US 2003/0165378 A1Published application

Cleanroom lift having an articulated arm

AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.

InventorsIlya Lavitsky, Michael Rosenstein

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A cleanroom lift for maneuvering large objects such as turbomolecular pumps utilized in semiconductor processing applications is provided. In one embodiment, the lift includes a vertically movable carriage coupled to a linkage assembly. The linkage assembly has a first link and a second link. Each link has one piece construction to minimize deflection under load. The first link is coupled to the carriage by a carriage shaft assembly and to the second link by a linkage shaft assembly. The second link is coupled to the linkage shaft assembly and a gripper assembly. Optionally, a third link and second shaft assembly may be disposed between the gripper assembly and the second link to minimize the weight of the links to facilitate assembly in cleanroom environments.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A cleanroom lift comprising:

a) a vertically movable carriage;
b) a carriage shaft assembly having a rotating member and at least one preloaded bearing having an inner race disposed over a portion of the rotating member and an outer race coupled to the carriage;
c) a first link having a single piece construction comprising an upper member and a lower member coupled by at least one traverse member, at least one of the upper and lower members having a first end coupled to rotating member of the carriage shaft assembly;
d) a first linkage shaft assembly having rotating member and at least one preloaded bearing having an inner race disposed over a portion of the rotating member and an outer race coupled to a second end of at least one of the upper and lower members the first link;
e) second link having a single piece construction comprising an upper member and a lower member coupled by at least one traverse member, at least one of the upper and lower members having a first end coupled to rotating member of the first linkage shaft assembly;
and
f) a gripper coupled to the second link.

4 more elements

A cleanroom lift comprising:

a) a vertically movable carriage;
b) a carriage shaft assembly comprising:
a carriage shaft;
a carriage sleeve disposed over a center portion of the carriage shaft;
an upper preloaded bearing having an inner race disposed over a first end of the carriage sleeve and an outer race coupled to the carriage;
and
a lower preloaded bearing having an inner race disposed over a second end of the carriage sleeve and an outer race coupled to the carriage;
c) a linkage assembly comprising:
a first link having a first end and a second end,
a second link having a first end and a second end,
a first linkage shaft assembly rotatably coupling the second end of the first link and the first end of the second link,
at least one first link first end cap coupled to the first end of the first link and clamping the carriage sleeve therebetween;
at least one first link second end cap coupled to the second end and clamping the first linkage shaft assembly therebetween;
at least one second link first end cap coupled to the first end of the second link and clamping the first linkage shaft assembly therebetween;
and
d) a gripper assembly coupled to the second link of the linkage assembly.

13 more elements

A cleanroom lift comprising:

a) a vertically movable carriage;
b) a carriage shaft assembly comprising:
a carriage shaft;
a carriage sleeve disposed over a center portion of the carriage shaft;
an upper preloaded bearing having an inner race disposed over a first end of the carriage sleeve and an outer race coupled to the carriage;
and
a lower preloaded bearing having an inner race disposed over a second end of the carriage sleeve and an outer race coupled to the carriage;
c) a linkage assembly comprising:
a first link having a single piece construction comprising an upper member and a lower member coupled by at least one traverse member, the upper and lower members each having a first end and a second end,
a second link having a single piece construction comprising an upper member and a lower member coupled by at least one traverse member, the upper and lower members each having a first end and a second end;
a third link having a first end and a second end coupled to the gripper assembly;
a first linkage shaft assembly rotatably coupling the second end of the first link and the first end of the second link;
a second linkage shaft assembly rotatably coupling the second end of second link to the first end of the third link, each of the first and second linkage shaft assemblies having:
i) a shaft;
ii) an upper preloaded bearing having an inner race disposed over a first stepped end of the sleeve and an outer race;
and
iii) a lower preloaded bearing having an inner race disposed over a second stepped end of the sleeve and an outer race;
at least one first link first end cap coupled to the first end of the first link and clamping the carriage sleeve therebetween;
at least one first link second end cap coupled to the second end of the first link and clamping the upper bearing of the first linkage shaft assembly therebetween;
at least one second link first end cap coupled to the first end of the second link and clamping the shaft of the first shaft assembly therebetween;
at least one second link second end cap coupled to the second end of the second link and clamping the upper bearing of the second linkage shaft assembly therebetween;
and
at least one third link first end cap coupled to the first end of the third link and clamping the shaft of the second shaft assembly therebetween;
d) a gripper assembly coupled to the second link of the linkage assembly.

21 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.