Electrostatic chuck robotic system

摘要

A workpiece transfer system has a plurality of joints having a bearing and a primary and secondary transformer coil, wherein power provided to the primary transformer coil and secondary transformer coil of each joint produces mutual inductance between the primary and secondary transformer coil of the respective joint. A first pair of arms are rotatably coupled to a blade by a first pair of the joints, wherein the primary transformer coil of each of the first pair of joints is operably coupled to the first pair of arms, and the secondary transformer coil of each of the first pair of joints is operably coupled to the blade and an electrode beneath a dielectric workpiece retaining surface of the blade. The electrode is contactlessly energized through the transformer coils of the joint and the blade can chuck and de-chuck a workpiece by reversing current directions and by voltage adjustment.

主权项

1. A workpiece transfer system, comprising:
a blade, wherein the blade comprises one or more electrodes associated with a dielectric workpiece retaining surface; a plurality of joints, each of the plurality of joints comprising a bearing, a primary transformer coil, and a secondary transformer coil, wherein the bearing of each joint rotatably couples the primary transformer coil to the secondary transformer coil of the respective joint, and wherein power provided to one of the primary transformer coil and secondary transformer coil of each joint produces mutual inductance between the primary transformer coil and secondary transformer coil of the respective joint, therein providing contactless power across each joint, wherein the primary transformer coil of each joint is ring-shaped and defines an outer coil having a hole therethrough, and wherein the secondary transformer coil of each joint is rod-shaped and defines an inner coil configured to rotate within the outer coil, and wherein the bearing resides between the outer coil and the inner coil of each joint; and a first pair of arms respectively rotatably coupled to the blade via a first pair of the plurality of joints, wherein the primary transformer coil of each of the first pair of the plurality of joints is operably coupled to the respective first pair of arms, and wherein the secondary transformer coil of each of the first pair of the plurality of joints is operably coupled to the blade and is electrically connected to the one or more electrodes.