Robot having arm with unequal link lengths

A method comprising:

• locating a first end effector and a second end effector of first and second respective robot arms at first retracted positions for stacking substrates located on the end effectors at least partially one above the another, where the first robot arm comprising a first upper arm, a first forearm and the first end effector, where the first upper arm is connected to a drive at a first axis of rotation, and where the second robot arm comprises a second upper arm, a second forearm and the second end effector, where the second upper arm is connected to the drive at a second axis of rotation which is spaced from the first axis of rotation;
• moving the first and second robot arms to move the end effectors from the first retracted positions in a first direction along parallel first paths located at least partially directly one above the other;
• moving the first and second robot arms to move the end effectors to extend the end effectors in at least one second direction along second paths spaced from one another which are not located above one another;
• rotating the first and second robot arms together about a third axis of rotation which is spaced from the first and second axes of rotation,
• where the moving from the first retracted positions in the first direction, the moving to extend the end effectors in the at least one second direction, and the rotating is with use of only three motors of the drive.

A method comprising:

• providing a first robot arm comprising a first upper arm, a first forearm and a first end effector, where the first upper arm and the first forearm have different effective lengths;
• providing a second robot arm comprising a second upper arm, a second forearm and a second end effector, where the second upper arm and the second forearm have different effective lengths;
• connecting the first upper arm to at least one drive at a first axis of rotation;
• and
• connecting the second upper arm to the at least one drive at a second axis of rotation which is spaced from the first axis of rotation,
• where the first and second robot arms are configured to locate the end effectors in first retracted positions for stacking substrates located on the end effectors at least partially one above the another, where the first and second robot arms are configured to extend the end effectors from the first retracted positions in a first direction along parallel first paths at least partially located directly one above the other, and where the first and second robot arms are configured to extend the end effectors in at least one second direction along second paths spaced from one another which are not located above one another.

A method comprising:

• providing a first robot arm comprising a first upper arm, a first forearm and a first end effector;
• providing a second robot arm comprising a second upper arm, a second forearm and a second end effector;
• connecting the first upper arm to a drive at a first axis of rotation;
• and
• connecting the second upper arm to the drive at a second axis of rotation which is spaced from the first axis of rotation,
• where the first and second robot arms are configured to locate the end effectors in first retracted positions for stacking substrates located on the end effectors at least partially one above the another, where the first and second robot arms are configured to be rotated to extend the end effectors from the first retracted positions in a first direction along parallel first paths at least partially located directly one above the other, and where the first and second robot arms are configured to be rotated to extend the end effectors in at least one second direction along second paths spaced from one another which are not located above one another,
• where the drive comprises only three motors for rotating the first and second robot arms to extend the end effectors and for rotating the first and second robot arms about a third axis of rotation spaced from the first and second axes of rotation.

A method comprising:

• locating a first end effector and a second end effector of first and second respective robot arms at first retracted positions for stacking substrates located on the end effectors at least partially one above the another, where the first robot arm comprising a first upper arm, a first forearm and the first end effector, where the first upper arm is connected to a drive at a first axis of rotation, and where the second robot arm comprises a second upper arm, a second forearm and the second end effector, where the second upper arm is connected to the drive at a second axis of rotation which is spaced from the first axis of rotation;
• moving the first and second robot arms to move the end effectors from the first retracted positions in a first direction along parallel first paths located at least partially directly one above the other;
• moving the first and second robot arms to move the end effectors to extend the end effectors in at least one second direction along second paths spaced from one another which are not located above one another;
• rotating the first and second robot arms together about a third axis of rotation which is spaced from the first and second axes of rotation,
• where the moving from the first retracted positions in the first direction, the moving to extend the end effectors in the at least one second direction, and the rotating is with use of five motors of the drive, where a first one of the motors is connected to the first and second robot arms to rotate the first and second arms about the third axis of rotation, where second and third ones of the motors are connected to the first robot arm to rotate the first upper arm and the first forearm respectively, and where fourth and fifth ones of the robot arms are connected to the second robot arm to rotate the second upper arm and the second forearm respectively independently from the first robot arm.

A method comprising:

• providing a first robot arm comprising a first upper arm, a first forearm and a first end effector;
• providing a second robot arm comprising a second upper arm, a second forearm and a second end effector;
• connecting the first upper arm to a drive at a first axis of rotation;
• and
• connecting the second upper arm to the drive at a second axis of rotation which is spaced from the first axis of rotation,
• where the first and second robot arms are configured to locate the end effectors in first retracted positions for stacking substrates located on the end effectors at least partially one above the another, where the first and second robot arms are configured to be rotated to extend the end effectors from the first retracted positions in a first direction along parallel first paths at least partially located directly one above the other, and where the first and second robot arms are configured to be rotated to extend the end effectors in at least one second direction along second paths spaced from one another which are not located above one another,
• where the drive comprises five motors for rotating the first and second robot arms to extend the end effectors and for rotating the first and second robot arms about a third axis of rotation spaced from the first and second axes of rotation,
• where a first one of the motors is connected to the first and second robot arms to rotate the first and second arms about the third axis of rotation, where second and third ones of the motors are connected to the first robot arm to rotate the first upper arm and the first forearm respectively, and where fourth and fifth ones of the robot arms are connected to the second robot arm to rotate the second upper arm and the second forearm respectively independently from the first robot arm.