JPH1126554A - Vacuum tweezers - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pair of vacuum tweezers which adheres a suction object well by a suction pad, even if the object such as a wafer warps and bends, enables stable holding and significantly enhances operability and reliability. SOLUTION: This pair of tweezers is provided with a first suction pad 2 which a first suction planar part 4 formed of a resin, etc., and a second suction pad 3 with a second suction planar part 5 provided so as to enclose the outer circumference of the first suction pad and is formed of a bendable member. The first suction pad has a first recessed part 6. The first recessed part is depressurized during suction, and the second suction pad 2 is provided with a second recessed part 7, which is communicated to the first recessed part 6 and the second recessed part is also depressurized during the suction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to vacuum tweezers, and more particularly, to a vacuum tweezer suction pad.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows an example of the structure of a conventional vacuum tweezer. In general, as shown in FIG. 4, the vacuum tweezers include a handle 14 provided with an opening / closing valve 15, a vacuum hose 16, and a suction pad 10 in contact with a suction object such as a wafer. In FIG. 4, 11 indicates a suction plane, 12 indicates a suction recess, and 13 indicates a suction port.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a sectional configuration of the suction pad portion shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 5, the suction pad 1
0 has a suction plane 11 and a suction recess 12, and has a suction port 1.
The vacuum is drawn in step 3, and the suction flat portion 11 is brought into close contact with an adsorbate such as a wafer to create a negative pressure, thereby handling the adsorbate such as a wafer.

[0004]

The above-described prior art has the following problems.

(1) The first problem is that the conventional suction pad, when the adsorbate such as a wafer has a warp or the like, as shown in FIG. A gap (a gap) A is generated between the suction pads 18, and it is difficult for the suction object 18 such as a wafer to adhere to the suction plane portion 11 of the suction pad 10, so that there is a possibility that the suction object such as a wafer cannot be suctioned. is there.

[0006] The reason is that the material of the suction flat portion 11 of the suction pad, which is in close contact with the adsorbate such as the wafer, is mainly made of resin and the flatness is maintained, so that it is impossible to follow the warp of the adsorbate such as the wafer. This is because a negative pressure that can be maintained cannot be obtained.

[0007] For example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 3-17632 proposes a vacuum tweezer having a structure in which a plurality of suction ports are provided. As described above, it is not possible to follow the warpage of the adsorbate such as a wafer, and it is not possible to obtain a negative pressure that can be held.

(2) The second problem is that the conventional suction pad 10 sucks and holds an adsorbate 18 such as a wafer.
As shown in FIG. 8, there is a high possibility that the wafer warps due to the weight of the wafer and a gap B is generated, the negative pressure is not maintained, and the adsorbed material such as the wafer falls.

The reason for this is that the material of the suction flat portion of the suction pad that is in close contact with the suction material such as the wafer is mainly resin and the flatness thereof is maintained, so that the material of the suction pad cannot follow the deflection of the suction material such as the wafer. It is.

As a conventional vacuum tweezer intended to solve the first and second problems, for example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 6-52149 discloses a suction pad (head) having a structure as shown in FIG. Has been proposed. In this method, a skirt 17 made of an elastic material such as rubber is provided so as to surround an inner periphery of a suction concave portion made of a hard material. It is drawn to the suction plane portion 11. However, the suction area of this suction pad is smaller than that of the suction pad without a skirt, and the suction force is reduced.

(3) The third problem is that the conventional suction pad has a high possibility of scratching the adsorbed material such as a wafer due to an impact when coming into contact with the adsorbed material such as a wafer.

[0012] The reason for this is that when suction is performed with vacuum tweezers, the suction material such as a wafer often starts to come into contact with the external portion of the suction pad, and the material of the external portion of the suction pad is mainly made of a resin hard material. Therefore, an impact is likely to occur when coming into contact with an adsorbate such as a wafer.

In the vacuum tweezers described in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 6-52149, in which a rubber skirt is provided inside the suction concave portion of the suction pad, since the outer portion is made of a hard material, as described above, the wafer and the like are suctioned. It is easy to generate an impact when touching an object. Also, in the vacuum tweezers described in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 3-17632, since the outer portion is made of fluororesin, as described above, an impact is likely to occur when coming into contact with an adsorbent such as a wafer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to make an adsorbent adhere well with an adsorbent pad even when the adsorbent such as a wafer is warped or bent. , Stable holding, operability,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum tweezer which particularly improves reliability.

[0015]

To achieve the above object, a vacuum tweezer of the present invention comprises a first suction pad having a flat portion, and a flexible second suction pad provided on the outer periphery of the first suction pad. And a pad.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In the vacuum tweezers of the present invention, in a preferred embodiment, the suction pad is a first suction pad (2 in FIG. 1) having a flat portion (4 in FIG. 1) made of resin or the like, and rubber or the like provided on the outer periphery thereof A second suction pad (3 in FIG. 1) made of a flexible material, and the first suction pad (2 in FIG. 1) has a first suction recess (see 6 in FIGS. 1 and 3). The first suction port (see FIG. 1, FIG. 3, 8) has a structure in which a negative pressure is applied, and the second suction pad (3, FIG. 1) is connected to the second suction flat portion (5, FIG. 1, FIG. 3). Two suction recesses (Fig. 1,
3), and a second suction port (9 in FIGS. 1 and 3) communicating with the second suction recess is provided in the first suction pad to make a negative pressure.

