An apparatus, system and method for a wedge clamp suitable to provide self extracting grips for an end effector suitable to hold semiconductor wafers, or other substrates such as rectangular panels. The apparatus, system and method may include two inner jaws at least mechanically associated with a robotic base; two outer arms associated with the inner jaws via at least one arms cam; and a plurality of wedge clamps. Each of the wedge clamps may comprise: a spring; a cam loaded on the spring; and a cam travel path into which the cam is slidably associated. A contraction of the inner jaws and a consequent arms camming of the outer arms applies pressure to a circumferential edge of the semiconductor wafer such that the circumferential edge depresses each of the cams along its respective cam travel path and against its respective one of the springs. The jaws close may synchronously about a center point of the substrate, thereby keeping it centered.

Embodiments are generally directed apparatuses, methods, techniques and so forth to select two or more processing units of the plurality of processing units to process a workload, and configure a circuit switch to link the two or more processing units to process the workload, the two or more processing units each linked to each other via paths of communication and the circuit switch.

Provided is an electrostatic capacitance sensor which can remove an influence of a noise occurring from a static eliminator or a driving source and accurately perform measurement even on electrostatic capacitance detected by a thin-type detection unit which can be passed to a finger surface of a wafer transfer robot. The present invention is provided with an AC supply source which supplies an AC voltage to a detection unit, a parasitic capacitance compensation circuit, an operational amplifier, a differential amplifier, a phase detection means, and a low pass filter. An operational amplification output terminal is connected to an inversion input terminal of the differential amplifier through a first band pass filter, the AC supply source is connected to a non-inversion input terminal of the differential amplifier through a second band pass filter, an output terminal of the differential amplifier is connected to an input terminal of the phase detection means, and the phase detection means takes, as a reference signal, an AC signal output from the AC supply source.

A robot gripper for moving wafer carriers and packing materials and a method of operating the same are provided. The robot gripper includes two opposing clamp assemblies. The two clamp assemblies are configured to move close to or away from each other. Each of the clamp assemblies includes a movable support pin at a bottom of the clamp assembly.

A system for reconfiguring a factory having equipment at different workstations throughout the factory and a plurality of sensors disposed throughout the factory includes a factory configuration module configured to store a plurality of predetermined factory configurations and a plurality of mobile transporters configured to engage and transport the equipment to the different workstations throughout the factory based on the predetermined factory configurations and dynamic inputs, where the dynamic inputs include a status of the equipment, a status of the plurality of mobile transporters, sensor data output by the plurality of sensors, or a combination thereof.

An apparatus, system and method for providing a variable swath end effector. The variable swath end effector may include: two arms, each for retaining a portion of a retained element; two pairs of bearing rails, each pair being uniquely mechanically associated with a one of the two arms, wherein a level of one pair of bearing rails is staggered from a second level of the other pair of earing rails in a perpendicular axis, and wherein the staggered pairs of bearing rails are interleaved with each other; and a motor capable of driving a belt in mechanical association with each of the two arms, wherein actuation of the motor drives the belt to synchronously move each of the two arms across a respective one of the pairs of bearing rails to vary the swath between the two arms.

A transport apparatus including a drive; a first arm connected to the drive, where the first arm includes a first link, a second link and an end effector connected in series with the drive, where the first link and the second link have different effective lengths; and a system for limiting rotation of the end effector relative to the second link to provide substantially only straight movement of the end effector relative to the drive when the first arm is extended or retracted.

A focus ring adjustment assembly of a system for processing workpieces under vacuum, where the focus ring may include a lower side having a first surface portion and a second surface portion, the first surface portion being vertically above the second surface portion. The adjustment assembly may include a pin configured to selectively contact the first surface portion of the focus ring, and an actuator operable to move the pin along the vertical direction between an extended position and a retracted position. The extended position of the pin may be associated with the distal end of the pin contacting the first surface of the focus ring and the focus ring being accessible for removal by a workpiece handling robot from the vacuum process chamber.

This conveying hand is used for conveying a conveyed object in an adsorbed state with a negative pressure, and comprises a pad having a contact portion that contacts the conveyed object and a concave portion having an internal space that can be evacuated; a base that moves while loading the pad; a first elastic member that movably supports the pad on the base in the direction of gravity of the conveyed object and restricts a movement of the pad on the base in the direction perpendicular to the direction of gravity; and a second elastic member that seals a space communicating with the internal space of the concave portion and movably supports the pad on the base in the direction of gravity.

An example robotic arm includes a base linkage and a first end effector connected to a second end of the base linkage through a first rotational joint. The robotic arm additionally includes a control arm. The control arm includes a first linkage and a second linkage, each having a first end and a second end. The first end of the first linkage is connected to the second end of the base linkage through a second rotational joint. The first end of the second linkage is connected to the second end of the first linkage through a third rotational joint. The control arm also includes a second end effector connected to the second end of the second linkage through a fourth rotational joint. The first, second, third, and fourth rotational joints are configured to rotate in or parallel to a first plane.