JP3366513B2 - Substrate transfer device and method of correcting positional deviation in substrate transfer device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention automatically corrects the holding position of a substrate when a substrate such as a glass rectangular substrate for liquid crystal or a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as "substrate") is accessed. It has a position correction unit that holds the substrate at the reference holding position, and includes first and second transfer arms that individually advance and retract with respect to a predetermined substrate transfer position, and the first transfer arm transfers the substrate to the substrate transfer position. After that, the second transfer arm receives the substrate located at the substrate transfer position and transfers the substrate from the first transfer arm to the second transfer arm, and the first transfer arm and the first transfer arm generated in the substrate transfer device. The present invention relates to a positional deviation correcting method for correcting relative positional deviation with a transport arm.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing a method for correcting a displacement of a transfer arm in a conventional substrate transfer apparatus.

The substrate transfer device includes a substrate transfer section 103.
A transfer arm 101 and a transfer arm 102 are provided so as to be opposed to each other with sandwiching therebetween. The transfer arm 101 is configured to move forward and backward with respect to the substrate transfer part 103 as indicated by arrow AA, and the transfer arm 102 is moved forward and backward with respect to arrow AB. Then, after the substrate held by the transfer arm 101 is placed on the substrate transfer part 103 and retracted, the transfer arm 102 enters the substrate transfer part 103 to receive the substrate and retreat. As a result, the substrate is transferred from the transfer arm 101 to the transfer arm 102.

In such a substrate transfer apparatus, the position of the substrate placed on the substrate transfer unit 103 by the transfer arm 101 and the substrate transfer unit 10 for receiving the substrate.
The position of the transfer arm 102 that has entered 3 may be displaced. This is because there is a relative positional deviation between the transfer arm 101 and the transfer arm 102 when entering the substrate transfer section 103. If there is a relative positional deviation between the two transfer arms, the substrate cannot be properly held when the transfer arm 102 receives the substrate placed on the substrate transfer unit 103, and the transfer of the substrate may fail.

Therefore, at the time of product shipment, maintenance, etc., the relative positional deviation between the transfer arm 101 and the transfer arm 102 in the substrate transfer section 103 must be grasped and corrected.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, in the conventional apparatus, the transparent substrate 11 having a cross mark at its center is formed by each of the transfer arm 101 and the transfer arm 102.
While holding 0 and 111, a similar cross is attached to the center of the substrate transfer part 103. Then, the transfer arm 101 is moved into the substrate transfer section 103, and the transparent substrate 1
The misalignment of the cross 10 and the cross of the substrate transfer unit 103 is visually recognized from directly above, and the position of the transfer arm 101 with respect to the substrate transfer unit 103 is corrected so as to make up for it, and finally the transfer arm 101 is moved. The transparent substrate 110 held by and the crosses of the substrate transfer section 103 are adjusted so as to match each other. Similarly, the crosses of the transparent substrate 111 held by the transfer arm 102 and the substrate transfer section 103 are adjusted so as to match each other. In this way, the substrate transfer section 103
Transfer arm 101 and transfer arm 102 when entering
By aligning the position of each of the substrate transfer unit 103 and the position of each of the substrate transfer units 103, the relative positional deviation between the transfer arm 101 and the transfer arm 102 in the substrate transfer unit 103 is finally corrected.

[0007]

By the way, in the correction of the relative displacement between the two transfer arms as described above, when the substrate transfer section 103 is a bake unit or the like, the upper part thereof is covered. Therefore, in such a case, it is difficult to visually recognize the substrate transfer section 103 from directly above, and it is impossible to correct the relative positional deviation between the two transfer arms 101 and 102 as described above. .

The present invention is intended to overcome the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and easily captures the relative positional deviation between the first and second transfer arms regardless of whether the substrate transfer position is visible or not. A first object of the present invention is to provide a substrate transfer device capable of correcting the positional deviation.

