This semiconductor device manufacturing device comprises: a stage; a bonding head; a copying mechanism provided on the bonding head; and a controller that executes the copying process to adjust a facing surface to be parallel to a reference plane by having the facing surface, which is a holding surface or a chip end face, follow the reference plane 110, which is a planar surface of the stage or a substrate. In the copying process, the controller moves the bonding head relative to the surface direction of the reference plane with the facing surface left abutting the reference plane in a state with the copying mechanism switched to a free state, until the axial direction position of the bonding head reaches a stipulated reference position, and when the axial direction position reaches the reference position, switches the copying mechanism to a locked state.

The present invention relates to a turntable mechanism, including a flat plate and a rotating device for driving the flat plate to rotate, where the flat plate rotates to generate a negative pressure between a lower surface of the flat plate and a surface of an adsorbed object, the flat plate and the adsorbed object adhere together by an adsorption force generated by the negative pressure, and in this case, a gap is kept between the lower surface of the flat plate and the surface of the adsorbed object. In the present invention, a continuous, consistent, and stable fluid film is formed between the turntable and the adsorbed object, and a secondary flow is not easily generated, thereby ensuring that the adsorption force between the rotating flat plate and the adsorbed object is more stable.

A method of certifying uniform distribution of mechanical pressure comprises an apparatus for moving an object, the apparatus including an arm (410) with a joint (430) for adjusting a fixture (420) having a flat surface area (420a). The fixture includes vacuum suction for holding the object. The method further uses a pressure sensor (450) with a flat surface area (450a), displaying output voltage as a function of mechanical pressure applied. When the sensor is placed on a chuck with vacuum suction, the apparatus moves (460) to bring the flat fixture surface in touch with the flat sensor. Mechanical pressure is applied from the fixture to the sensor; the voltage output of the sensor is monitored to certify uniform distribution of the fixture pressure across the sensor area.

A non-contact handler includes an upper body portion and a lower body portion movably coupled to the upper body portion. The lower body portion includes a non-contact puck configured to lift an object and a plurality of containment fences extending downward from the puck. The plurality of containment fences are arranged around a periphery of the object to be lifted.

A sample transfer device includes a sample container holder including at least one jet that ejects air, and the sample container holder holds an upper surface of a sample container in a non-contact state by a negative pressure generated due to horizontally outward flow of the air ejected from the jet.

Material moving apparatus, systems and methods are presented which can include an air material mover. Airflow through orifices can create a localized vacuum such that the uppermost or top layer of material can be separated from the stack of material. The airflow can interact with the material to produce flutter, which assists in separating lower layers from the uppermost layer. A material gripper can grip the uppermost or top layer of material for removal from the stack and repositioning in a work area.

A Bernoulli gripper for ophthalmic lenses includes a gripper body with a first cavity corresponding in shape to an optic zone of an ophthalmic lens and a first channel formed within the gripper body. The first channel penetrates the first cavity at one end and includes a first port in the gripper body at another end of the first channel. The first channel is enabled to supply a fluid medium from the first port to the first cavity at a first velocity such that the ophthalmic lens positioned with the optic zone in proximity to the first cavity is subject to a first pressure force against the first cavity by the Bernoulli effect.

A swirl-flow forming body includes a through-hole; a jetting port that is formed on an inner periphery facing the through-hole; a fluid passage that allows fluid to be discharged into the through-hole via the jetting port so as to form a swirl flow that generates negative pressure for applying suction to a target object; and a flange portion that is formed so as to protrude from the inner periphery, the flange portion allowing passage of fluid to which suction is applied by the negative pressure while preventing the fluid discharged via the jetting port from flowing out of the through-hole towards the target object. The inner periphery is formed so as to guide the fluid discharged via the jetting port, in a direction away from the target object, to be discharged from the through-hole.

System and methods for manipulating and sorting of objects being moved along a conveyor are disclosed, whereby control of the object is achieved through the application of one or more of vacuum, impaling, or mechanical grasping. One embodiment is directed to a robotic arm and vision detection system operable for detecting a target object to be grasped from a stream of objects being moved on a conveyor, and moving a suction head into position over the target object that has been detected on the conveyor, the suction head having a flexible cup section disposed at a distal end thereof, the vacuum item pick-up system/method using high subsonic air flow (e.g., on the order of 60 scfm or more) through a suction cup having a flow opening area large enough that an airflow of 60 scfm does not result in an airspeed exceeding Mach 0.2 under standard conditions of temperature and pressure, and further having a flow opening area whose ratio to cup opening area falls between 0.36 and 1.44 for applying a desired vacuum suction force for grasping the target object. Either as a primary grasping mechanism, or as an optional supplemental grasping mechanism, a piercing mechanism may be inserted into the object and used to manipulate the object in space. Alternate systems/methods for manipulating and sorting objects via hitting, flicking, or pushing are also disclosed.

This disclosure is directed to automated warehouse facilities that are configured to assemble mixed pallets. The warehouse facilities can include one or more layer handling devices that are configured to remove layers from pallets in a delayering operational mode, and to add layers to pallets in a palletizing operation mode. The warehouse facilities also may include one or more item retrieval devices that are configured to retrieve individual items from storage racks. The warehouse facilities can include other automated devices as well.