The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 24, 2000
Filed:
Jan. 19, 1999
Hisashi Masumura, Fukushima-ken, JP;
Kiyoshi Suzuki, Fukushima-ken, JP;
Noboru Tamai, Nagano-ken, JP;
Syunichi Ogasawara, Gunma-ken, JP;
Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An automatic workpiece transport apparatus for a double-side polishing machine is disclosed. A carrier is positioned at a predetermined position by a positioning unit, and an image of the top surface of the carrier is captured by use of a visual sensor. A computer performs image processing to obtain the center coordinates of the wafers or the workpiece holders while reference marks or the like provided on the carrier are used as references. The transport robot is moved and controlled based on the thus-detected coordinate data in order to load the wafers into the workpiece holders or to unload the wafers from the workpiece holders. Further, two visual sensors are provided at the tip end of the arm of the transport robot. These visual sensors send to the computer an image of the peripheral portion of the held wafer. Thus, the computer performs fine adjustment in positioning the wafer and the workpiece. The automatic workpiece transport apparatus can reliably load and unload semiconductor wafers to and from the carrier that holds semiconductor substrates.