Further, even when the substrate transfer position is difficult to visually recognize, the relative positional deviation between the first and second transfer arms can be easily grasped and the positional deviation can be corrected. A second object is to provide a method for correcting the positional deviation in the substrate transfer device.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a position correction section for automatically correcting the holding position of the substrate when the substrate is accessed and holding the substrate at the reference holding position. And a first and a second transfer arm that individually advance and retract with respect to a predetermined substrate transfer position, and the first transfer arm transfers the substrate to the substrate transfer position, and then the second transfer arm.
A substrate transfer device that receives a substrate located at the substrate transfer position by a transfer arm and transfers the substrate from the first transfer arm to the second transfer arm. 2 is attachable to and detachable from the position correction unit of the transfer arm, is placed on the position correction unit of the second transfer arm, cancels the position correction function of the position correction unit, and horizontally shifts the substrate in place of the position correction unit. A jig for holding and showing a relative positional deviation between the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a position correction unit for automatically correcting the holding position of the substrate when the substrate is accessed and holding the substrate at the reference holding position. 1st and 2nd moving forward / backward independently of position
A relative position shift between the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm in a substrate transfer device that includes a transfer arm and transfers the substrate from the first transfer arm to the second transfer arm via the substrate transfer position is performed. A method of correcting a position deviation, wherein the position correction unit of the second transport arm cancels the position correction function of the position correction unit, and the position correction unit is replaced with the position correction unit. A step of horizontally holding the substrate and placing a jig showing a relative positional deviation between the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm; and a step of holding the substrate at the reference holding position.
A step of sending a transfer arm to the substrate delivery position and transferring the substrate to the substrate delivery position; and a step of sending the second transfer arm to the substrate delivery position while the jig is still placed, and the substrate delivery A step of receiving the substrate positioned at the position on the jig, a step of moving the second transfer arm to a visible position while holding the substrate, and a shift amount of the substrate between the first transfer arm and the first transfer arm. Second
A step of reading from the jig as an amount of relative positional deviation with respect to the transfer arm; and a step of correcting the relative position of the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm so as to compensate for the amount of relative position deviation. ing.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013]

[1. First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a main part of a substrate transfer apparatus according to a first embodiment. This substrate transfer device is arranged so as to face each other with the substrate transfer section 3 interposed therebetween.
It is provided with transfer arms 1 and 2 for transferring the substrate 10 while placing it on its upper surface. The upper surface of the substrate transfer unit 3 is formed horizontally, and the substrate 10 can be placed on the upper surface of the substrate transfer unit 3. The substrate transfer unit 3 transfers the substrate 10 between the transfer arms 1 and 2 when transferring the substrate 10. It functions as a substrate transfer position for temporarily holding 10. Further, the substrate transfer section 3
Is a substrate 10 on each side facing the transfer arms 1 and 2.
It is covered with a housing 4 provided with an opening for loading and unloading, and it is impossible to directly see the substrate transfer section 3 from directly above.

Further, the transfer arms 1 and 2 each have a drive mechanism (not shown) between a position shown in the figure (hereinafter referred to as a "standby position") and a position around the substrate transfer section 3 (hereinafter referred to as a "substrate transfer position"). Driven freely by reciprocation.
The drive mechanism is controlled by a control unit (not shown) to drive each of the transfer arms 1 and 2 in a predetermined order. The operation of the transfer arms 1 and 2 will be described in detail later.

Further, this device is provided with a display / input unit, which is composed of a display, a keyboard, etc., not shown, and is connected to the control unit. Using this, the operator inputs data for correcting the relative positional deviation of the transfer arms 1 and 2 at the substrate transfer position, and the position of the transfer arm 2 is adjusted by this.

Further, the main part will be described in more detail.
The transfer arms 1 and 2 are provided with openings 1h and 2h, respectively, so that the transfer arms 1 and 2 do not interfere with the substrate transfer section 3.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a cross section of the transfer arm 1. The transfer arm 1 is provided with a taper portion T1 as shown in FIGS. This taper portion T1 is used when the substrate is placed on the upper surface of the transfer arm 1.
The reference holding position C, which is an ideal position in the center of the transfer arm when the substrate 10 is transferred onto the transfer arm 1, even if the position of the substrate transfer unit 3 of 0 is slightly displaced.
It has a position correction function to automatically position it on P. Further, the horizontal portion H1 is formed following the tapered portion T1, and horizontally holds the position-corrected substrate 10 at the reference holding position CP as described above. Thus, in this embodiment,
The taper portion T1 and the horizontal portion H1 form a position correction portion. The transport arm 2 also includes a tapered portion T2 and a horizontal portion H2.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the jig 5 provided in the apparatus according to the first embodiment. The jig 5 is placed on the taper portion T2 of the transfer arm 2 when the positional deviation of the transfer arms 1 and 2 is corrected at the time of product shipment or maintenance, and the taper portion for correcting the positional deviation of the substrate 10 is provided. This is to cancel the position correction function of T2.

