A linearly moving mechanism includes an internal moving body provided within a case body and configured to be moved in a linear direction, the internal moving body being configured to move an external moving body connected to a connection member protruded from the case body through an opening formed at the case body; a seal belt extending in the linear direction and provided within the case body to close the opening, a first surface side of both end portions of the seal belt in a widthwise direction thereof facing an edge portion of the opening while being spaced apart therefrom; and a deformation suppressing member provided to face a second surface side of the both end portions to suppress deformation of the seal belt, the seal belt being connected to the internal moving body to be moved along with a movement of the internal moving body.

A processing apparatus includes a pick configured to hold and transfer a substrate, a first suction pad disposed at a position in the pick where the first suction pad comes into contact with a concavely curved substrate, a second suction pad disposed at a position in the pick where the second suction pad comes into contact with a convexly curved substrate, a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure in a first suction path connected to the first suction pad and a pressure in a second suction path connected to the second suction pad, and a controller configured to control suction operations by the first suction pad and the second suction pad based on a detection value of the pressure sensor.

A processing apparatus includes a pick configured to hold and transfer a substrate, a first suction pad disposed at a position in the pick where the first suction pad comes into contact with a concavely curved substrate, a second suction pad disposed at a position in the pick where the second suction pad comes into contact with a convexly curved substrate, a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure in a first suction path connected to the first suction pad and a pressure in a second suction path connected to the second suction pad, and a controller configured to control suction operations by the first suction pad and the second suction pad based on a detection value of the pressure sensor.

A substrate process station includes a housing including a transport region and process region. The process station further includes a magnetic levitation assembly disposed in the transport region configured to levitate and propel a substrate carrier. The magnetic levitation assembly includes a first track segment including first rails disposed in the transport region and below the process region, wherein the first rails each include a first plurality of magnets. The process station further includes a pedestal assembly comprising a pedestal disposed within the housing. The pedestal is moveable between a pedestal transfer position and a process position, wherein the pedestal is disposed between the first rails in the pedestal transfer position to receive a substrate from the substrate carrier, and wherein the pedestal is moveable between the first rails to position the received substrate in the process region in the process position.

An article transport facility includes a transport vehicle and a controller, and the transport vehicle includes: a drive unit; a speed detector configured to detect a traveling speed; and a distance detector configured to detect an inter-vehicle distance, which is a distance to another transport vehicle. The controller is configured to (i) refer to at least one target speed that is set in advance according to the inter-vehicle distance, and (ii) perform an inter-vehicle adjustment control to control the drive unit in such a manner as to cause the traveling speed to approach the at least one target speed, based on the traveling speed and the inter-vehicle distance, the at least one target speed includes an accelerating target speed and a decelerating target speed, and the accelerating target speed is lower than the decelerating target speed for each inter-vehicle distance.

A system for holding and transporting one or more workpieces is disclosed. The system includes a cassette that is configured to support a carrier and a workpiece at two different elevations. In this way, as the carrier with the workpiece is placed on the cassette by a first robot, the carrier moves down further, as the workpiece is supported by taller support posts. The end effector of a second robot may then later remove only the workpiece from the cassette for processing. The processed workpiece is later placed back in the cassette by the second robot. This processed workpiece is then removed, along with the carrier, by the first robot. Carriers may be created to accommodate different sized workpieces such that the cassette remains unchanged.

There is provided a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a substrate transfer chamber having a floor provided with a first magnet; a substrate transfer module including a stage on which a substrate is placed, a traveling plate disposed below the stage, and a second magnet having a repulsive force with respect to the first magnet, the substrate transfer module being configured to be movable in the substrate transfer chamber by magnetic levitation using the repulsive force; and a substrate processing chamber disposed on an upper surface side of the substrate transfer chamber to process the substrate, the substrate processing chamber having an opening having a size that allows at least a part of the stage on which the substrate is placed to pass therethrough, the opening being open toward the inside of the substrate transfer chamber. The substrate is processed in a state where the stage on which the substrate is placed is inserted into the substrate processing chamber through the opening by raising the substrate transfer module and the opening is closed by the traveling plate.

The present inventive concept relates to a substrate transfer device that detects an abnormality of a plurality of end-effectors and a method for determining an abnormality of the substrate transfer device. The substrate transfer device includes: a plurality of end-effectors extending in a first direction and disposed in multi-stages in a second direction crossing the first direction to support substrates, respectively; an interval adjustment unit configured to adjust an interval between the plurality of end-effectors; and an abnormality detection unit configured to detect an abnormality of each of the plurality of end-effectors, wherein the plurality of end-effectors may include: a reference end-effector that is fixed in position; and a variable end-effector that is adjusted in distance from the reference end-effector with respect to the reference end-effector.

There is provided a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a substrate transfer chamber having a floor provided with a first magnet; a substrate transfer module including a stage on which a substrate is placed, a traveling plate disposed below the stage, and a second magnet having a repulsive force with respect to the first magnet, the substrate transfer module being configured to be movable in the substrate transfer chamber by magnetic levitation using the repulsive force; and a substrate processing chamber disposed on an upper surface side of the substrate transfer chamber to process the substrate, the substrate processing chamber having an opening having a size that allows at least a part of the stage on which the substrate is placed to pass therethrough, the opening being open toward the inside of the substrate transfer chamber. The substrate is processed in a state where the stage on which the substrate is placed is inserted into the substrate processing chamber through the opening by raising the substrate transfer module and the opening is closed by the traveling plate.

A robot that transfers a substrate includes an arm, a hand, a substrate detector, and a substrate shape abnormality examiner. The hand is installed to the arm and holds and transfers the substrate. The substrate detector detects absence or presence of the substrate in a non-contact manner. The substrate shape abnormality examiner examines the substrate for a shape abnormality based on a height detected by the substrate detector at which the substrate is located when it is not held by the hand.