supported by the transferring unit to be rotatable, and one end of the second body part is supported by the other end of the first arm to be rotatable while being rotated by the arm driving part; and wherein the length of the first body part is formed shorter than, or equally to, that of the second body part. 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first body part and the second body part are formed with a shape of either straight line or arc. 13. An apparatus for transferring substrates, comprising: a supporting member; an elevating and rotating member installed to be elevated or descended and rotated on the upper side of the supporting member; a transferring unit, which is installed on the elevating and rotating member, for making linear motions to transfer substrates when the elevating and rotating member moves; a first arm whose one end is supported by the elevating and rotating member to be rotatable; a second arm which includes a pair of sub-arms and the respective sub-arms are bent whose one ends are supported by the transferring unit to be rotatable and whose the other ends are supported by the other end of the first arm to be rotatable; and an arm driving part, which is installed on the first arm, drives the other end of the second arm to pivot on the other end of the first arm to allow the first arm and the second arm to be folded or unfolded and thus removes the state of singularity by rotating the other end of the second arm based on the other end of the first arm to allow the second arm to be unfolded with the first arm when a virtual linear line connecting both ends of the first arm and that connecting both ends of the second arm are arranged at an overlapped state while the first arm and the second arm move. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the pair of sub-arms are formed in bent shapes, respectively, including a first body part and a second body part. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first body part and the second body part are formed in one unit. 16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the pair of the sub-arms are arranged to be symmetrical. 17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the length of the first body part is formed longer than that of the second body part. 18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the length of the first body part is formed shorter than, or equally to, that of the second body part. 19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein ends of first body parts of the pair of the sub-arms are supported by the transferring unit to be rotatable, and ends of second body parts of the pair of the sub-arms are supported by the other end of the first arm to be rotatable and they are rotated by the arm driving part respectively; wherein the end of the first body part of either of the sub-arms and that of the first body part of the other sub-arm, respectively, supported by the transferring unit to be rotatable are in a concentric circle based on the rotational center supported by the transferring unit; and wherein the end of the second body part of either of the sub-arms and that of the second body part of the other sub-arm, respectively, supported by the first arms to be rotatable are in a concentric circle based on the rotational center supported by the first arm. 20. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second arm is formed with a material having a lower thermal expansion coefficient than the first arm. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first arm is formed with aluminum and the second arm is formed with steel. 22. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a cooling system is installed in the first arm. 23. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first arm includes: a body in which the arm driving part is installed and whose either the upper side or the undersurface is opened; and a cover combined on the opened upper side or the opened undersurface of the body. 24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein a spacing member is between the elevating and rotating member and the transferring unit; wherein a driving axis for elevating and rotating the elevating and rotating member is installed inside the supporting member; wherein paths are formed through the driving axis, the elevating and rotating member, the spacing member, and the body; and wherein cables for supplying external power to the arm driving part pass through the paths. 25. An apparatus for transferring substrates, comprising: a supporting member; an elevating and rotating member installed to be elevated or descended and rotated on the upper side of the supporting member; a transferring unit, which is installed on the elevating and rotating member, for making linear motions to transfer substrates when the elevating and rotating member moves; a first arm whose one end is supported by the elevating and rotating member to be rotatable; a second arm whose one end is supported by the transferring unit to be rotatable and whose the other end is supported by the other end of the first arm to be rotatable; and an arm driving part, which is installed on the first arm, drives the other end of the second arm to pivot on the other end of the first arm to allow the first arm and the second arm to be folded or unfolded and thus removes the state of singularity by rotating the other end of the second arm based on the other end of the first arm to allow the second arm to be unfolded with the first arm when a virtual linear line connecting both ends of the first arm and that connecting both ends of the second arm are arranged at an overlapped state while the first arm and the second arm move, wherein the second arm is formed with a material having a lower thermal expansion coefficient than the first arm. 26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first arm is formed with aluminum and the second arm is formed with steel. 27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein a cooling system is installed in the first arm. 28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first arm includes: a body in which the arm driving part is installed and whose either the upper side or the undersurface is opened; and a cover combined on the opened upper side or the opened undersurface of the body. 29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein a spacing member is between the elevating and rotating member and the transferring unit; wherein a driving axis for elevating and rotating the elevating and rotating member is installed inside the supporting member; wherein paths are formed through the driving axis, the elevating and rotating member, the spacing member, and the body; and wherein cables for supplying external power to the arm driving part pass through the paths."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to an apparatus for transferring a substrate.\n\nSubstrates such as wafers for semiconductor devices and glass substrates for either display units or thin film solar cells are manufactured through several processes. At the time, substrates are loaded to, and processed at, a substrate processing device which provides optimal conditions required for each process.\n\nToday, a cluster-type substrate processing device that may process substrates in batches has been developed and used to improve productivity.\n\nThe cluster-type substrate processing device includes a load lock chamber where substrates are stored, a transfer chamber for transferring substrates, and multiple process chambers for performing respective processes. An apparatus for transferring substrates which is installed in the transfer chamber generally at a vacuum state transfers substrates between the load lock chamber and the transfer chamber, or between the transfer chambers.\n\nA substrate apparatus for transporting substrates published in Korea Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2009-0008400 folds or unfolds an articulated arm 31 by using a belt drive system 38 and transfers substrates to be treated while a hand 32 makes a linearly reciprocating motion due to the articulated arm 31. However, because the apparatus for transporting substrates folds or unfolds the articulated arm 31 by using the belt drive system 38, one side of the belt drive system 38 must be necessarily exposed to the outside. This may threaten to cause the substrates to be damaged by particles generated from the belt drive system 38.",
  "cpc": [
    "H10P 72/7602",
    "B65G 47/901",
    "H01L 21/67703",
    "H10P 72/32",
    "H10P 72/3202",
    "H10P 72/3302",
    "H10P 72/3306",
    "H10P 72/3308"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H01L 21/677"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "TES Co Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Soo Jong Lee",
    "Eun Jae CHOI",
    "Sung Pyo LEE",
    "Byoung Sam CHOI",
    "Yoon Bum KIM",
    "Hyeon Ju KIM",
    "Jae Wan Park",
    "Jeong Yong Kim",
    "Chang Hyun JEE",
    "Jae Ok PARK"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2013-10-02",
  "publication_date": "2014-04-17",
  "priority_date": "2012-10-11",
  "application_number": "US-201314044192-A",
  "family_id": "50454419",
  "cited_by_count": 9,
  "citations": [
    "US6224319B1",
    "US6910847B1",
    "US20080260503A1",
    "US20100116077A1",
    "US20100178135A1",
    "US20120215358A1"
  ]
}