FIG. 4 shows a jig 5 on the horizontal portion H2 of the transfer arm 2.
6 is an explanatory view showing a situation in which the substrate 10 is placed on the jig 5, and the substrate 10 is further placed on the jig 5. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the transfer arm 2, jig 5 and substrate 10 of FIG. It is a figure. As shown in FIG. 4, this jig 5 is formed to have the same thickness as the depth of the taper portion T2 of the transfer arm 2. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the outer periphery of the jig 5 is the reference holding position on the transfer arm 2. It is substantially coincident with the outer periphery of CP and is placed on the horizontal portion H2 of the transfer arm 2 when the relative displacement between the transfer arm 1 and the transfer arm 2 is corrected. This cancels the position correction function of the taper portion T2 that automatically corrects the positional deviation of the substrate 10 when the transfer arm 2 accesses the substrate 10. As a result, as shown in FIG.
And the upper surface of the jig 5 are located on the same plane. Therefore, even after the transfer arm 2 receives the substrate 10 at the substrate delivery position and retracts to the standby position, the substrate 1
0 is still in a state of being displaced from the reference holding position CP.

Further, the upper surface of the jig 5 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in, the scale is concentrically marked to measure the amount of deviation from the reference holding position CP and the orthogonal axis X
1, X2, Y1 are marked. The XY axes are set as shown in FIG. 5, and the operator reads the amount of deviation in the X-axis direction and the amount of deviation in the Y-axis direction, and a method described later will be used to transfer between the transfer arms 1 and 2. Correct the relative displacement.

In the following, a procedure and a characteristic of correcting the relative positional deviation in the apparatus of the first embodiment will be described.

Generally, in a substrate transfer apparatus which transfers a substrate by two opposing transfer arms, each of the transfer arms 1 and 2 is not subjected to a normal substrate transfer process but is shipped as a product or during maintenance. The relative displacement of the transfer arms 1 and 2 is corrected so as to eliminate the relative displacement of the transfer arms 1 and 2 in the state where the transfer arms 1 and 2 have entered the substrate transfer position.

The substrate transfer apparatus of the first embodiment also corrects the relative positional deviation by adjusting the position of the transfer arm 2 and will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1, 6, 7 and 8. The transfer arm 1 in the substrate transfer apparatus of the first embodiment configured as described above using
The correction procedure of the relative positional deviation of No. 2 will be described. Note that FIG.
The housing 4 is not shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

First, in FIG. 1, the substrate 10 is held at the reference holding position CP by the horizontal portion H1 of the transfer arm 1, and the jig 5 is placed on the horizontal portion H2 of the transfer arm 2.

Next, from this state, the transfer arm 1 advances as indicated by an arrow A1 to enter the substrate transfer position. Then, the substrate is transferred to the substrate transfer section 3 by moving the transfer arm 1 slightly downward.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the transfer arm 1 retracts as indicated by arrow A2, and returns to the standby position shown in FIG.

Next, the transfer arm 2 advances toward the substrate delivery section 3 as indicated by arrow A3, and enters the substrate delivery position as shown in FIG. At this time, the transfer arm 2 has entered below the substrate 10 placed on the substrate transfer section 3. Then, after that, the transfer arm 2 slightly moves up to receive the substrate 10.

At this time, when the position of the transfer arm 1 and the position of the transfer arm 2 in the state where they have entered the substrate transfer section 3 are relatively deviated, the jig 5 is mounted on the horizontal portion H2 of the transfer arm 2. If not mounted, the substrate 1 is formed by the taper portion T2.
Although the position of 0 on the transfer arm 2 is corrected and accurately fits in the reference holding position CP, since the jig 5 is placed on the upper surface of the transfer arm 2, the transfer arm 2 transfers the substrate at the substrate transfer position. The substrate 10 is held at the reference holding position C on the upper surface of the jig 5 by the amount of the relative displacement with respect to the arm 1.
It will be placed off P.

Next, the transfer arm 2 retracts as indicated by arrow A4 and returns to the standby position of the transfer arm 2 as shown in FIG. The standby position of the transfer arm 2 is visible from directly above because there is no cover or other obstacle above it.

