A three DOF SCARA arm, adapted for transporting semiconductor wafers, includes an end-effector assembly at a distal joint of the arm. In one configuration, the end-effector turns a workpiece over. The arm includes a support column having an open column assembly that projects above a base. Within the assembly, a Z-axis drive energizes extension and retraction of a hollow tube carried by the support column. A shaft, rotatable about the Z-axis and having a distal end furthest from the support colum...

A substrate transporting method including inputting process data and determining whether a number of units required for processing a wafer is an odd number or an even number. Depending on the number of units required for processing the wafer, steps of transporting the wafer, taking out the wafer from a cassette section, loading the wafer, unloading the wafer and loading the wafer into a cassette section are performed via predetermined arms and with predetermined processing units.

A turning mechanism for the movement of casting ladles in steel mills of type wherein a member turning about a vertical shaft is provided with two diametrically opposite arms adapted to receive in each case a casting ladle. Each arm is fork-shaped and mounted to swing about a horizontal shaft fixed to the upper portion of the turning member. The two forked ends each receive a vertical support for the ladle pivotally mounted on a horizontal pivot received in the said forked end each support being...

Apparatus for handling delicate workpieces such as semiconductor substrates which have the configuration of small plates. The workpieces are preliminarily situated at predetermined locations in a positioning plane. Then, without changing their positions relative to each other, the workpieces are all simultaneously transferred away from the positioning plane while being maintained during transfer in a common plane which moves with the workpieces. During their transfer the workpieces are held by s...

This invention is directed to transferring articles from a pickup position to a discharge position by using a driven pickup arm with a holder. The pickup arm is driven by a driving arm and is raised and lowered and stopped by contact with a cam mechanism attached to the driving arm and stops and guides located near the pickup and discharge positions.

A machine tool wherein an annular gear is rotatable in a horizontal plane to carry a plurality of pallets between adjacent peripherally arranged machine stations. The gear is lowered as each machine station is attained by the entry of gear support bearings into recesses in the underside of the gear. The pallets are supported on the gear for limited vertical and horizontal movement, and lowering of the gear positions the pallet on an abutment surface in rough alignment with the machining station....

An apparatus for processing wafers one at a time. The apparatus has a vacuum chamber 1 into which wafers are loaded through a pair of loadlocks 3, 4 which are spaced one above the other. A robot within the vacuum chamber 1 has a pair of gripper arms 22, 29 which are moveable along and rotatable about a vertical axis 23 so as to be moveable between the loadlocks 3, 4 and a wafer processing position. Each of the loadlocks 3, 4 has a vertically moveable portion 8, 26 which is moveable away from the...

A vacuum turret apparatus for moving objects from a first location to a second location is disclosed. The turret is specifically designed to move individual plate-like objects from a stack of such objects located at the first location to the second location. Flexible bellows in combination with vacuum are used to lift, hold, and move the objects. An air knife ejecting a stream of high pressure air towards the selected object helps separate that object from the rest of the stack.

A substrate transferring apparatus comprising support members for supporting a substrate, and a drive mechanism for moving the support members to transfer the substrate, wherein the support members each have a pair of outer support segments for supporting an outer periphery of the substrate and a pair of inner support segment provided between the outer support segments.

A cassette handling tool according to the present invention utilizes a mobile cart for handling and transporting wafer cassettes. At one end of the cart is a holder which is adapted for holding and carrying wafer cassettes. At an opposite end of the cart is a handle by which an operator can manipulate the position and orientation of the cassette holder.