A handling apparatus comprises a holding member for holding an object to be handled, a driving member for driving the holding member, a locus detection section provided in a fixed position which is not driven by the driving member, the locus detection section representing a locus along which the holding member is to move, and a sensor, provided on said holding member, for detecting the locus. The locus of the holding member is constantly detected by the sensor during the operation of the holding member, and, when the holding member is displaced from a predetermined locus, the operation of the handling apparatus is suddenly stopped. Then, the holding member is moved to a position where the locus detection section can be detected by the sensor, and the holding member is restored to an initial position.
In a vertical heat treatment apparatus, a transfer apparatus is used to transfer a wafer between a wafer carrier and a wafer boat. The transfer apparatus comprises a base unit, a fork, three non-contact type sensors, and a main controller. The base unit can move between a first position at which to transfer the wafer to and from the wafer carrier and a second position at which to transfer the wafer to and from the wafer boat. The fork can move back and forth with respect to the base unit, for supporting the wafer. The non-contact type sensors are mounted on the fork, for detecting the position of the wafer. The main controller controls the base unit and the fork in accordance with the data detected by the non-contact type sensors.
A component mounting device adapted to mount components such IC or the like on a printed circuit board that includes replaceable pick up nozzles to accommodate different types of components to be picked up. A sensing station is provided that permits the pick up nozzle to be verified as the correct one and also to determine, if desired, its orientation and misalignments in its axis of rotation so as to permit adjustment in the mounted to accommodate for errors. In addition, a reference height position may be set so that the same sensing station can be employed to sense both the orientation of a component that is picked up and also whether the component is correctly oriented for deposit. This is done by measuring projected lengths in a plane with a photo sensitive device and by making calculations in accordance with trigonometric relationships.
In a vertical heat treatment apparatus, a transfer apparatus is used to transfer a wafer between a wafer carrier and a wafer boat. The transfer apparatus comprises a base unit, a fork, three non-contact type sensors, and a main controller. The base unit can move between a first position at which to transfer the wafer to and from the wafer carrier and a second position at which to transfer the wafer to and from the wafer boat. The fork can move back and forth with respect to the base unit, for supporting the wafer. The non-contact type sensors are mounted on the fork, for detecting the position of the wafer. The main controller controls the base unit and the fork in accordance with the data detected by the non-contact type sensors. Another embodiment utilizes a monitor camera in place of the sensors to monitor and display the movement of the fork relative to the wafer.