Then, in this state, the relative displacement of the substrate 10 on the transfer arm 2 is measured. That is, when the substrate 10 is displaced as indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 5, the amount of displacement of the substrate 10 from the reference holding position CP indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in the figure is written on the upper surface of the jig 5. As can be seen from the scale, it can be seen that it is 1 in the X direction and 2 in the Y direction.
This indicates that the position of the transfer arm 2 at the substrate transfer position is deviated from the position of the transfer arm 1 by "-1" in the X direction and "-2" in the Y direction. Therefore, the operator uses (1, 2) as the data (X, Y) for adjusting the position of the transfer arm 2 on the display / input unit (not shown).
Enter.

After that, when the operation up to the input of the relative positional deviation amount is performed again, as a result, the position of the transfer arm 2 is deviated by 1 in the X direction and by 2 in the Y direction. As a result, the position of the substrate 10 on the transfer arm 2 is located at the reference holding position CP, and the target correction of the relative displacement between the transfer arms 1 and 2 is achieved. If the relative positional deviation cannot be eliminated even by this, the operator again inputs the relative positional deviation amount to perform the series of operations described above, and the correction operation is performed by the transport arm 2
Repeat until the displacement of the upper substrate 10 is eliminated.

The above is the positional deviation correction procedure according to this embodiment.

As described above, in the substrate transfer apparatus according to the first embodiment, the jig 5 is mounted on the horizontal portion H2 of the transfer arm 2 when the relative displacement between the transfer arms 1 and 2 is corrected. By mounting, the position correction function of the taper portion T2 does not work, and the position of the substrate 10 on the transfer arm 2 in the substrate transfer part 3 is held even after the transfer arm 2 that receives the substrate 10 returns to the standby position. Will be done. Therefore, even when the substrate transfer position is invisible, the relative displacement between the transfer arm 1 and the transfer arm 2 can be easily grasped, and the relative displacement can be easily corrected. .

Although the relative position of the transfer arms 1 and 2 at the substrate transfer position is adjusted as described above, the apparatus of the first embodiment actually transfers the substrate. 1, FIG. 7, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 in a state where the jig 5 is not placed on the transfer arm 2 when the substrate is transferred.
The substrate 10 is sequentially transferred from the transfer arm 1 to the transfer arm 2 by performing the same operation as described above in the same order.

[0035]

[2. Other Embodiments FIG. 9 is a view showing a situation in which the jig 5 in the substrate transfer apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention is placed on the horizontal portion H2 of the transfer arm 2. As described above, in the device of the first embodiment, the concentric circle scales are marked on the upper surface of the jig 5, but in the device of the second embodiment, the concentric circle scales are formed on the upper surface of the jig 5. Only the scale is marked on the orthogonal axes X1, X2, Y1 without marking. Other configurations are similar to those of the first embodiment.
Actually, in correcting the relative displacement of the transfer arms 1 and 2, only the data value of the displacement amount on the orthogonal axes X1, X2, Y1 of the jig 5 of the substrate 10 is required, and thus such a configuration is adopted. However, it is possible to correct the positional deviation as in the device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a view showing a cross section of the jig 5 in the substrate transfer apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. As described above, in the apparatus of the first embodiment, the outer periphery of the jig 5 is configured to be substantially the same as the substrate 10, but in the apparatus of the third embodiment, the outer periphery of the jig 5 is set to the substrate 10. By making the shape larger so as to fill the taper portion T2, and by marking the contour of the reference holding position CP in addition to the scale and the orthogonal axes X1, X2, Y1 similar to the jig 5 of the apparatus of the embodiment. The displacement of the substrate 10 from the reference holding position CP can be measured. Other configurations are first
This is the same as the embodiment. This makes it possible to eliminate the gap between the jig 5 and the tapered portion T2 in the device according to the first embodiment.

[0037]

[3. Modified Example In the apparatus of each of the embodiments of the present invention, the jig 5 is used.
Although the scale, the orthogonal axis, etc. are marked only on the upper surface of the substrate 10, the Y1 axis and the scale are marked on the extension line of the orthogonal axis Y1 marked on the jig 5 on the upper surface of the transfer arm 2 so that the substrate 10 is orthogonal. Even if the transfer arm 2 is displaced in the direction of the axis Y1, the positional displacement amount of the substrate 10 can be measured.

Further, in the apparatus according to each of the embodiments of the present invention, the horizontal portions H1 and H2 of the transfer arms 1 and 2 are C-shaped, and thus the jig 5 is C-shaped. The shape of the jig is not limited to this, and may be a U-shape having an opening in the center.

