Abstract: A conveyor robot (10) includes a main body (12), a first arm (18), and a second arm (16). The first arm (18) is designed to be reciprocable between a wafer cassette and a position above the main body (12). The first arm (18) is provided with a first hand (182) having a plurality of gripping portions designed to grip a wafer. The second arm (16) is designed to be reciprocable between a position above the main body (12) and a wafer stage. The second arm (16) is provided with a second hand (162) having a plurality of gripping portions designed to grip the wafer from a different angle than do the gripping portions of the first hand (182). The gripping portions of the first hand (182) and those of the second hand (162) are positioned at equal height.

Abstract: A conveyor robot (10) includes a main body (12), a first arm (18), and a second arm (16). The first arm (18) is designed to be reciprocable between a wafer cassette and a position above the main body (12). The first arm (18) is provided with a first hand (182) having a plurality of gripping portions designed to grip a wafer. The second arm (16) is designed to be reciprocable between a position above the main body (12) and a wafer stage. The second arm (16) is provided with a second hand (162) having a plurality of gripping portions designed to grip the wafer from a different angle than do the gripping portions of the first hand (182). The gripping portions of the first hand (182) and those of the second hand (162) are positioned at equal height.

Abstract: In an industrial robot having a plurality of arms, each arm is coupled with other elements such as a mounting base, another arm, a robotic hand, and revolved by a motion of a revolving joint. A motor for moving the revolving joint, an encoder for sensing a rotation angle of a drive shaft of the motor, and a control circuit for controlling the driving of the motor are provided on the same arm. A signal cable for transmitting a sensing signal of the encoder to the control circuit is terminated at the control circuit on the same arm. There is no need to align the signal cable from the encoder to a main control circuit provided in the mounting base.

Abstract: In an industrial robot having a plurality of arms, each arm is coupled with other elements, such as a mounting base, another arm, a robotic hand, and revolved by a motion of the revolvable joint. The revolvable joint has a rotary electric connecting structure such as a slip ring or a rotary transformer which can be rotated endlessly. Electric powers for driving motors by which the arms are revolved and control signals for controlling the driving of the motors are supplied or transmitted through the rotary electric connecting structure, so that the arms can be rotated endlessly without twisting or breaking of electric cables.

Abstract: A double arm substrate transport unit for transporting a work piece, such as a semiconductor wafer, includes a robotic arm formed of a first forearm supported by the tip part of a base arm so as to be freely rotatable. A first end effector on which a work piece is placed is supported by the tip part of the first forearm so as to be freely rotatable. A second forearm is supported by the tip part of the base arm so as to be freely rotatable is attached above the first forearm so as to overlap the first forearm. A second end effector on which a work piece is placed is supported by the tip part of the second forearm so as to be freely rotatable.

Abstract: A substrate transfer system comprises plural end-effectors that are placed so as to touch a periphery of a cone having a vertical angle at a 2&thgr; angle with respect to a central axis at an arbitrary &thgr; angle to a horizontal plane, wherein substrates are interchanged and simultaneously transferred where the end-effectors are in a horizontal position. Besides, since the end-effectors are vertically located, the minimum rotational radius of the system that is projected to a horizontal plane, can be reduced. This contributes toward the reduction of an installation area for a substrate processing equipment in which the substrate transfer system is equipped.

Abstract: In an industrial robot having a plurality of arms, each arm is coupled with other elements such as a mounting base, another arm, a robotic hand, and revolved by a motion of the revolute joint. The revolute joint has a rotary electric connecting structure such as a slip ring or a rotary transformer which can be rotated endlessly. Electric powers for driving motors by which the arms are revolved and control signals for controlling the driving of the motors are supplied or transmitted through the rotary electric connecting structure, so that the arms can be rotated endlessly without twisting or breaking of electric cables.

Abstract: In an industrial robot having a plurality of arms, each arm is coupled with other elements such as a mounting base, another arm, a robotic hand, and revolved by a motion of the revolute joint. A motor for moving the revolute joint, an encoder for sensing a rotation angle of a drive shaft of the motor, and a control circuit for controlling the driving of the motor are provided on the same arm. A signal cable for transmitting a sensing signal of the encoder to the control circuit is terminated at the control circuit on the same arm. There is no need to align the signal cable from the encoder to a main control circuit provide in the mounting base.

Abstract: A substrate transfer system employs a robot hand which is composed such that a sum length of a first arm and a third arm equal a length of a second arm, and a length of the first arm becomes longer than a length of the third arm. A ratio between arm lengths is determined such that a distal end portion of the first arm, a distal end portion of the second arm, a distal end portion of the third arm, and a distal end portion of the workpiece held by the end effector are inscribed in a track circle around a rotational axis of the first arm as a center. The ratio of the first, second and third arm lengths is approximately 1:({square root over ( )}5+1)/2:({square root over ( )}5−1)/2. This optimized ratio of the arm lengths allows the arm rotational radius to be smaller than the conventional value, and makes it possible to achieve a longer transfer distance in an equal installation area.

Abstract: A double arm substrate transport unit for transporting a work piece, such as a semiconductor wafer, is provided of which the robotic arm is formed of a first forearm supported by the tip part of a base arm so as to be freely rotatable, a first end effector that is supported by the tip part of the first forearm so as to be freely rotatable and on which a work piece is placed, a second forearm that is supported by the tip part of the base arm so as to be freely rotatable and that is attached above the first forearm so as to overlap the first forearm and a second end effector that is supported by the tip part of the second forearm so as to be freely rotatable and on which a work piece is placed.

Abstract: A substrate transfer system comprises plural end-effectors that are placed so as to touch a periphery of a cone having a vertical angle at a 2&thgr; angle with respect to a central axis at an arbitrary 0 angle to a horizontal plane, wherein substrates are interchanged and simultaneously transferred where the end-effectors are in a horizontal position. Besides, since the end-effectors are vertically located, the minimum rotational radius of the system that is projected to a horizontal plane, can be reduced. This contributes toward the reduction of an installation area for a substrate processing equipment in which the substrate transfer system is equipped.