US 6,884,019 B2Granted

Conveying arm

AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited

InventorHiroaki Saeki

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A conveying arm of the invention includes a first pivotable shaft connected to a first arm which is also pivotably connected to a third arm having an intermediate pivotable portion. The third arm is also pivotably connected to a fifth arm which is also pivotably connected to a seventh arm which has a holding portion for an object to be conveyed. The conveying arm also includes a second pivotable shaft connected to a second arm which is also pivotably connected to a fourth arm having an intermediate pivotable portion. The fourth arm is also pivotably connected to a sixth arm which is also pivotably connected to the seventh arm. With respect to both the third and fourth arms, a line linking one-side end portion to an intermediate pivotable portion is substantially perpendicular to a line linking the other-side end portion to the intermediate pivotable portion.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A conveying arm comprising;

a guide extending in a substantially straight manner;
a first slider and a second slider that can slide along the guide;
a third arm having an intermediate pivotable portion and a one-side end portion pivotably connected to the first slider;
a fifth arm having a one-side end portion pivotably connected to an other-side end portion of the third arm;
a fourth arm having an intermediate pivotable portion pivotably connected to the intermediate pivotable portion of the third arm and a one-side end portion pivotably connected to the second slider;
a sixth arm having a one-side end portion pivotably connected to an other-side end portion of the fourth arm;
and
a seventh arm having a holding portion for an object to be conveyed, pivotably connected to an other-end portion of the fifth arm and an other-end portion of the sixth arm;
wherein
a positional relationship between the one-side end portion of the third arm, the intermediate pivotable portion of the third arm and the other-side end portion of the third arm is in such a manner that a line linking the one-side end portion to the intermediate pivotable portion is substantially perpendicular to a line linking the other-side end portion to the intermediate pivotable portion, and
a positional relationship between the one-side end portion of the fourth arm, the intermediate pivotable portion of the fourth arm and the other-side end portion of the fourth arm is in such a manner that a line linking the one-side end portion to the intermediate pivotable portion is substantially perpendicular to a line linking the other-side end portion to the intermediate pivotable portion.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/418,048Filed 18 Apr 2003 · division
Priority: JP 10-22361322 Jul 1998
Published: US 2003/0190224 A19 Oct 2003
Granted: 26 Apr 2005
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B25J 9/107
With parallelograms: of the froglegs type
H10P 72/3402
The wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading: mechanical parts of transfer devices
H10P 72/7602
Using mechanical means, e.g. clamps or pinches: the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance
Y10T 74/20305
Multiple controlling elements for single controlled element: robotic arm

Family

PCTJP99/03921Parent of this division · filed 22 Jul 1999
US 2003/0190224 A1Pre-grant publication · published 9 Oct 2003
Application09/744,175Parent of this division
US 6,575,691 B1Parent of this division
US 6,884,019 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.