Further, although the number of all transfer arms is two in the apparatus of each embodiment of the present invention, three or more transfer arms may be provided and only two of them may operate at the same time. .

In each of the embodiments of the present invention, the transfer arms 1 and 2 are linearly opposed to each other. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the transfer arms 1 and 2 are provided at a right angle or vertically stacked. It may be provided at a different position.

Further, in each of the embodiments of the present invention, the position of the transfer arm 2 of the substrate transfer device is corrected on the basis of the operator's input in the position shift correction, but the position of the transfer arm 1 is corrected. May be

In addition, in each of the embodiments of the present invention, the operator moves the substrate 10 on the transfer arm 2 when correcting the positional deviation.
The position of the transfer arm 2 of the substrate transfer device is corrected based on the measurement of the shift amount of the transfer arm and the input of the correction data of the position of the transfer arm 2. However, the shift amount of the substrate 10 on the transfer arm 2 is detected by a sensor or the like. It may be configured to detect and correct the position of the transfer arm 2 by automatic control.

Further, in each of the embodiments of the present invention, it is specified whether the position of the transfer arm 2 is corrected by the software correction by the control unit or the hardware correction in the positional deviation correction. Although it is not, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which either correction is performed.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, the second
By mounting the jig on the position correction unit of the transfer arm, the position correction function of the position correction unit is canceled, the substrate is horizontally held in place of the position correction unit, and the second transfer arm is kept in that state. Since it can be moved to a visible position, the relative positional deviation between the first and second transfer arms can be easily obtained regardless of whether or not the substrate transfer position is visible. The relative positional deviation between the first and second transfer arms can be corrected based on the relative positional deviation amount.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a main part of a substrate transfer device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cross section of a transfer arm of the substrate transfer device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a jig provided in the substrate transfer device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between a jig and a substrate with respect to a transfer arm.

5 is a view of the transfer arm, jig, and substrate of FIG. 4 as viewed from above.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a positional deviation correcting method in the substrate transfer apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a positional deviation correcting method in the substrate transfer apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a positional deviation correcting method in the substrate transfer apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a substrate transfer device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a substrate transfer device according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a method for correcting the displacement of the transfer arm in the conventional apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2 transfer arm 3 Board transfer part (board transfer position) 5 jigs 10 substrates CP reference holding position H1, H2 horizontal part T1, T2 taper part

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01L 21/68 B25J 9/10 B65G 49/07

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A position correction unit that automatically corrects a holding position of a substrate when the substrate is accessed and holds the substrate at a reference holding position, and the position correcting unit is provided individually for a predetermined substrate transfer position. First and second transfer arms that move back and forth to the first transfer arm, and the second transfer arm receives the substrate located at the substrate transfer position after the first transfer arm transfers the substrate to the substrate transfer position. In a substrate transfer device for transferring a substrate from a transfer arm to the second transfer arm, the substrate transfer device is detachably attached to the position correction unit of the second transfer arm, and is placed on the position correction unit of the second transfer arm. A jig that cancels the position correction function of the position correction unit, horizontally holds the substrate instead of the position correction unit, and shows a relative positional deviation between the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm is provided. Substrate transfer apparatus according to claim. 2. A position correction unit that automatically corrects the holding position of the substrate when the substrate is accessed and holds the substrate at the reference holding position, and separates the predetermined substrate transfer position. The first and second transfer arms that move forward and backward to and from the first transfer arm to the second transfer arm via the substrate transfer position. In a position shift correction method for correcting a relative position shift with respect to a transfer arm, the position correction unit of the second transfer arm cancels the position correction function of the position correction unit, and the substrate is horizontally held in place of the position correction unit. Then, a step of placing a jig indicating a relative positional deviation between the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm, and the front of the first transfer arm with the substrate being held at the reference holding position. Sending the substrate to a substrate delivery position and delivering the substrate to the substrate delivery position; and sending the second transfer arm to the substrate delivery position while the jig is still placed, and then located at the substrate delivery position. A step of receiving the substrate on the jig; a step of moving the second transfer arm to a visible position while holding the substrate; and a shift amount of the substrate for the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm. A step of reading from the jig as a relative positional deviation amount with respect to, and a step of correcting the relative positions of the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm so as to supplement the relative positional deviation amount,
A method for correcting a positional deviation in a substrate transfer device including: