Robot drive with magnetic spindle bearings

摘要

A drive section for a substrate transport arm including a frame, at least one stator mounted within the frame, the stator including a first motor section and at least one stator bearing section and a coaxial spindle magnetically supported substantially without contact by the at least one stator bearing section, where each drive shaft of the coaxial spindle includes a rotor, the rotor including a second motor section and at least one rotor bearing section configured to interface with the at least one stator bearing section, wherein the first motor section is configured to interface with the second motor section to effect rotation of the spindle about a predetermined axis and the at least one stator bearing section is configured to effect at least leveling of a substrate transport arm end effector connected to the coaxial spindle through an interaction with the at least one rotor bearing section.

主权项

1. A substrate transport for transporting substrates to and from at least one substrate seating surface, the substrate transport comprising:
a substrate transport arm; a drive section located within a frame and connected to the substrate transport arm through a coaxial spindle, the drive section being configured to operate the substrate transport arm through a spindle rotation or spindle displacement; and at least one substrate support coupled to the substrate transport arm; wherein the drive section has a solid state actuator that includes at least one stator attached to the frame that interfaces with and is configured to magnetically support the coaxial spindle substantially without contact and to effect a substantially solid state change, free of stator movement, in an orientation of a predetermined axis of rotation of the coaxial spindle relative to the at least one stator of the solid state actuator to spatially orient the at least one substrate support with respect to one of the at least one substrate seating surface.