POD CLAMP UNIT OF POD OPENER, POD CLAMP MECHANISM EMPLOYING POD CLAMP UNIT AND CLAMPING METHOD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a clamp unit having no possibility of touching the lower surface of a pod when it is mounted on a mounting table at a load port. SOLUTION: The clamp unit 1 comprises a clamp member opening/closing cylinder 7 movable up and down, a pair of clamp members 3 having one end part supported rotatably by the cylinder 7, and the other end part provided with a clamp part and a slide pin buried perpendicularly to the extending plane thereof, and a link 5 having an elongated hole being fitted with the slide pin. After a predetermined clamp attitude is brought about by driving the pair of clamp members 3 through the link 5 and the slide pin, the clamp member opening/closing cylinder 7 lowers by a predetermined amount. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI