Abstract: An apparatus for gripping a substrate on its peripheral edge including a substrate support having proximate and distal ends, at least one distal rest pad disposed at the distal end, the at least one distal rest pad includes a back stop portion and is configured to support the peripheral edge of the substrate, at least one proximate rest pad disposed at the proximate end, the at least one proximate rest pad being configured to support the peripheral edge of the substrate, and an active contact member assembly disposed at the proximate end, the active contact member assembly including a pusher member, a contact member and a rotatable coupling member that are reciprocably movable towards the distal end for urging the substrate against the back stop portion, the contact member being rotatably secured to the pusher member and free to rotate about an axis of the rotatable coupling member.

Abstract: An apparatus including a controller, a workpiece transport in communication with the controller having a movable portion and a transport path, and a multi-dimensional position measurement device including at least one field generating platen attached to the movable portion and at least one sensor group positioned along the transport path and in communication with the controller, the field generating platen is configured for position measurement and propelling the movable portion, each sensor in the at least one sensor group is configured to provide but one output signal along a single axis corresponding to a sensed field generated by the at least one field generating platen and the controller is configured calculate a multi-dimensional position of the movable portion based on the but one output signal of at least one of the sensors in the at least one sensor group, the multi-dimensional position including a planar position and a gap measurement.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a workpiece container for storing at least one workpiece having a bottom surface and a peripheral edge. In one embodiment, a workpiece support structure is located within the container enclosure, which forms multiple vertically stacked storage shelves within the enclosure. Each storage shelf includes, in one embodiment, a first tine and a second tine for supporting the workpiece in a substantially horizontal orientation. The bottom surface and peripheral edge of a workpiece seated on a storage shelf extends beyond the outer edge of both the first tine and the second tine. An end effector according to the present invention may engage these extended portions or “grip zones” of the workpiece.

Abstract: Systems and method for inductive charging of autonomous mobile robots are provided. The systems and methods increase safety and reduce contaminants such as metal particles in a clean room environment reduce impurities in charging that increase the transfer resistance during charging.

Abstract: A compensation device that is positioned between a robot and a robotic tool. The device 10 generally includes a first section that connects to the robot and a second section that connects to the tool. The second section is movable relative to the first section for the tool to comply to accommodate variations in its positioning. The second section 12 may comply rotationally about x, y, and z orthogonal axes relative to the first section.

Abstract: A utility coupler comprises a coupling unit that is coupled to a tool unit via the reciprocal linear actuation of a hooking cam member in the coupling unit engaging a latching pin in the tool unit. The hooking cam member includes a composite cam surface operative to couple and hold the two units together as the latching pin engages different surfaces of the composite cam surface. Failsafe features prevent the inadvertent decoupling of the units.

Abstract: A fully automated plasma sheet metal cutter that can be integrated into a HVAC coil-line and which increases the precision of cutting, decreases the time it takes to cut a particular component sheet metal part, and offers flexibility in cutting different sized and shaped holes or openings. Further, since the system is fully automated, it eliminates the error or cost attributed to a portion of the cutting process that heretofore has been associated with a manual laborer.

Abstract: Modular wafer transport and handling facilities are combined in a variety of ways deliver greater levels of flexibility, utility, efficiency, and functionality in a vacuum semiconductor processing system. Various processing and other modules may be interconnected with tunnel-and-cart transportation systems to extend the distance and versatility of the vacuum environment. Other improvements such as bypass thermal adjusters, buffering aligners, batch processing, multifunction modules, low particle vents, cluster processing cells, and the like are incorporated to expand functionality and improve processing efficiency.

Abstract: A system for condition monitoring and fault diagnosis includes a data collection function that acquires time histories of selected variables for one or more of the components, a pre-processing function that calculates specified characteristics of the time histories, an analysis function for evaluating the characteristics to produce one or more hypotheses of a condition of the one or more components, and a reasoning function for determining the condition of the one or more components from the one or more hypotheses.

Abstract: Software for controlling processes in a heterogeneous semiconductor manufacturing environment may include a wafer-centric database, a real-time scheduler using a neural network, and a graphical user interface displaying simulated operation of the system. These features may be employed alone or in combination to offer improved usability and computational efficiency for real time control and monitoring of a semiconductor manufacturing process. More generally, these techniques may be usefully employed in a variety of real time control systems, particularly systems requiring complex scheduling decisions or heterogeneous systems constructed of hardware from numerous independent vendors.

Abstract: A container or array of containers that is are sealed with a peelable seal is transported via a conveyor along a processing path toward a desealing station at which an adhesive surface having a width substantially the same as or greater than the width of the seal is pressed against the upper surface of the peelable seal. A collection rod applies a downward pressure on the adhesive surface, pressing it against the seal and keeping the container or container array in position on the conveyor as the plate moves with the conveyor. As the leading edge of the seal passes the collection rod, the adhesive surface is rolled upward, away from the plane of the seal, pulling up on the leading edge of the seal to separate it from the container or container array while the container or container array is held down by the roller. The removed seal is then discarded.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing tool is disclosed, the tool having a frame forming at least one chamber with an opening and having a sealing surface around a periphery of the opening, a door configured to interact with the sealing surface for sealing the opening, the door having sides perpendicular to the door sealing surface and perpendicular to a transfer plane of a substrate, and at least one drive located on the frame to a side of at least one of the sides that are substantially perpendicular to the door sealing surface and substantially perpendicular to the transfer plane of the substrate, the drive having actuators located at least partially in front of the sealing surface and the actuators being coupled to one of the sides of the door for moving the door from a sealed position. The at least one drive is located outside of a substrate transfer zone.

