Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus comprising a robot transport arm and a substrate aligner located on the robot transport arm.

Abstract: A load lock is comprised of a housing defining a partial chamber therein opening to a first face, the load lock defining a given point on which the center of a substrate is supported. A swap out plate is secured to the load lock and covers the first face thereof. The swap out plate defines a partial chamber therein and has a horizontally extending slot communicating with the chamber. A substrate support is secured to the load lock for supporting a substrate thereon such that the supported substrate extends between the swap out plate partial chamber and the load lock partial chamber.

Abstract: The invention resides in an improved transport mechanism which utilizes a linkage having a plurality of end effectors disposed at one end thereof. Movement of a drive linkage in a first rotational direction causes opposite rotation at the end effectors so that the center of the articles carried by the end effectors are moved in a straight line path as between first and second locations.

Abstract: A concentric-shaft rotational drive system for an articulated arm transfer device adaptable for imparting movement to an assembly inside a vacuum chamber wherein rotary movement is imparted to rotors inside the vacuum chamber by means of magnetic fields produced by stators outside the vacuum chamber

Abstract: A concentric-shaft rotational drive system for an articulated arm transfer device adaptable for imparting movement to an assembly inside a vacuum chamber wherein rotary movement is imparted to rotors inside the vacuum chamber by means of magnetic fields produced by stators outside the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: Gas-loaded thermal conditioning is used to cause the temperature of a substrate to approach that of a high thermal inertia temperature-controlled plate by adjustable pressure of gas above the substrate, so as to press the substrate against the plate. There is no mechanical contact with the substrate except the plate which it rests on, and there is no danger of overheating or overcooling.

Abstract: The present invention resides in an elevator mechanism comprising a base plate defining the bottom wall of a chamber disposed above the base plate. The base plate has a top surface and a bottom surface with an opening therein communicating between the top and bottom surfaces. A first drive is disposed below the base plate for linear movement parallel to a first given direction. A carriage is connected for movement to the first drive and carries a lift tube extended upwards from the carriage along the given direction and through the opening in the base plate. The lift tube including a coaxially disposed rotary shaft therewithin. A second drive having an output is provided and is supported on the carriage parallel to the given direction and spaced from the rotary shaft in a side-by-side orientation. A coupling is also provided for drivingly connecting the output of the second drive to the rotary shaft.

Abstract: Robotic apparatus may be provided for handling workpieces such as semiconductor wafers within an integrated vacuum processing system and may be mounted within a vacuum load lock chamber adjacent a plurality of vacuum processing chambers. The apparatus includes an upper arm, a forearm, an end effector for supporting a wafer to be transported, and a wrist connecting the forearm to the end effector. The upper arm is rotatable in a level plane about an upright shoulder axis adjacent its inner end. A first coupling mechanism interconnects the forearm to the upper arm for mutual rotation about an elbow axis in a level plane. An end effector serves to support a wafer to be transported and a wrist connects the forearm to the end effector distant from the elbow axis. A second coupling mechanism interconnects the forearm to the wrist for their mutual rotation in a level plane about a wrist axis.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring an object between spaced locations comprises first and second articulated arms mounted on a support, each articulated arm having a drive member disposed for rotation about a drive axis and, pinned to it, a shorter driven member. A wrist plate with an integral holding platform is pivotally coupled to the driven members at spaced apart locations. The drive members are rotated from an initial position at which they subtend a first acute angle with the holding platform at an initial position through an intermediate position at which they subtend an angle of 180.degree. to a final position at which they subtend a second acute angle oppositely disposed from the first acute angle with the holding means at a final position overlying the drive axis. The wrist plate extends transverse of the extend-retract path for the holding platform.

Abstract: A concentric-shaft rotational drive system for an articulated arm transfer device adaptable for imparting movement to an assembly inside a vacuum chamber wherein rotary movement is imparted to rotors inside the vacuum chamber by means of magnetic fields produced by stators outside the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus having a movable arm assembly, two substrate holders and a coaxial drive shaft assembly. The movable arm assembly has a general X-shaped section that has its center connected to the coaxial drive shaft assembly. The substrate holders are connected to different pairs of arm sections of the X-shaped section. The coaxial drive shaft assembly moves the arms of the X-shaped section relative to each other to move the two substrate holders in reverse unison motion between extended and retracted positions.

Abstract: Load transferring apparatus comprises a base member, a planar platform for supporting a load and a drive arm pivotally mounted on the base member for moving the platform in plane between a retracted position at which the platform assumes a first orientation and an extended position at which the platform assumes a second angularly transposed orientation while remaining substantially in the plane occupied when in the retracted position. The drive arm is fixed to a drive arm shaft which, in turn, is rotatably mounted on the base member. A constraining link extends between the base member and the platform and is generally parallel to the drive arm. An elevator drive is operable for moving the base member raised and lowered positions and a coupling drivingly connects the drive arm shaft to the drive shaft throughout a range of positions between the raised position and the lowered position. The base plate includes an upstanding stop plate.

Abstract: The end effector of a frog-leg robot is raised and lowered by using walking-beams to effect a vertical movement of the fore arms at the elbow joint.

Abstract: A strain wave gearing device comprising a ring gear having internal axially extending teeth and a strain gear produced from a strain gear blank having constant thickness to the cylindrical and diaphragm portions. The cylindrical portion has external axially extending teeth extending around an annular portion adjacent the open end of the strain gear for engaging with the internal teeth of the ring gear (the number of external teeth on the strain gear being different than the number of internal teeth on the ring gear) and a wave generator is located within and matingly engages with the strain gear. The diaphragm portion is reduced in final thickness from the uniform blank thickness to about one-half the blank thickness by machining, after the strain gear has been produced from the blank. The wave generator adapted to be rotatively driven relative to the strain gear whereby relative rotational movement will occur between the strain and ring gears.