Transfer apparatus and transfer method
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsNorihiko AMIKURA, Masatomo KITA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transfer apparatus includes a transfer arm, an irradiator, a light receiver, and a controller. The transfer arm transfers the member. The irradiator irradiates light obliquely onto a passage area, through which the member passes, when the member is transferred by the transfer arm. The light receiver receives the light, which is irradiated from the irradiator and reflected from the member, when the member passes through the passage area. The controller determines whether the member has passed through the passage area according to whether the light irradiated from the irradiator is received by the light receiver.
Claims13
A transfer apparatus comprising:
- a transfer arm configured to transfer a member;
- an irradiator configured to irradiate light obliquely onto a passage area, through which the member passes, when the member is transferred by the transfer arm;
- a light receiver configured to receive light reflected from the member when the member passes through the passage area;
- and
- a controller configured to determine whether the member has passed through the passage area according to whether the light is received by the light receiver.
A transfer method comprising:
- a) irradiating light obliquely onto a passage area, through which a member passes, by an irradiator when the member is transferred by a transfer arm;
- b) determining whether light reflected from the member is received by a light receiver when the member passes through the passage area;
- and
- c) determining that the member has passed through the passage area when the light reflected from the member is received by the light receiver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.