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:
Feb. 20, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 07, 1999
Kazuhito Ikeda, Tokyo, JP;
Shinichiro Watahiki, Tokyo, JP;
Hisashi Yoshida, Tokyo, JP;
Yukinori Aburatani, Tokyo, JP;
Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for conveying a treatment object whereby a drive unit for driving a treatment object conveyor robot is deployed inside a vacuum chamber. The robot comprises a conveyor arm and a drive unit. The conveyor arm is accommodated outside an airtight vessel and the drive unit is accommodated inside the airtight vessel to avoid damage to the drive unit. In order to raise and lower the robot inside the chamber, an elevator mechanism, deployed outside the chamber, advances and retracts a shaft that is inserted in an airtight manner into the chamber. The airtight structure is secured by O rings provided where a bellows surrounds the shaft and connects to the chamber and the elevator mechanism. The shaft, inserted inside the chamber, is linked to the airtight vessel that accommodates the drive unit of the robot. The airtight vessel communicates to the outside via a hollow portion in the shaft and the interior thereof is always kept at atmospheric pressure.