In the embodiment of the present invention, a wafer or the like is constituted by a first suction pad having a flat portion made of resin or the like and a second suction pad made of a flexible material such as rubber provided on the outer periphery thereof. If the adsorbate is warped and if deflection occurs during handling due to the weight of the adsorbate such as a wafer, the second suction pad can follow them, thus facilitating adhesion between the suction pad and the adsorbate such as a wafer,
Negative pressure during suction holding can be maintained.

[0018]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of vacuum tweezers according to one embodiment of the present invention, and is a plan view seen from a suction surface side of a suction pad. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line C-D-E of FIG.

Referring to FIG. 1, in one embodiment of the present invention, the suction pad 1 includes a first suction pad 2 and a second suction pad 3, and the first suction pad 2 is And a first suction recess 6, and a negative pressure is applied at the first suction port 8. The second suction pad 3 is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the first suction pad 2. The second suction pad 3 has a second suction flat portion 5 and a second suction recess 7, and the second suction recess 7.
The first suction pad 2 is provided with a second suction port 9 communicating with the first suction pad 2 so as to generate a negative pressure. In FIG. 1, 1
4 is a handle, 15 is an opening / closing valve, and 16 is a vacuum hose.

The first suction pad 2 is formed of a resin material as in the prior art. It is desirable to use, for example, a fluorine-based resin as the resin material.

The second suction pad 3 is formed of a flexible material. For example, a rubber-based material is desirable. More specifically, for example, hardness Shore A 40 degrees or less, elastic modulus 23.
A rubber-based material having 53 × 10 ² Mpa or more and an elongation of 200% or more is desirable.

The outer shape (planar shape) of the second suction pad 3 is not limited to the circle (disc type) shown in FIG.

Next, the operation of one embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of one embodiment of the present invention. When the suction surface side of the suction pad 1 is brought close to the suction object 18 such as a wafer, air is sucked from the first suction port 8, the first suction recess 6 becomes a negative pressure, and the first suction flat portion 4 is moved to the wafer or the like. It adsorbs on the adsorbate 18. At the same time,
The air is sucked from the second suction port 9, the second suction concave portion 7 becomes a negative pressure, and the second suction flat portion 5 is suctioned while following the suction object 18 such as a wafer.

After that, when the adsorbent 18 such as a wafer is transferred to another container or the like, the second adsorbing flat portion 5 is kept in place even when the adsorbent 18 such as the wafer is bent due to its own weight or wind pressure during operation. Follow the adsorbed material such as wafer and maintain negative pressure.

As described above, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the second suction pad made of a flexible material such as rubber is added to the suction pad, so that the suction object itself such as a wafer is warped or bent. Can follow. For example, outer diameter φ300mm, t
= Stable handling is possible even with a large diameter wafer of 300 μm. In addition, the impact or the like when the suction pad comes into contact with the suction object such as a wafer is particularly reduced, and the occurrence of scratches or the like can be prevented.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) The first effect of the present invention is that it can follow the warp or deflection of the adsorbed material itself such as a wafer.
It means that stable handling is possible even for a large-diameter wafer having a diameter of 300 mm and t = 300 μm.

The reason for this is that, in the present invention, the second suction pad made of a flexible material such as rubber can follow the warp or deflection of the suction object itself such as a wafer.

(2) A second effect of the present invention is that there is no impact when the suction pad comes into contact with a suction object such as a wafer, and the occurrence of scratches and the like can be prevented.

The reason is that, in the present invention, since the second suction pad made of a flexible material such as rubber is provided on the outer peripheral portion, the impact can be absorbed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of vacuum tweezers according to one embodiment of the present invention, and is a plan view as viewed from a suction surface side of a suction pad.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a suction pad according to one embodiment of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-D-E of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining the operation of one embodiment of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a suction object such as a wafer is held by vacuum tweezers.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional vacuum tweezer;
It is the top view seen from the adsorption side.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a suction pad of a conventional vacuum tweezer.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a suction pad of a vacuum tweezer described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 6-52149.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a relationship with a conventional suction pad when a suction object such as a wafer is warped.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a relationship with a conventional suction pad when a suction object such as a wafer has a deflection.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vacuum tweezers suction pad 2 First suction pad 3 Second suction pad 4 First suction flat part 5 Second suction flat part 6 First suction recess 7 Second suction recess 8 First suction port 9 Second suction port 10 Suction Pad 11 Suction plane part 12 Suction recess 13 Suction port 14 Handle 15 Open / close valve 16 Vacuum hose 17 Skirt 18 Wafer or other adsorbed material A Skimmer B Skimmer

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A vacuum tweezer, comprising: a first suction pad having a flat portion; and a flexible second suction pad provided on an outer periphery of the first suction pad. 2. A flexible member, wherein a suction pad of vacuum tweezers is provided to surround a first suction pad having a first suction flat portion, and an outer periphery of the first suction flat portion of the first suction pad. A second suction pad having a second suction flat surface portion, wherein the first suction pad has a first suction recess, and the first suction recess is set to a negative pressure during suction, and Vacuum tweezers, wherein the pad includes a second suction recess communicating with the first suction recess, and the second suction recess is also set to a negative pressure during suction. 3. The vacuum tweezers according to claim 1, wherein the first suction pad is made of a resin. 4. The vacuum tweezers according to claim 1, wherein the second suction pad is made of a rubber-based material.