Substrate transfer device and method of operating the same

A method of operating a substrate transfer device for gripping and transferring a substrate maintained in one of a vertical posture and an inclined posture,

• the device including:
• a manipulator;
• a substrate gripping hand at a tip-end part of the manipulator;
• and
• an actuator configured to rotate the substrate gripping hand about a roll axis,
• wherein the substrate gripping hand includes:
• a base member in a plate shape;
• a first engaging member at a lower part of a base-end part of the base member;
• a second engaging member at a lower part of a tip-end part of the base member;
• a third engaging member at an upper part of the tip-end part of the base member;
• and
• a movable guiding member configured to be movable in a direction of the roll axis,
• the method comprising:
• (A) with the substrate gripping hand being in a first orientation, operating the manipulator to move the substrate gripping hand upward so as to hold the substrate by the first engaging member and the second engaging member of the substrate gripping hand;
• (B) after (A), operating the actuator to rotate the substrate gripping hand from the first orientation to a second, inclined orientation at which (i) a first principal surface of the substrate, which is a principal surface facing toward the base member, is located above the base member and (ii) a normal line of the first principal surface is oriented downward from a horizontal plane;
• and
• (C) after (B), moving the movable guiding member to push a circumferential surface of the substrate so that the second engaging member, the third engaging member, and the movable guiding member grip the substrate.

A substrate transfer device for gripping and transferring a substrate, the substrate being gripped in one of a vertical posture and an inclined posture, the device comprising:

• a manipulator;
• a substrate gripping hand at a tip-end part of the manipulator;
• an actuator configured to rotate the substrate gripping hand about a roll axis;
• and
• a controller comprising a processor and a memory that stores a program,
• wherein the substrate gripping hand includes:
• a base member in a plate shape;
• a first engaging member at a lower part of a base-end part of the base member;
• a second engaging member at a lower part of a tip-end part of the base member;
• a third engaging member at an upper part of the tip-end part of the base member;
• and
• a movable guiding member configured to be movable in a direction of the roll axis, and
• wherein the processor executes the program so that the controller is configured to:
• (A) with the substrate gripping hand being in a first orientation, operate the manipulator to move the substrate gripping hand upward so as to hold the substrate by the first engaging member and the second engaging member of the substrate gripping hand, and
• (B) after (A), move the movable guiding member toward the tip-end part of the base member to push a circumferential surface of the substrate so that the second engaging member, the third engaging member, and the movable guiding member grip the substrate.