Abstract: Example embodiments of the present invention may provide an efficient method of identifying unit doses of medication, and more specifically, to dispensing, identifying, packaging, and marking unit doses of medication for distribution. In particular, methods may include receiving a plurality of unit dose medications, dispensing one of the plurality of unit dose medications, and capturing an image of the one of a plurality of unit dose medications. The method may also compare the captured image to a database of known medications, where each known medication includes a medication type and a medication dose. In response to the captured image satisfying a confidence threshold match to one of the known medications, the one of the plurality of unit dose medications may be identified. Dispensing one of the plurality of unit dose medications may include dispensing one of the plurality of unit dose medications to a unit dose package.

Abstract: Various methods, apparatuses, and program products that are used to control at least a portion of a conveyor, determine information about an article conveyed by the conveyor, or otherwise operate a conveyor are provided. One method includes detecting whether a second conveyor controller is connected to the first conveyor controller and, in response to detecting that there is a second conveyor controller connected to the first conveyor controller, identifying whether the second conveyor controller is connected to a predetermined network interface of the first conveyor controller. The method further includes configuring the first conveyor controller to rotate a motorized roller in a first predetermined direction if a second conveyor controller is connected to the predetermined network interface and configuring the first conveyor controller to rotate the motorized roller in a second predetermined direction if a second conveyor controller is not connected to the predetermined network interface.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus including a frame, a drive section connected to the frame and including at least one independently controllable motor, at least two substrate transport arms connected to the frame and comprising arm links arranged for supporting and transporting substrates, and a mechanical motion switch coupled to the at least one independently controllable motor and the at least two substrate transport arms for effecting the extension and retraction of one of the at least two substrate transport arms while the other one of the at least two substrate transport arms remains in a substantially retracted configuration.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is presented having a transport chamber defining substantially linear substrate transport paths, a linear array of substrate holding modules, each communicably connected to the chamber. The substrate transport has at least one transporter capable of holding and moving the substrate on more than one substantially linear substrate transport paths. The transport chamber having different transport tubes at least one of which is sealable at both ends of the transport tube and configured to hold an isolated atmosphere different from that of the transport tubes, each of the different transport tubes having one of the substrate transport paths located therein different from another of the transport paths located in another of the transport tubes, and being communicably connected to each other, where at least one of the transport tubes is configured to provide uninterrupted transit of the substrate transport through the transport tubes.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus including a first shaftless rotary motor including a first stator and a first rotor, the first stator being linearly distributed and the first rotor being coupled to a first arm, a second shaftless rotary motor including a second stator and second rotor, the second stator being linearly distributed and the second rotor being coupled to a second arm, the second arm being connected to the first arm and a first substrate support being coupled to at least one of the first and second arms, wherein the first stator and second stator are configured so that the first and second arms and the first substrate support are inside the stators and a motor output at a connection between the first and second shaftless rotary motors and a respective one of the first and second arms is a resultant force disposed peripheral to the first and second arms.

Abstract: A robotic tool changer removably attaches a robotic tool to a robotic arm. The changer includes a tool module connected to the robotic tool, and a master module connected to the robotic arm. To attach and detach the robotic tool, the changer couples and uncouples the tool module and the master module. A master electrical signal module (ESM) affixes to the master module and a tool ESM affixes to the tool module. In accordance with design requirements, the changer applies the same power supply to both the master ESM and the tool ESM. The changer, however, selectively suppresses application of the power supply to the tool ESM, while maintaining application of the power supply to the master ESM, during the coupling or uncoupling of the master module and the tool module. In doing so, the changer enables such coupling and uncoupling, while also preventing the formation of transient electric arcs.

Abstract: A sensor system for use with an automated guided vehicle (AGV) includes a plurality of sensor units electronically coupled to a sensor control module via parallel communications. Each sensor unit may include a sensor array having a plurality of sensor elements, a conditioning circuit having one or more filter/amplifiers, and a conversion circuit. The sensor control module may be configured to communicate with other AGV components via serial communications. The sensor system is capable of obtaining and storing sensor readings with or without associated offset values and can use the sensor readings to determine the center of a magnetic field using methods that require relatively little processing power. A method of calibrating the sensor system may include determining and storing offset values for a plurality of sensor elements and may be performed with the sensor system installed or uninstalled to the AGV.

Abstract: An ionization gauge to measure pressure and to reduce sputtering yields includes at least one electron source that generates electrons. The ionization gauge also includes a collector electrode that collects ions formed by the collisions between the electrons and gas molecules. The ionization gauge also includes an anode. An anode bias voltage relative to a bias voltage of a collector electrode is configured to switch at a predetermined pressure to decrease a yield of sputtering collisions.