# US 7,611,182 B2 · Wafer transfer apparatus

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- Number: US 7,611,182 B2
- Document ID: US7611182B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/064,856
- Filed: 2005-02-25
- Published: 2006-08-31
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2005-02-25
- Assignees: Semes Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Woo-Young Kim; In-Ho Bang; Taek-Youb Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7611182B2

## CPC

- H10P 72/7602: {the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance}
- Y10S 414/141: includes means for gripping wafer
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A wafer transfer apparatus may include a robot arm unit configured to be operated by a driving means, a blade configured to support a wafer and having a fix finger at a first end, and a clamping member attached to the robot arm. The clamping arm may also include a movable finger configured to hold a peripheral edge of the wafer, and a moving pusher attached to the movable finger and configured to guide the movable finger and the wafer on the blade towards the fix finger.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wafer transfer apparatus comprising:
a robot arm unit;
a blade having two end portions, one end portion operably connected to the robot arm unit, the second end portion having a fix finger at a peripheral edge thereof, and the blade configured to support a wafer;
a clamping arm attached to the robot arm unit, the clamping arm including:
a movable finger configured to engage and disengage a peripheral edge of a wafer,
a moving pusher attached to the movable finger at a first end and configured to guide the movable finger and the wafer on the blade towards the fix finger; and
a case including at least one stopper configured to regulate the movement of the moving pusher, wherein the at least one stopper is a screw, and a spring for controlling a speed of the moving pusher and configured to absorb a shock produced when the moving pusher contacts the wafer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the clamping arm further comprises:
a driving part configured to slide the moving pusher; and
the case configured to house the driving part therein.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 2, wherein the driving part comprises a pneumatic cylinder.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:
a sensing unit adapted to determine a location of the pneumatic cylinder.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 4, wherein the location of the pneumatic cylinder is divided into standby, holding, and separating sections.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 5, wherein the sensing unit comprises:
a first sensor for determining whether the pneumatic cylinder is in the standby section; and
a second sensor for determining whether the pneumatic cylinder is separated from the holding section thereby being in the separating section.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sensing unit further comprises:
a third sensor for determining whether the wafer is placed on the blade.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 4, wherein the sensing unit adapted to determine whether the wafer is standby normal, standby abnormal, holding normal, holding broken, or holding separated.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the moving pusher comprises:
a connecting rod connected to a moving axis of the driving part; and
a pair of supporters extending from both sides of the connecting rod.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stopper is regulated to control a distance with the wafer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spring is disposed between a case and the moving axis.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The wafer transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the blade has a plurality of support protrusions for supporting the wafer.