Gripper for supporting substrate in a vertical orientation

Abstract

A gripper assembly is provided which supports a substrate in a vertical orientation. The gripper assembly's end effectors contact only the edge of the substrate. In a first aspect the end effectors each comprise a first pair of opposed surfaces and an second pair of opposed surfaces, all of which simultaneously contact the substrate, holding the substrate in a clamp-type manner. In a second aspect the end effectors each comprise a lower pair of opposed surfaces which simultaneously contact the substrate, and an upper pair of opposed surfaces, larger than the thickness of the substrate, which limit the substrate from horizontal tilting. In the second aspect the end effectors can close at a first elevation where they do not contact the substrate, and can then elevate to gently contact and support the substrate in a pocket-like manner. In a third aspect one of the end effectors has two pairs of opposed surfaces which simultaneously contact the substrate, and the other end effector has two pairs of opposed surfaces which limit the substrate from horizontal tilting. In any aspect no moving parts are required to limit the substrate's vertical and horizontal movement. In a further aspect, fingers to which the end effectors are coupled, are bent so that the gripper is not positioned above the substrate.

The invention claimed is  
     
         1 . A method of handling a semiconductor substrate, comprising: 
 positioning along opposite edges of a semiconductor substrate, a pair of end effectors adapted to support the substrate and coupled to ends of a pair of fingers that respectively extend along the opposite edges of the substrate;    moving the end effectors to a position at which the end effectors may stabily support the substrate; and    closing the end effectors by moving the ends of the fingers toward each other such that the end effectors each contact an edge of the substrate.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein closing the end effectors such that the end effectors contact and support the substrate comprises contacting the substrate with a plurality of grooves, each adapted to contact the substrate's edge at two opposing points.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein closing the end effectors such that the end effectors contact and support the substrate comprises contacting the substrate with four pairs of opposing surfaces.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein contacting the substrate with a plurality of grooves comprises contacting the substrate with two supporting grooves, and wherein the method further comprises preventing horizontal substrate tilting.  
     
     
         5 . A gripper assembly comprising: 
 a gripper;    a pair of fingers operatively coupled to the gripper; and    a pair of end effectors coupled to ends of the fingers and adapted to support a substrate therebetween, each end effector comprising:    a first pair of opposed surfaces adapted to simultaneously contact an edge of a substrate to be supported by the end effectors; and    a second pair of opposed surfaces adapted to simultaneously contact the edge of a substrate to be supported by the end effectors;    wherein the fingers are adapted to respectively extend along opposite edges of the substrate.    
     
     
         6 . A substrate handler, comprising: 
 a mechanical arm capable of lifting and lowering; and    the gripper assembly of  claim 5  coupled to an end of the moveable arm.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the grippers are normally biased closed.  
     
     
         8 . The gripper assembly of  claim 5  wherein the fingers are movably linked to each other at a point between the gripper and the ends of the fingers.  
     
     
         9 . The gripper assembly of  claim 5  wherein the first and second pair of opposed surfaces are radiused.  
     
     
         10 . A gripper assembly comprising: 
 a gripper;    a pair of fingers operatively coupled to the gripper and adapted to extend along opposite edges of a substrate to be supported by the gripper assembly; and    a pair of end effectors, one coupled to an end of each of the fingers, adapted to support a substrate by its edges.    
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the gripper is at an elevation higher than the end effectors, and at least one of the fingers is bent so that the gripper is horizontally displaced relative to a substrate supported by the end effectors.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the grippers are normally biased closed.  
     
     
         13 . The gripper assembly of  claim 10  wherein the fingers are movably linked to each other at a point between the gripper and the ends of the fingers.  
     
     
         14 . The gripper assembly of  claim 10  wherein the first and second pair of opposed surfaces are radiused.  
     
     
         15 . A gripper assembly comprising: 
 a gripper;    a pair of fingers operatively coupled to the gripper; and    a pair of end effectors coupled to ends of the fingers and adapted to support a substrate therebetween, each end effector comprising: 
 a first pair of opposed surfaces and a second pair of opposed surfaces;  
 wherein the fingers are movably linked to each other at a point between the gripper and the ends of the fingers.  
   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the first pair of opposed surfaces are radiused.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the second pair of opposed surfaces are radiused.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the first and second pairs of opposed surfaces of one of the end effectors are both adapted to limit horizontal movement of a vertically oriented substrate supported by the first and second pairs of opposed surfaces of the other of the end effectors.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the second pair of opposed surfaces of each of the end effectors are both adapted to limit horizontal movement of a vertically oriented substrate supported by the first pair of opposed surfaces of each of the end effectors.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the first pair of opposed surfaces of each of the end effectors and the second pair of opposed surfaces of each of the end effectors are adapted to simultaneously contact a substrate supported thereby.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the grippers are normally biased closed.  
     
     
         22 . The gripper assembly of  claim 15  wherein the fingers are movably linked to each other at a point between the gripper and the ends of the fingers.  
     
     
         23 . The gripper assembly of  claim 15  wherein the first and second pair of opposed surfaces are radiused.  
     
     
         24 . The gripper assembly of  claim 5  wherein each of the pair of end effectors is sized so as to be longer than the length of a flat portion of a substrate to be gripped thereby.  
     
     
         25 . The gripper assembly of  claim 10  wherein each of the pair of end effectors is sized so as to be longer than the length of a flat portion of a substrate to be gripped thereby.  
     
     
         26 . The gripper assembly of  claim 15  wherein each of the pair of end effectors is sized so as to be longer than the length of a flat portion of a substrate to be gripped thereby.